Everett Mayor slams Kroger as Fred Meyer closes doors: “We did what we could!”

When Kroger announced the closure of five Fred Meyer stores in Washington State, including one in South Everett, the Everett Mayor rebuked the move as “corporate neglect.” Last week, in a 6-1 vote, the Everett City Council passed a resolution expressing the same sentiment.

Mayor Cassie Franklin, who supported the resolution, says the decision to close the Fred Meyer blindsided a city that had worked in good faith to keep the store viable.

“This is their corporate decision that they made. They’re already exiting these five locations in the state, 60 across the country,” Franklin said in an interview with The Jason Rantz Show on Seattle Red 770 AM. “But I think it’s important for our community to know that we did what we could and how they are making a corporate decision that negatively impacts our community.”

A partnership that never materialized

Mayor Franklin revealed that Everett had been in regular contact with Kroger over two years, responding to concerns about crime with aggressive action: shoplifting stings and new ordinances to reduce loitering.

“We went all in,” she said. “Crime dropped dramatically. especially around the store,” she said.

But despite the efforts, Kroger still walked away.

But they didn’t walk away in a vacuum. Washington State’s rising taxes and regulatory fees have made it harder for retailers to stay profitable. Franklin acknowledged the state’s business climate is rough.

“We have a long way to go to be more competitive. Our tax structure needs work,” she added. “We’re competing with other states, and we’re not in a good place.”

The economic impact

The closure affects more than just retail. Workers will lose jobs or face longer commutes. Residents who walked to the store will now have to rely on transit.

“It’s disappointing,” she says. “But we’re working to ensure access to groceries and to redevelop the site.”

Franklin hopes to recruit a business that truly want to serve the community for the vacant site.

Kroger’s exit might be a part of a national strategy with over 60 stores closing across the country but Everett’s response highlights the deeper frustration. Local leaders feel abandoned after years of effort. Cities like Everett need more than patrols and promises, they need partners who stay.

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