Residents Want Safeway to Stay, Clean Up

Despite frequent litter, expired food, long lines and slim pickings at the meat counter, residents largely want the Hamilton Street Safeway Food & Drug to remain open.

About 60 residents met Monday evening with Safeway representatives to get answers and come up with solutions to the problems that plague the small grocery store, which Safeway officials said is out-of-date.

"I like the Safeway here, and I like the people at the Safeway," said Portia Gardner of Hyattsville, adding that she would like to see the store expanded.

There have been talks for several years of including a lifestyle-type Safeway at University Town Center, but plans have stalled due to UTC developer Herschel Blumberg's financial woes, said Gregory TenEyck, director of public affairs and government relations for Safeway.

A lifestyle-type Safeway typically includes subdued lighting, sushi and olive bars, and the addition of in-store Starbucks kiosks.

But TenEyck said Safeway wants to be cautious about updating the Hamilton Street Safeway when there are plans to invest in a multimillion dollar store at UTC soon.

"That does not preclude you at all from taking soap and water and closing this store for a day and scrubbing it from top-to-bottom," said Gloria Thompson of Hyattsville. "I was in there … and I picked up a zucchini that was squishy."

At times, the store's freezers break down and develop condensation. The frozen food section has been depleted due to this problem, which store manager Nikki Nell said is now fixed.

She said pigeons ruined the store's air conditioning system, creating a humidity problem inside. The store is working on replacing the AC, she said.

"Right now, my freezers are working fine," Nell said. "I can't say how long they'll be working for."

As for cleaning, Nell promised that the store's restrooms would be cleaned Monday night.

"I think it's more of a training issue that I have to work with," Nell said of the problem of expired food. "More attention needs to be paid."

Some residents suggested that the store is being redlined and that Safeway is not offering a wide enough food selection because of an incorrect perception of Hyattsville's economic base.

"We have economic diversity here, and I think that we deserve to have some choice," said Christine Hinojosa of Hyattsville. "I'd really like this store [to stay open]. It's a pain going up [to UTC]."

Nell said she would special-order any item that residents would like but is not on the shelves.

Residents are hoping for some resolutions soon.

"How long will it take … to have real action on the small suggestions that have been made?" asked resident and state delegate Anne Healy (D-District 22).

"You see that this community has really supported this Safeway for years. Lay out a timeline so people know what they can expect when."

TenEyck said he would take the resident comments to Safeway's Real Estate Committee, which meets every other week.