A sign for a Fred Meyer store is shown in Portland, Ore., March 1, 2018.
Don Ryan / AP
Portland’s Gateway Fred Meyer store, located at 1111 NE 102nd Ave., is set to close in September. The closure will affect about 250 jobs, according to a state Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification notice.
In a letter to employees Wednesday, the company said it would review potential opportunities for staff to transfer to other locations.
Fred Meyer spokesperson Tiffany Sanders said the decision to close the Gateway location was difficult.
“We will offer each impacted store associate the opportunity to transfer to a new location,” Sanders said in an email Friday night. “This closure is part of a larger company-wide decision to run more efficiently and ensure the long-term health of our business.”
The closure comes after grocery store chain Kroger — which owns Fred Meyer — announced last month it would be closing more than 60 stores nationwide to increase profitability.
Store employees at the Gateway location are represented by two unions, UFCW Local 555 and BCTGM Local 114.
In an email statement to OPB, UFCW Communications Director Miles Eshaia wrote that the union was saddened by the closure.
“While we are sad to see the Gateway Fred Meyer location close, our first priority is supporting our members,” wrote Eshaia. “Employees from that store will be offered positions at other nearby locations. Union Representatives have been on site and will continue to be available to discuss placement options.”
The store has been open for over 70 years in the Hazelwood neighborhood and was famous for the arch on the front of the store in the Gateway Center, which stood for over three decades before being deconstructed.
The company has not publicly stated why the Northeast Portland store was selected for closure. The store is slated to close around Sept. 20, but the store’s fuel station will remain open.
Clarification: This story has been updated to clarify that not all 250 jobs will be lost as employees will be offered the opportunity to transfer to another location.
