For the last seven years, the Bank of New York Mellon has owned the North Coast Fred Meyer, along with nine other stores in the Pacific Northwest.

But on Nov. 8, Fred Meyer Stores Inc., purchased the location for $13.9 million from its former landlord.

We own most of our stores, just a handful are leased and we have been working over the past few years to purchase those back its just a sound business decision to own our property, said Melinda Merrill, a spokeswoman for Fred Meyer.

Specifically to Warrenton, a year or so ago we bought part of the old Costco property to allow for our expansion, and buying the store also allows us to bring the entire site under single ownership.

The location, built in 1989 at 142,285 square feet, is in the midst of an $18-million, 40,000-square-foot expansion expected complete sometime early next year.

Prep work for the expansion started in July 2011, when Fred Meyer purchased about 3 acres of the former Costco parking lot to the north for $2 million.

The Warrenton store was part of a group of 10 stores sold in 1996, leased back and purchased together this month. They include Oregon locations in Tillamook, Brookings, Newberg and South Medford. In Washington, Fred Meyer purchased its locations in Orchards, Federal Way, Lake City and Yakima. It also purchased a location in Boise, Idaho.