Molbak’s Garden + Home closing after negotiations with developer fall short

Molbak's Garden + Home announces its closure

Molbak's Garden + Home in Woodinville is closing after nearly 70 years in business as plans with a developer fell through at the last minute that would've permitted the store to stay at its longtime property.

WOODINVILLE, Wash. - Molbak's Garden + Home in Woodinville is closing after nearly 70 years in business as plans with a developer fell through at the last minute that would've permitted the store to stay at its longtime property.

The Molbak family has been in mediation with the real estate group that owns the property in downtown Woodinville. According to the Seattle Times, the Molbak family sold the property where the garden center is located to Green Partners. Since it was sold in 2008, the family believed the developers planned to create housing, shopping, restaurants and a new Molbak's story on the 19-acre property, according to the Seattle Times.

The project fell apart after the family accused Green Partners of cutting Molbak's out of re-development plans and Green Partners said they would scrap the re-development altogether-- which is when the mediation started and later failed.

In part, the Molbaks said this in a statement:

"Unfortunately, this means there are no financially viable options that will allow Molbak’s to keep operating as the kind of company and community resource we want to be. After considering many different possibilities and a great deal of discussion with the Molbak family, we’ve determined that we no longer have a path forward.

Over the next few weeks, we will be putting together a plan to shut down operations and permanently close Molbak’s. Our main goal is to close down with integrity and in a way that respects our employees, vendors and customers. We also want to find a way to celebrate the history, impact and joy of Molbak’s. We are working on a transition plan and will share more details with you in early January.

We know this is incredibly difficult news for employees and their families, our loyal customers and vendors and the many other friends of Molbak’s. However, once the mediation efforts failed and we realized that we had no viable options left, we wanted to tell you this difficult news as soon as possible. We’re all struggling to understand what has happened. People are confused, shocked and heartbroken."

The business has 70 full-time employees and 45 part-time/seasonal employees.