We Went to the Reopening of the Belle Haven Safeway, Because, Why Not?

We know we live in challenging economic times (with wisps of improvement), but are
the times so challenging that even a supermarket needs an opening party—or, in the
case of the Belle View Safeway, a reopening party?

Apparently so. Since the market crashed in 2008, Safeway has opened or reopened six
stores in the Washington area, and two are slated to open next year. On Thursday evening,
company executives welcomed 500 guests to the opening of the more than 40,000-square-foot
Belle View store, which had been closed for six months during the renovation. The
so-called “spring social” featured classical music, wine pours, buffets of food samples,
lots of Easter candy for guests to self serve, and a hefty swag bag.

The customers, at least those we overheard, were impressed. “I wish my mom was still
alive to see this,” a woman said to her friends as they entered through red drapes.
A man tasting shrimp wrapped in bacon said, “I can’t wait to return to do lots of
shopping.” At the crowded cheese buffet, a woman said, “This has been a long time
coming.”

Supermarket openings are not new to our social calendar. We were curious to check
out the Virginia party because in the spring of 2010 we attended the reopening of
the Georgetown Safeway. That party was amazing. Guests were offered flutes of Dom
Perignon and Louis Roederer Cristal Champagnes—with refills—as well as glasses of
other famous French, Italian, and California wines. It was a very splashy and special
party. Would it be the same in Belle View?

Not exactly, but not bad, either. On Thursday evening there were Virginia wines and
local craft beers, but the high-priced Champagnes were behind glass cases. The evening’s
signature blood orange and tangerine cocktail, a Cherry Blossom, was pretty and sweet—and
nonalcoholic.

On the way out we stopped at the check out to ask a clerk about customer reactions
she had heard. Lesly D, as her nametag read, said the customers seemed most of all
pleased to have the neighborhood store back open. “They had to go to other stores,
and we had to work at other stores, too. Everybody’s enthusiastic,” she said.