Another grocery (TJ’s) on the west side – what about east side?

1st report from tonight’s Delridge Neighborhoods District Council meeting: In the wake of today’s Trader Joe’s West Seattle confirmation, a semi-sore subject was inevitable: When is the east side of West Seattle going to get a grocery store? It wasn’t all lament – there’s news ahead from the King County Food and Fitness Initiative. But first, the numbers. With TJ’s, there will be three grocery stores in Admiral (temporarily 2 when Safeway closes for construction in September), three in The Junction (not counting the still-not-officially-dead Whole Foods, which tells us they may have something to say at month’s end), one in Morgan Junction, one in Westwood Village, one on Roxbury. As some at tonight’s meeting noted, there may be hope down the road if the Boren site is ever redeveloped (right now Seattle Public Schools is keeping it as emergency backup). But for now, Delridge Neighborhood District Coordinator Ron Angeles suggested that pragmatically, the best short-term tactic is working for better east-west transportation in West Seattle so that Delridge residents can get to the stores. Delridge Neighborhoods Development Association executive director Derek Birnie mentioned ideas some parts of the country are trying, like satellite stores, where big groceries in one part of a town send a truck a day to smaller stores.

(WSB photo of Super 24 mural from August 2009)
And then there’s the work KCFFI is doing – working to bring healthy food to Delridge on a smaller, immediate scale – Youngstown Cultural Arts Center‘s Randy Engstrom announced a date is set for the “night market” at the first Healthy Corner Store, Super 24, coming up July 10th – there will be farmers selling fresh food, plus entertainment. We’re waiting for official word on the hours. There’ll also be a weekly fresh-produce-market day at the store too starting as soon as next week. More details on these when we get them from Randy. 2:53 PM UPDATE: As promised: The weekly produce market at Super 24, starting up about the same time as the “night market,” will be Fridays 9 am-5 pm and Saturdays 10 am to 6 pm. Also on Saturdays, the Delridge Fresh Food Spot Team (DNDA staff and volunteers) will be at the Super 24 from 10 am-2 pm providing food samples as well as healthy-food info and kids’ activities.

Michael June 17, 2010 (12:35 am)

How long has it been since a reporter has actually checked up on the Super 24’s “healthy” selection?
.
I’d be interested in what you find.

lenguamor June 17, 2010 (2:16 am)

I would gladly give them the Safeway at Jefferson Square if that were possible.

Valerie June 17, 2010 (7:17 am)

I’m certainly in favor of better east-west public transportation in West Seattle – heck, better public transportation in Seattle, period – but how likely is that to be a realistic tactic in the grocery situation, given the budget cuts government agencies continue to make?

Kelly June 17, 2010 (7:33 am)

I thought that the new TJ’s was to be located closer to the Junction than to Admiral.

Kelly June 17, 2010 (7:55 am)

Oh geez, I think that’s what it says. I misread part of the story. oops.

JBL4 June 17, 2010 (8:43 am)

I might be a little confused but what are the 3 grocery stores in Admiral?

ejones June 17, 2010 (8:51 am)

@JBL4
Safeway, Met Market, and PCC.

Jsv June 17, 2010 (8:52 am)

3 in Admiral are Met Market, PCC and Safeway

KBear June 17, 2010 (9:01 am)

Probably would have been clearer to say, “With TJ’s, there will be 3 grocery stores in The Junction and 3 in Admiral”.

Local Food June 17, 2010 (9:11 am)

There’s a bunch of good community groups already trying to address the Delridge Food Desert. Look one up and get involved!

Youngstown Cultural Arts, Food & Fitness Initiative
DNDA
Sustainable Puget Ridge, Puget Ridge Edible Park
Community Harvest, Community Orchard of West Seattle
Magic Bean Farm
Cascade Harvest Coalition
Cascadian Edible Landscapes
Urban Land Army
Sustainable West Seattle
& More

Any others?

austin June 17, 2010 (9:47 am)

I think the TJ’s would have been the best candidate for east-west seattle in the grocery huddle game. TJ’s is more of a destination store than a random generic supermart safeway-qfc-albertsons-whatever type store.
The reason groceries gather at the top of the hill is that they don’t want to be away from the group. As it is, if I build a grocery store in one of the junctions it will be shopped at by people who live on the west side due to proximity and people on the east side due to necessity. If I build a grocery on delridge for example, the same people on the east end will appreciate it and shop there but no one that lives on the west side will shop there because they already have five stores to choose from closer to home. A regular supermart grocery would be limiting their potential customer base by opening an east store, but TJ’s would have just as many customers if they opened across the street from Zippy’s because most people would still rather go to HP than Burien.

E/W transit in WS is a huge problem, it takes me as long to get to friends’ place off 16th as it does to get to Ballard, except when going to Ballard I don’t have to walk three quarters of a mile of steep grade to the bus stop.

Lynne June 17, 2010 (9:49 am)

I empathize with our Delridge neighbors but I need some help with understanding the lament. Where could a grocery store be successful? It would need to be a larger, more supported chain in a location that was big enough to sell more than groceries (inexpensively) that had other anchors and destinations in the area. No retailer is going to forgo these factors for community need and no small business would survive without them. Seems like we’re asking for either a miracle or a Super Walmart. Anyone?

ALS June 17, 2010 (10:33 am)

Meh, I live just off Delridge and I am not bitter about the location of the new TJ’s. As austin pointed out, it makes sense for the store financially and geographically. I am, however, adamantly in support of better public transportation around West Seattle, especially as West Seattle gets more built up and parking becomes more scarce.

sam June 17, 2010 (10:41 am)

Lynne- regarding where, the article mentions Ron’s discussion of the Boren site- if Seattle Public Schools sold it. a website of the concept is:
http://delridgecommons.com/

in light of the ongoing disaster in the gulf, some people are trying to make a more serious effort to stop driving so much. I would walk to the grocery store at Delridge Commons ( I say that, but it would be trek up a big flight of stairs). I used to walk to grocery store when I lived in another part of town. that would save me 2-3 car trips a week.

Local Food June 17, 2010 (10:52 am)

I think the Healthy Corner Store initiative makes a heck of a lot of sence. It uses the corner stores that are already in place in Delridge and makes it possible for them to carry fresh, local produce.

Those stores, like the Super 24, aren’t anything close to a grocery store, but they will become an extremely vital source of fresh produce.

Lynne June 17, 2010 (11:28 am)

Thanks, Sam.

Delridge Denizen June 17, 2010 (1:07 pm)

Two words: Amazon Fresh. Okay, now the rest of the words. I’m doing at least 75% of my grocery shopping online now. Individual items here and there cost a bit more, but prices are in the same ballpark and the reduction in impulse buys have more than evened it out for me.

chas redmond June 17, 2010 (1:47 pm)

Two different words: Red Apple.

sam June 17, 2010 (2:01 pm)

re: AF- I was/ am a fan of them, but seems less user-friendly since they changes their minimums requirements, etc for picking up those plastic bins. attended delivery works great, but then you end up with paper grocery bags. plus, I like browsing at the store for what is on sale/ buy one get one free.

westseattledood June 17, 2010 (3:05 pm)

Yes: Red Apple

AND…two more: Fred Meyer.
FM has natural food dept AND sells BULK food stuffs AND produce is cheaper than regular grocery co.’s. Plus peeps could pick up a ton of other stuff …,, just mull it over people. For Delridge, this could be another possibility to be pursued. Think about where the other FM locations are. WS East could be perfect. South Seattle doesn’t have a FM, does it? Might not be all too difficult to lobby them en masse to explore the possibility.

Just a thought. But I’d prefer a Red Apple.

WSB June 17, 2010 (3:10 pm)

Were you here when the Roxbury Safeway was a Fred Meyer? After it was a low-budget version of Larry’s Market called LoBucks (mid-’90s). There is a Renton Fred Meyer where Rainier Avenue meets I-405, and of course Burien, I think those are the closest ….

homesweethome June 17, 2010 (8:48 pm)

I was here when the FM at Roxbury was here – handy to have and it would be a nice to have this additional option to return to the area. And hey, maybe they could bring Hancock Fabrics with them.

Dan\'a June 22, 2010 (10:28 am)

homesweethome,
I miss having a local Hancock’s so very much, too. :(

Delridge Produce Cooperative June 25, 2010 (1:00 pm)

If you are interested in helping a local group develop a small store selling fresh LOCAL produce (in the Delridge neighborhood), please join us at our next neighborhood meeting! Monday 6:30-7:30pm at Pearls Tea &Coffee 4800 Delridge Way SW.
…and yes, we miss Hancock Fabrics, too!!!!

Sorry, comment time is over.