Roger’s Market Place to close at end of month

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Roger’s Market Place, located at 23120 56th Ave. W., is tentatively set to close on Feb. 29.

Roger’s Market Place in Mountlake Terrace is expected to close at the end of the month.

DSC_3011The closure comes after the store’s owner, Roger Bottman, passed away on Jan. 21. Bottman has owned the store, located at 23120 56th Ave. W., since 2002. Roger’s Market Place has been a Mountlake Terrace staple ever since.

Bottman is survived by his wife of 40 years, three sons and one daughter.Ā He was 75 years old.

Store manager Fred Gibson said Bottman was the one who really ran the store.

Starting Wednesday, everything in the store is on sale. Merchandise will be 20 percent off until Feb. 21, then 30 percent off until Feb. 24, then 50 percent off until Feb. 27, then 70 percent off until the end of the month.

The store has 18 employees.

Officials at the Concern for Neighbors food bank are sad to see the market go.

“We want to thank them for their support of our food bank throughout the years,” Anne C. Peterson, executive director of the food bank, said. “They have donated food to our food bank and we will miss them. From all of us at Concern For Neighbors Food Bank, we want to wish all of the employees there much success in the future and hope they all find employment quickly. Thank you again Roger’s Market.”

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Employees changed the sign out front Wednesday afternoon to show Roger’s Market Place is going out of business. (Photo by Doug Petrowski)
  1. Gosh, there has been a store in that location since I visited my aunt and uncle who lived up on 232nd and 62?nd. When I moved into Mountlake Terrace, everything was as I remembered it, library, fire station, and the market. My memory goes back 50+ years. I don’t know who the previous owners were. I enjoyed the employees and wish them the best in finding suitable employment.

  2. I really wish that whoever bought it would continue to have it as a grocery store. However, I am willing to bet that some developer will bulldoze it and put in another apartment building to overload the infrastructure. We are not Seattle, Bellevue or Lynnwood. We are a great small community that the city council thinks should be clogged with apartments. Sad that it has come to that.

  3. I remember the big wooden wall clock that is still in there from when I was a kid. It was Lucky’s then. Sadder is I’m sure a tractor will be driving right through it ….

  4. My two youngest daughters grew up shopping there, selling Girl Scout Cookies and running food drives for Concern for Neighbors Food Bank. We hung out and bought treats during the Parades and my youngest was even given the little pig that was in the meat section that would oink, if turned on, whenever someone walked by. (Apparently there was a complaint & the mgr knew how she would run up to it as soon as we came in the store so he gave it to her….she’s 21 and still has that pig!!) I can’t believe how many good memories are tied to this little store, there are many more….it will be sorely missed. Condolences to the family and the employees, may they find work quickly.

  5. This is really sad. I feel sorry for the employees and I feel sad for our town. It’s lost some of it’s livability.

  6. It is very sad. Living here since 1989, my family could just run up there, friendly staff. We are losing a family. good Luck to the employees. And Thank You for all the years you’ve served us. You will be missed.

    1. That’s for sure…they really are an extension of the family!! The worst thing is, the staff had very little warning before the signs went up (something like 2 days, I think).

  7. So sorry to hear about Mr. Bottman. I’ve been shopping here since it was Lucky’s in the mid-70’s. It’s such a part of the MLT neighborhood. Very sad to see it closing. Best of luck to all the fantastic employees!

  8. OH MY GOSH! Say it ain’t so. I can’t imagine not having Rogers in MLT! Hopefully somebody can come in and buy it. The friendly, family-like atmosphere, will be hard to duplicate. Seriously, my heart is broken!

  9. Sadness crossed our path with this news. Since living in Mountlake Terr., my wife Sandy and I have enjoyed shopping there, and meeting all of the wonderful employees that grace the register’s. Sad to see them leave the area, but know one day we will find you again working at other places, and still with the same wonderful personality that they employed at Rogers. Andy, and Dave, know we wish you and the rest of the staff all the best in your future. The Troy’s.

  10. Sad to see Roger’s close. It’s great to have a full service grocery within walking distance of home. Here’s wishing all the best for the family and employees. Hopefully there’ll be more grocery options coming to main street MLT soon.

  11. Obviously, the store was successful in that location for many years, despite the few changes in ownership it has had. Hopefully, someone new will realize that is a good place for a good neighborhood store, and will open a new store there. It shouldn’t take too much of an investment since the structure there is good, and the clientele is very loyal and appreciative.

    Jim reynolds (our family has shopped there for 42 years)

  12. I’m hoping it stays a grocery store, but considering the location, the lot size, and the zoning that allows for up to 6 stories, I’m guessing it’ll end up being apartments/condos.

  13. It doesn’t seen like my previous comment posted.
    Most expensive store I’ve ever seen. Such steep discounts might actually bring them in line with other grocery stores.

  14. I would also love to see some other grocery store move in. When we moved to MLT, it was one of its appeals. Like someone else said, it gave a lot to the spirit of the community. Best wishes to Rogers family and great employees!!

  15. MLT used to be a pretty nice bedroom community but at some point the Council got obsessed with “increasing sales tax revenue” and other development. So I wouldn’t hold out any hope for anything more then a high rise to go in where Roger’s is now. Look at what they got planned for the old Melody Hill lot on 220th.

    1. You’ve got that right!! They are supposed to represent the city residents; that council sure doesn’t represent us!!

  16. I love Roger’s grocery store! It was perfect to stop in and purchase a few items for dinner instead of spending a whole hour at one of the larger chains. My heart goes out to the owner’s family. Nancy L.

  17. Yes, you are correct Sean. MLT is no longer a place I’d recommend to raise a family. We are in a cul-de-sac off of 48th and now we sit and sit to get out of our road as traffic is so bad on 48th. They have added apartments, condos (with little if any parking), and most of these people are left to park on the street making it hard to see cars coming. The condition of the road on 48th (north end) is pot-holed, uneven and like driving on a country road. We have drug dealing in our neighborhood (but I guess this is no big deal anymore) and we have neighbors who put their old, broken-down hot tub on their front lawn for all to see. No code enforcement to be seen anywhere. Very depressing. Am so sad to see Roger’s go, and you are right, the city will just approve more development for that lot.

    Such a deal, huh?!

    1. My perspective is quite different. We have 2 daughters, 4 and 7, and are quite happy with all the changes we’ve seen in our neighborhood (Town Center) since we moved here 8 years ago. Since we’re so close to the Transit Center we’ve been able to downsize to 1 car, saving us tons of money and hassle of maintaining 2 vehicles. While I’m sad Rogers is closing we really enjoy the new businesses that have moved into the neighborhood. We love walking to the pie shop with our kids on the weekends. I love being able to meet friends, family, and neighbors at Diamond Knot for a drink and being able to walk home. I’m excited to explore Paradise Market as it looks like they have a lot of interesting products and it’s great to have some organic produce in the neighborhood. I love all the new, wide sidewalks that are being built by the developers. We walk around the neighborhood a lot so it’s nice to have benches to sit and take a break every few blocks. It’s nice to also have more people out and about, especially around the new buildings, as it feels much safer. I use the GoRequest app on my phone very often to report code enforcement violations adn have always found the City to be very responsive. When it come to private properties sometimes it takes a while and as the legal process can get extended and expensive for the City.

      I’m very pleased about the variety of housing options in the neighborhood as well. It really gives many more options to people who want to stay in the neighborhood but maybe don’t want
      a big house and yard to take care of, something that is more and more frequent both with millennials and aging baby boomers. Once my kids move out I could definitely see us downsizing to a townhouse and it would be nice to stay in the neighborhood. I also love the more diverse demographics that a variety of housing options can bring to the neighborhood.

  18. When we had to relocate ‘back to the city’ in 2009 after 10 years on the quiet Kitsap peninsula, finding Rogers Market on the small-town feel main street was wonderful! I loved that it wasn’t the huge, crowded, chain store atmosphere, and the employees got to know all the customers. When the recent card appeared in the store for customers to sign condolences after the passing of the owner, I thought ‘uh oh’. Sure enough, not even 30 days later…

  19. We are truly heartbroken over the fact that we are losing the heart of the Terrace, which is Roger’s Market. Our family has shopped in that store since it was a Foodland. All of the wonderful employees there, who really are like family, will be missed more than they will ever know. We have lived here on Melody Hill since before I-5 was even laid, and yes, it once was a great little self-contained community. But, I am SO disappointed in these “planners” who are trying to turn our little town into some sort of “high rise monstrosity.” And now that Roger’s is going out, I don’t see me ever setting foot uptown in the Terrace ever again. All our best to all the employees at Roger’s! I (we) hope you all move on to great things! MISS YOU ALREADY!! šŸ™

  20. Have you contacted the city’s Code Enforcement over your concerns with your neighbor? Every time I’ve contacted them, I get a response within a couple days and they’re very helpful.

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