Fred Meyer files Tacoma store closure notice. Hundreds of workers affected
A layoff notice to the state’s Employment Security Department on Tuesday gave new details on the recent announced closure of the Fred Meyer store in Tacoma’s South End.
The News Tribune reported on July 24 that the longtime Fred Meyer at 7250 Pacific Ave. is set to close in September.
The closure comes amid plans for 60 U.S. stores under parent company’s Kroger various grocery brands to shutter in the next 18 months.
The Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification filing with the state listed 226 employees affected by the planned closure, with a layoff start date of Sept. 27.
The News Tribune has requested a copy of the grocer’s corporate office’s notification sent to the state.
Staff are to be offered the opportunity to transfer to other locations in the area.
Petition launched
Meanwhile, a Change.org petition started by South End Neighborhood Council Chair Andrea Haug had garnered more than 1,300 respondents as of Tuesday afternoon.
The petition calls to “stop or delay” the closure “until a replacement is secured.”
“Losing this store would disproportionately impact low-income families, seniors, people with disabilities, and working-class households who already face barriers to meeting basic needs,” it stated.
It also seeks to “Ensure any replacement includes grocery, pharmacy, and essential services for all South End residents,” and calls on using “city and county tools — including zoning, grants and development incentives — to attract a new grocery tenant.”
“We cannot wait for another study or empty promise,” the petition stated. “The South End deserves more than disinvestment.”
This story was originally published July 30, 2025 at 5:30 AM.
