Sad to leave old Safeway, but hopeful for the future of new store

Published 3:48 pm Wednesday, November 9, 2011

There was plenty of activity this morning over at the new Safeway site on the southwest corner of Bothell-Everett Highway and 240th Street Southeast in Bothell.

New employees were training on the registers in the Starbucks area. Workers were up on ladders putting the finishing touches on the interior. People were walking briskly inside and outside, making sure everything was looking good for Safeway’s Lakeside at Canyon Park grand opening at noon this Friday. (New store pictured.)

“We’re very excited to open the doors in Bothell,” said Sara Osborne, Safeway’s manager of public/government affairs, adding that Safeway officials are keyed in to Bothell’s revitalization plans. “We feel our new store reflects the evolution of Bothell and we’re ready to serve the community.”

From 10:30-11:30 a.m. on Friday, Safeway will host a Veterans Day ceremony with a flag raising with members of the Bothell American Legion Post 127, Safeway employees who are military veterans and speeches by Sen. Rosemary McAuliffe and Rep. Derek Stanford. They will also begin a three-day fund-raiser for the Wounded Warrior Project.

Also on tap: Bothell Mayor Mark Lamb will cut the grand-opening ribbon, the Bothell High jazz choir will sing the “National Anthem” (they will also perform in the store from 4-8 p.m.) and the Seattle Blue Thunder drum corp will lead people into the store at noon.

Property Development Centers (PDC) broke ground the first week last March on approximately 13 acres of land that will feature a 150,000-square-foot shopping center, 50,000-square-foot Safeway and six shop buildings with approximately 40,000 square feet of retail space.

Osborne noted that a Burger King, KeyBank and Uncle Peteza’s shop probably won’t open at Lakeside until 2012.

Over at the current Safeway on Bothell-Everett Highway in downtown Bothell on Tuesday, assistant manager Linda Fish said that 20-plus employees will transfer to the new store, which has hired about 100 new employees.

The 50-year-old Safeway will remain open until 11:30 p.m. Thursday. The new store is already stocked with merchandise; the old store’s current items will be moved to other stores.

“A lot of our customers are really hopeful and excited about the new store because this store obviously didn’t have all the things that most Safeway stores offer,” said Fish, a seven-year Bothell Safeway employee, noting that the new store will offer a Starbucks, a hot deli, China Express, a pharmacy, a bakery, a video department and more.

“Some of our other customers are sad that our store is closing because it’s their local neighborhood store and they won’t be able to get to the new Safeway easily because they walk here,” added Fish, who will transfer to the Monroe Safeway near her home.

Customer Steve Johnson labeled the store as a meeting place and a vital part of the city.

“This store has been part of the downtown Bothell heritage for 50 years. I will miss my store. The new store is very nice, but I will always miss walking to my Safeway,” he said.

Employees Heidi Evans (16 years) and Cristina Tompkins (four years) will be moving to the new Safeway, but said they do so with heavy hearts and open minds.

“It is exciting, because now we’re going to have a bakery, a Starbucks, all that is going to be a lot of fun… but we like the little store and being closer to the customers,” Tompkins said. “They’ve been telling us they’re going to be there (at the new store).

“Today is my last day — it’s a little weird. Customers have been saying goodbye already today.”