BULLETIN: Whole Foods confirms its new West Seattle plan – anchor tenant for 4755 Fauntleroy Way SW megaproject

(4755 Fauntleroy Way rendering, looking toward corner of Alaska/40th; store would wrap around this corner & run along Alaska)
ORIGINAL REPORT, 3:19 PM: Whole Foods Market has confirmed a new West Seattle location – right across SW Alaska from the spot where it once planned to open. Here’s the news release we just received:

Whole Foods Market – the world’s leading organic and natural foods supermarket – announced plans to open its seventh Puget Sound store location in West Seattle. The 41,000–square-foot store will be located within a mixed-use project at the intersection of Fauntleroy Way SW and SW Alaska Street. The store is scheduled to open in 2015.

The West Seattle store opening will create 150 new jobs throughout Seattle. Whole Foods Market has been ranked for the past 15 consecutive years as Fortune’s “100 Best Companies to Work For.”

“We’ve long wanted to be part of the West Seattle community and we’re grateful to all the residents who have reached out to support our efforts,” said Joe Rogoff, president, Whole Foods Market, Pacific Northwest Region. “Creating jobs, supporting local producers and lending a hand to area schools and non-profits are core to our philosophy and practices, and we’re eager to share this with West Seattle. And of course we’re thrilled to be expanding the selection of natural and organic food, sustainable seafood, humanely raised meats and housemade prepared foods and bakery items to the community.”

Whole Foods Market announced signing a lease with Weingarten Realty for West Seattle during its quarterly earnings call on November 7, 2012.

Robert Smith, Senior Vice President of Development and Acquisitions for Weingarten, commented, “We are extremely excited about this project which will be a signature property at the gateway intersection to the Junction area of West Seattle. Weingarten, Lennar and Whole Foods Market are substantial companies that are working intently together with the City to design a functionally well integrated project that is appealing to its customers and a positive reflection of the community. We believe this project fits the vision and objectives developed by the community and the City in their recently adopted Triangle Plan for this commercial intersection. This is an important project for us and reflects the growing trend toward more dense, urban, mixed use projects, desired by many metropolitan areas like Seattle.”

Once complete, Whole Foods Market will provide local shoppers with a wide selection of high quality natural, organic and local products. The company’s quality standards are outlined online at www.wholefoodsmarket.com.

ADDED 3:33 PM: We’ve just talked by phone with Lance Sherwood from Weingarten, who notes that the project still is in early development stages – it goes to its second Early Design Guidance meeting before the Southwest Design Review Board tomorrow night (at 8 pm – after the 4724 California review), a process that then will be followed by permitting as well as completion of financing and purchase before construction begins.

Whole Foods backstory: It was originally set as anchor tenant for what was Fauntleroy Place, announced in 2006 but stalled in 2008. While that project (which has NO link to this one) went through court battles in the ensuing two years, WF eventually announced in 2010 that its lease for FP was no longer valid, saying at the time that it was still seeking a West Seattle location. The former Fauntleroy Place, by the way, was sold at foreclosure auction last year, to Madison Development, which has filed plans with the city to develop it as Spruce West Seattle, with the former supermarket space instead changed to a fitness center that, according to the artwork with the filed plans, is expected to be an L.A. Fitness branch.

94 Replies to "BULLETIN: Whole Foods confirms its new West Seattle plan - anchor tenant for 4755 Fauntleroy Way SW megaproject"

  • Dick November 7, 2012 (3:29 pm)

    Sweet! They get to dig a brand new hole!

  • Chuck & Sally's Van Man November 7, 2012 (3:30 pm)

    If they dig a new hole, can they please use the dirt to fill the old one?

  • Jerry November 7, 2012 (3:38 pm)

    With Whole Foods moving to the new development across from the originally planned location, what is the long term plans for the “hole”?

    • WSB November 7, 2012 (3:39 pm)

      For the first round of comments – I’ve just added the backstory regarding what the Hole is supposed to become. Whole Foods no longer had any association with that project anyway. I will add links as soon as I can – TR

  • CanDo November 7, 2012 (3:48 pm)

    Gee.. another grocery store?

  • Strike'em out Kinney November 7, 2012 (3:52 pm)

    My mom is eagerly awaiting the return of Hancock fabrics should it return. I would also welcome Whole Foods to the neighborhood, regardless which parcel its located.

    • WSB November 7, 2012 (4:23 pm)

      The “Hole” owner/developer has not answered our most recent direct inquiries, which is why we had to go to the DPD to look at the plans they had on file. It did not seem to include the once-planned Hancock store, though nothing is of course final till we hear (at some point) directly from the developer/owner.

  • Strike'em out Kinney November 7, 2012 (4:06 pm)

    I welcome the addition of Whole Foods to the neighborhood, regardless where its located.

  • sun*e November 7, 2012 (4:14 pm)

    That’s a lot of grocery stores in one small radius…borderline overkill I’d say.

  • John Q Public November 7, 2012 (4:16 pm)

    Jesus.

  • rcl November 7, 2012 (4:22 pm)

    We are now the mecca for all supermarkets! Trader Joes, QFC, Whole Foods, PCC, Safeway all within blocks! Get your shopping on!

  • Mom November 7, 2012 (4:23 pm)

    Nothing against WF, but we DO already have PCC AND QFC AND Metro Mkt AND Thriftway, Trader Joe’s, AND two Safeway’s. It’s just feeling a but gluttonous. You know what would be really helpful? A Fred Meyer or Target. Someplace closer than Westwood V. that has things like socks, sporting goods, books, etc.

  • Ms. Sparkles November 7, 2012 (4:25 pm)

    I don’t think Jesus shopped at Whole Foods ;-).

    All the grocery stores theoretically should be sustained by the additional residents living in the apartments above the stores.

  • Marie November 7, 2012 (4:26 pm)

    Competition for Trader Joe’s now

  • camp long neighbor November 7, 2012 (4:37 pm)

    …and unfortunately all of the grocery stores are not within walking distance.

  • Alki Resident November 7, 2012 (4:39 pm)

    Hole Foods…

  • kumalavula November 7, 2012 (4:42 pm)

    i’d venture to say the clientele that are found at whole foods are not shopping at safeway and vice versa. who knows, maybe it’ll mix things up having all these options, once the store finally (if ever?) opens….can you tell i am a bit cynical having driven by the hole for years now.

    pcc has sensed the competition tj’s has brought to our neck of the woods and they’ve been adjusting prices over the past few months but still cannot compete entirely.

    having whole foods, even down the road in 2015, is just going to give people more options and more jobs. who can argue with that in this economy?

  • DTK November 7, 2012 (4:43 pm)

    A $3 apple doesn’t taste any better than a $1 apple.

  • chrisma November 7, 2012 (4:45 pm)

    Trader Joe’s and Whole Foods are regularly sited within a few blocks of one another in many, many cities, to the point where I wonder if the don’t have a backroom agreement regarding co-location.

    • WSB November 7, 2012 (5:01 pm)

      Hancock – it does not appear to be, though until and unless the owner of “The Hole” makes an official announcement about the project (my information all comes from looking at plans downtown, since they have not answered our inquiries since before the name/etc. change), we don’t know for certain.
      .
      Chrisma – The only thing to note on that is that at the time “The Hole,” with Whole Foods, was still alive, the now-Trader Joe’s site was scheduled to be something else entirely, a mixed-use project called “Gateway Center,” and I don’t believe it was to have enough retail space for a store.

  • lightreading November 7, 2012 (4:48 pm)

    is hancock fabrics coming back?

  • Been There November 7, 2012 (5:03 pm)

    Alas, the Junction Grocery District expands. Again.

    Meanwhile, with the exception of the QFC at Westwood Village, the entire Delridge area is grocery store void. Although we have plenty of junk food selling stop & robs strewn along Delridge Way.

    A good spot for a Delridge based full service grocer would be where the DSHS/Kidney Center building stands, just east of the new Youngstown Flats apartment building that is going up. A grocer there would capture the WS Bridge to Delridge Way offramp drivers and bus riders passing by, and all the new residents coming to Avalon Way, and the masses that daily inundate the area around All Star Fitness.

  • Em November 7, 2012 (5:15 pm)

    Do some comparison shopping with Whole Foods house brand, organic produce, meat, and dairy to QFC, PCC, and the worst if all Metropolitan Market and you will be surprised what you find. Whole foods is surprisingly in the same price range but often has much higher quality products. I’m happy to see them come to West Seattle. Just please fill in the hole this time.

  • Smrteater November 7, 2012 (5:21 pm)

    Whole Foods determines whether a new location will work well based 90% on the education level of that area. I would imagine Trader Joes has realized that their success is a given when following WF’s suit.

  • Men who obey cats November 7, 2012 (5:24 pm)

    I’ll most likely eat all my meals at the Whole Foods buffet.

  • Jen November 7, 2012 (5:30 pm)

    And still no grocery at High Point.

  • freelancer November 7, 2012 (5:45 pm)

    It’s sickening seeing all these grocery stores within a block of each other, when there are food deserts all over other parts of West Seattle. Shame on these companies.

  • Harry Reems November 7, 2012 (5:54 pm)

    Well put “been there” and “Jen”, I could not agree more. Overkill in one area and a void in the other.

    How many housing units will be going into this mixed use development?

    • WSB November 7, 2012 (6:01 pm)

      Somewhere around 350.

  • SaraS November 7, 2012 (6:00 pm)

    Gah. Another grocery store. I agree with “mom” above – would’ve loved to see a Fred Meyer or Target there.

    However traffic around that area is already horrible (I take Alaska in my commute). In the afternoon, the line for the light at Alaska and Fauntleroy extends almost back to 35th. Ugh

  • J November 7, 2012 (6:20 pm)

    Very glad for West Seattle Fabrics; it’s a great store–but I still miss Hancock’s for the wide selection of notions and fabrics.

  • Harry Reems November 7, 2012 (6:31 pm)

    So, 350 more units (with probably around 500 adults) yet our infrastructure is lacking, and the access in and out of West Seattle hasn’t been changed since the mid-80s.

    Do city planners consider this type of information when allowing these projects?

  • JA November 7, 2012 (6:44 pm)

    Another grocery store? Seriously?

    West Seattle needs to recognize and patronize the fantastic locally owned markets available to us. None of these stores are locally owned: Safeway, QFC, Whole Foods, Trader Joe’s, Target, or Fred Meyer.

    Let’s keep it local, folks.

  • WestSide45 November 7, 2012 (6:55 pm)

    When there was a Safeway at 35th and Morgan the store manager (Cliff) said they (Safeway) could not afford to keep the store open based upon how much was walking out the door unpaid for, either by five-finger discount or by bad checks. Perhaps the razing of the former High Point neighborhood eliminated most of the purveyors of free groceries, maybe not. I can see the thought process of grocery store higher-ups when contemplating a new location in the Delridge Valley; why put a store in an area which would demand constant visible security personnel? That really attacks the bottom line.

  • Kathi November 7, 2012 (6:58 pm)

    It’s all just too much everything. Too many people. I still miss our West Seattle Hospital. I don’t see more people, more food, more everything as necessary. Too much of anything is just too much.

  • Harry Reems November 7, 2012 (6:59 pm)

    There are grocery stores in far worse neighborhoods than High Point or Delridge.

  • denbol November 7, 2012 (7:05 pm)

    TRAFFIC!!! What about the traffic!!!!

  • Heidi November 7, 2012 (7:14 pm)

    Agree wholeheartedly with Em. Whole Foods house brands are high quality and competitively priced. And no shoppers card to get the special discounts like at QFC and Safeway. Many of the prices at the two aforementioned stores are really quite high, so I get a lot of my basics at Target which is consistently cheaper. So I’m very happy to learn about Whole Foods coming to the neighborhood in a few years. Plus, who wants to go in the Jefferson Square Safeway if they don’t have to …. Place needs a major revamp.

  • Junction person November 7, 2012 (7:33 pm)

    PCC supports local farmers! They really care about what they put on their shelves. No High Fructose Corn syrup in ANY of the products on the shelves. They have your back, and your butt in mind.
    When we shop at PCC the $$ goes back to our community in many ways. I will continue to shop there regardless of what store is closest to me.

    I agree that Whole Foods should go down on 35th, maybe near high point. A whole neighborhood waiting for a grocery store. Kind of ridiculous how many stores at the Junction.
    BTW as a PCC shopper I don’t shop at Safeway but will go to QFC for last minute items.
    And a $3 apple tastes way better than the $1, especially when you know the farmer!

  • coffee November 7, 2012 (7:38 pm)

    If you want “cost effective” the proper way to say cheap, then drive to Grocery Outlet, or Winco…I never buy staples at any of the West Seattle stores unless there is some super special pricing. The sale price is still higher than the shelf price at the 2 stores I mention. Granted they are not pretty stores, they are cost effective…

  • Marcus M November 7, 2012 (7:56 pm)

    Great news for Junction area residents! TJ’s is too limited, QFC & Safeway too full of corn syrup.

  • Missliss November 7, 2012 (8:15 pm)

    Jeez. This makes me sad. PCC carries high quality food, local produce, and deli food. The deli food is made in-house and is delicious. They make a huge effort to carry local produce. They pay their emloyees well. They give back tremendously to the community, from the food bank to their Farmland Trust. They are PNW owned and run by and elected board of locals. And I have never, ever had a problem when an item hasn’t been up to snuff. They replace it or refund me; whatever I prefer.

    All of which is to say, I understand that Whole Foods is a mega-store and of a higher quality than QFC or Safeway, but they are not organizations that add value to our communities in the way that PCC does.

    Food for thought, as it were.

  • mehud November 7, 2012 (8:33 pm)

    Men who obey cats- I like you! Maybe I will see you at the Whole Foods buffet, each getting a delicious $40 dinner! I like cats too…

  • Mike November 7, 2012 (8:40 pm)

    Pretty Sad… A family owned funeral home, that has been in the community for over 70 years will be replaced with a grocery store… Lest We Forget…

    http://www.seattlepi.com/local/article/Richard-Dick-Kennedy-1924-2007-Father-figure-1253596.php

  • kgdlg November 7, 2012 (8:42 pm)

    Grocery store siting is all about density of people and income. They draw circles around a location and look at the demographics. Simple. This is why there will never be a grocery store in predominantly single family less well off areas of west Seattle. Also, grocery stores are like car dealers now – they co locate amd compete intensely for the same customers. That is why wf wants to be right next to TJs. Personally we are most excited about the hot food take out at whole foods.

  • goodgraces November 7, 2012 (8:46 pm)

    Whole Foods will do really well there, and it will be very, very busy. I agree with Heidi and Em, above (seemingly the only positive voices on this thread, besides Men who obey cats): Welcome WF! I regularly patronize the Interbay WF (and the WS Trader Joe’s) and it will be wonderful to stay in WS once the tunnel is built.

    I love PCC and the folks who work there and will continue to shop there a couple times/month. But WF has much better pricing and selection, and I appreciate their corporate values, as well.

  • diane November 7, 2012 (8:58 pm)

    Awhile ago I bought some basic bulk goods at Safeway thinking they would be cheaper and then went to PCC for some specialty items and noticed their bulk prices were way cheaper for the items had bought at Safeway. I know people who have worked for Safeway and they pay low wages and push as many as they can to work part time shifts. PCC is local and so is Metropolotan Market. Whole Foods certainly is not! I like to support local when I can!

  • ltmmgm November 7, 2012 (9:05 pm)

    They should put Whole Foods in the old Safeway store at 35th & Roxbury.

  • CMT November 7, 2012 (9:09 pm)

    I am so happy about this! And, as someone who loves grocery shopping, I don’t think there are too many grocery stores (although I agree that there are certain areas of West Seattle that could really use a grocery store). I compare this to the Roosevelt Whole Foods. There are a QFC, Safeway, Trader Joe’s and PCC all in fairly close proximity to one another and they have all been there for over 10 years.

    And a shout out to the Jefferson Square Safeway. The store layout and parking may not be great but the manager is awesome and so are a lot of the staff.

  • shihtzu November 7, 2012 (9:22 pm)

    Hey, it’s better than Walmart!

    Mmmmmm, I’m looking forward to the salad bar, deli and bulk section.

  • Tuesday November 7, 2012 (9:37 pm)

    Yes, shame on companies for putting people to work by picking locations that are actually profitable. Reality can be so harsh.

  • Harmony Hasbrook November 7, 2012 (9:48 pm)

    We’ve begun calling that section of town Grocery Alley.

  • evergreen November 7, 2012 (9:55 pm)

    I like to eat lunch at grocery stores. The gluten-free crowd probably appreciates PCC, but it’s not my favorite. Glad that there is a food bar alternative to Met Market. Love the WF bar and bakery. So glad they are coming to WS.

    I agree with the Target comment. I don’t want a Walmart or Kmart here, but I wish that there was an alternative to Target for clothes, housewares, and appliances. Some other low cost but higher quality megamart… and wouldn’t it be great if Westwood had an REI? And maybe a few more independent bookstores in town akin to Elliot Bay? We need more store variety here.

  • raincity November 7, 2012 (9:55 pm)

    Hancock fabrics please come back!!!!

  • I Wonder November 7, 2012 (10:54 pm)

    There used to be a Safeway @ 35th & Morgan??

  • dsa November 8, 2012 (12:02 am)

    Yes there used to be a Safeway at 35th and Morgan, a drugstore, a bakery next to that and across the street, will you believe it Albertsons. Checkmate cleaners was a true mom and pop grocery. I stocked shelves on Thursdays. And on the ne corner there was a cafe. It was a thriving junction at one time.

  • bearschick November 8, 2012 (12:17 am)

    May I please ask for a bookstore. Love B&N, but would like something closer. Love Pegasus, but would love a store with new releases closer than B&N. Nuff said.

  • Jackie November 8, 2012 (1:34 am)

    We fondly refer to Whole Foods as Whole Paycheck

  • anonyme November 8, 2012 (5:48 am)

    Completely agree with Em. I’m a budget shopper, but look for good, organic quality food. Whole Foods prices are excellent (as anyone who’s done actual comparison shopping can tell you) and the quality can’t be beat. I’m thrilled they’re coming to the neighborhood. My only complaint is that I wish we had more options further south instead of having all the grocery stores congealed near the Junction.

  • Ex-Westwood Resident November 8, 2012 (6:45 am)

    I don’t know what people are buying at Safeway, but I found Safeway (26th and Roxbury) much cheaper than than QFC, Albertson’s, Thriftway, PCC, Trader Joe’s or Fred Meyer’s.

  • miws November 8, 2012 (6:46 am)

    Yep! Safeway was where U-Haul is, Albertsons where Walgreens is.

    .

    And a Winchell’s Donuts where Pizza Hut is!

    .

    Mike

  • Mark November 8, 2012 (7:34 am)

    I was hoping for an Uwajimaya.

  • Anne November 8, 2012 (7:42 am)

    bearschick– we had a great small local bookstore –Jefferson Square Books–new releases kids section cards plus friendly attentive staff who would order anything for you! After B & N came their customer base dropped off. It was sad to see them go. Maybe another small bookstore can occupy one of the MANY touted retail spaces in the new developments being built?!

  • petert November 8, 2012 (8:06 am)

    Well….there goes my “Hole Foods” idea.

  • monkey November 8, 2012 (8:07 am)

    I, for one, welcome our new grocery overlords.

  • sarah November 8, 2012 (8:41 am)

    I vow NEVER to shop at Whole Foods. With so many better and more affordable options, and the very ungracious way WF left our neighborhood looking blighted, I think their time in WS will be short lived.

    • WSB November 8, 2012 (8:51 am)

      Sarah – and anyone else who STILL has this erroneous belief – **Whole Foods had NOTHING to do with what resulted in a huge, now-four-year-old hole across the street. NOTHING. They had a lease to take space that was to be built by a developer. As detailed rather endlessly here from 2008-2011, the developer (Bluestar) got into trouble; the project stalled; a court fight ensued (and was settled last year). If anything, Whole Foods was A VICTIM. Whole Foods still held out official hope it would be resolved; it wasn’t, and their lease option expired in 2010, and they announced they were still looking for a West Seattle home.** I am no particular fan or non-fan of Whole Foods (for disclosure’s sake, I will note that we have three West Seattle grocery sponsors – the three locally owned stores – PCC, Metropolitan Market, Thriftway) but I am a fan of making sure people get accurate information, which we have reported here over the years. For the past year, The Hole has remained a Hole because its current owner hasn’t started developing it; after the court fight was resolved, the site was sold at auction, and a new developer (Madison) bought it more than a year ago. – Tracy
      .
      Datapoints: The same developer who was responsible for The Hole – again, BlueStar – at one point was going to develop two other sites (also reported at the time here). One is not a hole but is a big empty lot (BlueStar left it with vacant vandalized buildings, which its new owners tore down), 5020 California, which was to be “Spring Hill.” It too has a new owner, and our most recent report on its fate is here:
      .
      https://westseattleblog.com/2012/08/west-seattle-development-whats-not-up-with-5020-california
      .
      The other, immediately south of The Hole, was once to be “Gateway Center,” developed by BlueStar, but the option lapsed and it is now known as West Seattle Trader Joe’s.

  • dsa November 8, 2012 (10:37 am)

    I wonder what they plan to do for parking. And another thing that has been on my mind ever since the announcement of the mega project is that there is (was) a gas station on the site. I also wonder if they have done deep soil site testing for tank leakage.

    • WSB November 8, 2012 (10:44 am)

      This building actually is proposing TONS of parking – more than 500 spaces. Well, I should say, “tons” in comparison to most of the other projects in the area, since it’s close enough to RapidRide that city rules may not require anywhere near that much parking.

  • hopey November 8, 2012 (11:14 am)

    I recently moved from North Admiral to the Junction and have been missing the prepared hot foods from Met Mkt. Count me in the camp of people who are THRILLED to see Whole Foods moving into the neighborhood! All of their more recent stores have extensive deli, salad bar, and hot food bar selections. Some even have treats like crepes and gelato! I also agree with the person who said the house brand products (including milk) are high quality and cheaper than mainstream grocery stores. Looking forward to welcoming them to the neighborhood!

  • cj November 8, 2012 (11:23 am)

    I wonder if West Seattle could qualify as most grocers in a concentrated area for a world record.

  • schwaggy November 8, 2012 (11:29 am)

    Two words; Yay & Awesome.

  • dsa November 8, 2012 (11:43 am)

    Thanks Tracy for the parking info. Possibly they are planning to excavate any and all contaminated earth if encountered as this would be another hole at first.

  • wetone November 8, 2012 (12:37 pm)

    Tons of parking ? 65,000 sq.ft, of retail space going in so you need parking for employees and customers. 350+ units going in and how many are 2 bd. I am glad to see them using the 500 number and hope they stick to it as the city probably would require alot less. But in reality it should be a 1/3 more parking spots going in.

  • Strike'em out Kinney November 8, 2012 (1:11 pm)

    I remember as a kid there being a Safeway where the Uhaul is now. Also where Walgreeens is, that actually used to be a Thriftway. We moved back east (Connecticut) for several years then upon returning here both supermarkets were shuttered and replaced with other businesses. I dont live in that area of West Seattle but I do agree there is a severe lack of grocery stores there, esp. with the closure of Food Giant, where Home Depot is now.

    • WSB November 8, 2012 (1:34 pm)

      Strike ’em – I love all these historical anecdotes but always wonder about the time frame. K Mart used to be where Home Depot is – so did Food Giant precede K Mart? And re: Thriftway at Walgreens spot – was that even while Thriftway was also just a few blocks down the hill? Or before then? There has been a Thriftway at California/Fauntleroy for as long as we have been here (21 years) … my original favorite espresso stand in the early ’90s was Java Bean outside the Thriftway before it burned in 1997 (and Java Bean moved to its own location on Avalon). My supermarket memories include just a few – Metropolitan Market having been a Thriftway previously, and Roxbury Safeway having been a Fred Meyer and a fascinating offshoot of the late great Larry’s Markets called Lo-Bucks (which I remember vividly as having been open in 1995). But I digress. Reminder – this project (4755 Fauntleroy Way SW) goes to Design Review tonight, 8 pm at the Senior Center, see you all there … TR

  • Heather November 8, 2012 (1:41 pm)

    As said earlier an REI @ Westwood would be fantastic!!!!

  • Sharonn November 8, 2012 (2:55 pm)

    Wow, 77 comments already by at least 60 different interested individuals. Sure hope a good percentage of you come tonight to hear about and voice your thoughts about the largest development in West Seattle history. This is the second design review meeting and your opinion matters. In fact, two design reviews tonight, the former PetCo is also on the agenda tonight at the Senior Center, 6:30 p.m. Put your comments on the record so that the Department of Planning and Development, the developer and local elected officials hear first hand.

  • Gina November 8, 2012 (4:58 pm)

    Kmart was in one part building, and there was a grocery store (Food Giant was the name of the final grocery) in the other. I called it the last chance Food Giant, it had many close out items. There were grocery stores there with other names. I barely remember the Albertson’s across from Safeway on 35th. The Boeing bust caused the shrinkage problems at Safeway, in my opinion.

  • Peter on Fauntleroy November 8, 2012 (6:15 pm)

    It’s just a grocery store, people. Seriously, get over it.

  • miws November 8, 2012 (7:10 pm)

    TR, the old Thriftway Bldg, that burned down in 1997, was a “Tradewell” store, pre-Thriftway. The change over from TW, to…..uh….TW, was probably around mid-late ’80’s-ish.

    .

    Also, the former Petco/Bingo Hall/slated to be redeveloped space in the Junction was a Tradewell. It remained as such, probably no more than a year, after J. Square opened in ’87, at which time Safeway moved from their longtime home at the now Rite-Aid.

    .

    Mike

  • Harry Reems November 8, 2012 (7:44 pm)

    Reading these posts have been an invaluable history lesson!

  • Brontosaurus November 8, 2012 (11:42 pm)

    I’ll believe it when I’m actually eating salted caramel gelato in their coffee shop, while looking out at a scenic view of The Hole.

  • Strike'em out Kinney November 9, 2012 (12:33 am)

    Yes, where the Walgreens where it sits now was a Thriftway in the early 70’s, and where the West Seattle food bank is standing used to be a Senor Taco, (29 cents per taco) before it morphed into several other uses and eventually torn down and replaced with the present building. Winchells donuts where Pizza hut is was our favorite hangout after church at Our Lady of Guadalupe. I do believe there needs to be a grocery store there once again.

  • Shannon November 9, 2012 (8:01 am)

    WF is always supportive of the local communities. They try to source local an routinely support local charities and groups by fundraising and donations. They will be very active in community events and bring more decent paying jobs to the area. I’m excited to see them come to area.

  • Kirsten November 9, 2012 (8:17 am)

    Sorry I just can’t get behind this one. We still have a gigantic hole and a displaced and much missed Hancock Fabric. Only if getting a WFs means one of the gross Safeway’s, QFCs or Thriftways was run out of biz by more people buying local organic, would it be a benefit. And they filled the hole and invited Hancock back. Boo hiss.

  • wetone November 9, 2012 (10:05 am)

    Here are a couple more old grocery stores for you. The Alki IGA now the Cactus Restaurant and next to that was the C&H grocery now the Bamboo. One more big one was at 48th & Charleston (forget name) where the grass field is now. Worked at all of them.

  • Shannon November 9, 2012 (10:16 am)

    Wow, I wish all these people so bitter about “the hole”, would at least target their bitterness at the proper people. WF had nothing to do with it. You don’t even have to get off your bitter, angry butt to research it because the blog has all the facts for you, has published it numerous times (yet again in this article) and still baseless, bitter comments against WF for the mess persist. I was hoping baseless finger pointing was over with election, but looks like its still thriving in West Seattle.

  • I. Ponder November 9, 2012 (10:47 pm)

    I miss La Grace. Nobody will ever pay $4 for a cupcake.

  • dawsonct November 10, 2012 (11:11 am)

    Whatever people’s feelings are about WF, it sure will be nice to have a REAL cheese shop in WS. I was hopefull when I saw Murray’s was taking over the QFC cheese shop, but it is truly unimpressive. Cashing in on the name only.

    And no, I am NOT impressed by the shrinkwrapped selection in the TJ refrigerators. That’s no way to buy cheese.

    • WSB November 10, 2012 (11:24 am)

      Dawson – No love for Metropolitan Market (and I’m not just asking because they are a sponsor)? I’m no cheese expert but it does seem they have a rather wide selection and even make some on site …

  • anonyme November 11, 2012 (11:02 am)

    Dawson, I hear you. Long time ago I ran a specialty cheese shop in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Have never fully accepted the concept of all pre-cut, plastic wrapped, over-refrigerated cheeses, especially the more delicate runny ones.

  • DW November 11, 2012 (7:32 pm)

    The one thing that jumps out at me is those folks missing Hancock Fabrics. The question I have is why has HF not found another location in West Seattle. It’s clear they are missed. Maybe some of the blame is going to the wrong place on this. Yes, they were displaced, but it’s been 4 years and they are free to open a new locale as Whole Foods is doing.

  • Robin Levin November 13, 2012 (6:21 pm)

    Sure would like to have Hancock Faabrics back
    SOMEWHere in WS!

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