For those of you lamenting the loss of the Upper Queen Anne Metropolitan Market, some solace can be found in a new 2014 location for Trader Joe’s. Currently located at 112 W. Galer St., Trader Joe’s is officially the new anchor tenant for the Emerald Bay development that replaces Met Market’s old yellow building on Queen Anne Ave N. Met Market closed up shop in July, after 40 years on the top of Queen Anne.
Emerald Bay principal Joe Geivett officially confirmed Trader Joe’s as the anchor tenant for the new development, which breaks ground this month. The old Met Market has been gutted and the sign removed in preparation for demolition.
“We are confident that the new store will enhance our customer’s shopping experience as it is nearly double in size, has 94 parking spaces and will sell wine,” Trader Joe’s Alison Mochizuki tells Queen Anne View. “We appreciate the welcome we received in our present location, and we are hopeful our loyal customers will continue to visit us in our new location.”
The new mixed-use site, “Queen Anne Market” is the last in a four-part Emerald Bay-helmed development – the other three include: Sweetbrier,which has Menchie’s in the the corner spot, Eden Hill, anchored by Bartell Drugs, and Seven Hills, which just opened to new tenants this month, including Queen Anne Dentistry.
Queen Anne Market will take up more than just the old Met Market location – the historic 1937 El Frieda apartment building next door will be demolished for the project as well. The resulting complex fill the space on Queen Anne Ave N between Howe and Crockett streets. In addition to Trader Joe’s, it will house 106 residential units and additional retail space.
Trader Joe’s will move into its new 15,000 square foot space in the 4th quarter of 2014. Aside from a little more elbow room when shopping at Trader Joe’s, a store footprint of this size will also allow Trader Joe’s to apply to sell liquor – and last year Trader Joe’s gave $50K in support of private liquor sales via Initiative 1183.