Fred Meyer Plans New Cda Store But Retailer’s Plans For Post Falls Still Shelved

It’s likely that retail giant Fred Meyer will begin work on a new store in Coeur d’Alene as early as this summer, adding another shopping center and traffic light to U.S. Highway 95.

“We’re committed to build four stores next year and this particular store is right up there on top of the priority list,” said company spokesman Rob Boley.

The 180,000-square-foot building will house a Fred Meyer similar to the one at the corner of Sprague and Sullivan in the Spokane Valley, Boley said. Fred Meyer, however, will occupy only 166,000 square feet and will lease the remaining 14,000 to other businesses.

The Fred Meyer store will anchor a 28-acre site wrapped around Parker Toyota, with Highway 95 to the east and Kathleen Avenue to the north. Fred Meyer plans to sell some portions of the remaining acreage, on which four smaller buildings will be built.

The company applied for a building permit with the city of Coeur d’Alene last Friday. Among the changes planned are an extension of Bosanko Avenue to the west across Highway 95 and addition of a traffic light at that intersection, Boley said.

Meanwhile, development of the company’s 16 acres in the Post Falls Expo site has been postponed indefinitely.

“It’s been land-banked for the future,” Boley said.

Though several other supermarkets and large discount stores are located near Fred Meyer’s site on Highway 95, Boley said Fred Meyer is unique because it offers everything under one roof. The store offers full lines of groceries, automotive supplies, jewelry, home and garden supplies, toys, clothing, furniture and sporting goods.

“We basically have our own niche and there’s no one else in it,” Boley said.

This is the first Fred Meyer planned for Coeur d’Alene. The retailer already operates two stores in Spokane - one on the North Side and one in the Valley.

, DataTimes