December, 2024 Seattle Times article on Molbackl's closure. What a loss to the eastside community!
Molbak’s Garden + Home plans to transform its 20-acre property in downtown Woodinville into a “city within a garden,” according to CEO Julie Kouhia.
The company will break ground on the new development, aptly named the Gardens District, in less than a year.
Molbak’s unveiled its vision for the project during a Woodinville Chamber of Commerce luncheon at 21 Acres on Thursday, April 21.
“We have a current location that we love, but we recognize that it's getting old and it's going to need improvement,” Kouhia said. “We decided we didn't want to just rebuild.”
The construction site will be located between Northeast 171st Street and Northeast 175th Street. Construction is expected to begin in late 2022 or early 2023, depending on permitting.
Molbak’s is expected to celebrate the grand openings of its new store in 2025, Kouhia said. Until then, the original store will remain open.
The business started initially as a production greenhouse in 1956, Kouhia said. Egon and Laina Molbak had just moved to the small town of Woodinville with their two young daughters. The family legacy continued when their son purchased the business in 2001.
“Molbak’s has been at the heart of Woodinville since that time,” she said. “Egon and Laina are visionaries and are really generous collaborators.”
Sticking to the founders’ belief in continual growth, she said, the Molbak’s team began discussing goals for the next 50 years. The idea for the Gardens District came to fruition in 2015, she said.
The development will be completed in three phases, she said, with possibilities for later development. Phase one will include about 250,000 square feet of commercial space, along with 220 apartment units and structured parking.
Molbak’s Garden + Home will occupy roughly half of the commercial space in phase one, Kouhia said. However, the new store is estimated to be about half of its current size. The space will still feature elements that customers have grown to love, she added.
“It’s super exciting because we are half as big, but we are not going to have lower sales. We are going to be increasing sales, traffic and customer service,” she said. “That's by using our space more effectively.”
Molbak’s plans to construct a central structure similar to a treehouse in the store, she said, which will feature cross-laminated timber trees holding up the roof. Natural and filtered light will fill the space, she said.
The treehouse will have covered areas, she said, which allows the temperature to stay comfortable year-round without being fully conditioned.
Behind the treehouse, a paved walkway will begin at Northeast 171st Street for cyclists and pedestrians to access. She said the promenade will overlook Woodin Creek and the Sammamish Valley.
“We’ll have an amazing, beautiful restaurant,” Kouhia said. “You'll be able to stop to get a bite to eat from it, extend down the promenade and continue your experience.”
Since the beginning, she said, Molbak’s has placed priority on protecting the environment by working with planet-conscious partners such as Graham Baba Architects and Seattle-based landscape architecture firm GGN.
Molbak’s also partnered with the University of Washington’s Green Futures Research & Design Lab—a program focused on sustainable, community-minded urban development.
“Green Futures Lab is working to prevent urban sprawl, and it is creating really thriving sustainable communities,” she said.
All of the buildings will meet Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) green building certifications, Kouhia said.
Molbak’s will restore native species of grasses and plants throughout the development in a garden underlay, she said, and bright-colored flowers will be scattered around the project as well.
She said a portion of Woodin Creek, which runs through the Molbak’s property, will be restored before and after construction. Walking trails will also wind around the stream when phase one is finished, she added.
To irrigate the greenhouses and vegetation, the company plans to implement a system that captures and reuses rainwater.
“It's going to feel very much like we're giving the land back to Woodinville and to this location,” Kouhia said.
To stay updated on the project, visit the website.
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