The hotline has been buzzing with questions about the Proposed Land Use Action sign that sprouted up in front of QFC last week, and speculation has been rampant: 4 story grocery store / apartment monstrosity? Underground missile silo? Jeff went the extra mile and dug up the application on the DPD’s web site, but it’s short on details. We tried calling the phone number on the PLU sign, but they simply referred us to the QFC, who didn’t respond.
Unable to contain our curiousity, we strapped L’il Z into his Baby Bjorn today and headed up to village center to get to bottom of it. Thankfully, Vasilio, the assistant manager on duty, gave us the scoop:
First, the front of the store is getting bumped out 20′ into the existing parking lot area. The lot will be reconfigured as angled parallel parking, resulting in a net loss of only 4 parking spots.
The big deal, though, is happening on the second floor. The existing natural foods section will be expanded so that it sits on top of a march larger footprint and will become a Starbucks, complete with windows, free wifi, televisions and a fireplace. These sketches are from a design board at the front of the store.
Another Starbucks? Don’t we already have two?
Well, we were told the Starbucks at 45th and Stone Way is closing, and this QFC-based Starbucks will be a licensed location: that is, operated by the QFC employees, not Starbucks employees.
OK, so not so nefarious…unless you consider Starbucks and televisions nefarious, which we sort of do. Also can’t be good news for Mi Piace, the espresso stand that’s been there for at least the 16 years I’ve been in Wallingford.
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I imagine this will be paid for by making things at that QFC even more expensive.
A 4 story grocery store/apartment monstrosity would be preferable to the suburban-style dump that’s there now.
We get to keep the pedestrian-unfriendly parking lot AND get a new Starbucks? Oh joy.
I’m not thrilled by the Starbucks, and I’ve never been a fan of fakey old-west fake building fronts, but a remodel to the only walkable store in Wallyhood? I can live with that.
Poor Mi Piace… it my pup’s favorite destination, and they pull a pretty good shot of coffee.
I hope that they gave Mi Place a shot (excuse the pun) at having the space inside.
I have a love/hate relationship with this store. On the one hand it’s really convenient for me–if I take the right bus home from work it takes me right there. One the other hand it’s expensive. The produce there is generally pretty good and usually plentiful, which leads me to…
Now the Fred Meyer down the way is way cheaper and also usually pretty good quality, but that store must be managed by monkeys. They hardly ever have stuff on sale on the shelves, or lots of produce items in general. And, don’t get me started on that Ballard Safeway. If I want rotten produce I only have to look in my fridge–I don’t need to buy it.
Ok, enough ranting.
Mi Piace is welcome to set up shop in my driveway. My dogs would be v. happy to see the caffeine & cookie sisters every morning.
I also have a love/hate relationship with that QFC and find myself shopping between that, Fred Meyer, and Amazon Fresh week-to-week. On the one hand, I like the people who work in the store (one morning, I locked myself out of my car and the manager, Alan, drove me to my mom’s in Fremont to get an extra key, then back to my house to get an extra car key, then back to the store). On the other, they’re not consistent enough in re-stocking items (we’re talking Diet Coke here).
But…Even with Starbucks going away on Stone/45th, WE DON’T NEED ANOTHER STARBUCKS!
boo starbucks
i’m just glad they are keeping the legendary “wallingford” sign. thanks for the update, b/c i couldn’t really tell from the sign posted on 45th
yeah, these are the same folks who brought us the hole in the ground mosquito pit on stoneway. qfc sucks.
So is it safe to say the QFC plans for a new store (currently a muddy swamp hole) at 40th and Stoneway are finally in the graveyard?
So excited to hear that the Q is expanding! When we first moved to Wallingford, we would drive all the way to the larger, newer U Village QFC. Then we got to know and love our own QFC – the staff is so friendly and a little quirky – and I generally can find what I need, often on the second floor. I think the QFC is a wonderful asset to the neighborhood, and I am thankful that it is successful enough to expand, especially in this economy. I do feel bad for the employees, who will have to work through the construction. By the way, the sketches are at the front of the store.
I say nix the Starbucks!
I’m a little confused by the statement “The existing natural foods section will be expanded so that it sits on top of a march larger footprint and will become a Starbucks”. It will *become* a Starbucks? As in, no longer be a natural foods section? Let’s hope that’s just a poorly-worded phrase. Actually, the lower-right photo, above, seems to have a label of “natrual foods” (it’s chopped off, can’t really read it) so maybe all is well.
We too have a love/hate affair with the QFC. And Starbucks.
Krogers blows.
This sounds good I guess, but what about Bartells. Are they tearing it down too?
This sounds good I guess, but what about Bartells. Are they tearing it down too? I hope not.
according to the wallingford e-news:
“The QFC people have met with Theresa Dean of Mi Piace and are negotiating to have her join our QFC team and continue to serve our neighbors in Wallingford through our Starbucks.”
Hi Neighbors,
I love all your comments. Please let’s strive to keep the impact of this store and our local quality of life at the front of our interests. I am deeply concerned about much that I see.