We’re welcoming a new WSB sponsor today, Red 27 Engraving. As a new local sponsor, they have the opportunity to share some information about what they do:

(Red 27 Engraving owner Dana Perreault)
Your local WEST SEATTLE source for trophies, unique gifts and corporate awards, Red 27 Engraving owner Dana Perreault is happy to help you! Ordering is easy! There are 1,000s of awards to choose from and engraving options for one-of-a-kind specials.

Dana is a resident of West Seattle and began his business at his house. When he was ready for a shop and retail location, West Seattle was his only consideration. “I enjoy our community and want to be part of the economic growth as well as supporting a wide variety of my neighbors.” Dana is a member of the West Seattle Chamber of Commerce, sponsors youth sports in the area, and is always looking for situations that deserve an award!

Red 27 Engraving is located behind Caffé Ladro in south Morgan Junction, with open hours Tuesdays – Fridays 9 AM-5 PM and Saturdays 10 AM-2 PM at 7009 1/2 California SW; come in and let us help you personalize your awards today! Correct spelling guaranteed – Dana will work with you to make it right. RUSH orders, too: For a minimal charge, Red 27 Engraving can work with you to get your customized awards when you need them. Call 206-854-7328 or e-mail red27engraving@gmail.com.

We thank Red 27 Engraving for sponsoring independent, community-collaborative neighborhood news via WSB; find our current sponsor team listed in directory format here, and find info on joining the team by going here.

(1st four photos by WSB’s Patrick Sand)
It’s opening day for the newest shop in The Junction, Thunder Road Guitars (WSB sponsor) at 4736 California SW. And proprietor Frank Gross tells us he’s “ecstatic.”

As first reported here in May, Thunder Road is making the move from a storefront about a mile north, where it was “busting at the seams” after two and a half successful years – the business started online in 2011. Biggest thing about the new shop is, in fact, its bigness – tripling the square footage, 2,500 feet now, up from 800 sf before. That means more instruments – about 200 on hand at any time – but also more services and partnerships. Another West Seattleite, Chad Beeler of The Bass Shop and Bass EFX, is now partnering with Thunder Road:

Also new: TRG will be offering lessons starting next month (there’s studio space in the back) – watch for more on that soon. In the meantime, even if you’re not a musician, it’s fun to browse the selection of fine vintage and used guitars – acoustic as well as electric – and other instruments and equipment, including amps.

Thunder Road has new hours as it launches the new storefront – there today 10-6, which is the Tuesday-Saturday schedule; on Sundays, when you might want to stop in as a side trip while at the West Seattle Farmers’ Market in the next block to the north, they’re open 11 am-4 pm. And you can’t miss the sign:

(Thanks to Michael for this photo!)
Besides visiting in person, check in online – on the Web. TRG is also fun to follow on Instagram, for the regular “Today’s Catch” feature.

Four West Seattle biznotes this afternoon:

THUNDER ROAD GUITARS SETS THE DATE: Last month, Thunder Road Guitars (WSB sponsor) announced its plan to move to 4736 California SW in The Junction. Today, Michael shared that photo of the signage being painted on the new storefront, and TRG proprietor Frank Gross confirms they now have the moving schedule:

We will be open at our current location (3916 California) through this Saturday. We will be closed next Monday – Friday as we will be moving and we will be open for business at the new location on Saturday, June 27th, at 10 am. Also, our hours will change slightly. Our new hours will be Tuesday – Saturday 10 am – 6 pm, Sunday 11 am – 4 pm, and closed Monday.

The storefront became available when The Sneakery decided to consolidate back into its original Ballard location. Even before then, TRG had put out the call for help finding bigger digs.

STARBOOZE? Several people pointed out the liquor-license application posted at Junction 47, where, as we’ve reported, Starbucks is opening a shop. Company spokesperson Haley Nieman answered our inquiry by saying, “The liquor license application is the first of many steps we take in considering if the Starbucks Evenings menu is the right fit for any market, including West Seattle. We’re so excited that the Junction store is being considered for the Starbucks Evenings menu, though we don’t have any details to share on when that may happen. If you’re not familiar, the Starbucks Evenings program offers customers a new occasion to gather with each other over an expanded menu of shareable, warm and savory small plates that are paired with our coffee, tea and a selection of craft beer and wines.” Here’s where the company does that now.

IAN FITNESS EXPANDING TO WEST SEATTLE: Noticed activity at the former Morgan Junction Crossfit at California/Juneau? Following the weblink on a banner hung outside the building, we discovered it will be home to the fifth location of Ian Fitness, which offers boot camps in Magnolia, Capitol Hill, Queen Anne, and Laurelhurst.

THE GENERAL STORE SEATTLE’S FATHER’S DAY EVENT: Claire E. Jones of The General Store Seattle (3400 Harbor SW; WSB sponsor) is giving away a Father’s Day T-shirt to the 10th customer this weekend (the counter starts ticking both in the store and online 10 am Saturday). Never been? Stop by!

While a long-running business in The Admiral District has just closed – another is about to open.

(Photo courtesy Zelda Zonk Consignment)
Tomorrow is opening day for Zelda Zonk Consignment for Women at 2210 California SW, previously home to West Seattle Fabric Company (which has gone mostly online) and, before that, Click! Design That Fits (WSB sponsor, long since moved to The Junction). Proprietor Carrie Zimney explains, “Zelda Zonk is the name Marilyn Monroe went by when she was incognito so I thought it was very fitting.” Consignment is a form of recycling, and Carrie says, “I’ve been having a ton of fun with renovations and I’m so proud to say that I built my sales counter out of old pallets, and my clothing racks out of tree posts and old pallets. I also constructed my dressing rooms using old doors I purchased at Second Use in SODO.” As for the actual consigning, “Zelda Zonk does not brand-discriminate but we are really looking for current items from brands like Anthropologie, Nordstrom, Kate Spade, Tory Burch, J. Crew, Theory, Ann Taylor and BCBGMaxazria. We will also carry special designer items from designers such as Prada, Oscar De La Renta, Burburry, and Chanel.” Starting tomorrow, she plans to be open 10 am-7 pm Tuesdays-Saturdays, noon-6 pm Sundays, closed Mondays. If you’re interested in consigning – she says, “I do a 40/60 split or in-store credit of 50%” – call 206-932-0961.

Whirlwind round of five quick West Seattle biznotes:

SOUND CREDIT UNION TO THE JUNCTION: Discovered via city online files that one of the retail spaces at 4730 California (WSB sponsor) is set for Sound Credit Union. No details from SCU yet but they acknowledged our request for info. The first retail space leased at 4730, you might recall, is going to house Chipotle Mexican Grill.

JUNCTION STARBUCKS UPDATE: Diane asked in a comment when the new shop set for Junction 47 at California/Alaska (first reported here in February) will open. “Later this summer,” a Starbucks spokesperson tells us. They’re going to start the build-out week after next – tentatively set for June 15th – so you might finally see some “coming soon” signs (in fact, they’ve just applied for sign-installation permits). She could not tell us anything more about the plan, yet. The store will cover more than 2,000 square feet.

SPEAKING OF COFFEE … that’s part of what’s new as West Seattle Brewing Company at 4415 Fauntleroy Way SW in The Triangle reopens today (3 pm) after more than 2 months. Owner Drew Locke had told us back in March that espresso was on the way as well as wine, cider, and food.

ALSO NEW – NIBBLES FOOD TRUCK: Thanks to Eddie for the photo of Nibbles, the new West Seattleite-owned trailer-style food truck that’s planning to be in the West Seattle Eagles parking lot a few days a week:

Here’s the Nibbles menu. They’ve already closed for the day in WS but they’re traveling around the South King County area – having opened in Burien yesterday and going to the Des Moines Farmers’ Market tomorrow.

BEEHIVE SALON: The second retail tenant in Oregon 42 at 42nd/Oregon, Beehive Salon, south of/next to Emerald Water Anglers (WSB sponsor), is now open. We first reported back in March that this “Aveda-concept salon” had leased the space for its second location (first one is in Wallingford).

Two West Seattle biznotes to share this morning:

RENTALS AT THE BEACH: Thanks to Greg Whittaker for the photo and update:

Mountain to Sound Outfitters will be opening stand up paddleboarding and kayak rentals at 55th and Alki Ave today for the 2015 season. Come on by and enjoy the water!

CSA SIGNUP TIME AT THE GENERAL STORE SEATTLE: Last month, The General Store Seattle (WSB sponsor) proprietor Claire E. Jones put out the call for interest in qualifying her shop (3400 Harbor SW) as a dropoff site for CSA produce from Skylight Farms. She says, “We did it!” and now the next step is – sign up for weekly or biweekly pickups! All you have to do is go here and scroll to choose the West Seattle option. Claire adds, “The boxes will be available for pick up on Tuesdays from 4-7 pm starting in June and ending in October.”

West Seattle’s only all-coworking space, WS Office Junction (WSB sponsor), has a deal for you this week:

The Office Junction is open free to the public to try coworking, Monday, May 11 – Friday, May 15, 9:00 AM – 3:00 PM. RSVP required at wsofficejunction@gmail.com.

Tired of working in coffee shops? Need to get out of the house? Looking for a friendly professional place to get some work done? The Office Junction has a desk waiting for you with free high-speed WiFi, free refreshments, color printer, conference room, great people and more! Book a time, then show up with your laptop and discover how coworking is redefining independence.

Whether you do or don’t take advantage of that deal, WS Office Junction has another offer:

Looking for a chance to network, meet new people or explore new ideas? The Office Junction is hosting a broad variety of events, meetups and workshops this month. See our event calendar at wsofficejunction.com/calendar.html for more information.

Office Junction is at 6040 California SW, north of Morgan Junction.

Today we’re welcoming a new WSB sponsor, Seattle App Academy. As a new local sponsor, they get the chance to tell you who they are and what they do:

Seattle App Academy is a volunteer organization that coaches students in computer programming, electronics, and robotics. Modeled after Little League, Girl & Boy Scouts, and other youth-focused organizations, the mission of Seattle App Academy is to inspire tomorrow’s technology creators.

Located in Jefferson Square (just above Bartell’s), the Seattle App Academy classroom is equipped with thirty state-of-the-art 23-inch touch-screen computers, Arduino microcontrollers, Mindstorms robotics, and more. Our classes are offered in eight-week sessions for students in grades 4-12. Three of our most popular classes will also be offered in a day-camp format as part of our Summer@SAA program in June and July.

As a volunteer organization, community support allows us to offer high-tech classes at an affordable price. We are thrilled with the parents, teachers, developers and designers that have continued to coach with us over multiple sessions and that help make our programs great! All volunteers are trained by Seattle App Academy to work with our students and to effectively deliver our curriculum.

Earlier this year, Seattle App Academy partnered with Kennedy Catholic High School to offer classes to high-school students. Our 16-week computer science and programming class introduces students to basic data types, computer logic, and structure to build a foundation for more advanced programming concepts and experiences. Students will receive school credit for the class.

In June, Seattle App Academy will host The Hacker Cup Competition, showcasing student talent in programming and game design. A small panel of judges will review all submissions and award trophies for first, second, and third place. Attendees will also have the opportunity to see student-created gadgets and robots.

Learn more about the Seattle App Academy by visiting our website and signing up for our newsletter. We regularly host open houses and free programs for kids, including our very popular Keyboarding & Minecraft Boot Camp. Please feel free to contact us at info@seattleappacademy.com and thanks for your support!

We thank Seattle App Academy for sponsoring independent, community-collaborative neighborhood news via WSB; find our current sponsor team listed in directory format here, and find info on joining the team by going here.

Two West Seattle biznotes from businesses with celebrations ahead:

RUDY’S WEST SEATTLE GRAND-OPENING PARTY: 6-10 pm tomorrow (Friday, May 8), Rudy’s Barbershop (WSB sponsor) in The Triangle invites you to its official grand opening party. Free food and beer from Tasty Vibes and Big Al’s; live music with The Wimps starting at 8; free pre-designed tattoos courtesy of Blue Geisha, two DJs, free bowl cuts, and a raffle or two. See the official flyer/invite here. (4480 Fauntleroy Way SW)

MY THREE LITTLE BIRDS TURNS ONE: Jennifer Young of the “upscale children’s resale store” My Three Little Birds in south Morgan Junction is excited to announce that her shop is celebrating its one-year anniversary Saturday. Stop by 10 am-5 pm (yes, Jennifer says, she knows you’ll be out and about for WSCGSD anyway!) – celebration highlights include face-painting from 10 am to 11 am, the Ben and Jerry’s Scoop Truck 11:30 am-1 pm, and a BOGO sale all weekend long. (6959 California SW)

(Photo courtesy Thunder Road Guitars: L-R, TRG manager Dan Miles, Bass Shop owner Chad Beeler, TRG owner Frank Gross, guitar fixer Sam Tyner)
Back in February, we published a note from Thunder Road Guitars owner Frank Gross, asking for help finding a bigger space for the shop. He found it – and is officially announcing the impending move, as well as a new partnership:

We are absolutely thrilled to announce that we will be moving to the heart of the West Seattle Junction this summer, taking over the 4736 California Ave space previously occupied by The Sneakery. As many of you know we have been busting at the seams in our current location for some time now and given the size of this new location it will triple our current square footage. What does this mean? More of what we do! More fine vintage and used guitars and amplifiers. More pedals from the innovative brands we carry, and more accessories. We will also be expanding to offer guitars lessons from some great local teachers.

On top of moving we are also thrilled to announce a partnership with fellow West Seattlite Chad Beeler of The Bass Shop and Bass EFX. Chad has worked in the musical instrument field for over 25 years and co-owned / co-founded Bass Northwest in Pioneer Square, one of the national leaders in bass guitars and amplifiers. Chad will be showcasing his exclusive inventory in Thunder Road Guitars and in turn will significantly bulk up the bass selection in the store. Our collective goal is to be a one stop shop for guitar and bass enthusiasts throughout the region.

The 4736 California location has a bit of sentimental value to me. When I was a kid, it was a print shop named Liberty Bell Printing. I have memories of my dad taking me there when I was a young teenager to print artwork for my first band’s CD. After all these years, music is taking me back to that same spot. We are so excited to be part of the West Seattle community and can’t wait to open our new location in the Junction.

Expect to see us open the end of June!

Thunder Road Guitars was an online-only business until two and a half years ago, when they opening the storefront they’ll be leaving at 3916 California SW. The Sneakery closed its Junction shop last month and consolidated back into its original location in Ballard.

You probably know West Seattle has a thriving wine and beer scene. Beverages are not all you’ll find bottled here. West Seattle also is home to olive-oil-maker Rick Martin‘s company 11 Olives – whose extra-virgin-olive-oil blend “Longevity” was a gold-medal honoree at the recent New York International Olive Oil Competition, which had more than 600 entries from more than 20 countries. “Longevity” is also a California Olive Oil Council medal-winner. Martin explains the process:

I travel to California each year for the olive harvest and source single varietal olive oil directly from the finest organic and sustainable olive growers in California. I begin crafting my blends from those olive oils in early spring here in west Seattle at a free-standing facility after the olive oil has settled and ready for blending. Creating a premium extra virgin olive oil is a tedious and challenging task while also being a labor of love that we all strive to perfect each and every year. There’s no resting on laurels in our field as olive oil producers face constant changing conditions and work tirelessly to provide the freshest and most flavorful olive oil with each new season.

P.S. Martin wanted to publicly thank West Seattle Produce owner Bruce McPherson: “It was through his kindness and willingness to offer us a chance to introduce our olive oils at his produce stand in April of 2011 that we have been able to grow.” That’s where you can buy 11 Olives’ olive oil.

Ready to take a break from the yard, the beach, the dog park, wherever, and go shopping? As mentioned earlier, 30 West Seattle Junction stores are part of “Tax-Free Day” – basically an almost-10-percent discount so that they’re in effect picking up the sales tax. It’s become a tradition over the years, to boost shoppers’ spirits right around federal-tax-deadline time. Above, that’s Mary Ehlert at the AAA storefront on the interior east side of Jefferson Square – it’s a retail shop as well as a place to buy insurance and book travel (among other things). We also peeked in on Curious Kidstuff (4740 California SW), The Junction’s local independent toy shop – with, as you can see in our photo, a festive selection of gift wrap:

(Both aforementioned stores are WSB sponsors.) Today’s full list of participants is here – get out and explore what’s in store in “downtown West Seattle”!

(Photos courtesy Fleurt)
If you’re going to The Junction for Tax-Free Day, stop by Fleurt (4536 California SW) and wish Sam Crowley and daughter Keonii (who runs both this shop and the expansion branch in Pioneer Square) a happy 5th anniversary! The party started yesterday, as Fleurt opened in West Seattle on April 17, 2010 (you might recall its first two years were on the NW corner of California/Oregon, where Funky Jane’s is now). Sam writes:

We reflect back on 5 wonderful years in our West Seattle community we call home. Fleurt has enjoyed 5 years of growth offering daily flower deliveries throughout Seattle, special events, weddings, and 2 gift shops filled with goodies ranging from candles to custom terrariums. … We want to thank everyone who are “Fleurt Fans” and we look forward to the years ahead.

During the five years, Fleurt has been featured on the cover of, and inside, numerous magazines, including winning two “best of” votes via Seattle magazine. Sam says they pride themselves on using local, sustainable flowers – this was created for a delivery yesterday and most of the flowers were grown in her West Seattle garden!

Stop in for snacks during today’s Tax-Free Day sale (and birthday celebration) and also note that Fleurt is again celebrating Earth Day (next Wednesday, April 22nd) by inviting you to drop off unwanted vases, pots, or jars – “We will repurpose at Fleurt or pass along to the West Seattle Senior Center. With each dropoff we hand over a free mini-plant.”

(WSB photo, March 31)
Less than three weeks after their signing appearance at Easy Street Records in The Junction (WSB coverage here) … The Sonics will be back tomorrow night for a performance during Record Store Day. Just announced:

THE SONICS (& Guests) Live At Easy Street On Record Store Day 2015!

We’re thrilled to welcome Northwest Rock Legends The Sonics to Easy Street for a very special Record Store Day live performance at 10 pm! Our heroes will be joined by an amazing array of special guests personally invited by the band throughout the night – and believe us when we say you will NOT be disappointed!! The Sonics performance is a ticketed event with proceeds going to KEXP’s New Home Campaign. A limited number of tickets, priced at $100, are on sale RIGHT NOW at Easy Street. Another small allotment of tickets will be on sale from KEXP.org starting at 3 pm today. Check their home page for link at that time.

Limit of two tickets per person, CASH ONLY.

PLEASE NOTE: EASY STREET WILL NOT BE SELLING TICKETS TO THIS EVENT ON RECORD STORE DAY. Remaining tickets still available on Record Store Day must be purchased through KEXP.org. Ticket buyers will also receive this super-sweet event lithograph by Independence Printage, as well as a retro-style ticket for the event!

That’s not the only thing Easy Street has in store for Record Store Day … it’s opening at 7 am, staying open well into the night, and featuring guest DJs including Chris Ballew – read the updates on the ESR website.