Vancouver’s westside grocery shoppers can officially rejoice. New Seasons Market announced Thursday its Main Street Vancouver store will open Oct. 18. A grand opening celebration will be held at 8 a.m. that day.
“For decades, the No. 1 request from residents and workers in downtown Vancouver has been to bring in a grocery store. The opening of New Seasons Market in downtown is the answer, at long last, to that request,” John McDonagh, president and CEO of the Greater Vancouver Chamber, said in a statement Thursday.
The market at 1506 Main St., will be open from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily.
The Main Street store is set to employ about 100 people in its 24,000-square-foot building, according to the company’s statement. The building, which was developed by Cascadia Development Partners, also includes artwork by Vancouver’s Rachael Jackson.
As of last week, the store’s manager Michael Butterfield estimated 85 percent of people hired so far to work in the store are from Clark County.
The grocer also announced Thursday the Main Street location will partner with Clark County Food Bank through the grocery store recovery donation program, Fresh Alliance. Its Bag It Forward program, which donates money every time a customer brings in a reusable bag, will make donations to the Cowlitz Indian Tribe Community Wellness Garden, the Pollution Prevention Resource Center and FISH of Vancouver.
“We look forward to becoming an integral part of the vibrant downtown Vancouver neighborhood and continuing to grow our footprint as we deliver exceptional experiences to our valued customers,” Nancy Lebold, chief executive of New Seasons, said in Thursday’s statement.
The businesses surrounding the store are eager for its opening to bring more foot traffic. That part of Vancouver has missed having a flagship store to bring people into the area.
“Where New Seasons is positioned between downtown and Uptown Village, I believe it’s going to help bridge the pedestrian traffic between those areas,” Brian Clemens, co-owner of Relevant Coffee at 1703 Main St., said in a recent report. The blocks between Mill Plain Boulevard and 19th Street lack any significant pedestrian traffic, Clemens said.
The Main Street market will incorporate a prepared foods department, serving pizza and sushi, among other things.
It’ll be the second New Seasons Market in Vancouver. The first, which opened in 2011, is located in Fisher’s Landing.
The new location is the company’s 20th, with two more set to open in Milwaukie and Tanasbourne in Oregon in the next couple of years.
