The plans for the new Safeway Lifestyle store are moving ahead with the new larger store set to open one year from now. Sara Corn, Safeway Real Estate Manager supplied the Herald with the details and the most recent renderings of what the new store will look like. See our previous coverage here.

The Admiral Safeway store at 2622 California Avenue SW will be closing August 21st, 2010 to prepare for its demolition and the construction of a new 60,000 square foot state of the art Safeway Lifestyle store.

Safeway’s Lifestyle store format includes gentle lighting, custom flooring and unique display features to provide a warm ambiance that enhances the shopping experience. This format showcases enhanced service departments, which in this store will be:

- a huge produce department with a wide variety of specialty and organic produce;
- fresh bakery with hearth oven for baking bread;
- expanded wine and beer department with wine cellar;
- fresh sushi bar;
- service meat and seafood department;
- expanded deli and food service area, including gelato, salad bar and sandwich bar; and
- Starbucks with a two level seating area, each with their own fireplace to create an inviting atmosphere to enjoy a cup of coffee or meal from the deli.

The new store will be constructed to face California Avenue, making it much more pedestrian-friendly and engaging for the community. In addition to a new grocery store, the project will include a 7000 square foot retail building on California Avenue, as well as an apartment and flex office building. The building on 42nd Avenue not only provides more housing and offices for the Admiral neighborhood, but it also is designed to screen the back wall and loading dock of the store.

The anticipated opening date for the new store is August 2011.