Fencing up at old Kennewick Safeway. Popular retailer coming to busy Highway 395 plaza
The former Kennewick Avenue Safeway will likely reopen this year as a Ross Dress For Less and a second unconfirmed business.
Safeway Inc. closed its store in October 2022, about the same time it converted a former Albertsons on Clearwater Avenue to its brand.
The Kennewick Avenue store, built in 1979, was among the oldest groceries in the Tri-Cities and anchored the Kennewick Plaza shopping center for more than 40 years.
Its departure left a void in the 150,000-square-foot shopping center along Highway 395 and where tens of thousands of vehicles pass through the heart of Kennewick each day.
That visibility helped Kennewick Plaza draw several new retailers and restaurants in recent years, including Pet Supplies Plus, Harbor Freight, Sharetea of Tri-Cities and, most recently, Tomi Sushi & Ramen restaurant.
Time to shine
Now, the grocery space itself is getting fresh attention.
The city of Kennewick is processing several permits indicating the space will get renovations valued at more than $1.7 million. The work will rebuild the interior and exterior, and update both plumbing and mechanical systems to accommodate at least two tenants.
Building permits confirm a Ross Dress For Less clothing store is one. The other will reportedly be a fitness center.
The fitness center could not be confirmed by Kiemele Hagood, the commercial real estate brokerage marketing Kennewick Plaza’s few remaining spaces to prospective tenants.
‘Treasure hunt’ retail store
Ross Stores Inc., based in Dublin, Calif., operates 1,765 Ross Dress For Less stores, with the eventual goal of 2,900. It casts itself as a destination for mostly female customers who enjoy its “treasure hunt” format.
There are two Dress For Less stores in the Tri-Cities, at 6705 W. Canal Drive in Kennewick and at 2917 Queensgate Drive in Richland.
It was not immediately clear if the Kennewick Avenue store will be a third edition for the brand, or if it will replace one of the existing two.
Company officials could not be reached Monday in advance of the company’s quarterly earnings call on Tuesday.
While Kennewick store plans are not yet public, a typical Ross Dress For Less is about 27,000 square feet, about a third smaller than a typical grocery store.
Ross opens stores next to established retailers and likes high-traffic intersections like the one at Kennewick Avenue and the highway, according to siting criteria included in a recent presentation to its investors.
Ross (NASDAQ: ROST) reported $18.7 billion in revenue in fiscal 2022.
Property details: Kennewick Plaza is owned by Bellevue-based Wallace Properties and is appraised at $16.6 million for property tax purposes.
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