Nugget Mall, Fred Meyer remain closed with unknown reopening dates due to roof concerns after storms
- Mark Sabbatini
- 15 hours ago
- 2 min read
Fred Meyer ‘will reopen as soon as possible,’ spokesperson says; mall property manager states ‘this is a safety issue, not a lack-of-effort issue’
By Mark Sabbatini
Juneau Independent
Two major retail establishments in Juneau remained closed on Saturday, more than a week after both initially closed due to record snowfall that caused concerns about weight loads on roofs, with officials at both locations stating it is unknown when they will reopen.
The Nugget Mall has been closed since a week ago Friday (Jan. 2). Fred Meyer hastily evacuated and closed its store during the afternoon of Thursday, Jan. 1, reopened three days later, and again evacuated and closed the store Tuesday evening.
"We continue to work on snow removal. We will reopen as soon as possible," Tiffany Sanders, a spokesperson for Kroger Co., the parent company of Fred Meyer, stated in an email to the Juneau Independent at midday Saturday.
A Facebook post declaring there is "a lot of misinformation circulating about why the Nugget Mall remains closed" was published on a members-only community page Friday by Elizabeth Clayton, the mall’s property manager. She acknowledged the post in a brief conversation with the Independent on Saturday, but declined to comment further about it and the mall’s status.
Her post begins by stating the closure "is a safety issue, not a lack-of-effort issue."
"The Nugget Mall roof is approximately 165,000 square feet," she wrote. "Clearing a roof of this size safely requires a very large crew of qualified, licensed, bonded, and insured contractors, along with proper heavy equipment and engineering oversight. At the moment, that limited manpower across Juneau is being prioritized on CBJ buildings, State buildings, schools, hospital, clinics and other large commercial structures — many of which are publicly owned, mission-critical, and significantly better funded. That is simply the reality of a community-wide emergency."
"We understand the frustration of tenants and employees who cannot open and work right now," Clayton added. "Please don’t mistake caution for inaction."
Closures and limited hours have also affected numerous other businesses in Juneau. However, other supermarkets in Juneau have remained open daily during the recent storms. The Mendenhall Mall on Thursday, just before the arrival of a major rainstorm that is causing widespread weight load and flooding issues, posted a notice on its Facebook page it remains open.
"Rumor has it we are closing, but we aren't," the post states. "All roof drains are running clear, temperatures are above freezing, snow is contuing[sic] to melt on the roof. We are doing great and open if you are having cabin fever or need a meal out come on by!"
The record snow followed by heavy rain has also kept city facilities and schools closed much of the past two weeks.
• Contact Mark Sabbatini at editor@juneauindependent.com or (907) 957-2306.
