Junction QFC opens tomorrow: A look inside, plus – valet parking

We asked QFC media liaison Kristin Maas if she’d share photos from inside the new Junction QFC, which opens with a 7 am ribbon-cutting tomorrow (public invited if you’re up that early and interested); she offered a few from the past week-plus of setup:

And here are the “gourmet cheese” and sushi areas:

What else is in the store (in Capco Plaza at 42nd/Alaska; map? Here’s the fact sheet listing it all – pizza, bakery, flowers – and noting that it’s about the same size as Westwood Village QFC. She also says there will be valet parking on the store’s “exclusive customer-parking deck” over the store (entrance is midblock on 42nd SW) 10 am-8 pm tomorrow through Sunday. We’ll be up bright and early tomorrow for a tour of the store before the ribboncutting so watch WSB, Twitter and Facebook for updates after 6 am.

ADDED 7:07 PM: A little more information about parking, from QFC’s Kristin Maas:

There are several areas to park for the complex (residential and retail), so there are signs around the building. Here’s the layout:

* QFC Customers Only Parking on the deck above the store – with easy access mid-block on 42nd. This will be the easiest access for our QFC customers, both for parking and for access to the store.

** And tomorrow, our Valet Parking will be available beginning at 7am for the ribbon cutting and then the rest of the week through Sunday it will be from 10am to 8pm.

* Two levels of underground parking located mid-block on 41st is for the loading dock, other retail customer parking, QFC customer overflow parking and residential parking.

31 Replies to "Junction QFC opens tomorrow: A look inside, plus - valet parking"

  • Thomas September 15, 2009 (4:30 pm)

    Finally valet parking comes to WS! Ooh la la! I won’t be tipping, though. Maybe I’ll toss ’em a cracker.

  • more groceries?!* September 15, 2009 (5:07 pm)

    why we needed another grocery store in WS is beyond me.

  • PSPS September 15, 2009 (5:12 pm)

    Finally! An well-stocked alternative to the horrible scourge that is Safeway!

  • WSM September 15, 2009 (5:18 pm)

    QFC: A tarted up Kroger. What W. Seattle deserves is a Trader Joes.

  • Smitty September 15, 2009 (5:35 pm)

    Yeah QFC – quit expanding our choices and hiring people.

    Jerks.

  • bb September 15, 2009 (6:40 pm)

    normally i would wonder why we need another store, but since Safeway puts out rotten fruit and vegtables on a normal basis it will be nice to get fresh produce. and yeah Smitty’s right we dont need paying jobs we need more greenspace for the unemployed to pan handle!

  • In appreciation September 15, 2009 (6:41 pm)

    I think it’s wonderful! Competition is great and a beautiful new grocercy in the Junction is appreciated. And, you never know when you’ll want the valet parking. That’s a nice touch too. Look forward to my first trip there.

  • WSB September 15, 2009 (6:43 pm)

    a small data bit that I looked up because of a related conversation following the spot where we linked this story on Facebook – nationally, there’s an average of 1 grocery store for 8,500 people, which would put West Seattle right there with the average, given that we supposedly have 60,000-70,000 people – TR

  • excited about qfc September 15, 2009 (6:51 pm)

    this has been a long time in the making, just walked down the street and saw that the sidewalk along 41st has finally been reopened. hallelujah!

    any chance WSB can refresh our memory of what this site used to look like? that awful hollywood video… that massive ugly parking lot. good riddance. Oh, and I don’t think the jefferson safeway will see another dime from me starting tomorrow

  • WSB September 15, 2009 (7:05 pm)

    I don’t think I have total before pix – I think the first thing we shot was when demolition began. Will look.

  • seven September 15, 2009 (7:35 pm)

    got i miss hollywood video. we have crappy video stores in WS.

  • Cathy September 15, 2009 (7:47 pm)

    Amen on that Trader Joes

  • SarahScoot September 15, 2009 (8:13 pm)

    seven – that’s because no one goes to “video stores” to rent anymore. Everyone I know who rents has a Netfilx membership, which beats Blockbuster/Hollywood Video by a mile. I can’t imagine going back to the small selection (and censorship) of Blockbuster.

  • MargL September 15, 2009 (8:23 pm)

    http://www.traderjoes.com/static/contact_us_selection.html
    Select “Location Requests”
    “Come to West Seattle, pretty please?”

  • JayDee September 15, 2009 (8:57 pm)

    BTW, Blockbuster says they are closing 980 locations soon…Hmm…sounds like a leaking business model…While I’d prefer a TJs, I prefer a OFC to a hole.

  • Jose September 15, 2009 (9:09 pm)

    Thank you, QFC; that’s what, a couple hundred new jobs for our little corner of paradise?
    Thank you indeed. Much appreciated. ;-)

  • mm September 15, 2009 (9:18 pm)

    Yep, bb knows it. Safeway puts out bad produce and the breads are overpriced for what they are. Let’s see how well they do with a store that’s nicer, newer, better looking, better smelling and has better sales right across the street! Also qfc might have a movie cube :)

  • The Velvet Bulldog September 15, 2009 (9:42 pm)

    Hey Smitty, I wasn’t aware that unemployed people are automatically supposed to be panhandlers. Tell you what, since QFC took away what was apparently a prime location for that activity, why don’t you give us your address? Then, the thousands of people who are unemployed due to circumstances beyond their control can come and loiter and beg people for money, because apparently, THAT’S what unemployed people do.

  • Seattlegirl September 15, 2009 (9:53 pm)

    I peeked inside today and it was stunning. Flowers everywhere. Got my ad in the mail and there are some awesome deals. I’ll be shopping there tomorrow.

  • Rockhills September 15, 2009 (10:04 pm)

    Ditto on the Trader Joe’s!!! (and on missing the Hollywood Video) Has anyone else noticed how bad the Blockbuster at Morgan Jct smells?

  • OP September 15, 2009 (11:24 pm)

    Woo-hoo! No more hoofing it down to the Westwood QFC just to avoid going to ANY Safeway, period. Hmm, but Tony’s Market has the best produce and is on the way there, but I like going to a store in my neighborhood. But then I’ll be “wasting gas” in my SUV because I’ll be going back and forth….oh shoot….now what? This capitalism with all its choices coupled with my eco-guilt is too much for this West Seattle-ite.

  • JanS September 15, 2009 (11:32 pm)

    MargL..thanks so much for that link. Request has been sent in. They even send back an automatic e-mail letting you know they have yours.

  • JanS September 15, 2009 (11:34 pm)

    The VBD..did I miss something that Smitty said..other than being cute about QFC hiring people?

  • Shae September 15, 2009 (11:37 pm)

    A Trader Joes would be AMAZING in west seattle. When I moved from White Center to west seattle I would have never thought I was moving further from Trader joes. A vegetarians nightmare. Thriftway is the only place that has products I enjoy, but not the prices I love at Trader Joes… oh and QFC, just doesn’t do it for me.

  • Smitty September 16, 2009 (6:53 am)

    I never said that Velvet.

    Just saying in these difficult times it’s actually nice to have someone hiring people and expanding our choices of grocery store options.

    I think we should be grateful that a company is actually investing money n our neighborhood rather than shuttering their doors.

  • The Velvet Bulldog September 16, 2009 (8:52 am)

    My bad Smitty–my reply was in response to bb’s comment. Your name was in there and stuck in my head. My apologies.

  • brandon September 16, 2009 (10:48 am)

    Is OD still planning on going in? Hate having to go to WW for a Staples.

  • WSB September 16, 2009 (10:50 am)

    Brandon, their media department has yet to return my calls. Leon Capelouto told me they were, when I last interviewed him in-depth several weeks back. Will be trying them again today – TR

  • Kara September 16, 2009 (7:13 pm)

    When I lived in Ballard it was Trader Joe’s in the U-District and QFC for me…when QFC was gone for reconstruction I just went to Trader Joe’s even though Safeway was right there. I’m glad to have a QFC two blocks away from me. I never have to cross Alaska ever again and fight with traffic on my walk home.

  • Jo Anne October 3, 2009 (11:24 am)

    I love this store. It is so much closer to my house than the Westwood Village store. However, I find that it is difficult to see cars going north and/or south on 42nd when exiting the parking lot. Also, cars parked on the east side of the street make it hard to navigate when heading north from the parking lot.

  • WSB October 3, 2009 (11:29 am)

    That exit is a challenge and I’m going to be asking SDOT about that. Although it also applies in other places with street parking close to a busy driveway – WS Thriftway’s California SW exit/entrance can be tough.

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