White Center businesses: Phnom Khiev Market closing
Phnom Khiev Market will soon shut its doors for a final time, ending a five-year run as one of the area’s most-diverse grocery stores. Known for carrying a wide selection of Mexican, Chinese, and southeast Asian grocery items, the market has been a reflection of the multicultural population that surrounds it.
Manager Cha Khiev told WCN that store leadership decided against renewing the store’s lease for the building at the corner of 16th Avenue SW and the SW White Center Cutoff when it ends in February. “It’s a lot of work and too much overhead,” says Khiev. “We decided it’s just not worth it.”
There had been outside speculation that a rent increase was forcing the market from its space. Khiev says no, that particular change was “normal.” A more-unwelcomed change cited by Khiev as a contributing factor was “too many problems around White Center.” Khiev says he has noticed a marked increase in the number of transients in the area, which has led to some general negative perception of the area surrounding the market.
When asked if he know whether the landlord had a new tenant for the space, Khiev said he didn’t know for certain.
As of our conversation with the manager, there was no set final day of business for Phnom Khiev; a customer tells us they were told this is the last week. Earlier in the month, management was allowing inventory to dwindle to the point where it no longer makes sense to open. In the meantime, only meat and vegetables were being restocked.
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January 26th, 2016 at 4:45 pm
This is a real loss to our community. I shop there all the time and heard that they are closing this weekend. I love their vegetable selection and I am sorry to see them go. Are they going to reopen elsewhere?
January 28th, 2016 at 4:10 pm
No plans at this point.
January 29th, 2016 at 12:55 am
That sucks :( Isn’t the “greater transient population” a Seattle-wide problem though? I sure notice a lot more these days around Pioneer Square where I work.
February 2nd, 2016 at 8:53 pm
That’s a total bummer. I noticed that inventory was running low recently; i think i heard an employee deny they were going out of business. It’s a shame, they were a very nice group of people to do business with, and they had an amazing variety of foodstuffs. Not sure where to go next.
February 5th, 2016 at 11:29 pm
I am so sad about this, my favorite grocery store. The family are the nicest people and I don’t know what we will all do without this store. I loved shopping there sometimes daily, they had the best selection and prices anywhere and the best staff. I will miss them dearly.
February 6th, 2016 at 2:03 pm
I feel horrible for all the businesses that try so hard to clean up White Center. What to they get in return? Nothing but heartache and more tweakers/druggies/ and baddies coming in.