New Central Market bound for Mill Creek

MILL CREEK — Town & Country Markets plans to open a 56,000-square-foot Central Market gourmet grocery store next fall at the new Mill Creek Town Center.

The store will serve as a major tenant in the 29-acre development, which will include buildings containing retail, restaurant and office space, meandering sidewalks, outdoor fountains and parklike landscaping.

The first phase is to open in November.

Initial retailers include a wine shop, financial-services firm, La Palmera Mexican restaurant, a Mediterranean restaurant and a chocolatier, said Red Jacobsen, who is developing part of the project.

"It looked like a great location," said Ron Nakata, vice president and director of retail operations for Town & Country. "We're committed to the site and we're finalizing floor plans."

Nakata said the store will be nearly identical in size to the company's 3-year-old site near Aurora Avenue North in Shoreline and slightly smaller than its 8-year-old flagship store in Poulsbo.

Like those stores, the Mill Creek Central Market will offer extensive butcher, seafood and produce offerings, as well as specialty organic and Asian groceries, a wine shop and a deli and prepared food area where shoppers can eat.

There will be an in-store kiosk for cooking demonstrations and classes.

Industry observers say that the store's arrival in Mill Creek is a good fit.

"They'll be very successful there," said Harvey Hartman, chairman and chief executive of the Bellevue-based Hartman Group.

Hartman said Central Market competes with Whole Foods, Larry's Market and Metropolitan Market for consumers who want both healthful and "foodie gourmet" products.

Bill Trimm, Mill Creek's director of planning and community development, said the city planning commission will hold a public hearing in October for comments about the next phase of the Mill Creek Town Center development, which will include the building to house Central Market.

The hearing will be in advance of a City Council vote on the project.

Jane Hodges: 425-745-7813 or jhodges@seattletimes.com