GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. -- Spartan Stores here said it has received approval from the Federal Trade Commission to proceed with its acquisition of Seaway Food Town, a 73-store chain based in Maumee, Ohio. Spartan said it has set its annual meeting for July 18 so shareholders can vote on the transaction. Seaway has scheduled a special shareholders meeting for the same day to vote on the proposal. The deal is expected to close less than a week after the vote, with Spartan becoming a public company listed as SPTN on the Nasdaq National Market. The company previously said an initial public offering will follow completion of the deal.
