Fred Meyer has supermarkets in six Western states, including a large location in nearby East Bremerton. That store, unlike the grocery-only Silverdale location, sells a variety of items, including clothing, jewelry and garden supplies. Fred Meyer, which has enjoyed much of its success in the larger locations, is a member of the Cincinnati-based Kroger Co. (NYSE:KR), one of the nation's largest grocery retailers, with fiscal 1999 sales of $45.4 billion.

Best Buy, based in Eden Prairie, MN, will have electronics competition in the neighborhood. Circuit City and The Good Guys are a block away with more independents located in the nearby Kitsap Mall. Best Buy said it would hire approximately 100 to 150 new full-time and part-time employees before the refurbished, 45,000-sf facility reopens in the fall.

Fred Meyer, which retains a huge presence in the Pacific Northwest, announced two months ago that it was seeking a new tenant for the Silverdale space. A company spokesman said that all employees would be offered transfers to other stores. Many of the 80 Fred Meyer workers are expected to be given opportunities at the East Bremerton location at another superstore in Port Orchard.