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.

Fred Meyer took over the Silverdale location from Food Pavilion five years ago. Home Base recently announced it would close its Silverdale location that sits directly across from Costco's huge parking lot. The hardware/home projects retailer has been suffering at the checkout counter since the opening of a Home Depot a few blocks away.

The Silverdale area has been a popular shopping destination for the past two decades. It has been fueled by several military bases in the area, including the United States' Navy's Puget Sound Naval Shipyard in Bremerton and the Trident Submarine Base in Bangor.