FOLLOWUP: What’s ahead as Metropolitan Market Admiral remodel resumes


(WSB photo: Store director Paul Marth, CEO Todd Korman, COO Ron Megahan at left in background with attendees)

As the Admiral Metropolitan Market (41st/42nd/Admiral Way; WSB sponsor) gets ready to resume and complete its remodeling project, we published its open letter to the community last weekend, with an invitation to a gathering at the store. We covered that event on Thursday night; here are the toplines:

CEO Todd Korman told the 20+ who gathered that the made-to-order salads and pasta will be brought back – they’ve received a lot of comments about that. They’ve also heard from customers about the bread section; it was moved to address pre-remodel concerns, but the current location has drawn concerns too, so they’re looking into it.

In April, they’ll overhaul the meat and fish area, where the cases are more than 20 years old. Larger new ones will enable a larger selection. Air-flow concerns will be addressed – the west-side doors have been getting activated by people standing in the relocated coffee area’s line, and that’ll be fixed. The floral area on the east side of the store, also set for work in April, will be enclosed. And there’s still work to come in the upstairs housewares area, to enable more seating for people who want to linger with coffee and/or food.

The work is expected to be complete by June. If you have specific questions in the meantime, you’re encouraged to talk with the staff at the store, or call 206-937-0551.

18 Replies to "FOLLOWUP: What's ahead as Metropolitan Market Admiral remodel resumes"

  • Junction Lady February 26, 2017 (8:55 pm)

    The new table and chairs provided are wonderful and appreciated.  

    If you are planning to continue with the salad bar, it would be user friendly if it was 2 sided and the lettuce/greens were of better quality.  Realizing that space is an issue perhaps the cheese display island between the prepared foods and the packaged refrigerated foods could be eliminated to allow more space.  

    Thank you

  • Space Dust February 26, 2017 (8:59 pm)

    The new table look nice, but they wobble. The old tables never wobbled.

  • Mariem February 26, 2017 (10:41 pm)

    sadly, I have stopped going to met market after 13 years. Not happy to see non -service dogs in the store with their owners. I wrote the store about this 4 months ago and have never received a response. 

    • Dave February 26, 2017 (11:59 pm)

      I see them in MM as well, Admiral Safeway too. I complained to Safeway management and provides the law and ways to enforce it. They said they would but years later, still dogs in Safeway. Saw one today as a matter of fact.

    • Alan February 27, 2017 (12:17 am)

      I asked someone that I know who works at a grocery store. He said that they are legally limited to asking if the dog is a service dog and what task it performs. Generally, it is only the first question that is asked. If the person is willing to lie about the animal being a service animal, they will undoubtedly come up with a task. If the person isn’t lying, then it would be poor treatment of a customer to continue with the second question. 

      https://www.ada.gov/svcanimb.htm

  • Diane February 26, 2017 (11:30 pm)

    glad I was able to make it to this meeting, to hear all the details on many topics, and to ask questions, especially re ADA access; all of the staff were very responsive and emphasized over and over and over their focus on customer service as #1, and to ask them for help, whatever you need/want

  • Diane February 26, 2017 (11:32 pm)

    ps; I love the new tables and chairs; way more seating, and far more comfortable

  • 22blades February 27, 2017 (12:31 am)

    Judging from what I’m here, that looks pretty underwhelming. I want to shop at a grocery store that has a coffee shop. Not a coffee shop with a grocery store. Fixing the sensors for the door is like putting a piece of tape over the Check Engine light. I am disappointed that the focus is not on providing the basics of good grocery shopping.

    Fail.

    • WSB February 27, 2017 (12:46 am)

      If you care but you weren’t there for whatever reason, take your concerns to store management and let them know what’s missing for you. Everybody seems to want something different out of stores like this, but I can’t think of a single store in the area – aside from TJ’s – that doesn’t devote a relatively large amount of space to takeout food hot, cold, and otherwise, as well as coffee (either through having an in-store Starbucks as do the Safeways and QFCs, or in-house espresso as do Met, PCC, and Thriftway). As for the technical specifics, the door work involves more than sensors; there was also a mention of millwork, since you bring it up. – TR

  • Lola February 27, 2017 (6:04 am)

    The Burien Safeway has a big sign with a picture of a service dog on it and it says on the sign “Service Dog’s Only”  I did not read the whole thing but I thought this is great so that we do not have people bringing in all kinds of dog’s into the food store.  Maybe West Seattle Stores could have those same sign’s?  I know I have seen lot’s of those small dogs be put into the baskets of the store carts as well as owners carrying them through out the stores.  

    • hj February 27, 2017 (11:53 am)

      You can’t believe that those signs actually work. Entitled dog owners are sign-resistant.

      • Alan February 27, 2017 (12:17 pm)

        All stores should have those signs or at least “Service Animals Welcome”. Not everyone realizes that it is a health code violation for non-service animals to be in a grocery store, bar or restaurant. If the restaurant has outside dining, the animals aren’t even legally allowed there. It does come down to some sense of entitlement on the part of some owners, as well as a lack of a sense of their animal’s potential contamination. If they allow their pets on their kitchen counters at home, why would they think them to be of any threat on the floor of the store or restaurant?

        It comes down to enforcement. If you see it happen, you can report it but there has to be a non-service animal when the health department arrives. Since there are no badges or documents for service animals, they are only going to be able to ask the owner. Here is a pretty thorough discussion of it:

        http://stearnslawpllc.com/2015/04/09/who-let-the-dogs-in-a-discussion-of-how-seattles-dog-friendly-restaurants-choose-not-to-follow-washington-law-by-student-blogger-ariana-orford/

  • WS February 27, 2017 (7:00 am)

    I really miss the coffee area upstairs-it was a welcomed area to view pastries and grab a quick one and get out the door. Now everyone in the store is being funneled to he AMA spot by the coffee, hot bar, pizza, express lanes. I don’t go anymore.

    • Susan February 27, 2017 (8:47 pm)

      Sorry to say that the remodel has been a big disappointment to this 20+ year customer. The flow around the central bakery/hot food/coffee/check-out lines is a disaster — people are constantly bumping into each other.  When I want to get something from the bakery I often have to wait in the coffee line to get assistance. It was so much better when the café/coffee/beverages were located upstairs where the tables are.  The new ramen/Asian food station is not that great, many of the offerings are rather bland and there’s a lot of inconsistency in the quality based on the server. The ready-to-go dishes in the cold case have also slipped in quality. Why do we need such a huge percentage of the store devoted to cheese and cured meats? Wish I had gone to the meeting, I obviously have lots of opinions ;). I really miss the old layout, it’s just not the same store anymore, it feels like a Whole Foods now, ugh.

  • Lindsey February 27, 2017 (9:43 am)

    I just want to say that I’ve been really happy with the hard work and improvements that MM has made so far. It can’t be easy appeasing such a large and diverse customer market and I know they are doing their very best. Change can be difficult for people, even if it is just at your local grocery spot. I really like the new hot bar set up, as well as the produce area. The bread location was odd at first, but now I’m used to it and it works just fine for me. I’m looking forward to seeing what they do with the meat/butcher area.

    I also like that they took time for a smart, yet temporary collection of the leaks over by the dairy section. I’m sure that is super frustrating for them. I trust that they will have a lovely store once all the construction is finished and that the larger public will be just fine with their finishes and choices for store flow.

  • AL February 27, 2017 (1:07 pm)

     I agree with the bringing of non service dogs into stores- it drives me nuts that people think they are entitled to bring their pooch in- especially with signage.  They don’t think it applies to them – well it is a health code violation- as well as a nuisance to others.  Please they are dogs- they belong at home not in a grocery store. 

    MM looks great so far.   

  • Yup February 27, 2017 (3:35 pm)

    I bring my servicey dog Jasper into the store and everyone LOVES him! He’s a schitzu, and all the children want to pet him. I usually get him a free kid cookie. MM is very accommodating, and they do a great job. 

  • mmarie February 27, 2017 (5:11 pm)

    I completely appreciate the need for owners of service animals to be able to freely have their service animal with them. I do not oppose that in any way. What I don’t appreciate is other animals in the store putting there faces near the food. Having non-services animals in a store is not a right, even if SOME people pet the non-service animals and think they are cute! I think they are cute too and would pet them OUTSIDE the store!

     

    It’s the business owner’s obligation to navigate this nuanced issue and comply with health codes above all.

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