Yowza! How does a grocery store stand out against the likes of Costco, Whole Foods and Amazon Go? For QFC, the answer centered in creating a spectacular new concept and experience in grocery shopping! Kroger-owned QFC's new $23 million flagship store — its first new store in nearly a decade — focuses on an expanded meal selection, in-store dining and a proud committment of bringing a wide assortment of local products. Did you catch the 'local product' part?......That's where we at Shepard Moon come in. We're honored and totally stoked to be a part of this state-of-the-art concept in grocery shopping.
QFC's entirely new concept in grocery shopping---now that's BIG!
QFC's beautiful, new 50,000-square-foot store anchors Kirkland Urban, a 12-acre mixed-use development located just east of Seattle in downtown Kirkland and is truly breathtaking to behold. In fact, when delivering our first order, we wondered whether we should take off our shoes and leave them at the door! And once inside, we had to use Google maps to find our way to Local Bath & Body section.
With thousands of office workers set to fill the floors above the store, QFC's Kirkland Urban is providing a huge variety of prepared foods ---offering everything from brick-oven pizza to made-to-order sushi. So just how big is a 50,000-square-foot grocery store? Well, it's nearly as big as a professional football field! (a football field is 57,600 square feet or 1-1/3 acres). Now that's big!
A big emphasis on supporting Local!
But the really big emphasis throughout QFC's new store is Local. From local restaurant Tutta Bella---yes there's a Tutta Bella restaurant inside Kirkland Urban---to Q20 Public House---yep, you heard me correctly. There's a pub inside too! The pub features eight rotating beer taps serving up local selections from Georgetown Brewery, Silver City Brewery, Rainier Brewing and more! The emphasis is proudly local throughout.
You know,.... beer and pizza is brilliant when you think about it...... It just could get your husbands to do more grocery shopping. Of course, on second thought, this may have its own set of drawbacks!
Yes QFC's Kirkland Urban is all about Local, Local Local. The Fit Body Wellness section is packed full of products featuring local companies like Shepard Moon and many other wonderful northwest producers. As owner of Shepard Moon, I want to express a heartfelt appreciation for this commitment to supporting small, local businesses. As the years go by it seems like fewer and fewer large chains go out of their way to bring in smaller independents like Shepard Moon.
So kudos to you QFC! Heaven knows that after an afternoon of shopping, your customers are going to need a nice, long hot bath. Whew. What an adventure! And who knows? Maybe you could find some space by your brilliantly novel, in-store mini-mushroom farm---add some private bathing tubs and start a made-to-order-customized bath bar for your customers! Playing in the dirt and Shepard Moon go hand in hand. Let us know. We're all about supporting local too!
So check out QFC's big, beautiful, new flagship store at Kirkland Urban. And just be sure to put a bag of Shepard Moon salts in your cart BEFORE you hit the pub!