Klamath Falls, Ore. – Downtown Klamath Falls has been without a supermarket for more than two years, but a vacant store is now under new ownership.
Holiday Market signed paperwork to buy the property at 8th and Pine on Friday.
“Officially, it will be Holiday Market’s today.” Stated Klamath County Commissioner Donnie Boyd. “They will be up here with their architects to start the remodel process.”
Haggen purchased the former Safeway store in the spring of 2015, and shut it down less than 6 months later.
The county purchased the property in the spring of 2017, to provide an easier funding mechanism for potential buyers.
“Holiday Markets has been fantastic to work with.” Says Boyd. “They’ve done every single thing they told us they’re going to do.”
Commissioner Boyd says that Sky Lakes Medical Center is also stepping up to the plate to help those who need their prescriptions filled. “There will also be a pharmacy in the grocery store.”
The partnership could also help to provide some new green space downtown.
As part of a goodwill gesture, the owners of Holiday Market say they want to spend about $190,000 upgrading a property located next to the Baldwin Hotel on Main Street.
Eagle Scout Andrew Cherpeski led an effort to clean up the property after an old apartment building was demolished on the site in 2009.
“Holiday Markets and Richie Morgan, who’s the president of North State Grocers, has said that they’d like to come in and develop a park there on behalf of the city and the county.” Adds Commissioner Boyd.
The new Holiday market is targeted to open in mid-April.
Holiday Markets purchased the property for a little over one and a half million dollars.
The deal does not include a former Klamath Falls Safeway store at Sixth and Washburn.
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