A mix of sit-down restaurants and quick food shops — some of them independent and locally owned — have signed leases for the new Town Square development at Four Corners, and most are likely to open this summer.
Lauren Powell, director of leasing for Powell Development, says the Bellevue-based developer has been working closely with the city to bring in businesses that will appeal to the community.
“We don’t just take the person who comes along. We want to think about what the people of Maple Valley want,” Powell said.
The space is more than 80 percent leased, with deals in the works for the last four or five openings, she said. 
Among the confirmed merchants are:
- The Blend, a sit-down version of the local drive-through smoothie and coffee shop. The owners are planning a Northwest-themed design, a fireplace and a play space for kids, Powell says. This will be located along 264th Street, on the north side of the development.
- Hop Jack’s, a pub and family restaurant with locations in Lacey and Bonney Lake. Passersby can see the Hop Jack’s building shell already under construction at the corner of 264th Street and State Route 169. (See photo, right)
- Farrelli’s Wood Fire Pizza, a local chain with several locations in or around Tacoma. Farrelli’s current menu offers gluten-free dough and even gluten-free beer.
- The Nutty Squirrel, a locally owned Italian gelato shop. The owner will make gelato and sorbetto on site, at times using fresh local fruit.
Powell says they are in the process of carefully selecting a tenant for one large remaining retail space that will be located between The Blend and Hop Jack’s, holding out for a more upscale restaurant for Maple Valley diners.
Maple Valley residents “don’t want to have to drive to Covington for date night or to go out with girlfriends on Bunco night,” Powell said.
Powell says businesses have jumped at the chance to sign leases because demographic studies have shown “there’s such a huge hole” in retail offerings within Maple Valley, with millions of dollars going to surrounding communities. “All of that is tax dollars that should be staying in Maple Valley.”
The “vanilla shells” of the buildings must be delivered to the retailers by June 1. The new businesses will likely open soon after that. Fred Meyer has already planned an opening date of June 8.
To view a downloadable PDF of the plans so far, click Maple Valley Town Square(1).
How about a movie theater. Or a general feed store/ tack.
Many people in mv have live stock horses, steer etc. It would be awesome!
How about a Trader Joes? The closest ones are Burien and Federal Way. I would love to see a Trader Joes there!!
It would have been nice to see some stores that are not already in the vicinity for example… Wendy’s. The closest is near Kent Station… why a Burger King? There’s already a Burger King close by. Or, how about a Target. Again the closest one is in Kent. That would have been better than Freddie’s since there is already a Freddie’s close by. A Jimmy John’s, Mediterranean food place, PCC or Whole Foods are better options. The number of McDonalds (3) (1. in north MV on HWY169, 2. Four Corners and 3. just insided Covington across from AM/PM) and Starbucks (7) (1. inside QFC north MV, 2. in shopping strip next to QFC, 3. Four Corners insides Safeway, 4. Four Corners in Safeway parking lot, 5. on 272 in Covington by Walgreens, 6, inside Safeway in Covington, and 7. near Hwy 18) and Taco Hells/KFC (2) (1 mid MV on HWY 169 and 2. next to McDonalds in Covington) for this size town are already too many unhealthy options. Yes, I realize that some of this is in Covington but… it is close and available. Putting something in that is not close or widely available would have been much better.
“Powell says they are in the process of carefully selecting a tenant for one large remaining retail space that will be located between The Blend and Hop Jack’s, holding out for a more upscale restaurant for Maple Valley diners.”
Hopefully a Tutta Bella.