By LEAH WEATHERSBY

Fred Meyer Inc.'s plans to purchase the Greenwood Market grocery store from Town & Country Markets for the purpose of tearing it down to expand the Greenwood Fred Meyer store next door has drawn mixed reactions from the Greenwood community.

"Greenwood doesn't need a big destination store," said Greenwood Community Council President Michael McGinn, of Fred Meyer's plans to add a grocery section to its department store located on the north side of North 85th Street, between 1st and 3rd avenues northwest.

If Fred Meyer does carry out its plans to expand, McGinn said he hopes the retailer will invest in improving pedestrian access. "The current sea of asphalt fronting the store is inconsistent with the people friendly downtown that we are trying to create," he said.

Michele Della Pella of the Greenwood-Phinney Chamber of Commerce, on the otherhand, prefers to view the potential sale in a positive light.

"We're going to miss the Greenwood Market, they've been very supportive of the community," Della Pella said. "As far as we can tell (the deal is) amicable. It seems only natural that Fred Meyer would assume that lease and expand."

Caught in the middle is Tony Hoyt, an independent espresso vendor whose shop, the Javabean, is a tenant of the Greenwood Market building, located next door to the west of supermarket. The Javabean has been a popular gathering place for Greenwood area coffee lovers for many years and has even published a newsletter for customers.

Hoyt said he isn't sure what's going to happen to his Greenwood espresso shop if the Greenwood Market is sold to Fred Meyer.

He is set, however, to soon open a new Javabean store in Ballard at NW 59th Street and 24th Avenue NW.

Hoyt hopes his shop can remain at its location, even if Fred Meyer does purchase the building.

"We've been there for 10 years," Hoyt said. "I'd hate to leave Greenwood."