Community says goodbye to Bothell's Country Village after nearly 40 years

Business owners tell KIRO 7 the Country Village in Bothell closed for good Sunday evening after nearly 40 years in the community.

People stopped by Sunday to say goodbye, taking pictures and shopping at the remaining shops and restaurants that hadn’t already moved out. Many offered sales.

"It was really hard at first to start moving,” said Theresa Ankney, owner of Cranberry Cottage. “We were all feeling really kind of melancholy about it."

Cranberry Cottage recently celebrated the opening of its new Bothell location after nine years of calling Country Village home.

"It was a great home and a great place to be and we got informed that the property had been sold,” said Ankney.

Ankney said the owner of Country Village sold the property to a developer to build townhomes, which can already be seen behind the rustic storefronts.

Businesses were previously given notice and had been preparing for the last day of business Sunday. According to its website, Country Village was once home to more than 35 locally owned shops and restaurants.

"We wanted to come by one last time,” said Heather O’Connell. "It was really sad; it's kind of a unique place, a lot different than going to the mall or something like that, so you know, I was kind of sad that it was not going to be here anymore."

Ankney said there would be an upcoming auction for some of the fixtures around Country Village, which opened in 1981. KIRO 7 reached out to Country Village for additional details on the closure and auction Sunday but did not immediately hear back.

"It's a beautiful place and we've enjoyed it for so long,” said Ankney.

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