Tacoma’s new downtown grocer opens with goals to expand

Tuesday was a morning of unboxing and last-minute stocking for owner Abbie Cates and her team at Flip Fresh market.

“Busy weekend, but we came in early this morning,” she said. “We have a great team so it’s all pulling together perfectly.”

The new downtown Tacoma grab-and-go grocer on Broadway has been in the works for months. Its official ribbon-cutting was Tuesday afternoon.

Cates’ meal kit company Knife Fork Spoon (now transitioning to Flip Food Co.) has been in operation in Gig Harbor for about two years. Sister company Flip Frozen will create the frozen meals available at the new Tacoma store.

Customers can place online orders (currently at knifeforkspoon.net) for pickup or purchase at the store.

There are plenty of options available in the small storefront.

Among the products in stock: Locally made soaps, beeswax candles, beeswax wraps instead of plastic food wrap, reusable produce bags, granola and granola squares.

There’s also chocolate, plantain chips, local breads, salads, fruits, vegetables, mousse, cakes, dairy (goat’s and cow’s milk) beer, wine, candy, caramels, body products, lip balm essential oils, peanuts, coffee and paleo cookies.

Cates also mentioned the store’s “unbelievable scones.”

Her local cheese provider is discussing additional products to come next week.

With few exceptions, the store’s products come from the Tacoma-Seattle area, Cates said.

“When we grow, vendors grow,” she said. “That’s really the social mission of this. We want to make sure small vendors can make their food available so healthy food is available.”

The store had a few eager customers wanting to shop first thing Tuesday.

“I had a guy come in at 9:30,” Cates said.

One of her friends, she said, was the store’s first “official” customer.

Motivation for the store was the need for healthful food options for office workers and apartment and condo dwellers in Tacoma.

One of those dwellers, Margaret Moore, who lives downtown, was another early customer and liked having a grocery nearby.

“Great,” she said. “I only have to walk a little ways to get here.”

In the coming months, Cates said, Flip Food will expand to offer lunch and dinner deliveries.

“To help people maintain that healthy convenience,” she said.

Cates hopes the store will be a flagship for other market locations in the area, depending on how this launch goes.

Her store is a short stroll away from McMenamins’ Elks Lodge, under renovation as a hotel, pub and entertainment site and set to open next year.

“I’ve already got some ideas on how we can partner and what my vision looks like for that,” Cates said.

Flip Fresh

Where: 728 Broadway.

Hours: 11 a.m.-6 p.m. Monday through Saturday.

This story was originally published October 23, 2018 at 3:13 PM.