Arlington’s former Food Pavilion gets remodel, two new stores

ARLINGTON — More options are on the way for grocery shoppers in downtown Arlington as a former Food Pavilion gets remodeled for two new stores.

A Grocery Outlet and Dollar Tree are expected to settle into the building at the corner of Highway 530 and Broadway Street, city officials announced. The stores are on track to open by the end of the year. Contractors recently repaved the parking lot and are working on the interior of the building.

Grocery Outlet specializes in discount shopping, said Melissa Porter, vice president of marketing for the company.

In recent years, the stores have focused on the growing demand for natural, organic health foods, which has been very successful in Western Washington, she said. The Arlington store will carry basics like milk, eggs, bread and butter, she said, but most other products tend to have short shelf lives because the company buys and sells seasonal or specialty items for low prices.

The Food Pavilion closed abruptly in October, leaving shoppers in the lurch. It was the second Arlington grocery store to close in 2014. The Haggen at 20115 74th Ave. NE shut down in June 2014 and the building remains empty.

People worried the buildings would end up like another former Food Pavilion, on Highway 531 in Smokey Point, which has been vacant since August 2005. The big beige building is spotted with faded marks from graffiti that’s been repeatedly scrubbed away.

“I think just about everybody was frustrated that we were pretty well limited to Safeway or Walmart,” said Stacie Roark, managing director of the Arlington-Smokey Point Chamber of Commerce.

There are two Safeways within the Arlington city limits, one in Smokey Point and one on Highway 9, closer to downtown. The Walmart is on Highway 531 in Smokey Point.

“For people who want variety, it forced them to leave town and go to Marysville,” she said.

Vacant buildings also can be targets for crime. The Smokey Point Food Pavilion building has had problems with vandalism and loitering. Those issues have been mostly cleaned up since September, when the Arlington Police Department opened a satellite station in Smokey Point, Roark said.

Still, it would be helpful to get a new business in the building, she said.

City officials agree. The staff is trying to connect potential tenants with property owners, City Administrator Paul Ellis said.

The vacancy rate in Arlington is relatively low, he said, but the old Food Pavilion on Highway 531 has been chronically vacant “even after many attempts to help facilitate a match.” The location is good, Ellis said, but the details of lease negotiations are beyond the city’s control.

Owners of the Haggen building on Highway 9 have not spoken with city staff, he said. He’s not sure whether there are any plans for the property.

Calls to Seattle-based Merlone Geier Partners, which owns the former Haggen, were not returned.

Kari Bray: 425-339-3439; kbray@heraldnet.com.