Summary
The mayor of Kent addressed the City Council after Kroger announced the East Hill Fred Meyer will close in October, saying the company cited operational reasons and crime and noting Kent's local public-safety initiatives and economic-development response.
The mayor of Kent told the Kent City Council that the East Hill Fred Meyer store will close in October as part of a Kroger restructuring that affects more than 60 stores nationwide, and said the company's public statement cited operational issues and crime as factors.
The mayor said Kroger's interim chief executive told the company was acting to "create a culture that benefits our customers and our associates while improving the long term shareholder value," and framed the decision as a business choice driven by profitability and historic data rather than a local policy matter. "This is a business decision being made in the interest of profitability and shareholders," the mayor said.
The announcement matters locally because the store serves thousands of households, lies on major bus lines and provides groceries, prescriptions, gas and other everyday needs within walking distance for many residents. The mayor said the loss will have a direct impact on neighborhood access and on families who relied on the store.
Kroger listed operational reasons and crime as major factors for closures, the mayor said; she added that the reference to crime appears questionable when compared with patterns of other Washington store closures but stressed that public safety remains a priority for the city. The mayor said calls for service at the Fred Meyer location "have declined" and that the area is returning to pre-COVID levels.
The mayor outlined local steps Kent has taken on public safety in recent years, saying the city helped reestablish drug laws, advocated for changes to pursuit laws, adopted a "soda ordinance" to allow trespass from specific areas for some convictions, and fully restored police staffing to budget levels after earlier shortfalls. She said the city still needs about 35 to 40 more officers to meet its goals.
The mayor tied some of the store's cited reasons to prior state action, saying earlier legislation shifted sales tax away from Kent to other, wealthier cities and left Kent with less revenue to address public-safety needs. She said Kent officials had "been loud and forceful in shifting our state legislature to a public safety first agenda" and had advocated alongside Fred Meyer in Olympia on public-safety funding.
On economic response, the mayor said city economic-development staff began work immediately after the announcement to try to attract new investment and to position the site and surrounding area for a long-term outcome that benefits the community. She said council members and staff will continue to press county and state leaders for strategic investment.
The mayor acknowledged the emotional impact on residents, describing herself as "surprised, disappointed" and "angry and frustrated and sad," and told the council she shares constituents' feelings and will continue to press for action.
No vote or formal council action was reported during the remarks; the comments were presented as a statement and a description of ongoing staff efforts and advocacy.
