Safeway Opens Sophisticated New Flagship Store in Bellevue
- Premier 54,490 sq-ft lifestyle marketplace is first of its kind in Washington; Will feature extensive wine boutique, sushi bar, gelato and an expansive organic selection
- New store is part of Avalon Meydenbauer development; first ‘grocery-over-housing’ concept for downtown Bellevue
With gas prices inching close to $5 a gallon, the close-in proximity of basic day-to-day needs – such as food, household items and toiletries are increasingly important to families all across our region and the country.
For the thousands of workers and residents near downtown Bellevue, the ability to walk, bike, scooter or bus to a state-of-the-art, 54,490 sq. ft. grocery store becomes reality this week with the grand opening of Safeway’s flagship store.
The new store will feature vas wine cellar with 1450 different varietals – including a strong Pacific Northwest focus with more than 230 select wines – and a personal wine steward for customers. The store also includes a European-style iced-fish department, an expansive organic selection throughout the store, hearth oven for artesian, cheese world, salad bar, olive bar, full-service Starbucks with a cozy fireplace and much more.
Safeway sees this location as more than just a site to purchase groceries and envisions it as an experience that is set to mesh with the culture of the community. “We are thrilled to be opening our flagship store in the Bellevue community as our priority has always been to invest in the communities who invest in us,” said Greg Sparks, president of the Seattle Safeway Division. “We promise to deliver the best of everything we offer with many custom features and delicacies geared specifically toward the greater Pacific Northwest, and specifically Bellevue.”
The grand opening will display both the dedication of Safeway to provide the highest quality retail items as well as its investment in the area, evidenced by its location at the base of the new Avalon Meydenbauer development. The completed Safeway project cost over $50 million and has a tax base of $276,060 in 2008 and projects to $303,324 in 2009.
Situated at the base of the new Avalon Meydenbauer development, which includes 368 luxury apartment homes and an additional 14, 000 sq. ft. of retail space, the store is located on the corner of Bellevue Way and NE 2nd St.
The store will be open to the public starting 8 a.m. Friday, June 27th. Store hours will be 5 a.m. - 1 a.m.
ABOUT SAFEWAY www.Safeway.com
Safeway Inc. is a Fortune 100 company and one of the largest food and drug retailers in North America, based on sales. The company operates 1,743 stores in the United States and western Canada and had annual sales of $42 billion in 2007. The company's common stock is traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol SWY. Safeway supports a broad range of charitable and community programs and in 2007 donated more than $172 million, the equivalent of 20% of its net income, to causes such as cancer research, education, food banks and programs focused on assisting people with disabilities. To learn more about Safeway’s sustainability initiatives, go to www.Safeway.com, click on "About Us” and “Going Green.”