Larry's Markets: flattered to death

The Oak Tree Larry's Market in North Seattle. (JOHN LOK / THE SEATTLE TIMES)

Imitation is the highest form of flattery and Larry's Market grocery chain was flattered to death.

The Kirkland-based franchise faces bankruptcy and a dim, uncertain future. But once it was a trendsetter. Larry's introduced the nation to the concept of food as luxury, a retail model now as ubiquitous as grocery-store discount cards. Decades ago, when grocery stores featured harsh fluorescent lighting and unexciting staples, Larry's Markets boasted expansive food-service counters and gourmet foods. Larry's spoke to consumers who wanted shopping to be an experience, not simply a chore. Store entrances greeted shoppers with a lush flower market. Inside, everything from French linens to Italian pottery could be found.

Larry's applied the same sense of aesthetics to food that it did to its surroundings. Meat counters had the typical offerings of ground beef, chicken and chops, but also marinated steaks and stuffed tenderloins. At seafood counters, fresh catches rested atop shaved ice.

Larry's was one of the first markets to respond to the quest for gourmet fast food with its hot-food counters, where shoppers could grab a roasted chicken or platter of lamb shanks replete with side dishes. Adjacent cafes allowed shoppers to consume on the spot.

Imitators sprouted up like spring flowers. Trader Joe's arrived. PCC infused its organic stock with a dash of élan. The QFC and Safeway chains remodeled their stores and broadened their offerings. The upscale grocery chain Whole Foods moved into the area. Bargain stalwarts like Costco and Fred Meyer used their enormous buying power to feature high-end products at competitive prices.

Suddenly, the original Larry's did not seem so original.

Bankruptcy by itself doesn't spell the demise of the six stores located around the region. The company is seeking to sell the stores with operations and employees intact.

But it will likely not be the local landmark and independently owned grocer that it was. Its demise is a cautionary tale of competition and rampant consolidation.