Eastside Business -- Rei To Reside In Redmond Town Center

One week after the first retailers opened their doors at Redmond Town Center, REI has announced it will build a two-story, 35,000-square-foot store near the heart of the mixed-use complex.

Bed Bath & Beyond, a Springfield, N.J.-based retailer with more than 100 stores nationwide, plans a free-standing store of the same size a block east of REI.

"We're pretty jazzed to be there. I think our customers and members are going to be pleasantly surprised with our new store," REI spokesman Christopher Doyle said yesterday.

The new outlet, scheduled to open in the fall of 1998, will replace the 19,600-square-foot store REI has operated since 1984 in a strip mall in the Overlake area of Bellevue. REI's other Eastside store, the 3,700-square-foot REI Approach at Bellevue Square, will remain open.

Bob Stadshaug, REI's vice president of retail, said the Town Center location offers more parking and improved access to highways and bike trails. Eastside members of the co-op have urged REI to expand or replace the old store, he said.

The new store will be designed by Mithun Partners, the firm that designed REI's flagship store in Seattle.

Two other retailers also have committed to new buildings at Town Center. Carolyn Fossum, spokeswoman for the project developer Winmar, said Bed Bath & Beyond will open a two-story, 35,000-square-foot store on 168th Avenue Northeast and Red Robin plans a 7,000-square-foot restaurant on l70th Avenue.

Redmond will represent the second Washington store for Bed Bath & Beyond, which now has a store in Auburn at the Supermall of the Great Northwest.

When fully developed, Town Center will have 1.6 million square feet of retail, office, hotel and apartment space. Fossum said the largest tenant, AT&T Wireless, now wants to complete its move into the 120-acre development by the end of 1998 instead of 1999 as previously planned. About 3,000 people will work in the AT&T Wireless six-building headquarters complex.

"Things are happening very quickly, which is very exciting," Fossum said. "We're beginning to fill in for shoppers what the rest of this lifestyle center is going to look like." The first stores in the complex, led by Eddie Bauer, opened last week.

Keith Ervin's phone message number is 206-515-5632. His e-mail address is: kerv-new@seatimes.com