Judge Puts Stop To New Issaquah Qfc

ISSAQUAH - This week's opening of a new QFC here has been stopped by a judge's order and its doors will remain closed indefinitely.

The supermarket in Issaquah's new Commons shopping center is just blocks from another QFC, violating a clause that prohibits a second QFC within three miles, said attorney John Tomlinson Jr.

Tomlinson represents Meadows Investments, owners of the shopping center where the first QFC has been doing business since the early 1980s, he said. Meadows Investments' lease with QFC prohibits the location of another QFC nearby.

The new QFC, which was already partly stocked when the injunction was issued, is nearly twice as large as the older store. It was originally slated to be an Olson's supermarket, but QFC bought that chain this year.

QFC planned to abide by the radius clause by subleasing the older store, said Marc Evanger, chief financial officer and vice president with QFC. Meadows Investments has not agreed to suggested replacement tenants, Evanger said.

"We're really disappointed," he said. "At this point, we have no idea what will transpire in the future."

The new, bigger store also includes such tenants as Key Bank, Cinnabon and Leeann Chin Chinese food. They, too, must remain closed, Evanger said.

A Meadows Investment lawsuit led to the injunction issued in King County Superior Court. It is valid until January 1997, Tomlinson said.