About 30 Local Jobs Impacted With Closure of Albertsons

Shoppers who've relied on in Bonney Lake for everything from their weekly grocery needs to fixings for holiday meals will have to shop elsewhere , a company spokesperson confirmed Tuesday.

The Bonney Lake location is one of five stores in Washington state that have also been flagged for closure due to not being able to meet company goals, said Albertson's Lilia Rodriguez.

Rodriguez did not offer details in regards to what those goals were and also didn't provide a specific closing date for the Bonney Lake store. The majority of stores would start to close at the beginning of December, with the end of the company's fiscal year, Feb. 23, 2013, being the hard date for all closures, she said.

In Washington, the other stores are located in Marysville, Kirkland, Kent, Lacey and Auburn, she said. Two stores in Oregon and another 18 in southern California would also be closing as part of the .

City's Loss

However underperforming the store was for its owner, it represented the 12th biggest contribution to the Bonney Lake sales tax base, City Administrator Don Morrison said.

Morrison places the dollar figure at about $32,000 in sales tax revenue annually though he noted most food sales are exempt from the sales tax.

According to Mayor Neil Johnson, that is revenue that goes directly to the city's general fund. The city's portion of total tax revenues the store generated represents 9/10 of 1 percent, he said.

However, Morrison estimates that 80 percent of those sales tax receipts will be reclaimed as grocers head to nearby stores to shop, including , , and .

Meanwhile, what isn't clear is what's going to happen to that space when the store moves out.

Bonney Lake Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Lora Butterfield laments "the big empty space in the middle of town." It's going to be a challenge to find someone to replace it, she said. "It's just a shame. It's a big loss."

Community's Loss

That Albertsons currently serves as the anchor store in the Bonney Lake Center Plaza is another point of concern, said Morrison. City leaders are worred about "the spill-over effect on neighboring businesses... several of the other businesses in the center depend, in part, on the 'foot traffic' from Albertsons," he said.

The complex currently houses a number of smaller franchises like and along with Sunrise Dental, , and . There is currently a Halloween holiday store as well, said Butterfield, but that's a seasonal business.

Johnson pointed out the store has also been very involved with the community has a whole and that will be missed as well.

"They would routinely sponsor various events, provide food or drink, but their management team and employees were great to work with," he said. "For me personally, I will need to find another store to buy my holiday prime rib."

Morrison estimated the number of local jobs impacted by the closure to be about 30, though Rodriguez declined to give a specific number when asked by Patch.

"It was a difficult decision in the sense that it affects so many people and the community, but it was a decision that has to be made," she said. "Our goal is to reduce expenses and operate the company as efficiently as possible."

You Input Sought

The city is currently asking residents for your thoughts on what you might like to see as a replacement in the Albertsons location as it looks toward recruiting other enterprises.

Said Johnson, "I agree with Lora, you never want to see empty store fronts, so let’s hope we can find a new business to fill that void."

To participate in the survey visit https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/TXRB3WG.