Four news notes from The Junction:

CLEMENTINE SHOE DRIVE EXTENDED: We stopped in to see Linda Walsh at Clementine after she announced that their shoe drive for Jubilee Women’s Center has been so successful, she’d delivered boxes full of shoes and had a new empty collection box ready for more! The drive is now continuing throughout next Sunday. If you take in a donation of gently used women’s shoes, you’re eligible for a discount on new shoes, too. Or just drop them off for the joy of helping. (Clementine is at 4447 California SW.)

A block south:

CURIOUS KIDSTUFF’S CASH-AND-CHECKS DRIVE A HIT: See all those chips? They are tokens of no-plastic purchases made at the Curious Kidstuff toy store. During their anniversary sale two weeks ago, CKS launched the campaign to get customers to use cash or checks, avoiding fees charged by banks for credit-card processing; owner Ann Walker said she’d donate to charity in lieu of those fees, and she shares this update:

Curious Kidstuff wants to thank you for embracing an idea. We have had an overwhelming response to the request for checks and cash instead of credit and debit cards. We can see we will be writing a check to WestSide Baby at the end of June. A loose estimation at this point would be close to $200. “Wow,” what a great and giving community we are when we work as a team. We will give you the exact dollar amount in the beginning of July. I’m so proud of us!

Curious Kidstuff is at 4740 California SW.

SHOP LATE THURSDAYS, STARTING THIS WEEK: Clementine and Curious Kidstuff are both among the participants this summer, listed here – go to The Junction on Thursday night and shop, dine, drink at 20 businesses that will be staying open at least till mid-evening. (The participant list also includes WSB sponsors Click! Design That Fits and Fleurt.)

NEW GALLERY MANAGER AT ARTSWEST: The gallery/playhouse in The Junction announced a new gallery manager today – Susanna Bluhm, described as “an artist, educator and member of SOIL artist-run gallery in Pioneer Square,” has taken over as of last week. She also is a resident of Cooper Artist Housing in North Delridge, and has taught art to all ages as well as showing her work internationally.