…the Fremont Red Apple Market is holding a going-out-of-biz sale, along the lines of the now-also-shuttered Alki Market in West Seattle and Rogers Foods on MLK Way.

All of these proud indie supermarkets had been under the TLC of Associated Grocers, the venerable merchant cooperative based south of Boeing Field. For decades, AG has provided wholesale buying, warehousing, ad design/placement, and other services for mom-and-pops and regional chains in Washington and Alaska, helping them compete against the likes of Safeway.

AG’s most important service, though, may have been as a startup helper. It had a program to build, equip, and stock a full supermarket for anyone willing to put up the money. When Lucky Stores pulled out of the Seattle region in the mid-1980s, AG bought its remaining locations and resold them to individual operators; the Ballard Market on NW 15th St. is one of these.

But the ’90s brought the Kroger takeover of QFC, which had been one of AG’s most dominant members. QFC pulled out of AG, and also either bought out or drove out several of AG’s top indies (Art’s Family Center on Holman Road, Food Giant in Wallingford, Mathews Market in Wedgwood).

A weakened AG had to discontinue its startup program and cut back services to its remaining members. These moves hit hardest on the one-store operators such as Rogers, Alki, and now Fremont.

This disturbing trend hits hard on the neighborhoods that relied on these stores. And it hurts the dreams of those of us who’d like to see full grocery selections available in neighborhoods that don’t how have ’em (Belltown, Georgetown).