The upscale grocer closed its downtown flagship in January, citing continued operational losses that threatened the co-op’s long-term viability. The 19,000-square-foot store opened in January 2022.
“We continue to hear — from co-op members, our staff, and downtown residents — about a strong need in the city center for the kind of unique shopping and dining experience that only PCC offers,” President and CEO Krish Srinivasan said in a news release. “We are thrilled to be able to meet that need by returning with a new concept that promises significantly better economics than a full-service grocery store.”
The new, smaller store will span 6,500 square feet, will feature the hot and prepared food and lunch items during the workday, in addition to a limited selection of grocery and pantry items. It’s expected to open in the second half of 2025, a spokesperson told the Business Journal.
Meanwhile, PCC will move its existing corporate office into the remaining space. The co-op will not renew its existing lease in the Martin Selig Real Estate-owned 3131 Elliott office building when it expires in 2025.
“As the organization embraces a post-pandemic, hybrid workplace for its centralized support functions, the new downtown location offers a significant and necessary reduction in office space, with the added benefit of adjacency to one of the co-op’s stores,” PCC said.
The return marks a major victory for downtown Seattle’s retail recovery, which has faced fits and starts as some national retailers have moved out of the central business district, favoring suburban locations.
“On behalf of our ownership and the entire Rainier Square community, we look forward to welcoming PCC back with open arms,” said Walt Ingram, chairman and CEO of Rainier Square developer Wright Runstad & Co. “We appreciate PCC’s commitment to Downtown Seattle and our continuing partnership.”
Jon Scholes, president and CEO of the Downtown Seattle Association, said in a statement the store’s return to Rainier Square “is very welcome news for people who visit, work and live in downtown. With a record residential population and more workers coming back to downtown, these types of retailers are additive to the vibrancy of downtown.”
Founded in 1953, PCC has 15 locations across the Seattle area. At Rainier Square, the grocer saw a consistent office-worker lunch rush, but failed to achieve sufficient grocery sales. That put a strain on the co-op’s overall performance.