SNOHOMISH COUNTY, Wash. — For Lia Tetreault, 20 months of strong business came to a screeching halt at the end of October. Her more than 300 sales a day at the Soundview Deli & Grocery dropped to 30 overnight. The cause: the Edgewater Bridge replacement project.
The bridge is one of the main connectors between North Everett with Mukilteo and the ferry to Whidbey Island. Tetreault would see many of those commuters stop through her doors.
“Mukilteo people can’t stop by, people from the island can’t stop by either,” Tetreault said. “More than anything I need people to come in.”
Lia has had to lay off her two workers to save money, leaving her to run the store at all hours, every day of the week. Her eldest son has driven in from Anacortes to run the store while Lia goes and buys things for herself and the store. Her other son suggested closing the store, though with all the products she is on the hook for, it wouldn’t make sense.
“He’s just worried about mom,” she told KIRO 7.
Amid the struggles, the community on the east side of the bridge has rallied around her, raising money, and donations and creating a GoFundMe to help her.
“We’re hoping that we can acquire some finances here to give to Lia, the owner of the business, and save this business,” said Sanford Wright, part of the group helping her.
The Mayor of Everett stopped by to meet Lia, posting to social media urging people to help. Chaz Rowlan of the Conscious Eatery came up with the idea for the GoFundMe, Fast Signs in Everett printed signs, and local web developer Brandon Tutmarc designed the website Soundviewsaviors.com—an effort that has overwhelmed Lia.
“On one hand I am overwhelmed because it is so scary. On the other hand, I feel like rich, such a nice feeling that people still care about it,” she said.
The City of Everett had planned for the closure since 2020, one of three bridges that needed to be addressed to prevent the neighborhoods in North Everett from being cut off in the earthquake. Thousands of notices were sent out over several years warning of the closure. The construction is planned through November 2025.
The City has been aware of people trying to cross the bridge and warned that is extremely dangerous, especially after the bridge deck begins to be removed next week.
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