Change… It Is Coming!

We tend to have our favorite grocery store just as we have “our” dentist and “our” hair stylist, so it will be a big adjustment when Red Apple is gone (September 23). Many of us have shopped there for years; we know the checkers well, even trade recipes, and we have admired Produce Manager Jim’s creative displays.

Management has been responsive in offering organic produce and responding to the influx of new customers. We seem to have a substantial Hispanic population as denoted by an entire aisle of food from Mexico and even a display case of Mexican bakery delicacies.

Leschi CC sent a farewell letter to the Red Apple employees, thanking them for their contributions to the community such as the free backpack giveaway for each school year and the community-give-back program in which we received 1% of receipts we submitted.

Red Apple also donated food and beverages to many of our community events such as the annual Flo Ware celebration. One year we had Assistant Manager Roberto’s Mariachi band perform.

At this point, we do not know how groceries will reach this neighborhood while a two-year construction of the new project is going on. Grocery Outlet welcomes us and will make an effort to stock desired items; the #8 bus stops in front of the store.

Leschi Market can be reached by the #27 bus, which uses Yesler and stops right next to it. The return bus stop is right across the street in front of BluWater Bistro.

We have learned that the new construction on the NW corner of 23rd and Union will include a ground floor grocery: New Seasons. Leschi CC became concerned, as their one area market does not have a sick leave policy for employees. We originally thought that this was planned for the Red Apple site, but NO. Jeff Floor of our Land Use Resource Committee reminds us that the Seattle sick leave policy for employees would force this issue.

One other piece of grocery news is that the design for the planned PCC store on the City People’s Garden Store site has been approved. PCC has changed their name to PCC Community Markets.

~Diane Snell