73 Replies to "West Seattle Junction burger joint! Coastline uncloaks, seeks crowdfunding"

• Spana October 13, 2014 (12:23 pm)

  I like burgers, but I really liked pie.

• Panda October 13, 2014 (12:33 pm)

  His family owns Red Mill in Greenwood. Surprised they need crowd funding for this project. I will say I’m looking forward to a better-quicker burger joint on California. I know my kids will be excited.

• wmf October 13, 2014 (12:56 pm)

  is there an explanation as to why they chose crowd funding? I kind of have hesitation about a zero return investment. Is seeing this as “I need money so I can make more money” unfair?

• sophista-tiki October 13, 2014 (12:57 pm)

  seems wrong to crowd fund for this kind of thing.

• Me mama October 13, 2014 (12:59 pm)

  Copper coins burgers – especially the B&B- are exceptional. This will be great but Im hoping they don’t close CC as they have awesome kid food and draft beer selection.

• hj October 13, 2014 (1:00 pm)

  I don’t understand the point of using Kickstarter for non-unique commercial ventures like this. So I just contribute free capital to a business owner and either get thanks on facebook, a free burger, or if I really splash out the cash– a hoodie? It’s even worse than Real Change.

  • WSB October 13, 2014 (1:36 pm)

    HJ, I think the point is that people ask. It seems to be relatively common, both for for-profit and non-profit ventures. If you ask, maybe the answer is no; if you don’t ask, the answer is DEFINITELY no. Long before Kickstarter et al was invented, we had a one-day fundraiser here in August 2007, raised about $2,000 without which we probably wouldn’t have dared to try to go full-time/all-out. And we couldn’t promise people ANYTHING, not even a hoodie or a burger … just “hey, we’ll try to do a better job.”

• chas redmond October 13, 2014 (1:11 pm)

  The real key may be the Husky shakes, though. Difference so far seems to be the actual price of the primary item – cheaper burgers promised than pies delivered, not that they weren’t excellent pies, just a bit farther than most folks’ reach.

• WS Ray October 13, 2014 (1:15 pm)

  Mr. Shepherd, if you need financial assistance in starting a business, please check this out: http://www.sba.gov/category/navigation-structure/loans-grants/small-business-loans

  Alternatively you can seek some investors who would be glad to share in any of your potential profits, in exchange for their capital.

  You’re welcome.

• S.Young October 13, 2014 (1:28 pm)

  Meh, more burgers.

• dude October 13, 2014 (1:37 pm)

  here’s a thought… if you don’t think crowdfunding this project is appropriate – don’t contribute to the fund. You’re welcome.

• Joe Szilagyi October 13, 2014 (1:40 pm)

  Crowdfunding is increasingly common, and effective. I don’t know that I’ve ever noticed a restaurant doing it before, but lord knows I’ve seen it used for stranger things.
  .
  If this is the same family that owns all the Red Mills, why wouldn’t they want to use that familiar brand? I’m still torn sometimes between Red Mill and Zippy’s burgers.

• T Rex October 13, 2014 (1:54 pm)

  I hope they make some great burgers, I miss Rocksport burgers. But I will say that though it is not in West Seattle, The Tin Room in Burien has a great burger!

  Zippy’s tastes like too much liquid smoke to me.

  Good luck!

• WSeaKyle October 13, 2014 (1:56 pm)

  I agree on the crowdfunding thing though I’m more apt to contribute if it brings jobs, money and more business to West Seattle. I just hope that they don’t put TVs in the restaurant. I would like to have one place to have a good lunch that doesn’t feel the need for sports to be broadcast.

• WS4life October 13, 2014 (1:57 pm)

  Awesome sounds great! Now if they can offer an amazing product for a reasonable price point they might just have a win aka Zippy’s. Because no one wants a $15-20+ hamburger aka lunchbox laboratory. People might try that once but they won’t be back. Sorry one last gripe a kickstarter for a for profit business seems a little either greedy or just plain selfish. Try borrowing against one of your other businesses.

• sc October 13, 2014 (2:13 pm)

  Just stopped today for 2 cheeseburgers and fries at Dick’s on Holman Road. Cost was $5.42 and it was delicious :)

• onion October 13, 2014 (2:14 pm)

  Copper Coin offers a good burger, and is within walking distance for me. The AK Junction location may be good for people in that neighborhood, but it seems a bit too close to their West Seattle “flagship,” in my uneducated opinion.

  Congratulations on Copper Coin’s two-year anniversary. If I recall, local naysayers considered that space (just north of the Admiral Theater) to be one of our “cursed” restaurant locations. I am delighted that CC is proving them wrong.

• Kim October 13, 2014 (2:15 pm)

  Love!! Been hoping WS would get a burger joint/diner.

• DarkHawke October 13, 2014 (2:21 pm)

  @WS4life: Perhaps you don’t understand that Kickstarter is ALWAYS used for for-profit businesses. Do you think that the folks who make the Pebble smartwatch aren’t in it to make money? I think the difference here is that we associate Kickstarter with start-up businesses, not already established enterprises. If you think about it, though, there’s not a whole bunch of difference between the two. Just because you have one, two, or even three restaurants going well doesn’t mean you have a vast well of money to open up a fourth. There are a number of different ways to get the funding for opening a new business; this is just the most modern. And as WSB said above, if you don’t even ask, you surely won’t get a positive response.

• J242 October 13, 2014 (2:28 pm)

  No reward for giving them $10, a single burger for $25 and if you double it they’ll throw in fries and a drink? That’s not much incentive to get people to back the project who don’t live in the neighborhood and just want a new burger place. Seems like they are nickle & dime-ing people. The $500 option I like though as I’d love to have my own burger on a menu just to bring friends in to try “my burger”. lol

• cjboffoli October 13, 2014 (2:32 pm)

  Ah, the endless debate over the “reasonable price point” for a burger. $5.42 for two cheeseburgers and fries only seems reasonable to me if the only consideration is a cheap price for one’s pocket. You have to be willing to ignore the whole petroleum and chemical-dependent industrial feedlot system that has to exist to provide that cheap beef. And that cheapness does not reflect the actual cost when you factor in billions in subsidies, the cost to the environment and to human health. If a restaurant puts a $15-$20 burger on their menu then that is the cost of bringing that product to market and I don’t think it is necessarily fair to small business owners to have to live up to people’s misperception of value that is based a comparison to mass-market dollar menus.

• Around the Corner October 13, 2014 (3:12 pm)

  So…I watched the video. You want to open your 2nd spot in our ‘hood. Ok. Yum. But, why do we pay to help you build it? There’s a 1,000 other business which could/would move into that space and fund themselves. Banks give loans, shoot, I may even give you a loan… But asking for handouts is no way to say “welcome” to your new neighbors. PASS.

• Heather October 13, 2014 (3:20 pm)

  It’s not always an option to borrow money in the traditional manner for a small business – even a business that has a successful product. Kickstarter fills the gap.

• Heather October 13, 2014 (3:21 pm)

  And PLEEEAAASSSEEEE offer those delicious onion rings!! My favorite!

• more data October 13, 2014 (3:32 pm)

  Zippy’s second storefront in Georgetown is looking adorable with Halloween decorations. Their spot is right next door to Two Tartes’ Bakery.

  Neither of which are into the whole feedlot system program DELIBERATELY>

  Where is some people’s perspective about price points, lack of quality education/information about food ecologies and life without trust funds? Dang. Humorless foodie fops are BORING!

• whymoreburgers October 13, 2014 (4:03 pm)

  I might consider helping to fund a restaurant bringing something new to the neighborhood (ideas off the top of my head – noodles, Ethiopian, Moroccan). My husband and I had one really disappointing burger at Copper Coin and I’m not jazzed about getting the same product but slightly closer to home. Many restaurants nearby offer burgers, I think we could use some more diversity.

• Mary October 13, 2014 (4:18 pm)

  Please offer a decent veggie burger! There are extremely limited vegetarian options at Copper Coin, so we rarely go there. They have a portabella burger, but that’s it. A regular veggie burger vs. portabella would be great.

• flimflam October 13, 2014 (4:25 pm)

  I must be getting old because whenever I hear about a budding small business essentially begging for “spare change” to open their own for profit business it just rubs me the wrong way.

  .
  I wish them nothing but the best, though, in a tough business

• AIDM October 13, 2014 (4:26 pm)

  I just recently discovered Copper Coin and love that place. I especially like the bacon butter burger, the kids menu and the happy hour. I’ve long felt that West Seattle needs a Red Mill style, ‘order at the counter’ burger place, so am excited about this place!

• goodgraces October 13, 2014 (4:29 pm)

  I guess I have no issues with the “asking” (e.g. the Kickstarter method). It’s the “giving” that seems problematic here. Folks are rewarded with basically nothing for their capital investments — why would that appeal to anyone? I think that Kickstarter works best for truly creative, visionary products or experiences; in that sense, you’re helping to “birth” something unique. I think more Kickstarter donors are motivated buy this sentiment than the token “gifts” that many of these ventures offer.

  As much as we all want this kind of burger joint in the ‘hood, I don’t think it fits that criteria whatsoever (novel, unprecedented, etc.). Are the business owners hoping that WS folks will be desperate enough for someone to execute this idea that they’ll actually pay for the business creation *on top of* the business’ products? I don’t know if that seems “greedy” to me, like others have written, or more narcissistic. “I’m betting that you’re going to like what I have to offer so much that you’ll be willing to pay me just for the privilege of having it offered to you.” Hmm.

  • WSB October 13, 2014 (4:52 pm)

    Past local Kickstarter campaigns featured here:
    .
    TV pilot
    Mini-markets
    Women’s clothing
    Web series on crosscountry scooter trip
    Cat toy
    Underwear
    Film about older tennis players
    Vegan-ice-cream-sandwich truck

• Sally October 13, 2014 (5:00 pm)

  I love it! We need a great family-style quick serve burger joint in the hood, and these guys clearly have a great product.

  All these kickstarter naysayers are such a bummer. I don’t have a ton of discretionary money sitting around, but I’m happy to pitch in $25 to a local business promising to bring jobs, money, & good food to my neighborhood. Where’s the sense of camaraderie, people! And if you’re not into it, don’t donate…but don’t make people who want to invest in their neighborhood feel bad about themselves!

  Financially, a restaurant is not much different from a non-profit. They’re incredibly difficult to open–banks won’t give you loans and you need a ton of upfront money. Unless you’re a corporate chain it’s really hard.

  Putting in my $25 now!

• dsa October 13, 2014 (5:07 pm)

  Goodgraces, I was put off by the concept of them asking for a helping hand. But thinking about it, and reading what others have said, it might just be a very smart business idea. Those that give are in effect buying into the business, helping it get started. Surely they will be early customers and want to see it succeed.

• miws October 13, 2014 (5:15 pm)

  hj, what’s wrong with Real Change?

  .

  Mike

• Diane October 13, 2014 (5:32 pm)

  thanks Mike for the alert on the Real Change comment; Real Change is fabulous; it’s an award winning news publication; try reading it sometime; and offers homeless individuals dignified work so they can earn money for a place to live, step-up to further jobs; we could really use a lot more worthwhile programs like this

• Peter October 13, 2014 (5:59 pm)

  I’m surprised at all the love for Copper Coin. None of you noticed that their food mediocre at best and charge way to much for what they give you? No thanks. I’m disappointed, I was hoping for another decent eating option near the Junction. Nope.

• David October 13, 2014 (6:22 pm)

  I too had a disappointing burger at the Copper Coin – sent it back and it came back just as bad – paid the bill and never went back – e-mailed restaurant manager twice with no reply – the new place will get just one chance to do it right –

• Trickycoolj October 13, 2014 (6:33 pm)

  Hmm I’m torn. I generally back KS campaigns that are from artists or inventors. As much as the Food channel wants to change our minds I don’t really see an invention or piece of artwork here.

• Dan October 13, 2014 (7:04 pm)

  As someone who is currently working on opening a restaurant in WS I wish you nothing but the best of luck. Congrats on your expansion and I will be there to grab a burger when you open. If West Seattle residence stay and shop local as much as possible we will have a thriving community. For those people who are calling for “something different” on this thread or any other thread about a new restaurant, the more support you show for the local industry, the more new restaurant and concepts will come into the area. Think of Ballard years ago. Now that it is a proven restaurant friendly neighborhood, it has every concept/style you could want. I’m not saying we should become Ballard but in terms of supporting restaurants it would expand our options and choice of cuisine.

• JJ October 13, 2014 (7:11 pm)

  I too find myself slightly hesitant to donate to this cause, but would love to support this business after it opens by frequenting the restaurant (assuming it is worthy of my business). I’ll be looking for proof that the meat is “humanely raised” as he says in the video. All that generic talk of ‘freshest ingredients’ and ‘organically grown’ (note he doesn’t say USDA organic, there IS a difference and it typically fools the public) makes me skeptical… show me the proof!

• sc October 13, 2014 (8:58 pm)

  @ cjboffoli
  .
  My comment about Dick’s is just to say when I leave West Seattle for the north end Dick’s is where I go. And I can remember when their hamburgers were 19 cents and cheese burgers were 25 cents. And their taste can never be compared to a national chain!!!!!

• Villagegreen October 13, 2014 (9:01 pm)

  Shoot. With a name like Coastline I was hoping for an oyster bar. Something like the old Ama Ama, but reasonably sized for success. Put me in the column of those wishing for a bit more variety in West Seattle restaurants. I do love a burger, the B&B at Copper Coin is darn good, so I’m sure I’ll be eating here, but when I want something a bit more adventurous I invariably find myself heading to Capitol Hill or Ballard.

• lizzzle October 13, 2014 (9:05 pm)

  All this talk about crowd funding reminds me of The Westy, a sports bar that raised over $20k in crowd funded loans back in January. What ever happed to that place? It’s been ages since I’ve heard anything about it!

  • WSB October 13, 2014 (9:17 pm)

    Lizzzle – Someone asked the same thing in the comment section following a recent restaurant story, and here’s the response from The Westy:
    .
    https://westseattleblog.com/2014/09/five-west-seattle-fooddrink-biznotes/#comment-1498847

• Alex October 13, 2014 (11:10 pm)

  I hope it’s more like red mill and less like copper coin. I never really was impressed by cc burgers.

  More like Zippy’s would be even better. I look forward to giving this place a chance.

• goodgraces October 13, 2014 (11:25 pm)

  It’s great to “help out” new ventures or promising projects — I just think that the owners here would have garnered a lot more instant financial support (if not good karma) by at least seeming to be more “giving” in what they offer in return for folks’ faith in them. It just seems, well, hypocritical to expect people to donate generously if you are sacrificing so little in return. Especially when you openly associate yourself with a very well-known, long-lived, and (by all impressions) successful restaurant in town (Red Mill).
  –
  If the challenge right now is up front capital to get the biz off and running, why not offer hamburger punch-cards or something that wouldn’t affect the operational bottom line very much at all. “100 gets you 10 hamburgers at the rate of one a week.” For donors, it would be like buying your food in advance — at a premium rate, sure, but you’re helping the business get off the ground. Plus — “Marketing 101,” folks — you know people will purchase additional food to go with their single “free” burger that they’re cashing in on that week.
  –
  Get ONE burger (wholesale, what, $2, max??) for your $25 donation? Now that just seems downright stingy. Not the reputation you want to start building even before you open for business.

• Vincent Dakotah Langley October 14, 2014 (4:28 am)

  THANK YOU REALLY SO VERY MUCH for putting in a new burger place up there on California Avenue SW, near to the Alaska Junction area!!!

  This is REALLY VERY COOL news!!!

• Ray West October 14, 2014 (7:05 am)

  I’m all for Kickstarter helping newbie entrepreneurs who have a good business plan but lack funds, but for an already-established, diversified business that just celebrated its second anniversary in West Seattle I say, “no way.”

  I wish them well with their new enterprise, and I’d love to see a quality burger joint with reasonable prices here. They should rethink the “drive-through” option. Not like McDonald’s where you order and pay on the spot, but maybe pre-order and pre-pay online then drive through to pick up your order. Parking is going to be a problem, and there probably won’t be much in-house seating, so make it convenient for customers to dash in and out to get some good grub. Just sayin’ . . .

• Chris October 14, 2014 (7:42 am)

  Do we really need ANOTHER place to get a burger? I moved to West Seattle 7 years ago and love it. However it seems that the traditional food stuffs of West Seattlites are burgers, pizza and taco’s. There are other kinds of food out there. I am sure the burgers will be very good but can’t we have something else for a change?

• Chris W October 14, 2014 (8:11 am)

  I’m hoping the Admiral Theater does a Kickstarter campaign. I’m ready to support that! !

• Brian October 14, 2014 (8:19 am)

  Let me tell you about how mad I am that this burger shoppe is forcing me to fork over my hard-earned cash to support their commie business model.
  .
  Wait, what? I’m not being forced to donate money and I can simply ignore the request and, ultimately, eat at this restaurant when it opens as if the Kickstarter never existed in the first place?
  .
  Well, that doesn’t really fit into the worldview that I have developed where everyone needs to pull themselves up out of poverty using their own bootstraps so I’ll just ignore that and continue complaining about doing something that no one asked me to do.

• miws October 14, 2014 (8:42 am)

  Spot on with your comments on Real Change, Diane. I try to get a copy whenever possible, but unfortunately don’t always connect with a Vendor every week.

  .

  Recently, they have been including a copy of the Mockingbird Times, published by The Mockingbird Society, an advocacy group for Foster Care Youth, and the Foster Care System:

  http://www.mockingbirdsociety.org/

  .

  Mike

• LAintheJunction October 14, 2014 (9:00 am)

  Do we really need ANOTHER burger joint in West Seattle? I’m with the commenter that was hoping for more ethnic diversity in our dining out options. I’ll give it a try but I am disappointed that this is as creative as we can get.

  • WSB October 14, 2014 (9:35 am)

    Since a few people have mentioned “ethnic” options, we just surveyed the WSB Restaurant Guide, which is our best attempt at a current listing of local eateries. This is not a total breakdown – just the restaurants that specialize in one particular cuisine. Pizza is not counted as “Italian.” Chain fast food is not counted in any category.
    .
    Chinese – 3
    Czech – 1
    French – 1
    Greek – 1
    Japanese – 3
    Indian – 1
    Italian – 2
    Mediterranean – 2
    Mexican – 9
    Thai – 6
    Vietnamese – 4
    .
    What specifically is missing that you would want to open if you had the cash, talent, inclination? (Someone upthread mentioned Ethiopian. Pan Africa Grill was open between Alaska and Morgan Junction but did not last long.) As for “burger joints” – I’m only counting two, Burger Boss and Zippy’s (WC but honorarily West Seattle).

• HelperMonkey October 14, 2014 (9:34 am)

  Amen Chris W! I would totally get on board with an Admiral Theater kickstarter! Maybe the Red Mill family can contribute…

  • WSB October 14, 2014 (9:39 am)

    By the way, re: the Admiral Theater – just talked with them yesterday. Nothing new since our July report.

• sam-c October 14, 2014 (10:21 am)

  as far as ‘other kinds of places’, I keep hoping that a boom noodle will open up in one of these new mixed use buildings.

• dsa October 14, 2014 (11:22 am)

  The Swinery offers hamburgers to go that are rival anyone’s.

• Sally October 14, 2014 (11:34 am)

  For everyone complaining about a lack of creativity: creativity does not beget success. A super creative concept is usually divisive- some people love it and some hate it. To be successful you need to appeal to a broad audience. And for the record, I think baking their own buns in house is pretty creative. Definitely never seen that in a burger restaurant.

  People on this blog can be so critical. I wish Coastline all the success! We need more successful small businesses in our neighborhood, and if they can bring in customers like Red Mill can, it’s a big win for our community.

• Eddie October 14, 2014 (11:35 am)

  If you substituted “barnraising” for “kickstarter” would that change your mind about neighborhood cooperative business-starting activities?

• Colby October 14, 2014 (11:43 am)

  I’ve got no issues with crowd-funding a business, no one is forcing you to par-take in it.

• goodgraces October 14, 2014 (12:10 pm)

  Just so interesting that folks in this thread who question Coastline’s choice to do Kickstarter are being “critical” (e.g. “negative”) and that “if you don’t like [their approach], then [just] don’t participate.” Sounds a lot like, “if you don’t have something nice to say, then be quiet.”
  –
  Here I sit, bemoaning the seeming death of respectful, illuminating dialogue. I guess it’s easier to label and, uh, “criticize” people than to engage or talk with them about their differences in opinions, values, etc?
  –
  I think that Coastline’s Kickstarter campaign seems stingy and suggests a sense of entitlement. And, no, I’m not an Ayn Rand-ian — quite the contrary! A screaming social liberal. AND I am excited about Coastline opening and will definitely partake. All of these seeming inconsistencies can and DO exist in this complicated person. ;-)

• Dereck October 14, 2014 (2:56 pm)

  Why hello, what are the hours for this Wednesday. I would love to try this at $5.00 tomorrow night

• lincolnparkdude October 14, 2014 (4:27 pm)

  I don’t find people being too critical. Seems like online panhandling to me. If they have a successful business already established, then I do believe they can get a loan and if not find it somewhere else. I know there are venture capitalists out there. Just because you can ask doesn’t mean you should.

• rob October 14, 2014 (6:14 pm)

  Some are saying they will donate because this place will create jobs. But will these be living wage jobs you know 15 bucks an hour

• Thomas M. October 14, 2014 (9:17 pm)

  Real burgers! Goodbye McJunk.

• Marge October 15, 2014 (9:56 am)

  wow! how many burgers and pizzas
  can West Seattle eat? what I would not give for a ramen noodle shop.

• Thomas M. October 15, 2014 (1:57 pm)

  Real Japanese is not something I have seen here at all. When I was stranded in Orange County there was a place called Honda Ya that was populated by REAL Japanese businessmen and it was excellent.

  Is there a decent Turkey Burger around West Oz?

• MJ October 16, 2014 (4:55 pm)

  Pretty cool to see that Coastline is listening to the feedback here and has updated their various funding options to include the punch card idea.

• Ray West October 18, 2014 (8:43 am)

  Marge, there is Than Brothers Pho (ramen noodle) restaurant at the south end of the West Seattle Junction (just south of Courtesy Tire). I haven’t tried it, but my nephew loves it.

• TK October 29, 2014 (9:48 am)

  @ Ray West – Than Bros is nowhere near ramen. It’s pho. Completely different. Plus, it barely approaches mediocre pho. A Santouka, Jinya or Kukai would be an incredible addition to the neighborhood! Those lucky Eastsiders…

  • WSB October 29, 2014 (9:50 am)

    If we had money to open a restaurant, we would definitely open a noodle shop. The entire WSB staff agrees on this. :)

• sam-c October 29, 2014 (10:32 am)

  as far as ‘what other kinds of restaurants’.. .one more are there any Korean restaurants in WS? hot pot? like Roaring Bowl ? BBQ? something?
  (I know ma kai is classified as Korean, etc, but it’s fusion or whatever. and tasty ! but I mean like, Korean food, just Korean, not Hawaiian too)

Sorry, comment time is over.