QFC #822 Factoria Village Bellevue, WA
Again, while I wasn't able to document as many places in this WA visit as I have in the past, I did have the opportunity to check out another QFC supermarket.
When I last was in WA, QFC's future was uncertain, with Kroger essentially admitting they were very willing to offload QFC in order to merge with Albertsons. This definitely makes Kroger's future affiliation with QFC questionable. That being said, I understand with ownership with Safeway, Kroger would have access to the stronger traditional supermarket brand and Fred Meyer, which I suppose does make QFC's affiliation with Kroger no longer needed, however, with the merger long in the rearview mirror, it's questionable what Kroger now wants out of QFC.
This specific QFC opened in 1981, and has a very standard QFC format, with much lower ceilings in the perimeter and slightly higher ceilings in the center store aisles. A good chunk of QFC stores were built like this, and really continued to be built like this up until the mid 2000's when the last wave of newer QFC stores that were built (Redmond Ridge QFC which I saw last summer is a good example) were more Kroger-like with warehouse ceilings and a more open layout.
This QFC also got a remodel more recently, receiving the newest version of QFC decor.
The T-Mobile HQ is directly behind this QFC, and can be seen towering above the store, which makes a cool shot. Both the Bartell (closed in 2023 in one of the first round of RA bankruptcy closures) and Petco are now vacant, making me question if the large T-Mobile HQ up the hill could potentially gobble up this shopping center with a rise in vacancies. That being said, this QFC has outlasted a Safeway, Walmart, and now Rite Aid, that have now closed at Factoria Mall across the street, so this QFC does do decent business.
QFC #822 Factoria Village Bellevue, WA
Again, while I wasn't able to document as many places in this WA visit as I have in the past, I did have the opportunity to check out another QFC supermarket.
When I last was in WA, QFC's future was uncertain, with Kroger essentially admitting they were very willing to offload QFC in order to merge with Albertsons. This definitely makes Kroger's future affiliation with QFC questionable. That being said, I understand with ownership with Safeway, Kroger would have access to the stronger traditional supermarket brand and Fred Meyer, which I suppose does make QFC's affiliation with Kroger no longer needed, however, with the merger long in the rearview mirror, it's questionable what Kroger now wants out of QFC.
This specific QFC opened in 1981, and has a very standard QFC format, with much lower ceilings in the perimeter and slightly higher ceilings in the center store aisles. A good chunk of QFC stores were built like this, and really continued to be built like this up until the mid 2000's when the last wave of newer QFC stores that were built (Redmond Ridge QFC which I saw last summer is a good example) were more Kroger-like with warehouse ceilings and a more open layout.
This QFC also got a remodel more recently, receiving the newest version of QFC decor.
The T-Mobile HQ is directly behind this QFC, and can be seen towering above the store, which makes a cool shot. Both the Bartell (closed in 2023 in one of the first round of RA bankruptcy closures) and Petco are now vacant, making me question if the large T-Mobile HQ up the hill could potentially gobble up this shopping center with a rise in vacancies. That being said, this QFC has outlasted a Safeway, Walmart, and now Rite Aid, that have now closed at Factoria Mall across the street, so this QFC does do decent business.