West Seattle food & drink: Junction Starbucks opens; Chopstix, Harry’s remodeling updates

78 Replies to "West Seattle food & drink: Junction Starbucks opens; Chopstix, Harry's remodeling updates"

• Panda August 14, 2015 (1:10 pm)

  Junction Starbucks – BOOOOOOOOOO. Sad they got that location. Better coffee up the street at Hotwire.

• JanS August 14, 2015 (1:26 pm)

  for extra points…does anyone remember what was at the 41st and Admiral location before Starbucks?

• JanS August 14, 2015 (1:26 pm)

  nice mural, btw

• Morgan Junction, what's your function.... August 14, 2015 (1:31 pm)

  Big “For Lease” sign on the Feedback. Looks like the rumors are true :-(

• Gene August 14, 2015 (1:32 pm)

  I patronize many coffee places-To each his own- welcome Starbucks.

• squareeyes August 14, 2015 (1:39 pm)

  Chopstix BBQ? Will be interesting to see what exactly the change means. I’m hoping it’s not along the lines of Mongolian barbecue.

• Dustin August 14, 2015 (1:49 pm)

  I am thrilled for there to be a Starbucks on the junction. Long overdue. The classiness of this Starbucks will add value to the area and provide a great place to just hang out. Fingers crossed on that liquor license!

• wes August 14, 2015 (2:03 pm)

  JanS, was it a Winchell’s Donuts, by chance?

• George T August 14, 2015 (2:14 pm)

  Starbucks+wine/beer would be nice option in the Junction, especially if similar to their Roy Street concept.

• Villagegreen August 14, 2015 (2:26 pm)

  Ha! Classiness. I’ll be sure to stay away.

• lisa August 14, 2015 (2:38 pm)

  What ever happened with that Starbucks in Jefferson square?

• Diane August 14, 2015 (2:45 pm)

  I don’t see any info on how late this new Starbucks is open; please be open past 9pm

  • WSB August 14, 2015 (3:00 pm)

    Diane – I expected to be able to link to a Starbucks website page that would have their hours, but at least as of last check before we got caught up in storm coverage, the store didn’t seem to have a page yet.
    .
    Lisa – It closed after just under a year and eventually became a Sprint store.

• Meyer August 14, 2015 (2:46 pm)

  So is Feedback Lounge no longer going to re-open under new ownership next month? I thought I read that last month but the For Lease sign makes me think otherwise.

• Panda August 14, 2015 (2:47 pm)

  Over $5 for a latte…Can’t wait to see what they charge for a beer. $12 in a paper cup and a 3 day old scone.

• WSgamer August 14, 2015 (3:29 pm)

  Diane and Panda, if you want good affordable coffee after 9pm (or affordable beers) check out Meeples Games cafe just a little north of the junction at Charlestown St.! (They’ve had great cold brew since opening last year, beating SB at their own game :-)

• Diane August 14, 2015 (3:57 pm)

  thanks WSgamer; don’t drink alcohol, which is part of why coffee places are usually more appealing to me, but Meeples is actually closer; do they have wifi? and how late are they open?

• Michael Waldo August 14, 2015 (3:59 pm)

  Hey, I heard because Starbucks is running out of available locations, they are going to open a new Starbucks in the mens room of the Morgan st store.

• Casey August 14, 2015 (4:06 pm)

  YAY!Now I dont have to walk two blocks to the other Starbucks!

• HelperMonkey August 14, 2015 (4:27 pm)

  Thank you Starbucks for continuing to employ my friends and West Seattle neighbors, whether in your coffee shops or at your corporate offices. :)

• anne August 14, 2015 (4:32 pm)

  Jan S – the starbucks corner was a vitamin place, and before that a bank, it was empty for awhile too, and I don’t remember more than that. I was hoping this eclectic and “historic” neighborhood could keep out an sbux, there’s coffee all over the place at this corner – Easy Streets, Cupcake R, Great Harvest, and other small, locally operated/owned delis, joints, bakeries – places with their own brand of casual uniqueness – wood floors, slamming screen door, rock music, formica tables – starbucks is just too manufactured-looking, there are plenty of them elsewhere.

• Mok4315 August 14, 2015 (4:40 pm)

  Diane, Meeples is open Sunday through Thursday until 10pm, and Friday and Saturday until midnight. Not sure about the wifi.

  • WSB August 14, 2015 (4:54 pm)

    As a late-night coffee drinker, that’s good to hear about Meeples (which just joined the WSB sponsor team; we’ll have their introductory story next week). Meantime, Haley from Starbucks sent us the hours for the new store: 5 a.m.-10 p.m. Monday through Friday and 5:30 a.m.-10 p.m. Saturday and Sunday – will add to the story above, for the record. – TR

• anne August 14, 2015 (4:52 pm)

  Jan S – that corner was a vitamin place at one time, and a US Bank. beyond that I can’t remember.
  Not to offend starbucks customers, I used to get my beans there in the 70’s, but I was hoping that the eclectic ‘historic’ character of the junction was enough to prevent the intrusion of a starbucks. coffee abounds at the junction, in unique little places befitting this neighborhood. I’m continuing to patronize them.

• Mojo August 14, 2015 (5:07 pm)

  Feedback

  the building owners blocked the sale (by not allowing the lease) to a great local restaurant owner so they could put it in the market. Matt, Paul and Jeff went out of there way to keep the place running under new ownership but that plan was axed by the building owners. Too bad that a local venue with a local owner will get replaced by who knows what!

• West Seattle Hipster August 14, 2015 (5:09 pm)

  Wasn’t that site where West Seattle Hospital was?

  .

  Kind of ironic that a SB would be going where a hospital used to be….

• Mike August 14, 2015 (6:01 pm)

  Starbucks is better then an empty building. To many complain about them on the junction but don’t patronize the local business enough to keep them open. Things change.

• sw August 14, 2015 (6:08 pm)

  You people would be stunned to know how many SBUX corporate employees live in West Seattle (plus locals that work in the stores). They patronize all the businesses here, contributing greatly to the neighborhood economy.

• West Seattle Hipster August 14, 2015 (6:23 pm)

  Ok sw, stun me. How many SB employees live in WS?

• coffee snob August 14, 2015 (6:39 pm)

  Do Starbuck haters have a clue how desirable they are in the commercial real estate world? Three words: national credit tenant.

• M August 14, 2015 (6:49 pm)

  Starbucks is a “local” business. It’s not like a Dunkin Donuts is going into that space.

• RayWest August 14, 2015 (6:54 pm)

  The old West Seattle Hospital was on the corner of California and Alaska (the southeast corner where the vitamin shop was). I remember it well because I was born there.

• My two cents .... August 14, 2015 (7:45 pm)

  Here here to the people that can acknowledge SBUX is a local company …. Who hires people that live in our community … Who will provide an option for people. If the coffee is that bad – that overpriced – food that is that stale – then they won’t last – end of story! Bring back the empty store spaces!

  Funny how people don’t take the same approach with Boeing jets and “refuse” to fly them … “Refuse” to shop at Nordstrom or REI. Isn’t PCC a “chain”?

  Respect the tastes and choices of the community – let service, product quality & options in addition to price be the determining factor in the success or failure of a business.

• bob August 14, 2015 (9:05 pm)

  Oh boy. A Starbucks. Let me explode with joy.

• Celeste17 August 14, 2015 (9:42 pm)

  Starbucks are open until 1pm everynight.

• WhyTheHate August 14, 2015 (10:28 pm)

  I don’t understand why, especially in Seattle some people despise Starbucks. I like Starbucks and I’m happy about this location. Yeah there are the 2 inside the grocery stores nearby and the drive thru location but there isn’t an actual sit down store like this nearby. (Walking distance anyway) Also, living so close to the junction I’ve tried the coffee at a few of the “locally owned/operated” the Starbucks haters have mentioned. While some do make a good Latte…Great Harvest, Bakery Nouveau, they’re not necessarily cheaper than Starbucks and some….like Cupcake Royale…. Provide consistently terrible (rude) customer service. In my experience the Starbucks baristas are usually pretty pleasant. But like someone above commented….to each his own. I just find it odd how some people seem to have such a genuine hatred for a coffee spot

• Zanda August 14, 2015 (10:59 pm)

  The Starbucks will do OK. What is the thing with their prices? Indie coffee shops charge the same – or even more. I know – because I live my life from one cup of coffee to the next – drip, Americano, latte, whatever – and I spread my business around all over Seattle. My biggest complaint is when the coffee ain’t hot enough!!

• Brontosaurus August 14, 2015 (11:31 pm)

  For trivia fans. Before it was Super Supplements it was an interim location for All Star Fitness while they built their new gym. Back in 2001 ish, I think. I was a “charter member.”

• Educated Guess August 14, 2015 (11:36 pm)

  I’d say 1000 WS residents work for Starbucks which includes stores, corporate, sales and a manufacturing facility in Tukwila/Kent.

• Celeste17 August 15, 2015 (2:09 am)

  Oops! Starbucks is open until 10 pm each night.

• RayWest August 15, 2015 (5:03 am)

  I will be very curious to see what Chopstix BBQ will be like. I have been so disappointed in their previous Chinese food offerings (mediocre at best) that anything should be an improvement. As for Starbucks–I don’t hate them, in fact I like their coffee just fine–but do we need this many in West Seattle?? They are becoming like nail salons–one on every block. I just want to see some retail variety in the West Seattle Junction rather than the “copy and paste” businesses dotting every part of California Ave.

• dis August 15, 2015 (7:19 am)

  Starbucks hours are different at different stores. The closest one with late hours is the drive-through at Five Corners in Burien, which was open until midnight, last time I checked. The one in West Seattle/Admiral used to be open until 9 pm but they changed a few months ago to close at 8:30. Every one is different. There are two all-nighters: one on 110th NE by Northgate, and one on Interurban in Tukwila.

• SeaKyle August 15, 2015 (8:54 am)

  West Seattle Hipster/Educated Guess: I worked for Starbucks in HR for 12 years. The WS population for SB partners in non-store jobs is in fact a little less than 1000. Second only to Ballard. Add store partners into the count and we are supporting a lot of our own neighbors. -Kyle

• miws August 15, 2015 (8:57 am)

  Deep Thoughts—by miws…..

  .

  If there were still gas stations, “on every corner”, as was the case decades ago, would each of the modern day versions have a Starbucks in them?….

  .

  Mike

• Erithan August 15, 2015 (9:07 am)

  Hopefully no liquor, there are enough places with happy hour late nights around that cause a lot if noise/issues for those of us living in the junction or close. As to chopstix, I hope the name change also brings in some better quality. Last time I ordered I was sent a dish with criminis rather then shiitakes(even in dishes name and it’s a bit more expensive) and when I called and politely inquired I was hung up on=/

• Alki mom August 15, 2015 (11:09 am)

  What is it about all the coffee shops and nail salons in our neighborhood? Are coffee shops and nail salons symbiotic? Or is it a bad thing to go into a nail shop all hyped up with shaky coffee hands?

  • WSB August 15, 2015 (11:48 am)

    Alki Mom – Your question is related to someone’s comment on another recent thread wishing for non-restaurant-type retail. While I don’t have data to point to, in general, unless people suddenly decide en masse not to shop online for so many things, retail spaces will continue moving to services that have to be performed in person – nails and coffee among them. And even then, in some areas, the rise in delivery services might affect that … any mobile nail salons yet? P.S. Any new arrivals reading this, check out the variety of unique retail we *do* still have, especially in the heart of The Junction – TR

• Diane August 15, 2015 (12:54 pm)

  Celeste17; don’t know where you’re getting the idea Starbucks is open til 10pm every night; as a fellow night-owl (like TR), I am always on the look-out for late night spots that are NOT bars; the only sit-down coffee shops in WS that stay open later than 9pm are Uptown in the junction, and this year, the Delridge Uptown added late hours because they started a gaming biz; I went to the Delridge Uptown when it was first opened til midnight, and loved it; then the gaming biz grew, now way too busy for me to even find a table
  ~
  not only do Starbucks stores in WS all have different hours; they also change seasonally; Alki has later hours in summer; usually closes by 7 in the winter; Morgan store usually the latest to close, at 9pm; I am thrilled to have a new store that will be open nightly til 10pm; even later would be outstanding; look forward to checking it out
  ~
  I say we need to fill the place until 10pm, so they will see it as financially viable to stay open til midnight (same with Trader Joe’s; if you want it to stay open til 10pm like the Cap Hill and QA stores, TJ’s corp has to see the #’s in foot traffic up til 9pm, especially in winter, to validate keeping staff on and the store open til 10pm)
  ~
  then perhaps some of the other local coffee shops will also stay open later; there are a LOT of night-owls in WS looking for places to go besides bars
  ~
  still hoping/praying for that 24-hr diner concept somewhere in WS; pretty please

• West Seattle Hipster August 15, 2015 (3:04 pm)

  Thanks for the facts SeaKyle, informative, but not stunning.

• mmc August 15, 2015 (3:10 pm)

  Personally, I love the independent nature of The Junction. The few corporate storefronts that have taken root here make me sad. And, now that the seal is broken on a much higher square foot pricetag in The Junction, I worry that its days of being one of the last bastions of Seattle charm are numbered.

  Oh, and for what it’s worth, I work at Starbucks HQ.

• Diane August 15, 2015 (4:33 pm)

  mmc; unfortunately it’s also happening all over Seattle; not just WS; I follow PSBJ news; there are many small biz owners getting booted from long-time offices and retail spaces downtown, due to developers “enhancing” properties for higher paying high-tech companies; just in the news this week, all the companies with offices in the Maritime building on Western just got evicted; also art galleries downtown, being displaced by their buildings being demolished and giant new towers going up in their place; it’s everywhere

• David August 15, 2015 (5:09 pm)

  I, for one, am thrilled to have them open in the Junction! When I drop my car off at Courtesy Tire I have to wait in that depressing Uptown Espresso that has all the ambience of a church basement AA meeting…….

• Hungry on 34th Ave August 15, 2015 (6:15 pm)

  I’m sure it’s been reported here, but forgive me – what are they doing with that vacant shack/diner thing right at Fauntleroy and 35th Ave where it heads down to the bridge? There’s a Coke sign on top and a fence around it?

  • WSB August 15, 2015 (6:22 pm)

    That’s the future Pecos Pit BBQ, as we reported six months ago: https://westseattleblog.com/2015/02/west-seattle-restaurants-pecos-pit-bbq-moving-into-ex-beni-hoshi-site-says-city-light/
    .
    A preliminary site plan (for a small addition plus creation of a drive-thru lane on the east side of the building) was filed in May, but no further activity since then. – TR

• Villagegreen August 15, 2015 (8:06 pm)

  “That depressing Uptown Espresso that has all the ambience of a church basement AA meeting……” David, you just crystallized every thought I’ve had about Uptown Espresso for years! That being said, I’ll never step foot in the new Starbucks. Manufactured lifestyles aren’t my thing.

• Mark August 15, 2015 (9:56 pm)

  All I care about is creating sustainable jobs for the community. Starbucks does that. Many of the changes result it people losing jobs. That store will probably creates 30ish jobs in the community.

• Eric August 16, 2015 (6:24 am)

  Man that description of Uptown Espresso was spot on! How many Starbucks are there now in West Seattle? Starbucks is the epitome of saturation. While a corporate chain such as Starbucks may create some jobs, I think it will also set a precedent for rental rates within the junction rising to the point where small local businesses won’t be able to stay due to not being able to afford the exorbitant rates that seem to be getting ridiculously high due to the ridiculously over priced apartments being built there. Chains can absorb some of these costs, due to having other locations, while a mom and pop store can’t. The shame is, the personality of the junction that gave it a small town feel will now probably lead to the generic cookie cutter manufactured scenery that is so prevalent in strip malls.

• RayWest August 16, 2015 (7:10 am)

  David, I also take my car to Courtesy Tire, and while waiting I walk up to Easy Street and have breakfast. I’ve never been to Uptown Espresso so I can’t comment on the ambiance. Easy Street is a bit more of a walk, but worth it. I won’t be using Starbucks as my “waiting room.”

• cj August 16, 2015 (10:05 am)

  Well I hope they choose at some point to go back to their old standard of menu but what I have seen in the last few years is really disappointing.

• West Seattle Hipster August 16, 2015 (11:27 am)

  Are Starbucks store employees paid “living wage jobs” money? Will the baristas be paid enough to afford to live in West Seattle? What is the starting wage?

• Mike August 16, 2015 (1:02 pm)

  Starbucks barista is around $11 an hour before tips. Plus they have amazing benefits even for part time employees. Also they offer 4 years paid college tuition now I believe through Arizona University online. Just pulled up there benefits online to review them. Let me know if any junction business match that kind of package.

• Diane August 16, 2015 (1:53 pm)

  West Seattle Hipster; I learned during the recession, when I looked EVERYWHERE for a job, that Starbucks baristas were paid horribly bad wages; 10cents above min wage, plus pooled tips (not a lot); thanks to our new min wage law, their pay is a little bit better; definitely not living wage based on current escalating rents

• Diane August 16, 2015 (1:57 pm)

  re jobs produced by Starbucks; remember, the trickle down also; Starbucks workers buy goods in our community, and pay for services like child care, pet care, hair cuts; so the Starbucks jobs also create other jobs in WS

• Diane August 16, 2015 (2:00 pm)

  re Starbucks “amazing benefits”; if they paid a living wage, workers could pay for their own college, where they want to go; and not be limited to an online version of Starbucks choosing

• West Seattle Hipster August 16, 2015 (2:15 pm)

  Thanks for the info Diane.

• ML August 16, 2015 (2:55 pm)

  Uptown is awesome! The people that work there are wonderful and they make the only drip coffee in the junction that doesn’t taste like boiled vegetables. And don’t get me started on that Velvet Foam…

• Mike August 16, 2015 (4:24 pm)

  Again Diane. Find me a place in the junction that pays 4 years of college and $11 an hour for entry level work. And when you find an entry level job that pays “livable” wage you let me know.

• Diane August 16, 2015 (5:56 pm)

  the entire reason City Council passed a living wage law, is just that; so people who work in Seattle can afford to live in Seattle
  ~
  not comparing Starbucks college benefit to other junction biz, which are mostly small local biz; pretty darn sure Starbucks can well afford this benefit
  ~
  and yes, the biz that I’m in, as a professional nanny, even entry-level nannies often make $15+ per hour
  ~
  when I worked at Fred Meyer during the recession, for the holidays, they paid $13+ per hour; there are some good/fair employers out there; we need more

• Mark August 16, 2015 (7:34 pm)

  Agreed more employers helping to make a “living” wage the standard would be great. Being a barista is not a career nor should it be paid as such. We don’t agree on how we feel about Starbucks and that’s apparent. But globally not many companies take care of their partners the way SB does.

• Diane August 17, 2015 (1:50 am)

  many Starbucks store staff consider it their career, and rely on those wages to support themselves and their families

• Shawn August 17, 2015 (7:36 am)

  To anyone bemoaning the loss of the Junction’s “eclectic”, “historic”, “character”, you may want to take note of the giant modern buildings that have so far replaced about 20% of those 2 blocks. You need to remember that West Seattle is a neighborhood in the largest city in Washington.

  If you want to keep eclectic ‘historic’ character, you should probably move to a small eclectic historic town that has no chance of massive population growth. May I suggest a move south to Steilacoom? But then the people there would probably just complain on their local blog about the influx of “big city folk” jacking up their rents.

• Mark August 17, 2015 (1:59 pm)

  Well put Shawn. And Diane on the SB front a person using a barista position for their career might need more ambition then that. It should not rewarded for a wage that hurts a companies sustainability. This is a publically owned company so buy some shares and have a voice. Share holders meeting includes the public.

• j August 17, 2015 (4:54 pm)

  lets continue to yupify west seattle!
  how about a few more apartments.oh, and lets give up some more parking. what an improvement over the small town feel west seattle had….

• mmc August 17, 2015 (7:10 pm)

  Do comments on WSB always turn so mean-spirited? Or do new construction and corporate giants bring the worst out in people?

• Mike August 17, 2015 (10:32 pm)

  For some any change is bad.

• Wes C. Addle August 18, 2015 (9:02 am)

  I don’t consider a Starbucks the yuppification of anything. Starbucks is suburban soccer mom coffee, far from a Yuppy. Yuppy coffee is the local artisan coffee maker who takes 15 minutes to make a latte. You’re going to have this mix in West Seattle as there are lots of very wealthy people in this “working class” neighborhood.
  @mmc, yes & yes it does.

• NativeNancy August 19, 2015 (11:58 am)

  Wes – I think you are correct about Jan S’s question about what was at the 41st and Admiral location. Funny that all the responses to her question were immediately about the California & Alaska location. People on these rants don’t read thoroughly do they?

  I do love Starbucks Pike Roast Drip myself and a cup of drip coffee is overpriced EVERYWHERE, even restaurants, so I don’t feel extraordinarily ripped off. I am well aware that if I were trying to be frugal about it I would just carry a thermos with coffee made at home–for pennies.

  Everyone likes something different so if those who prefer the taste and atmosphere of their current shop, just keep going where they like to go and let everyone else do the same, there should be no threat to the current shops. Let it go!!!!

• Discerning Consumer August 23, 2015 (12:36 pm)

  Bottom line- service was unfriendly and subpar. Sterile, unwelcoming atmosphere. Doesn’t matter if it’s Starbucks or not- with that service, I won’t be back.

Sorry, comment time is over.