50 Billa grocery stores had been purchased by Conad, another Italian retail store, and the switch-over is scheduled to be completed over the weekend, with stores reopening on Monday, February 23, under the new name.
There's been no word at all as to whether all of the Billa stores in the area are included in this group of 50, and no word on whether Conad will have the same hours as Billa. (I hope so!) Monday morning when I discover more, I'll update this post. Just about the only information has been these big posters in the vaporetto stops, and a sign in the Billa stores announcing that you need to use up any store points you have before the change over occurs.
So- if you are returning to Venice anytime in the near future after having been away for some time, be prepared to be greeted by the new kid in town: Conad.
10 comments:
Hope that they don't close the store on the Zattere. It was the closest to where I would rent. Also it was open on Sunday mornings -- a big plus for those of us who arrive back in town on Saturdays.
Our local supermarkets are Conad...commonly known as Gonads by the English speakers.
Ciao, Debra! How are you?
Funny, we've already joked about how we were sure we'd be referring to the store as Gonads!
How do you like them? I am assuming they have a good selection and decent prices?
Grazie!
K
Oh no! I just purchased my Billa bag for life a few months ago! I'll have to buy a new one to get with the times :)
Emma- I love my Billa bags! I am headed over to Conad tomorrow morning, probably will have to get a new tessera (shoppers discount card) and a new bag. But I'll be using the Billa ones still, they are so great!
oh wow. i saw the signs, but had no idea. and when we went in on monday and there were no vegetables, i just figured it was a supply thing. but today the refrigerated sections were almost completely empty. looks like more travel to the panorama...
Yes, yesterday I expected to be shopping at Conad, since their big adverstisement says from Feb 23, however I discovered Billa was still in operation. Today was their last day. Conad opens March 7. So we'll all be at Rialto or Coop or Punto for the next week! I will probably bump into you at one of those, maybe more than once :)
still waiting on the grand opening...
Ciao! The Lido and Zattere open on March 7. The one over by the Frari opened on the 28th of Feb, and so did the one on Strata Nuova. Not sure about the one on Rio Marin. I did get into the one by the Frari, and prices on a few of the things I normally buy are lower, so that's a good thing. The same people were working- that's also a good thing. Instead of having the TEssera for discounts, they have something called the Conad Piu card, which you use for discounts, but it is tied to your bank account and payments are made with that. That doesn't appeal to me one bit, and I have heard from other locals they aren't keen on that plan either. It's always something :)
Well, I haven't tried to comment in a while...tired of being the Anonymous One.
I'll miss Billa when I visit but then you know how much I love Punto.
Michelle
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