DuPont grocery may come by December

By Nate Hulings | For The Olympian • Published April 11, 2008

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DUPONT – A 15,000-square-foot grocery store is planned near a Union 76 gasoline station and a Starbucks store in DuPont and could open by December, city officials say.

"People have been clamoring for a grocery store," Larry Wilcox, a City Council member who serves on DuPont's visitor-readiness task force, said last week.

He added: "It's really one of the first things you should have in a city. I'll keep my fingers crossed until I see it."

Wilcox said the specialty store might feature deli items and fresh produce, as opposed to a full supermarket.

Bill McDonald, DuPont's city administrator, said planning is in the early stages, but he confirmed that a store could open by the end of the year.

Meanwhile, Councilwoman Penny Coffey will travel to China this month at her expense to participate in the 20th anniversary of Hainan province, the home of Qionghai, DuPont's sister city.

Coffey will be members of a Western Washington delegation that will spend nine days in China. The mayors of Lakewood and Steilacoom, as well as Ron Chow, state commissioner for Asian Pacific American Affairs, also will make the trip.

"We will be sharing information representing companies that are — and will be — developing projects here in DuPont," Coffey said.

Delegates from Hainan visited the Northwest last summer.

Also, state Sen. Mike Carrell, R-Lakewood, briefed the council about issues related to the legislative session, which concluded last month.

Carrell reported the city will receive $50,000 in state money to construct a canopy over DuPont's dynamite train. Carrell said the train is one of 14 such projects to receive state funding this year.

Gary Lucas, a former DuPont resident, has been going door-to-door for nearly two months, asking residents to donate time and money.

More than 27 people have donated a total of nearly $500, he said. People who want to donate can call the DuPont Historical Museum at 253-964-2399.

The economic news is not all upbeat, Carrell said, warning the state faces a $2.4 billion budget deficit, which means DuPont will have to set funding priorities.

Also at the meeting, new council members Ali Bailey and Vicky M. Marin were sworn in. They fill seats that had been vacant for months.