New venue for closed store now under construction at former bank building

A state liquor store will open in Snoqualmie on a temporary basis until construction of a permanent store in North Bend is complete.

The 3,730-square-foot store, located at 38565 River St. about two blocks from Railroad Avenue in the former Bank of America building, will open on April 11.

The Washington State Liquor Control Board (WSLCB) closed the North Bend store, located at 470 E. North Bend Way, last November following an ongoing problem with harsh chemical smells in the building.

The WSLCB has found a permanent store location in North Bend that meets the agency’s requirements for retail space, parking and product off-loading. The new store, which is currently under construction, will be located in the Mountain Valley Center on Mount Si Boulevard. It will be open for business by January 2009, barring any changes in the current outline of Phase II construction in the center. The store will be about 5,546 square feet, and is located in an area convenient for both North Bend residents and customers traveling over the mountains, according to WSLCB spokeswoman Anne Radford. The new location is included under a grandfather clause that will allow the state agency to move forward with the new store despite North Bend’s building moratorium.

• State and contract liquor store and product information is available on the Washington State Liquor Control Web site at www.liq.wa.gov.