The year is 1927 and a new family has arrived on the Suise Creek Plateau east of Kent. Utilizing his experiences working for Malmo Nursery of the Ernst-Malmo fame in Seattle, and his natural Scandinavian spirit, Aage Foss purchased a failing grocery story from J.W. Richardson. Built in 1919 and known as the Meridian Heights Grocery, it served as a business and early residence for the Foss family. The 40-feet wide by 32 feet living quarters soon became too small, and with dedication, and a family of four boys to help, the new enterprise began to prosper. Soon chicken houses and feed barns were built at the site and the new truck purchased in 1927 became instrumental in one of the first home delivery services of food, feed and eggs on the plateau. This service was provided to customers as far as Black Diamond to the south, Ballard to the north, Selleck to the east and west into the White River Valley.

Along came 1929 and the community as well as all of America were thrown into our nation’s worst depression. Doing what he could to help citizens of the community and still survive, Aage sold his products to customers on credit and accepted check vouchers. Many families in our region of south King County benefitted from his generosity during these years. In the early 1930s a new property was purchased south of the Meridian Heights Grocery with the intent of moving the family into a larger living space. Not long after this new home was purchased and opportunity presented itself for acquiring property near Shadow Lake on the J.W. Sands acreage. This in turn led to the purchase of the original Sands home on the lake’s southeastern shore in 1935 at the time of the purchase this home was somewhat of a showpiece property with log siding on the home, flower gardens and stone ponds neat the shore line. The most notable features were the dance hall, built in 1927 and vacation cottages that were also built on the property. A new enterprise was begun, and perhaps the most notable, Foss’ Shadow Lake Resort located just west of Maple Valley.

The small cabins and larger bungalow cabins attracted families to the resort during the summer months, and the dance hall featured weekend dances throughout the year. Established as a resort in the 1920s, Aage, with sons Art and Ralph who now owned and operated the resort, made it a year-round northwest destination point for residents all around the region. Long before Gaffeney’s Resort on Lake Wilderness, or Heiser’s Resort at Shadow Lake began, local musicians and orchestras were hired to perform at the dances held in the hall. In June of 1945 a suspected arson lit a fire at the dance hall, and because of issues with the party telephone system, Art Foss was unable to make early contact with the local fire departments and the dance hall was completely destroyed. The hall was rebuilt and began operating as “The Ballroom” at Foss’ Shadow Lake Resort in April 27, 1946. Family television become more affordable and the dancing customers diminished in the 1950s, but the cabins and picnic grounds remained a viable income resource. The dance hall survived the rock-n-roll era until the mid 1970s before it closed, but the resort and picnic areas were still open for company functions and recreation programs until 1995.

Today the family business survives as Foss Market, and after 83 years it is the oldest original business in Covington. After Art Foss passed away his daughter Sonia took over the operation of the store in 1995, and now her son Jason is in line to carry on this wonderful tradition of providing services to our ever changing community. The store was moved in the late 1940s to make way for the middle road to Black Diamond, and then rebuilt. It is basically the same as when it was enlarged in 1951. Four generations of a family business at the same location is remarkable, and in recognition of the service to our community the city of Covington created a new roundabout at 164th Avenue Southeast and Southeast 256th Street near Kentwood High School and appropriately named it the Foss Roundabout.