Grocery store deja vu?

Back around the turn of the century there were two main grocery chains in the South Bay.

Safeway and Lucky (ignoring Andronico's, Trader Joe's and the like).

Both had club cards. Both were frequented by yours truly. Then Albertsons bought out Lucky.

Their pitch...we don't do club cards. We don't differentiate between members and non-members (like it was that hard to become a member). Everyone gets our low prices. Well, seeing as how their low prices weren't really that low, I stopped going (more like a boycott).

One day, a couple years later, I learned that Albertsons had change their tune. They now _used_ a club card. Talk about your switcheroos, and of course untrustworthiness. Yet another reason not to go to Albertsons. However, it soon became apparent that they occasionally had good and even great deals ($1 for a box of Dreyer's Fruit Bars?). So I caved.

Then last year, Albertsons got bought out. Most of the stores in the area closed. Some stayed open. I stopped getting the weekly circular, so I had no idea what good deals there were...I stopped going.

Imagine my surprise this past week when I noticed a familiar brand pop up where I once used to see Albertsons stores. Lucky was back. Apparently, threatened with the potential of losing the Lucky brand name and logo, Albertsons' parent company has started using the name again.

And guess what these "new" stores now promote?

No club cards. Low prices all the time.

Bah! Yeah right.