BIZNOTE: PCC announces West Seattle (re)opening date

(Substituted newer rendering from PCC)

The second grocery-store grand-opening announcement of the day: PCC Community Markets (WSB sponsor) will open their new West Seattle store at 2749 California SW on October 2nd. Just out of the inbox:

PCC Community Markets (PCC), one of Seattle’s original grocers and the largest community-owned food market in the U.S., announced today that their West Seattle store will reopen on Wednesday, October 2 on the same site as the original location at 2749 California Ave. S.W. The 24,000-square-foot store is nearly twice the size of the previous space and features an array of new offerings, like an expanded produce department, PCC’s largest bulk selection, an outdoor patio, café, taqueria, pizzeria, self-serve grain bowls, and more.

“As a West Seattle resident, I am absolutely thrilled to reopen our West Seattle store next month,” said Cate Hardy, CEO. “Since opening this store in 1989, the community has graciously welcomed us, and our West Seattle membership has grown to nearly 4,000 over the last 30 years. We greatly appreciate the support throughout our redevelopment and can’t wait to welcome shoppers to our new space. This store combines some of the most loved aspects of PCC, like our local, organic and sustainably sourced produce, meat and seafood, plus new features that we know everyone will love.”

Furthering the co-op’s dedication to sustainability, West Seattle PCC also is the first grocery store in the world to pursue Living Building Challenge (LBC) Petal Certification — the world’s most rigorous green building standard. The LBC, run by the International Living Future Institute (ILFI), will come to life through unique store elements such as reclaimed, sustainably sourced and nontoxic building materials; energy efficient systems that lower climate impact; electric vehicle charging stations; and public art and design features with the sole intent of bringing beauty and a celebration of culture into the space.

As part of the Beauty Petal Certification for LBC, PCC enlisted Seattle artist Celeste Cooning to create “Cloud Wave” — a stunning canopy art installation that harkens to water as the essential life force. Cut and assembled from reclaimed sail cloth, the fluid piece is suspended above shoppers and staff at the front of the store. The West Seattle location features a new design from local architect Graham Baba in collaboration with architect of record, Seattle-based MG2. The developer is Madison Development Group, LLC and the general contractor is Woodman Construction, Inc.

The West Seattle location was PCC’s sixth store when it opened in 1989, joining stores in Green Lake, Kirkland, View Ridge and the now closed Ravenna and Seward Park stores. At the time, sales were just over $10 million. Today, the new West Seattle store brings the co-op’s store count to 12 with total membership at nearly 70,000 and annual revenue of more than $288 million. PCC is the largest grocery co-op in the nation by store count, membership and revenue.

HIGHLIGHTS OF THE NEW WEST SEATTLE STORE INCLUDE:

· An expanded produce department, nearly twice the size of the original store’s.

· PCC’s largest selection of bulk items, including health and body care products, such as shampoo and laundry detergent.

· Full-service meat and seafood, sustainably sourced and cut-to-order.

· A carefully curated selection of 100% Pacific Northwest-produced spirits to complement the co-op’s collection of exclusive wines and local beers and ciders.

· A café featuring handcrafted, certified organic espresso and tea beverages and freshly baked goods.

· Made-from-scratch deli offerings that can be taken to go, enjoyed in the dining area or on the new patio, including:

o PCC Taqueria with pork adobado, beef barbacoa, tofu rojo, chicken verde, rice and beans, and freshly prepared salsas;

o PCC Pizzeria showcasing fresh-baked pizza made in-house;

o PCC Grain Bowls which are customizable with a wide range of flavors like roasted sesame gochujang, and lemon harissa dressing;

o Self-serve offerings, including an antipasti bar, PCC Yogurt Bar featuring PCC Organic Grass-fed Yogurt, hot bar with scratch-made dishes like Moroccan Lemon Chicken and Glazed Tempeh Fajitas, and cold bar with a variety of organic salad ingredients and more.

· A Little Free Cookbook Library to borrow from or donate to, celebrating the joy of cooking in the community.

As with all PCC locations, the West Seattle store will celebrate products that are fresh, local, organic, sustainably sourced and seasonal. More than 95 percent of PCC’s produce selection is organic; its meats are 100 percent organic, non-GMO or grass fed; its seafood is sustainably sourced adhering to Monterey Bay Aquarium’s Seafood Watch standards; and, whenever possible, the co-op sources its products from local producers, farmers, ranchers and fishers. Using those same ingredients, PCC chefs make salads, soups, entrées and side dishes fresh from scratch daily in each store’s on-site kitchen.

PCC is dedicated to supporting grassroots organizations that make up the fabric of West Seattle with donations, volunteering and grants. As they have over the last three decades, PCC will continue to partner with a variety of groups, including West Seattle Food Bank, DNDA, Neighborhood House, West Seattle Helpline, West Seattle Chamber of Commerce, West Seattle Junction Association, Duwamish Longhouse, Hiawatha Community Center and dozens of schools in the area.

PCC veteran Nate Rundle will serve as West Seattle Store Director; he most recently worked at Redmond PCC and previously held leadership positions at four PCC locations. Nate has built a depth of culinary skills throughout his career at establishments such as The French Laundry and is devoted to providing West Seattle PCC members and shoppers with an unparalleled experience.

Opening day detail (added: starting at 9 am):

In celebration of 30 years in West Seattle and the official opening of the 12th PCC location, cake and coffee from PCC Private Label coffee partner Tony’s will be served and the first 112 shoppers will also receive a 24oz. bag of PCC Private Label Coffee. Live music will continue the celebration into the afternoon with a special appearance from the West Seattle High School Band.

BACKSTORY: PCC closed its old West Seattle store in May 2017; the site, where it had long been a tenant, had been purchased by a developer with plans for a mixed-use project – which, a year earlier, was finally confirmed as including a new PCC.

57 Replies to "BIZNOTE: PCC announces West Seattle (re)opening date"

  • Chuck September 12, 2019 (9:31 am)

    Looking forward to it. While the Metropolitan was a very good stop-gap option for organic produce, I’m hopeful PCC will be less of a hit in the pocketbook. Heck, even Safeway upped their game with selection during this time. Welcome back PCC!

  • Mary September 12, 2019 (9:38 am)

    Now *this* is the grocery store I’ve been missing!

  • Sue H September 12, 2019 (9:50 am)

    So excited!  I’ve been going to either Columbia City or Burien, but it’ll be great to have it local again. And I just love that they’re beating WF by a week. Well played, PCC!

  • Seriously September 12, 2019 (9:52 am)

    I find it amusing that the old PCC was torn down, rebuilt and will reopen before Whole Paycheck Foods, which has been sitting with a coming soon sign for over a year AFTER the the Whittaker was finished BEFORE the demolition and rebuilding of the PCC. 

    • WSB September 12, 2019 (9:59 am)

      If you aren’t familiar with all the backstory added to the end of our WF announcement story … it’s been a long and winding road.

  • KBear September 12, 2019 (9:54 am)

    And they beat Whole Foods by a week! Nice work, PCC!

  • Frank September 12, 2019 (10:18 am)

    I wonder if the same angry people about that Alki apartment being torn down for Townhouses will be happy about this.  Essentially the same thing. 

    • WSB September 12, 2019 (10:29 am)

      What? No, it wasn’t. An old single-story store was replaced by a mixed-use project. No residential on the site previously. No for-rent housing replaced by for-sale housing.

  • Quora September 12, 2019 (10:20 am)

    $&@# YES!

  • Gina September 12, 2019 (10:25 am)

    My carbon footprint will shrink back to normal.I’ve peeked in the windows, layout will be different from Columbia City and Burien.

    • MrsT September 12, 2019 (10:40 am)

      Boy am I glad to hear that! The Burien layout is atrocious. 

      • Sue H September 12, 2019 (11:31 am)

        Agreed. The only benefit to Burien is that I can park once and shop at both PCC and Trader Joe’s. There are a number of things I buy at Columbia City (and the old WS location) that I can’t get at Burien. And I’m always backtracking at Burien to find things. The register set-up is also confusing for everyone. I was praying that the new WS location would be nothing like Burien’s.

      • Astro September 12, 2019 (1:13 pm)

        I’m glad, it wasn’t just me who thinks the Burien layout is awful. :) Very happy not to commute to Burien or Columbia City locations now. Welcome back!!!

        • blaughw September 14, 2019 (11:53 am)

          The worst part about the Burien PCC layout is the checkout queue.  It seems that at the earliest sign of a rush, the line goes all the way to the back of the store.I’ve preferred Columbia City for this reason, also the Wednesday (though seasonal) farmers market there complements the Sunday WS Farmers market.

  • M.C. September 12, 2019 (10:38 am)

    I don’t see a mention of a kitchen classroom, but I hope they’ll have that like the other PCC locations.  My kids have loved the wide variety of PCC cooking classes.

  • coffeedude September 12, 2019 (10:55 am)

    So excited.  This store I can shop in, I hate WF since Amazon bought them.

  • Airwolf September 12, 2019 (11:04 am)

    no mention of the parking options or maybe I missed it?  either way there is a bus stop right outside on California

    • WSB September 12, 2019 (11:12 am)

      The building has parking but I’d have to go back to the design reviews to refresh my memory on where the entrance is. Fairly sure it’s the alley to the west. Will check…

      • Eli September 12, 2019 (12:00 pm)

        Parking on the surface lot, and in the garage accessed off the alley.

  • Joan September 12, 2019 (11:30 am)

    Yes, yes, yes! Horray!!!! Can’t wait!!!! No more driving to Columbia City!

  • helpermonkey September 12, 2019 (12:09 pm)

    I apologize if I missed it, but what happens now to the Burien location? Will it stay or go? 

    • WSB September 12, 2019 (1:13 pm)

      Stay! Burien is a happening place these days.

      • helpermonkey September 12, 2019 (1:18 pm)

        thanks! great news. 

  • BigJer September 12, 2019 (12:10 pm)

    FINALLY! So excited! 

  • Glenda September 12, 2019 (12:13 pm)

    This all sounds very exciting! Especially the bulk section!

  • Ishani Ghosh September 12, 2019 (12:15 pm)

    I am so glad PCC is back. Oh how I missed you guys.Thank you,

  • Chris W September 12, 2019 (12:16 pm)

    Great news👍

  • Alice September 12, 2019 (1:12 pm)

    Such great news! And definitely a better option than Whole Foods, which left West Seattle in the lurch with a block-sized hole in the ground for years. 

    • WSB September 12, 2019 (1:19 pm)

      Please note that the “hole” was NOT Whole Foods’ fault. In fact, the reason they eventually canceled on that site is precisely BECAUSE where they were supposed to be getting a space to open a store, the developers (not the same company that later finished the project) had endless delays, so WF had nothing. We covered this in endless copious detail, through the court fight involving the original developers, and more.

      • Diane September 12, 2019 (3:43 pm)

        and I’ve followed the entire 13 year saga, thanks to the endless copious details reported by WSB

  • Jake September 12, 2019 (1:52 pm)

    Any word on if this will have a teaching kitchen like it did before it was remodeled?

  • Nolan September 12, 2019 (1:55 pm)

    It’s disappointing that “non-GMO” is trotted out as bullet points to be proud of. Do you want sustainable food or do you want non-GMO food? You only get to pick one: https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0111629

    • Jill September 13, 2019 (10:33 pm)

      Yes, I would like to buy healthy food and not worry about GMO. But it all seems lumped together. People need to study genetics. 

    • blaughw September 14, 2019 (11:58 am)

      Without going too deep here in an internet comment, PCC delves deep into the discussion and tries to address these concerns in a meaningful fashion.Nearly every issue I’ve seen of their newsletter (see below) addresses an angle of food safety and sustainable agriculture.  Link to archives below.https://www.pccmarkets.com/sound-consumer/2019-09/

  • PCCrecruiting September 12, 2019 (1:57 pm)

    We’re hiring! Apply online: https://www.pccmarkets.com/about/jobs/ 

  • WSB September 12, 2019 (2:02 pm)

    Two answers to questions that have come up so far. From a PCC spokesperson:

    Parking options – There will be the surface lot and an additional 50-plus spaces in the underground parking garage.

    Kitchen classroom – In redesigning the West Seattle store, we made the difficult decision to remove the classroom. Instead, we focused on doubling the size of the produce department, creating our co-op’s largest bulk department, adding full-service meat and seafood and expanding our made-from-scratch prepared food offerings.

    While there is no longer a classroom at the West Seattle store, cooking classes continue to be an important offering for our members and shoppers. We are investing in the program by making improvements to the class experience, expanding our offerings at all classrooms, and, most importantly, relaunching both the catalog and the website this fall.

    We realize there may be some disappointment from our long-time West Seattle students. We encourage them to venture to Columbia City or Burien — or any of our seven classrooms — for an even better class experience than before.

  • anonyme September 12, 2019 (2:35 pm)

    Hallelujah! 

  • Kathy September 12, 2019 (3:34 pm)

    Yay! I hope bike parking is better than Columbia City PCC. Those racks were designed by an artist, but they were probably not a person who uses bike racks.  Bike parking at grocery stores should be cargo bike friendly. 

  • Rod September 12, 2019 (3:39 pm)

    PCC is no more affordable that Whole Foods. It’s funny that people are denigrating Whole Foods for being expensive.

    • annaeileen September 12, 2019 (4:13 pm)

      There is a huge difference between the two.  PCC is a co-op and WF is not so the money spent goes to different things. It’s what you chose to support.    Personally,  I will shop at PCC and not WF, regardless of price. 

      • Maria September 13, 2019 (12:44 pm)

        To Rod’s point though, there is no denying that PCC is an expensive grocery store (in general).  He is pointing out that this happens to be  more noted as a negative description of Whole Foods rather than PCC.  So if money spent “goes to different things” as mentioned, where exactly is it showing up in the community.  I am involved in community events, and Whole Foods support shows up as much as PCC (unfortunately minimally in both cases).  And I certainly don’t benefit as a member other than discounts.

        • SS September 13, 2019 (1:41 pm)

          If you compare apples to apples, PCC’s organic produce has always been less expensive than Thriftway or Met Market.

          • BC September 14, 2019 (11:50 am)

            Those are two very expensive points of comparison. I agree with the others here who say PCC is too pricey as well; sometimes they remind me of a health food store of the 1990s (inflation adjusted, of course). Trader Joe’s will remain my main store.

  • Onion September 12, 2019 (4:51 pm)

    Bummer about the classroom. But I am delighted about pcc’s return and hope their bulk spice section is a lot better than Burien’s.  

  • Chris September 12, 2019 (5:13 pm)

    We noticed MetroMarket resetting their store & bringing in more products.  Presume getting ready for PCC & Whole Foods to open.   Safeway even changed up things over the time PCC was gone.   Happy to see PCC come back here in West Seattle.    Thank you!!!!

  • WSB September 12, 2019 (5:49 pm)

    Another answer from PCC’s spokesperson – re: bicycle parking:

    Offering bike parking and EV charging stations is core to our commitment to environmental responsibility. The West Seattle store will have a simple, durable and easy-to-use U-shaped rack as well as two EV charging stations.

  • LAJ September 12, 2019 (7:29 pm)

    Oh, that is super disappointing that there won’t be a classroom!  I’ve been so excited for PCC to reopen, but that really puts a damper on it. :(

  • Trickycoolj September 12, 2019 (7:36 pm)

    Hoping it’s similar size/layout to the newer East Green Lake store, that one is such a pleasure to browse in when I’m in that neighborhood for appointments and visiting friends.  Can’t wait to grab some of my deli favorites.  Too bad I’ve had to give up sweets, love those cookies and scones and breakfast biscuits!            

  • Kris September 12, 2019 (8:59 pm)

    They took the bus stop out in front of the store durning construction. I haven’t seen a new replacement yet.  I hope it will be coming back.  Kris

    • Diane September 13, 2019 (1:23 pm)

      good point; any info on return of bus stop? and hopefully quality bus stop with shelter & seating for seniors who live one block south at Island View

  • Kathleen September 12, 2019 (9:29 pm)

    Welcome back! You’ve been missed. I can’t wait to see the new store! yay!

  • Pi si si September 12, 2019 (9:56 pm)

    Omg now I can breathe again.  PCC how can I live wo u?

  • Stephanie Cristalli September 13, 2019 (10:49 am)

    So excited! Will you have a juice bar?

  • Susan September 14, 2019 (11:21 am)

    Will be so nice to reduce my visits to the overpriced, crowded, and poorly laid out Met Market. It’s never been the same to me since their last re-design, I feel like I’m in a bumper car navigating many of the spaces every time I go there. How I’ve missed you PCC!!

  • Tony September 15, 2019 (12:19 pm)

    Welcome back PCC! So happy to have a real Seattle owned choice in the Admiral area instead of the faux-local Met Market.
    https://m.andnowuknow.com/bloom/emart-acquires-good-food-holdings-275-million/andrea-allen/60991

  • Lisa September 16, 2019 (7:47 am)

    When PCC 1) became political (non-food politics) instead of attempting to provide healthful local food options, and 2) started re-branding and offering LESS selection, I started going all the way to Mercer Island to shop at New Seasons or to Federal Way to shop at Marlene’s. I now only shop at PCC on 10% day. They disappoint to no end and are no longer appealing. I understand the re-branding based on supply needs but the idea that only liberals care about their food is BS and I’m frankly sick of it. Especially since the stores I named above are full of friendly staff without a chip on their shoulders. I will also gladly shop at WF because ultimately, I want FOOD not virtue-signalling, regardless of who owns the store. I can get plenty of re-branding at WF anyhow……

    • Lorraine October 1, 2019 (1:34 pm)

      I couldn’t have said it better.  

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