Husband and wife entrepreneurs Masud and Fereshta Popal are celebrating 2010 with the opening of a brand-new Grocery Outlet in Seattle’s SODO district on Saturday, March 27. Seattle residents can expect to save up to 50% on brand name, quality foods at the new Grocery Outlet, the largest "extreme-value" grocer in the U.S. Located at 1702 4th Avenue, the new store will replace a former liquor and wine warehouse and is situated conveniently two blocks from Safeco Field.

Masud Popal, a resident of Tacoma and a native of Kabul, Afghanistan, has spent the past 2 years in Grocery Outlet’s AOT (Associate Operator in Training) program at the Burien Grocery Outlet in Seattle. Both Masud and Fereshta, also a native of Kabul, have deep roots in the downtown Seattle area where several family members and close friends own businesses.

In a time where mom-and-pop shops – let alone large corporations - are shuttering store windows instead of opening them, the Popal family business is an inspiration. With over 27 years of retail management experience, overseeing operations for businesses up and down the state of Washington, Masud became interested in the idea of owning a business that allowed more time spent with family. With a passion for giving back to the local community, supporting local Food Banks, the Seattle Milk Fund, the Sana Orphanage and various homeless shelters, the Popal’s were drawn to Grocery Outlet’s dedication to the family-oriented credo of business ownership as well as the corporation’s deep commitment to helping surrounding communities.

Amidst tough economic times, Grocery Outlet stores across Washington are thriving, especially Seattle, where 3 new stores will open by May of this year, including the 4th Avenue location and additional locations in Ballard and Kenmore. To support operations for the 4th Avenue store, the Popal’s have hired 30 local residents – significant, especially considering local unemployment rates have recently jumped to 8.8 percent, one of the highest rates experienced in the city within the past ten years.

At 20,000 square feet, the new, modern 4th Avenue location will feature Grocery Outlet’s premiere to-go and made-to-order sandwich delicatessen, a premium fresh meat case with all natural USDA top-cuts, large seasonal produce displays, a dedicated organic section, and an enhanced wine department. In addition, famed local muralist, Donna Hennig of Hennig Mural Designs, Inc., has been commissioned to paint a large scale outdoor mural on the west- facing wall to bring art and visual interest throughout the space and neighborhood. A landmark gift to the community, the mural will be unveiled in the spring and will focus on the abundance of fresh produce grown and harvested in Washington.

As is the case with most Grocery Outlet’s locations nationwide, the new SODO store site will provide a once underserved Seattle area with much needed fresh and nutritious foods at affordable prices.

“In the midst of rising food costs and continued economic crisis, we're proud to be able to offer downtown and surrounding Seattle-area residents the opportunity to save a significant amount of money,” said Popal. “Our customers will be surprised to find the same deeply-discounted prices inside a brand-new, custom store in SODO. Discount shoppers don't have to shop in a discount atmosphere.”
Popal said, "We're lucky we have an extremely good buying team that work with all the vendors. We do what you would call opportunistic buying and we have good relationships with our vendors so we can get better prices for our customers. We have found a really nice niche in the market. Also, this company pays all it's bills in 30 days so the vendors love us. We get offered the best deals first."

The Popal’s are marking the grand opening of the new Grocery Outlet with a host of community-driven, celebratory events. The store will host the opening celebrations on Saturday, March 27, with an array of events including free food sampling, free eco-friendly Grocery Outlet bags for the first 500 customers, face painting and games, giveaways, balloons, a local charity fundraiser on behalf of the Seattle Milk Fund and the chance to win more than $2,700 in prizes.

The store will be open seven days a week from 8AM to 9PM.

About Grocery Outlet
Based in Berkeley, California, Grocery Outlet offers extreme bargains on brand name merchandise, with prices often up to 50% cheaper than conventional retailers. The largest “extreme-value” grocer in the U.S., Grocery Outlet has over 136 locations in Arizona, California, Idaho, Nevada, Oregon & Washington. Grocery Outlet carries refrigerated and frozen foods, fresh produce, organics, dry groceries, beer and wine, health and beauty care, over-the-counter drugs, household products, toys and gifts. A third-generation family-led company founded in 1946, Grocery Outlet’s mission has always been to provide customers a fun place to find extreme values on name brands they trust. Most stores are independently owned and operated by locally-based families. For more information, please visit www.groceryoutlets.com.