jdla's Profile
what's the difference between Pavillions and Vons?
I saw they just put up a billboard very close to the Pavilions on Melrose/Vine. Guess what - it's advertising VONS. It was the same thing in West Hollywood when I used to shop at the Pavilions there - they'd have billboards nearby advertising Vons. It's like they figure Pavilions shoppers know the stores are just actually Vons with another name so they don't even bother advertising Pavilions. So I have to ask once again - why have stores with the Pavilions name when you're basically just going to advertise it as a Vons?
what's the difference between Pavillions and Vons?
I think Pavilions were giant and Vons normal sized when Pavilions were first introduced. Now basically the new and remodeled stores are the same size. In fact they're closing down the old smaller Vons because it doesn't fit into their lifestyle store types.
I thought Stephanie Edwards did commercials for Lucky grocery store.
what's the difference between Pavillions and Vons?
Safeway was in southern CA but then sold their stores to Vons in 1988 and kept a 30% interest in the Vons company. In late 1996 they decided to buy out Vons and in April 1997 Vons and Pavilions became part of Safeway.
I think the fact that they left southern CA in 1988 may be one of the reasons they kept the names Vons and Pavilions. The Vons stores were already successful and they probably didn't want to take a chance on renaming them all Safeway and losing customers. Although at this point a name change to Safeway wouldn't really matter. The Safeway name is ALL OVER the Vons and Pavilions stores and they're simply just a Safeway store with a different name.
what's the difference between Pavillions and Vons?
It is unusual that they would say the KTLA show is being brought to you by Safeway instead of Vons. I wonder why they've decided to do that.
I was really surprised to read that they're building new Pavilions grocery stores. I just don't get it. I walk into my Pavilions store and the carts and grocery bags say Vons, store brands items are Safeway and Vons and bakery items are Vons. So what's the point of having the store named Pavilions when it's filled with Vons and Safeway items?
Albertsons owns Bristol Farms but those are two stores totally different types of stores so it makes sense to have two names. Vons and Pavilions are just the same store with two different names.
what's the difference between Pavillions and Vons?
You could be right - maybe they someday are going to just rename all the remodeled lifestyle stores "Vons Pavilions". Seems like it would be easier for them to just have all the same names and less confusing to customers. Even the Pavilions website is silly. It has all the info that the Vons website has and if you go to the Pavilions website to order groceries online is just redirects you to the Vons site.
Safeway is starting close many of the older small stores. I went on vacation last year to Morro Bay CA and there was a Vons there that was quite small and obviously hadn't been remodeled in ages. They closed it this year saying the location was too small and wouldn't fit into their new lifestyles remodels. When I lived in the bay area I used to go to a Safeway that was small and the old style of supermarkets - no pharmacy, no bakery, no deli, etc. It's still open but I expect one of these days they'll be closing that store.
what's the difference between Pavillions and Vons?
I can't figure out why Safeway still has both Vons and Pavilions stores. I understand when the original Pavilions stores were created they were more upscale and offered delies and a bakery, etc. But with their remodeled "Lifestyle" concept Vons stores there's absolutely NO difference between Vons and Pavilions. In fact some of the older non-remodeled Pavilions are not upscale in the least. Pavilions store ads are still using that tired old slogan "A World of Difference" (and they don't even use that slogan on their shopping bags anymore) while Vons stores received the "Ingredients for Life" slogan when they rolled out that campaign in 2005. In the Pavilions I go to the Vons name is on all the shopping carts, on the paper bags and the plastic bags in the produce section. Starting a couple years ago all the bakery items with the Pavilions name were rebranded Vons. They even stopped making the Pavilions Value Plus Card and instead new Pavilions shoppers are issued Vons Club Cards. So it seems like the Pavilions name has been reduced rather than expanded. I think in 2008 Safeway should combine the stores under one name or at least add Vons to the Pavilions banners.
