West Seattle Pharmacy: Drugstore/coffee shop now halfway open

Back in December, we introduced you to Kenny Wolfe, who was taking over the former Westside Pharmacy immediately south of West Seattle Nursery. He thought he’d have the renamed West Seattle Pharmacy – closed when its former owner moved to the then-new QFC in The Junction last fall – open before long. Eight months have passed, and he and wife Scarlett Wolfe are finally almost there, as the brand-new sign in the window (top photo) says. We pulled over to check in last night when we saw saw that sign and another one on the shop’s north side, just painted by West Seattle’s popular Sign Savant Japhy Witte, so fresh that he was still there talking with them when we walked up.

The espresso bar in the drugstore space has been open for a week-plus – using Pioneer beans, and please note, per the sign, they’re making smoothies too – and they intend for West Seattle Pharmacy to be a coffeehouse/Internet cafĂ© as well as a drugstore, with Wi-Fi and probably even a desktop computer to be used by customers who don’t bring their own. Getting the pharmacy open took a lot longer than expected because of various delays, Kenny explains, including a long wait time for the state Pharmacy Board to get to their application. But now everything’s falling in place. What the Wolfes would love is if you come in – even now, before the drugstore opens – and let them know what you’re interested in buying. They plan to offer a wide range of merchandise including medical, health and fitness equipment as well as over-the-counter sundries, and they promise that since they’re your small, independent drugstore, if you ask for something, they’ll do their best to get it – no corporate approval needed – “we ARE corporate,” they grinned. (They’re at California/Brandon; here’s a map.)

8 Replies to "West Seattle Pharmacy: Drugstore/coffee shop now halfway open"

  • bridge to somewhere August 21, 2010 (2:44 pm)

    Cool painted signs!

  • JayDee August 21, 2010 (2:46 pm)

    I rode by there a block away today and merely glanced and just saw West and Pharmacy and figured the signs from the old place hadn’t been taken down…But, really, they were the NEW signs I saw…Good luck!

  • newnative August 21, 2010 (4:11 pm)

    Okay, this is weird. I was just thinking of the concept of modern five and dimes and how it is perfect for our kind of neighborhood! Yes!

  • conlux August 22, 2010 (7:50 am)

    A talking bottle of pills. Art imitating life!

  • ad August 22, 2010 (6:45 pm)

    Good job with the signage, I had walked by recently thinking it was a coffee shop but it didn’t look inviting cause it said Pharmacy…but now I know there’s coffee and soon will be a pharmacy again. :)

  • Austin August 23, 2010 (8:40 am)

    I’m super excited, having a new coffee shop & independent pharmacy a block from my house is just spectacular.

  • Alkira August 25, 2010 (8:05 pm)

    That is a super cool sign.

  • Debbie August 26, 2010 (11:05 am)

    Best of luck. Please do the right thing Kenny G.

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