Hundreds turn out for Metropolitan Market opening in Sammamish

Hundreds of local residents and shoppers turned out for the grand opening of Metropolitan Market in Sammamish Wednesday morning at the corner of 228th Avenue Southeast and Southeast 4th Street.

With a line stretching from the store’s entrance to across the parking lot and around the corner down 228th, eager community members awaited for their first look inside the new grocery store, which will anchor the city’s developing Town Center.

“We’re so excited to get started and welcome you today,” Metropolitan Market President and CEO Todd Korman addressed to the crowd. “Our company has always been focused on being the first to bring great food to the markets of the neighborhoods we serve. The Sammamish store has been designed to do just that.”

City officials in attendance included Sammamish Mayor Don Gerend, Deputy Mayor Bob Keller and City Councilmembers Tom Hornish and Tom Odell.

Gerend publicly welcomed Metropolitan Market to the city, acknowledging the grocer’s opening marked a sign of things to come to the development area.

“We’re looking forward to more businesses opening very shortly in the Town Center,” Gerend said. “As you can see, we’re going to have more density in the Town Center because we’re focusing the increased growth in the Town Center … We have to take the growth, it’s coming, but we’re welcoming it here. And today, Metropolitan Market begins that growth.”

The store hosted a “cookie-breaking” ceremony, featuring a fresh-baked, 3-foot cookie to mark the occasion. The grocer also offered its first 500 guests a reusable grocery tote, with 20 $100 store gift cards hidden in random totes.

Craig Doty with the Sammamish Chamber of Commerce presented the grocer with a plaque commemorating the business’s certification of membership.

“Welcome and may the scales of commerce always tip in your favor,” Doty said.

A line of shoppers stretches from the entrance of Metropolitan Market to across the parking lot and around the corner down 228th Avenue Southeast (Joe Livarchik/staff photo).

Alongside Metropolitan Market President and CEO Todd Korman, Sammamish Mayor Don Gerend, right, addresses the crowd gathered for the opening of Metropolitan Market in Sammamish on Wednesday (Joe Livarchik/staff photo).