No Main & Vine Replacement Lined Up Yet: Property Owner

GIG HARBOR, WA - Kroger's experimental Main & Vine grocery store in Gig Harbor will close Jan. 9, according to the company, and the owner of the property has not started discussions about a replacement tenant yet. The store is set to close one day before the new Kroger-owned Fred Meyer is scheduled to open in Gig Harbor.

The space Main & Vine occupies is owned by a company called Harbor Pacific Properties, LLC. Asked about a Main & Vine replacement Monday, Harbor Pacific representative Kinne Hawes told Patch, "The landlord has not had any discussions with replacement tenants as of yet."

The closure of the store was originally reported Friday by the Tacoma News Tribune. Kroger spokeswoman Kristal Howard sent the following statement to Patch when asked about the closure:

Main & Vine, located in Gig Harbor, Washington was a unique venture for Kroger from the onset when it opened in February 2016. From the Main & Vine experience, we have learned many things about some of the best ways to provide quality, fresh and new foods to our customers. Our family of companies has already started to incorporate some of these features and unique offerings in other stores across the country, including the new Fred Meyer store opening next month in Gig Harbor.

Locally, we are working with all Main & Vine associates to help place them in positions at area Fred Meyer and QFC stores. Main & Vine employs about 80 associates.

Main & Vine is expected to remain open for customers until its closing on or about January 9.

Main & Vine, formerly a QFC, opened in 2015 as a more upscale version of QFC or rival Safeway. The store still sold staple foods at QFC prices, but mixed in with organic vegetables and a wide array of prepared foods.

Some residents like the store enough that they're asking Kroger to keep it open. As of Monday, close to 500 people had signed an online petition asking the company to keep Main & Vine in Gig Harbor.

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