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Total Wine & More, a nationwide chain of "big box" stores for all things boozy, is building a 25,000-square-foot emporium in Seattle's long-neglected Interbay neighborhood, reports the Puget Sound Business Journal. The store is the first tenant in a 7.7-acre tract under development at 1600 Armory Way and is expected to open around Thanksgiving.
The Interbay neighborhood is changing quickly. At its north end, along the Ship Canal, is the Fisherman's Terminal complex, a thriving symbol of Seattle's longstanding commercial attachment to the sea. At the south end, a shiny new cruise-ship terminal, and (soon) the world headquarters of Expedia. On Interbay's residential slopes, two prosperous but insular neighborhoods, the staid Magnolia and the more outgoing Queen Anne. The valley itself used to be nothing more than a BNSF marshalling yard lined with railroad repair shops. Now, the tell-tale signs of gentrification: a driving range and 9-hole pitch & putt, a P-Patch, a Petco, a Whole Foods, even a few splashy new rental units.
Total has three stores in the Seattle area near Northgate, in Tukwila, and in Bellevue. Headquartered in Potomac, Maryland, it is the country's largest independent wine and spirits retailer. Each store carries some 5,000 types of wine from around the world, 3,000 brands of spirits, and some 2,500 beers.
The nearest competition for Total's new Interbay location, in terms of pricing and selection, are two discount stores: the BevMo! outlet in Ballard, and the Costco warehouse store in SoDo.
