New Numbers Behind Everett Fred Meyer Closure

The Fred Meyer on Evergreen Way and Casino is closing in the fall of 2025.

Last week we wrote about the South Everett Fred Meyer closure, but new numbers have emerged that change the narrative a bit.

In that story, the official word was that associates working at the Evergreen location will be offered positions at other locations. If that was true, how many would receive that offer was still up in the air.

But, today, an official “WARN” notification was published by the state showing the real expected impact on local workers.

Brief background: Washington State law requires larger companies to file layoff intentions with the Employment Security Department, which leads to notice from the Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification (WARN) system.

In that notification, Fred Meyer stated that 189 employees at the South Everett location would be laid off starting October 18th, 2025.

As you can see above, the Kent location will see 172 layoffs. The newly announced closures of the Seattle and Redmond locations will result in 201 and 194 layoffs, respectively.

The Union (UFCW 3000) states, “Our union contracts stipulate that Kroger must offer workers placement in equivalent positions at nearby stores, in accordance with their union seniority.”

Many are skeptical of Kroger actually providing jobs for the 856 workers that will need to work at another location.

Many City of Everett officials took issue with the Kroger statement about theft being one of the primary reasons for the shutdown.

UFCW 3000 President Faye Guenther stated,

“Kroger’s closures put profit over people, plain and simple. This corporate strategy might please Wall Street investors, but we know it’ll create food deserts in our neighborhoods and disrupt the lives of hundreds of workers already displaced by a housing affordability crisis now ten years in the making.”

Buffer zone centered around Fred Meyer in South Everett.

Everett Police shared data showing crime at the location dropped 49% in 2024 compared to 2023, and shoplifting was down 82% compared to 2020. Real efforts were made by the city, including emphasis patrols and the buffer zone put in place in 2024.

From January 2023 to March 2025, Everett Police officers would patrol four times a day for 15 minutes a session around the Fred Meyer location.

The EPD Crime Analysis Unit released this data showing the reduction in crime at the Fred Meyer:

On the flip side, this decision was likely made at Kroger Corporate Headquarters in Cincinnati, Ohio. Despite the reduction in crime over the past five years, there were 853 total offenses, including hundreds of theft incidents with unknown costs to Fred Meyer.

Labor costs also likely weighed in on the decision. In July, Everett’s new minimum wage of $20.24 an hour for large employers kicked in and ranks as the 5th highest minimum wage in the nation (the other four are in Washington as well).

This year, Ohio had just raised their minimum wage to $10.70 an hour.

Regardless of the economics behind the decision, the loss of Fred Meyer will weigh heavily on residents of South Everett, especially those without cars.

Click on the grocery and transit map to download a PDF in English or Spanish.

The city released a guide, in both English and Spanish, of other grocery store alternatives in the area and bus routes that could be useful.

Of course, Fred Meyer sold more than just groceries. Many relied on it for gas, clothing, home supplies, and other retail goods.

Many are hoping a Fred Meyer-like alternative would move into the area, and others speculate that it could become a new Sound Transit station for possible light rail.