“We think our stores can be part of the solution for residents who need a job or want more affordable options close to home,” said Matti Havener, Walmart Senior Director and Regional General Manager for Washington and Oregon. “At the same time, we have the opportunity to revive two, dormant retail properties and deliver an added economic boost for the area.”

Walmart will renovate the former Kmart at the Kelsey Creek Center and the former Mervyn’s space at the Factoria Mall.  Details of the projects include:

• The Kelsey Creek location will be a 64,000-square-foot Walmart Neighborhood Market, which is a smaller format than Walmart’s full-service stores, will focus on providing groceries and general merchandise. It will feature a wide variety of products, including: fresh produce, meats and dairy products, frozen foods, dry goods and staples, deli foods, bakery items, canned and packaged goods, condiments and spices, pet supplies, household supplies and one-hour photo center. It will employ approximately 95 associates and join an LA Fitness to replace the empty Kmart building at 148th Ave. and Main St.

• Walmart also will renovate the former Mervyn’s space at Factoria Mall. The 76,000-square-foot Walmart will offer a full range of general merchandise. When completed, the store will employ approximately 125 associates.

Both stores will feature energy-efficient technology and environmentally-sound features designed to reduce energy and water consumption and minimize waste, including skylights and LED lighting.

Walmart currently employs more than 19,000 associates at 57 Washington locations.  The retailer’s average wage for regular, full-time hourly associates in Washington is $12.79 per hour.

Publisher’s Note:  This is GREAT news for Bellevue in so many ways.  Thank you Walmart!

About Walmart

Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. (NYSE: WMT) serves customers and members more than 200 million times per week at over 9,600 retail units under 69 different banners in 28 countries. With fiscal year 2011 sales of $419 billion, Walmart employs 2.1 million associates worldwide. Walmart continues to be a leader in sustainability, corporate philanthropy and employment opportunity. Additional information about Walmart can be found by visiting http://walmartstores.com and on Twitter at http://twitter.com/walmart. Online merchandise sales are available at http://www.walmart.com and http://www.samsclub.com.

“This store will deliver a broad assortment of products at an everyday low price,” said Matti Haavener, Walmart Senior Director and Regional General Manager. “Plus, the store size and format fits seamlessly into the existing retail corridor.  At the end of the day, we want our stores to reflect the communities where they are located and serve real customer needs.”

The new Walmart Neighborhood Market will provide up to 95 new jobs and a range of other benefits to the Bellevue community. The store, which is a smaller format than Walmart’s full-service stores, will focus on providing groceries and general merchandise. It will feature a wide variety of products, including: fresh produce, meats and dairy products, frozen foods, dry goods and staples, drive-through pharmacy, deli foods, bakery items, canned and packaged goods, condiments and spices, pet supplies, household supplier and one-hour photo center.

The Walmart Neighborhood Market will also incorporate energy-efficient technology and environmentally-sound features designed to reduce energy and water consumption and minimize waste, including skylights and LED lighting.

Havener noted that Walmart has long-standing partnerships with Bellevue-based suppliers, foundation partners, associates and customers. Walmart and the Walmart Foundation have supported a number of area organizations in recent years, including Overlake Hospital and the Eastside Emergency Feeding Network, to name just a few.

“We look forward to sustaining those critical community partnerships in the years to come and forging new relationships along the way,” Havener added.

Publisher’s Note:  Matti – please contact me at Joe(at) BellevueBusinessJournal.com regarding sponsorships for BellevueBusinessJournal.com and Eastside Entrepreneurs.  We can sure use your support and the local business community will take notice.  I can also hook you up with some great non-profits like Bellevue LifeSpring and Renewal Food Bank here in Bellevue.

Currently there are 54 Walmarts, three Sam’s Clubs and one distribution center in Washington state employing approximately 19,381 associates. In its FY2011 Walmart purchased $2,598,045,143 worth of goods and services from 743 Washington businesses.

More information on Walmart Neighborhood Markets is available at http://walmartstores.com/AboutUs/7606.aspx.

According to a post by Lark Turner on the ad site (formerly a news site) called SeattleTimes.com, there are apparently those who have issue with Walmart due to what are seen as less than stellar employment practices.

I am personally very happy to see something done with the property and I think a Walmart (with emphasis on groceries) will be a great benefit to those who live in the area.  I’m also pretty sure that most of the 90+ people who will work there will be glad to have jobs.

At the same time, I’m not too sure about the thoughts behind LA Fitness though, as there are rumors that their location in Bellevue’s Galleria is in trouble.

The Zoom-Room Wallbed is a unique retractable bed system designed for efficiency and safety. Regardless of whether the space serves as a family room, craft room or media room by day, it quickly and effortlessly converts into a guest bedroom at a touch of the wireless remote. The queen-size Zoom-Room Wallbed is hidden vertically inside a stand-alone custom cabinet from which it floats smoothly into a bed, as comfortable as any permanent one.  Another touch of the wireless remote and it retracts into its standalone cabinet which doubles as a wide-screen TV cabinet or a bookcase.  Additional side cabinets can provide storage space.

The Zoom-Room Wallbed’s retractable technology is a model of engineering designed for reliability.  As William McLaren, co-owner of SmartRooms, says: “The Zoom-Room system is light-years ahead of a Murphy bed, it provides a safer operation than traditional Murphy beds, and offers a unique opportunity to transform your guestroom into a media room at the click of a remote.  With over five hundred installs nationwide, Zoom-Room is a great solution to transform your home without the cost of a major remodel.“ It’s especially useful to anyone seeking a wallbed solution that stands alone on the floor and eliminates the physical strain of pulling down and pushing up a traditional Murphy bed.

SmartRooms LLC is a Kirkland-based company and the authorized distributor of the Zoom-Room system for the Pacific Northwest.  They should definitely be in the Eastside Business Directory.

For more than half a century, Olson’s has been serving the Pacific Northwest’s equestrian community.  From its humble beginning in the basement of Carl and Bea Olson’s home located in downtown Bellevue in 1946 to today’s modern store front in Bellevue’s Bridle Trails neighborhood, Olson’s has grown to become an iconic institution in Equestrian niche.  During its storied history, Olson’s has endured the tumultuous ups and downs of economic growth and recession to become one of the area’s oldest employers.

“Olson’s has a very rich history not only in the immediate Bellevue-area but throughout the Pacific Northwest equestrian community as well,” said Olson’s owner, Michael Akers.  “For 65 years, Olson’s has been proud to serve riders from every background, from recreational equestrians to elite Olympic athletes.”

To celebrate their 65th year in business, Olson’s Tack Shop is expanding into a larger more modern space.  This newly renovated retail space will nearly double the store’s existing retail space.  Along with more conveniences and ambiance, this updated store front will allow for an expanded selection of specialty English riding apparel and equipment. Despite today’s difficult retail climate, Olson’s has been able to thrive and grow in an otherwise challenging economic environment.

“The loyalty of our customers paired with our expert staff and great product selection has allowed Olson’s not only survive but to thrive during the past few years of economic turmoil,”  said Akers, “We are excited about our continued growth and the opportunity to expand our product offerings to our customers.”

Olson’s Tack Shop provides area equestrian enthusiasts with the West Coast’s largest selection of English riding apparel, equipment, and gifts.  In its early beginnings, Olson’s specialized in custom riding equipment from riding chaps to saddles and bridles.  Over time, Olson’s expanded to become one of the Northwest’s most elite tack stores specializing in competitive and casual riding apparel,  saddles, tack, and horse-themed gifts.  From beginning riders to Olympic athletes, Olson’s Tack Shop has been proud to serve West Coast equestrian’s for more than a half a century.

With each new store opening in 2011, Disney Store will donate 10 percent of the first day’s sales to the Make-A-Wish Foundation in the United States.

WHEN: Wednesday, May 11, 2011

• 9:30—Disney Store Opening Ceremony and lucky child “Unlocks Imagination”

WHERE:

Disney Store

575 Bellevue Square

Bellevue, WA 98004

ABOUT DISNEY STORE
The Disney Store retail chain, which debuted in 1987, is owned and operated by Disney in North America, Europe, and Japan.  Disney Store is the retail merchandising arm of Disney Consumer Products, the business segment of The Walt Disney Company (NYSE:DIS) and its affiliates that extends the Disney brand to merchandise. Disney Store carries high-quality products, including exclusive product lines that support and promote Disney’s key entertainment initiatives and characters. Disney Store opened its first store in Glendale, California and, in doing so, originated the themed retail business model. There are currently more than 200 Disney Store locations in North America; more than 40 Disney Store locations in Japan; and more than 100 Disney Store locations in the United Kingdom, France, Spain, Ireland, Italy and Portugal, plus online stores www.DisneyStore.com and www.disneystore.co.uk. Each Disney Store location offers a magical shopping experience that can only be delivered by Disney, one of the world’s largest and most successful entertainment companies.  For more information, please visit www.disneyconsumerproducts.com/press/us/disneystore or follow us at www.facebook.com/DisneyStore and www.twitter.com/DisneyStore.

Tuesday Morning offers first quality, famous maker closeout gifts on an event basis. This strategy has made Tuesday Morning the largest and most successful closeout gift chain in the United States, for 30 years running.  They currently have two stores on the Eastside – one in Redmond in the Office Depot Center and one in Kirkland’s Rosehill Plaza.

“Given our unparalleled success in experiential retailing over the past decade, we are eager to bring our next American Girl store to such a premier retail destination as Alderwood,” said Wade Opland, American Girl’s vice president of retail. “The premium location, coupled with the shopping center’s world-class mix of retailers, provides us with even greater opportunities to celebrate girls in an unforgettable environment.”

Visitors to Alderwood’s new American Girl store will find the complete assortment of the company’s popular historical and contemporary dolls, along with doll outfits, accessories, girl-sized clothing, and a variety of best-selling American Girl books. In addition, American Girl fans will be able to enjoy a meal and a delicious dessert or celebrate a birthday in the store’s fun and casual 50-seat Bistro, treat their dolls to a new hairdo in the Doll Hair Salon, or design a cute doll-sized T-shirt in the “Creativi-Tees” boutique. A variety of girl-and-mom-friendly events and programs will also be offered throughout the year.

“When you add one of the most recognized brands like American Girl to your retail line-up, you’ve automatically increased your retail and entertainment experience exponentially.  American Girl has mastered the creation of the ultimate destination, combining dolls, education and unlimited imagination for little girls.  Our goal is to provide our shoppers with a total and unique retail and entertainment experience,” said Alan Barocas, senior executive vice president of leasing for General Growth Properties, Inc.

American Girl has been recognized as an industry leader in experiential retail since opening its first flagship store, American Girl Place^®, in Chicago in 1998. Two more flagship stores, American Girl Place New York on Fifth Avenue and American Girl Place Los Angeles at The Grove, opened in 2003 and 2006 respectively. Additional retail stores opened in Atlanta and Dallas in 2007, in Boston and Mall of America in Minneapolis in 2008, and in Denver and Kansas City in 2010. Together, the popular retail and entertainment sites have welcomed nearly 40 million visitors to date.

American Girl Brands, LLC, is a wholly owned subsidiary of Mattel, Inc. (NASDAQ: MAT, www.mattel.com), the world’s leading toy company. Since American Girl’s inception in 1986, the company has devoted its entire business to celebrating the potential of girls ages 3 to 12. American Girl encourages girls to dream, to grow, to aspire, to create, and to imagine through a wide range of engaging and insightful books, age-appropriate and educational dolls and accessories, and unforgettable experiences. In meeting its mission with a vigilant eye toward quality and service, American Girl has earned the loyal following of millions of girls and the praise and trust of parents and educators. To learn more about American Girl or to request a free catalogue, call 1-800-845-0005 or visit www.americangirl.com.

Prior to opening its showroom at The Bravern, Kreiss’ Washington-based showroom was located at Bellevue Place.  Their new location will be in the space formerly occupied by Masin’s Furniture.

If your store or business is looking for a new location in Bellevue or anywhere on the Eastside, contact your friend in the real estate business, Joe Kennedy.

It may be interesting to some that the building that Fatburger still occupies and Baja Fresh just left used to be a McDonalds.

If you or anyone you might know is interested in opening a restaurant and can use some professional help in negotiations (at no cost to you), call Joe Kennedy of AAA Properties at 425-213-4176 or send email to Joe(at)JoeKennedy.biz