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Kroger to close Everett Fred Meyer on Oct. 18; city rolls out transit and outreach plan
Summary
Kroger will close the Fred Meyer store on Casino Road effective Oct. 18. Everett city officials said they are distributing transit maps, a multilingual resource flyer and exploring short-term transit help and redevelopment options to reduce impacts on shoppers and workers.
Kroger will close the Fred Meyer on Casino Road in Everett effective Oct. 18, city officials told the City Council on Aug. 20, and the city has launched an immediate outreach and transit-assistance plan for affected residents and employees.
Mayor Franklin said in her remarks that city staff have been working “very closely with Fred Meyer staff and Kroger leadership” for years and outlined measures the city had taken to support the store, including “regular meetings with store leadership, extensive emphasis patrols, sting operations targeting shoplifting, consistent care team outreach” and a public-safety buffer zone. “Despite this progress, Kroger's leadership decided to close this store,” Franklin said.
The closure raised concerns about grocery access and job losses in the neighborhood. Mayor Franklin noted crime statistics she said had improved after the city’s interventions: “Crime at the store dropped by nearly half last year alone and the surrounding areas are a 36% decrease in offenses. From 2023 to 2024, shoplifting saw the most dramatic change, decreasing by 82% since 2020, and those numbers continue to trend down in 2025.”
City staff produced and will distribute a bilingual (English/Spanish) one-page flyer that lists alternative grocery retailers, pharmacies and food pantry options within one to three miles and highlights current transit routes and trip-assistance options. “That flyer that the mayor mentioned — here it is. It just got printed at about 06:20 p.m. or so,” said Jennifer, an administrative staff member, who said staff will distribute the flyer door-to-door and to partners starting the next day.
Council members said they had convened multiple departments — including transit — to identify short-term steps such as increasing bus trips, providing ORCA cards or other trip assistance, and sharing maps of alternate stores. “We called all departments together, including transit, and I think there's about 30 people in a meeting, discussing all the different ways we can try to, in the immediate term, support that neighborhood and with access,” Jennifer said.
Council members also emphasized centering the voices of affected workers and residents as the city pursues mitigation and possible redevelopment strategies for the site after the closure. Several council members expressed frustration with Kroger's corporate decision and urged a coordinated public-response strategy to maintain access to groceries and preserve jobs.
The city webpage with the resource map and links is live at the city's South Everett stores page. Staff said additional short-term transit adjustments and outreach results will be reported back to council as work continues.
