Ulta will delay opening Gig Harbor store until 2021 due to economic slowdown, pandemic

As Pierce County makes its move toward qualifying for Phase 2 of reopening under the governor’s Safe Start plan amid the COVID-19 pandemic, new details are coming forward on some projects that have been on pause in Gig Harbor.

Makeup retailer Ulta announced Friday it would be reducing planned store openings in 2020, now expecting to open between 30 and 40 new stores, down from 75 it was planning as late as March 12.

As a result, its new Gig Harbor store, one of two new retailers planned for the former Fred Meyer grocery space, 5500 Olympic Drive NW, has had its opening pushed to next year.

“Given COVID-19, we have been examining all plans and the Gig Harbor opening has shifted to 2021,” Eileen Ziesemer, Ulta’s vice president, public relations for Ulta, told The News Tribune in response to questions May 29.

The store’s opening had originally been scheduled for mid-to-late 2020.

The other store planned for the site, Ross, did not respond to a request for comment.

Redevelopment for another project, a replacement grocery for the former Main & Vine grocery space, 5010 Point Fosdick Drive, is set to begin this summer.

The project, tentatively planned as a new Metropolitan Market, was issued a permit May 11 to upgrade the existing shell of the space, according to documents on file with the city.

“Permit was issued this month and hope to start construction before 4th of July,” John Hogan, manager for Harbor Pacific Properties, the site’s owner, wrote The News Tribune via email in response to questions May 29.

As for another proposed grocery project, a new long-awaited Town & Country Markets site, a representative told The News Tribune on Monday the grocer was, for now, focused on pandemic response in the markets it operates in now.

“We are definitely still interested in opening a market in Gig Harbor! But we have no new developments to report on at this time,” said Sue Transeaux, a communications representative for Town & Country Markets.

This story was originally published June 3, 2020 at 1:05 PM.