Haggen stores on auction block Monday, including Lake Forest Park

Lake Forest Park Haggen to be sold
Photo by Jerry Pickard

Haggen’s remaining 32 stores, including the one Lake Forest Park, will be put up for auction on Monday, February 22, under terms of the Chapter 11 bankruptcy filing and the wishes of their creditors.

Haggen, headquartered in Bellingham but funded by a partner in Florida, had hoped to keep the stores - mostly profitable - as the basis of a comeback for the troubled grocery chain.

Stores will be put up for bid in a block, although they could be split among multiple parties. It’s possible that the Florida partner might buy some or all.

The new owner(s) could keep the Haggen name or rebrand the stores.

Staff are understandably concerned about their future employment. When Haggen bought the stores in 2015 from the Albertson’s - Safeway merger, they kept almost all of the staff. There’s no guarantee a new owner would do that.

 The auction was originally scheduled for February 5, rescheduled to February 11, and then rescheduled to February 22, all without explanation.

The auction will be held in a New York City law office.