It was a scrubby, overgrown patch of land that for years begged for attention, and when Metropolitan Market opened its Sandpoint supermarket location in 2003, the sad strip bordering its store and the Burke-Gilman trail was in for a serious makeover. Carefully planned with Seattle Parks and Recreation Department's blessing, meticulously executed, and funded entirely by Metropolitan Market, the store celebrates its restoration completion with the Sandpoint community on Sunday at 11 a.m. in the adjacent park.

Metropolitan Market Chief Executive Officer Terry Halverson announced today that 10 percent (or up to $25,000) of the days sales on Thursday, Sept. 29 will be donated to aid relief efforts for victims of Hurricane Katrina. Sales will be totaled from all five Seattle and Tacoma Metropolitan Market stores and donated to the American Red Cross to directly aid Katrina relief.

Metropolitan Markets donation goal is $25,000 and we believe with strong community support, we can achieve that goal Halverson said.

Metropolitan Market has brought Seattle and Tacoma an extraordinary grocery shopping experience since 1971. Each Market exceeds customers expectations through attentive and friendly service, excellent products, and a warm, welcoming environment. For more information please contact Lisa Nourse at (206) 838-8977 or Ilga Westberg at (206) 923-3710.

America's Renowned Cheese Makers Visit and Present for Unprecedented celebration

Fresh from the American Cheese Society national exhibition in Louisville, Kentucky, Metropolitan Market is serving as a Puget Sound industry front-runner by promoting American artisan cheese with a focus on farmstead cheese. Farmstead is a specialty field of artisan cheese where the products come from a farm or same location where the herds live and milk is produced. The stores will host the nation's leading Cheese Makers and Cheese Experts as they present and share their coveted cheeses during free tastings at all five Metropolitan Market locations from Oct. 6 to 18.

Metropolitan Market has long been committed to a far-reaching artisan cheese program, from direct imports in the early 90's to today's focus on American farmstead cheeses, said Tristan Ambroise, Metropolitan Market Fromagere. We go to great lengths to find the very best and newest cheeses for our customers, and this special celebration underscores that dedication.