QFC to Close Five Washington State Locations
BELLEVUE, Wash. -- Kroger-owned Quality Food Centers (QFC), based here, said this week that it's shuttering five Washington locations by the end of May because of low sales, according to a report in the Seattle Post-Intelligencer. The affected stores are in Federal Way, Midway, Burien, Rainier Beach, and Vancouver.
QFC president Donna Giordano said in a statement: "The current sales volumes at these stores did not allow product offerings and customer services that best represent QFC. It will allow us to expand in other areas, ensuring that our customers' high expectations are met in any QFC store they choose to shop." The company also said that it hoped to relocate as many affected employees as possible.
QFC spokesman Dean Olson was unavailable for comment.
Although it noted that the fate of the five spaces that QFC will vacate was as yet unconfirmed, the Post-Intelligencer reported Richard Loman, the city of Burien's economic development manager, as saying that Rogers, Ark.-based Market Foods will take over QFC's 43,600-square-foot location there, possibly just to test the market, since the contract for the space, which QFC subleases from Rite Aid, ends June 30, 2008 and "[m]ost grocers want a longer term."
After the five stores close, QFC will have 79 stores in Washington and Oregon.
QFC president Donna Giordano said in a statement: "The current sales volumes at these stores did not allow product offerings and customer services that best represent QFC. It will allow us to expand in other areas, ensuring that our customers' high expectations are met in any QFC store they choose to shop." The company also said that it hoped to relocate as many affected employees as possible.
QFC spokesman Dean Olson was unavailable for comment.
Although it noted that the fate of the five spaces that QFC will vacate was as yet unconfirmed, the Post-Intelligencer reported Richard Loman, the city of Burien's economic development manager, as saying that Rogers, Ark.-based Market Foods will take over QFC's 43,600-square-foot location there, possibly just to test the market, since the contract for the space, which QFC subleases from Rite Aid, ends June 30, 2008 and "[m]ost grocers want a longer term."
After the five stores close, QFC will have 79 stores in Washington and Oregon.