West Seattle food news: Wingdome in talks for Junction store

(Google Street View of Wingdome Greenwood location)
Thanks to Dave for the tip: We’ve just spoken with Consolidated Restaurants president Jim Rowe to confirm that the company is close to signing a lease to open a Wingdome restaurant in the Junction storefront left empty when CAPERS downsized its space. Rowe says they’re confident they’ll finalize the deal within the next few months, at which time they’ll have a better idea of when they’ll open. Right now Wingdome has restaurants in Greenwood, Kirkland and Kent; you can see its menus here. Rowe told us, “We think (West Seattle is) a great market … The demographics are good, and it should fit well there.” Consolidated Restaurants also runs the Metropolitan Grill downtown as well as Elliott’s Oyster House, and took over Wingdome three years ago; Rowe says they’re hoping to add additional locations after West Seattle joins the fold.

JanS September 29, 2009 (6:09 pm)

can we please NOT have a big neon “WingDome” sign, please, please?

yumpears September 29, 2009 (6:13 pm)

Love Love Love Wingdome! Just ate there on Friday – no more driving to Greenwood!!

Phoebe September 29, 2009 (6:22 pm)

I concur with JanS AND yumpears; I too love the wingdome AND I protest the presence of a BIG neon wingdome sign.

Keep it old school Junction style… know that if you build it, they will come.

Ashley September 29, 2009 (6:37 pm)

Yesss I love Wingdome!

Danielle September 29, 2009 (6:45 pm)

Oh good! This will be a perfect place and location for informal get togethers. We’ve always had an abundance of pizza places for ‘after games’ and kids sports banquets, but this will be a great alternative. Love their 3 alarm veggie burger!! and of course the wings…

pigeonmom September 29, 2009 (6:47 pm)

WAANGS!

Keith September 29, 2009 (6:56 pm)

I’ve never understood the appeal of chicken wings. But my boyfriend will probably do a backflip of joy.

natinstl September 29, 2009 (6:58 pm)

Finally, I’m constantly telling my husband that I wish we had some more casual, cheaper options in terms of restaurants in West Seattle.

Mike September 29, 2009 (7:02 pm)

Mmmmm… wings

Not only will I be ordering on weekends, I’ll be driving over from downtown with co-workers during lunch.

Elias September 29, 2009 (7:07 pm)

Wouldn’t be the same without the neon sign. I can’t wait to attempt the 7 deadly wing challenge. 7 of their hottest wings in 7 minutes-ouch!

GenHillOne September 29, 2009 (7:27 pm)

I typically cringe at the idea of wings (it’s a personal problem, lol), but the menu looks like it has some other tasty options :) Did they actually start with a location by the Kingdome? I couldn’t find it on their website and thought I remembered that.

IslandLvr September 29, 2009 (7:37 pm)

My husband and his friends would probably generate enough sales to cover their rent each month!

th September 29, 2009 (7:42 pm)

Wings for everyone!!

busser September 29, 2009 (8:41 pm)

Everyone is really excited about this? Hmmm…I’m not overjoyed, but anxious to see how it will turn out. Our Junction is so cool, I don’t want it ruined!! (not that the WD will ruin it, it’s just a diff kind of place I guess than what I think of that stretch being). Might be cool to have another place to watch big games, if they do that.
Please NO BIG NEON. :) thanks. Well, actually, I guess Shadowland has neon….so how ’bout tasteful neon?!? :))))

Have we heard any confirmation if they’re taking the entire vacated Capers space, or if they’re only taking some of it? I heard it would be part Wingdome and part Starbucks about a month ago. ???

hollyplace September 29, 2009 (8:51 pm)

I second the “NO GIANT NEON” sign. It would be great if they could make it look like it belongs there and not look like a giant fast food logo.

scent-sitive September 29, 2009 (8:52 pm)

Don’t those places smell worse than Kidd Valley? I used to live two blocks from one of those, and boy, the smells coming from there…

Genessee resident September 29, 2009 (10:09 pm)

NO NEON SIGN – please fit in with the neighborhood. And, hope the Wingdome doesn’t take away from the Elliott Bay Brewery. But, it will be nice to see something in that big empty space Capers vacated. And, sorry Capers doesn’t serve food any more – it was so nice to drop in to buy some soup and a sandwich. Their food was so good!

WSEvelyn September 29, 2009 (11:15 pm)

Yay! Some place a bit different for West Seattle! Went to a similar restaurant in Tennessee. It was very popular! Hope we can make it work out here too! Change, is GOOD!

Traci September 30, 2009 (12:25 am)

I can think of cooler things to go into that space, seems kind of chain-ey. Oh well, hopefully it’s successful for the sake of WS.

minooch September 30, 2009 (12:52 am)

I’m gonna go ahead and pretend that the folks who are pleading for non-chainy place and no neon sign are NOT the same people who flock to Zeeks (chain + neon sign, last time I checked) that’s probably driving Abondanza out of business…

WSB September 30, 2009 (1:15 am)

The word “chain” raises an interesting point. More than a few WS businesses also have locations in other neighborhoods – but ONLY in the greater metro area. Besides Zeek’s, those that come to mind include Matador, Easy Street, Cupcake Royale, Jak’s, Elliott Bay Brewery, Be’s Restaurant, Taqueria Guaymas, Diva Espresso, Uptown Espresso, Caffe Ladro, Friends and Company, Village Woodworks. That’s not counting the “chains” with locations outside the greater Seattle area. Do you become a “chain” with more than one location? More than two? Does Seattle ownership make a difference vs. out of town when you think “chain”? Just curious – TR

Smitty September 30, 2009 (6:47 am)

I think people get hung up on the “chain” thing too, like it’s uncool to actually go to one or the food/service is somehow subpar because of it. A lot of times the food and service is better because of buying power, scale and best practices/lessons learned.

People are funny and just try to be hip by badmouthing “chains”.

minooch September 30, 2009 (6:59 am)

@WSB > I’m guessing that most people’s preferences go like this:
1. Best = totally independent, only in WS
2. OK = greater Seattle area locations (the degree to which these are welcomed or despised probably depends more on personal taste — I for one wish Dick’s was in WS, but probably not too many others… This is where Wingdome falls, so basically you’re cool with it if you like wings, and you say you don’t like chains/sign/etc if you don’t like wings.)
3. No, thanks = national chain (McDs, Fridays, etc)

KSJ September 30, 2009 (7:55 am)

Yay Wingdome! My husband and I daydreamed about opening one at the old Schucks location before it was redeveloped. I’m so happy to hear they are coming to West Seattle!

mark September 30, 2009 (7:57 am)

Personally, I think quality is the overriding factor. The perception is that the more local someone is, the more they care about quality. You can also throw in grocery stores. We don’t mind Whole Paycheck because at least we know its high quality, but if Albertsons wanted to come in they would not be as welcome. I have been to Wingdome (more times than I will admit) and would love to see them here.

WSM September 30, 2009 (7:59 am)

Sounds good. Now all we need is a good burger joint in the Junction. (like Zippy’s).

Meghan September 30, 2009 (9:41 am)

Even though it’s not my personal “cup of tea”, this seems like a perfect addition to the Junction and West Seattle food scene in general. And with only a few other locations around Seattle, it’s hardly a “chain” in that sense. I think the Junction could use a little more neon. The corner of California and Alaska is one of the most vibrant in W. Seattle specifically because of the neon.

dawsonct September 30, 2009 (10:18 am)

GenHillOne, the first Wingdome I was aware of was in Wallingford on 45th, next to Lincoln H.S. The only connection they had to the Kingdome was a couple of pieces of Kingdome ceiling tiles suspended from their ceiling.
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Scent-setive, hope you don’t live too close; those Wingdome fryers are going all day, and that is what produces the majority of that fast-food restaurant smell.
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On the plus side, if you make your own bio-diesel, they produce copious amounts of used oil. New source!

KBear September 30, 2009 (10:30 am)

Wasn’t New Luck Toy “old school Junction”? Remember the big neon sign?

Jeremiah September 30, 2009 (11:01 am)

Well, I’m in the minority here, but Neon is art. And I loooove neon at night. The bigger, the better, please!

mark September 30, 2009 (11:15 am)

WSM, I am not sure I would call Spring Hill a “burger joint” when the burger runs just under $20 when they have it on the menu. But its the best burger I have ever had. Period. Its amazing.

jiggers September 30, 2009 (1:11 pm)

Why was my comment removed? Because greasey and fat are bad words here and not positive? So vanilla I tell you.

WSB September 30, 2009 (1:15 pm)

There were three comments about the wingdome when we made a mistake while publishing breaking news of the 30th/Roxbury fire on the road yesterday – we published the fire story at the same original address of the Wingdome story. There’s no way to move comments from one story to another (we republished the Wingdome story at this address) so they had to go as they were out of context – TR

dawsonct September 30, 2009 (1:35 pm)

Yeah, what’s wrong with neon? On our long, dark, wet Winter nights it makes the street look alive!
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The Jct. CofC should make a one electric sign per-business rule.

WSHC September 30, 2009 (1:41 pm)

Hoping this goes the way of Ben & Jerry’s. Been wishing the same on Papa John’s for years because of their displacement/replacement of the beloved Bison Creek Pizza (not to mention their rude attitude and arrogance toward the neighborhood in which they reside). Keep NIMBYism alive and thriving on the West Side — neon ‘chains’ be gone!

Elias September 30, 2009 (3:11 pm)

WSHC- It goes back to the idea of a “chain” Nearly all of our beloved west seattle restaurants have additional locations. What is different about the Wing Dome?

WSB September 30, 2009 (3:19 pm)

I do miss Bison Creek …

Colleen September 30, 2009 (5:02 pm)

We’re thrilled to have the opportunity to become a part of West Seattle! We hear you on the neons. We love the neighborhood we’re all about keeping it old school. Please keep the feedback coming. We’re listening: info@wingdome.com

Smitty September 30, 2009 (5:44 pm)

Tommy want wingy!

j September 30, 2009 (6:37 pm)

I’m so excited about Wingdome. Love the wings and the waffle fries. I’m a huge fan, but have always traveled to the Kirkland store since it’s closer to work. Over the last few years, I have noticed some inconsistency with the wings, but I’m sure since the West Seattle one will be new it’ll be awesome. I just can’t believe I’m going to have to wait.

Chris September 30, 2009 (8:15 pm)

Wingdome doesnt pay their bills. I will not add to their bottom line.

Brady September 30, 2009 (11:36 pm)

What bills? (In case they try to contract me.)

Nicole October 1, 2009 (10:14 am)

You are probably thinking about the old ownership. They are under a new ownership and most definitely pay their bills. Wing Dome is great to work with!

grr October 1, 2009 (11:29 pm)

damn..I was hoping for a Hooters in that space. Their wings are pretty good.

=
:)

WSB October 2, 2009 (12:06 am)

You’ll just have to go to the location that calls itself South Park but isn’t really South Park …

dawsonct October 2, 2009 (9:37 am)

Hey Colleen, when you say “we hear you on the neon,” are you saying that to the whiners who apparently have ignored all the other electric/neon signs in the Jct., or are you talking to the rest of us who enjoy a vibrant, visually interesting business district?
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If you folks out their REALLY DO like beige, go on a new condo tour. if you want a dark, somnolent business district, move to Magnolia.

Gary October 2, 2009 (1:11 pm)

If the demographics are so good, then where is our Trader Joes!

Gadfly October 3, 2009 (1:02 pm)

I am not thrilled about the Wingdome, but rather it take ALL of Caper’s leftovers than have a Starbucks roosting dead center in the Junction. My personal opinion, of course.