By Tracy Record
West Seattle Blog editor
The other shoe has dropped following the sale of 4480 Fauntleroy Way SW in The Triangle – the three businesses in the building have been given notice to leave.
And a document filed online with the city suggests they’ll be making way for a business that’s been promising a West Seattle location for almost two years.
At least two of the existing businesses – Diva Espresso and Maestro Motors – are looking for new West Seattle spots.
Here’s what we have discovered so far, following research that started with e-mail tips this morning (thank you!):
Diva, Maestro, and Ace 1 Computers were already on month-to-month leases, according to the flyer featured in the real-estate listing we first mentioned here last November. The listing also pointed out the businesses were interested in staying.
The site was sold in April, as mentioned here last month, bought by an LLC registered to a SODO real-estate broker. It was status quo for a while, apparently, but now, two of the businesses say all three have been told to clear out by August 31st.
The business with the biggest space in the building, Diva Espresso, will close after August 17th, according to this notice posted at multiple spots in the coffee shop:
A Diva staff member told us today that they’ve been looking for another location in West Seattle or vicinity, but haven’t found one yet. (As the notice says, Diva has other locations around the city.)
Maestro Motors next door is also looking for a new location, according to a member of its staff. As for Ace 1, the computer-repair shop on the west end of the building, we haven’t made contact yet, but will check in next time they’re open for business.
So what’s happening to the building after they go? Apparently NOT a development project, though the 6,380-square-foot lot could hold more density than it does now – it is zoned NC3-65. While no permit applications of any kind are showing on the city website, we looked a little deeper, and found a “site plan” filed this month with one big clue: The name at the bottom of the otherwise-simple drawing showing the site’s current layout – Rudy’s West Seattle.
Back in September 2012 – almost two years ago – we confirmed and reported that the Rudy’s Barbershop chain was working on a West Seattle location. We’ve checked in from time to time, and the answer has always been, nothing to announce yet. Rudy’s still has a webpage saying a West Seattle location is “coming soon.”
We won’t be able to contact Rudy’s management until tomorrow for confirmation – we have a message out to the building’s new owner, too – but here’s further circumstantial evidence: The aforementioned “site plan” document carries the name of Mallet Architecture, whose website includes an entire page about Rudy’s:
Mallet has completed design and construction work on several of Rudy’s Barbershop stores in Seattle. In addition to new finishes throughout, the character of the stores is defined by their combination of found, salvaged, and vintage objects, along with modern details.
That might explain the apparent choice of 4480 Fauntleroy. (The Mallet website also has a page for the work it did to transform the building holding West Seattle Zeeks Pizza [WSB sponsor].)
We’ll be following up on all of this tomorrow, both with Rudy’s and with the current 4480 tenants, and will report whatever else we find out.
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