The Bellingham-based, grocery chain Haggen has now opened a store in the Renton area and plans to open a store in Burien next week.

The Renton Safeway at 4300 N.E. Fourth St. re-opened Thursday as a Haggen store and the Burien Albertsons, at 12725 First Ave. S., will close at 6 p.m., March 8 and open as a Haggen store at 4 p.m., March 10.

Haggen will hold a community meeting for local farmers, food producers, non-profit leaders and community members from 5 p.m. to 6 p.m., March 19 at the Metropolitan Banquet Hall, 16420 SE 128th St., Renton.

This public meeting is an opportunity for local farmers and producers to discuss selling their wares on Haggen’s shelves, non-profit organizations can learn about the store’s community giving and small businesses can explore co-marketing programs.

“We hope community members will join us for a fun evening to learn about how we can work together to strengthen our community,” said John Clougher, Haggen CEO, Pacific NW, in a press release.

With each store opening, Haggen partners with five local non-profits, donating $1,000 to a single organization on the first day the store opens and 2 percent of sales to four additional organizations and on four consecutive Saturdays.

The store conversions are a part of the 146 stores the grocery chain plans to acquire and convert to the Haggen banner in the first half of 2015. The Federal Trade Commission approved the divestiture in January and the merger of Albertsons and Safeway Inc. was completed in late January as well. In June, Haggen plans to convert the Albertsons at 14215 S.E. Petrovitsky Road, Renton, into one of its stores.

At each of the stores, the current employees are invited to become Haggen employees.

“Retaining the existing store employees was an essential part of the acquisition and we hope they all accept our invitation to join the Haggen family,” said Bill Shaner,CEO, Haggen Pacific Southwest, in a Feb. 11 press release. “These are great teams and these new employees will be an incredible asset to our growing company. Plus, these familiar faces will help ease the brand transition for long-time customers.”

For more information, visit www.haggen.com.