White Christmas already: Tony’s is 1st to open (flocking and all)

| Holidays | West Seattle news | Westwood

That’s the legendary Tony, of Tony’s Produce and – this time of year – Tony’s Christmas Trees, applying flocking to one of said trees. We went by after Sandra e-mailed the tip (following up on our earlier mention of tree lots in progress) that they were open (1st one in West Seattle that we know of). Tony says they’re there 9 am-9 pm daily, starting now (35th/Barton, here’s a map). We also have updates on two of the Christmas tree spots we mentioned earlier: “West Seattle Bros” on Alaska west of Fauntleroy will open Friday, and West Seattle Nursery (WSB sponsor) will start selling trees Friday too. ADDED LATER: Skyline Secure Park will have “Christmas Trees on Alki” again this year, entrance across from the Harbor Ave 7-11, also opening Friday.

JanS November 24, 2008 (11:53 pm)

oy…can’t we have our T-Day feeding frenzy first with no Christmas trees?

WSB November 24, 2008 (11:56 pm)

This year it’s tough because Thanksgiving is almost as late as it can ever get (27th … latest possible of course for a 4th Thursday would be the 28th) … so when Thanksgiving arrives, there are “only” four weeks till Christmas. So I’m not surprised to see somebody with trees before T’giving, though I personally don’t ever want one up earlier than about Dec. 10th.

Scott B. November 25, 2008 (12:21 am)

I wondered (until now… thanks, WSB) how that stuff got onto a “flocked” tree. I love the picture on at least three levels:
1.) It shows us how “flocking” a tree is done.
2.) It shows us that maybe we should pay more attention to the provenance of items we take for granted.
3.) I think the cropping is perfect (but I haven’t seen the original image).

WSB November 25, 2008 (12:54 am)

Thanks, I’ll pass the props along to co-publisher Patrick Sand, who took the pic (not cropped, this is the entire photo) – we got the tip about Tony’s being open while we were out and about, gathering some other holiday info; we first took a pic from across the street, which we often do (drive-by photography, for efficiency’s sake), then got home, and I realized … we needed to make SURE Tony’s was open, and not just gearing up and LOOKING open … so Patrick went back over and this time got out, talked to Tony, who wanted to show him the flocking … very few places do this any more, and so people who still like the oldschool flocking look come from a long way away to get their trees at Tony’s. (He also explained to Patrick that the material is some kind of pulp … not a chemical.) Most likely those previous two lines belong in the blurb above, but it didn’t all come to my attention until Patrick and I were talking about the day, hours later over bowls of pho in White Center!

Stephen November 25, 2008 (12:32 pm)

I had thought that Tony was on 35th and Barton, not Roxbury. Did he relocate? …I’m not usually heading S on 35th past Trenton, so it’s been a while.

Johnny Davies November 25, 2008 (1:12 pm)

Does anyone know if the flocking material makes the tree UN-yardwasteable? That might be a new word there..

MargL November 25, 2008 (1:30 pm)

Flocked trees are unacceptable as yard waste. I think all you can do with one is put it in the trash or shellac it and use it again next year.
http://tiny.cc/EIP9l

Jenna Genzale (Tony's Daughter) November 28, 2008 (10:10 pm)

My dad wants all of you to know that for your conenience he has 2 locations this year. His is on 35th and Barton, not Roxbury, and his partner John is in Burien on Ambaum and 148th. They have beautiful trees this year, especially their specialty Tilman Nobles that won’t find anywhere else in town! Take your kids for a Candy Cane! The guys will happily give your tree a fresh cut and tie it to your car. As you all know, they are the best! Go check them out and you will be sure to be more than satisfied!

Happy Holidays and see ya at the lot!

Jenna Genzale
Tony’s Daughter

WSB November 28, 2008 (10:19 pm)

Roxbury = my typo. Fixed now, thanks. We’re doing the first run of our annual Tree Lot List/Price Check tomorrow once everybody is open (Holy Rosary starts tomorrow) so we’ll be providing even more info then. Happy holidays to you guys too, and thanks for the Burien info – we’ll be doing a White Center-area tree survey for our partner site White Center Now
http://whitecenternow.com
and will be sure to include that! – TR