Washington shoppers are facing another store loss as Kroger continues the large closure plan affecting several of its supermarket banners. Fred Meyer’s James Center location in Tacoma is scheduled to close January 30, 2027, directly affecting 100 union workers.
The store at 6901 South 19th Street remains open, with its official page still listing daily grocery and pharmacy hours. Its departure will leave Tacoma with one Fred Meyer location.
The closure affects 100 workers
UFCW Local 367, which represents employees at the store, says the shutdown directly affects 100 unionized retail workers. The union plans to bargain with Kroger over the impact of the closure and is pushing for realistic transfer options that preserve employees’ wages and accrued benefits.
The 100 workers are affected by the closure, but that does not mean 100 confirmed layoffs. Kroger has not announced how many employees will transfer to other locations or how many could ultimately lose their jobs.
The reason for closing remains disputed
Kroger told the union that it was closing the James Center store because of a rent increase. The property manager has challenged that explanation, saying it offered Kroger a lower rent after the company declined to exercise a five-year lease extension.
Northwest Public Broadcasting reported that Kroger did not answer its direct questions about the decision. For now, the confirmed point is that the company chose not to renew the lease; the financial details behind that choice remain contested.
The location is more than a place to pick up groceries. It includes a pharmacy and sits across from Tacoma Community College near a heavily used bus route, making it particularly convenient for students, seniors and shoppers who rely on public transportation.
Tacoma will have one Fred Meyer left
Fred Meyer’s current store directory lists two Tacoma supermarkets: James Center and Tacoma-Stevens at 4505 South 19th Street. After the January closure, Tacoma-Stevens will be the chain’s only remaining location in the city.
The shutdown follows Kroger’s 2025 closure of the Fred Meyer on Pacific Avenue in Tacoma’s South End. Losing a second location increases the distance some residents must travel for a full supermarket, pharmacy and general-merchandise selection.
The James Center property manager has said the goal is to bring another grocery store into the space, but no replacement tenant has been announced. Customers who use the store’s pharmacy also have not received publicly available details about prescription transfers.
Until January 30, shoppers can continue using the James Center store. The biggest unanswered questions are how many employees will secure transfers, where pharmacy customers will be directed and whether another grocer will take over the large anchor space.
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