Retail Watchers

Noticed a really modern, nice, larger QFC in Belfair. This store had the QFC Fresh Fare interior and from the looks of it, I assume it was built with this interior? I am surprised to see QFC has made it in Belfair, but the store actually looks to be somewhat successful. I am sure performance is lousy compared to dense locations around Seattle like QFC is used to, but this place appears to be doing enough business to at least look and feel healthy. Clean and well executed perimeter. I am not really used to seeing "remote" QFCs and most I've seen appear to be either forgotten or have some other issues. So did they build this store in Belfair or inherit it from someone else? The store even had a rare QFC gas station out front. One thing the store did not have was self checkout.

Meanwhile, the QFC in Lacey remains unremodeled. Still has the wood paneling and very old wall lettering that pre-dates Kroger. However there are a few signs of life: the deli has Boar's Head now, they added in self checkouts, and they did put up some new aisle hangers. I am glad to see they made a few efforts on this one; the store appears to be holding its own against the long-standing Safeway across the road and the newer Wal Mart Neighborhood Market.

QFC in Belfair was a Stock Market Foods that was acquired from Gig Harbor based Uddenberg Foods. The acquisition of Uddenberg was how QFC expanded into the peninsula areas like Bremerton, Port Orchard. Belfair, Port Townsend, and Shelton. They also expanded to Burien, Covington, Rainier Beach, Woodenville, James Center, Parkland and Spanaway. QFC had kept some of the stores as Stock Market as their discount banner and others were converted to QFC. Some were also divested. When Fred Meyer took over, what stores that were still Stock Market became Fred Meyer Marketplace. Gig Harbor, James Center and Spanaway became Fred Meyer Marketplaces.