Thanks to Ben Hutchinson for the tip: The sign on the door at Alki Cleaners (2718 Alki SW) announces its closure after 19 years. If you still have cleaning to pick up, the sign has a phone number and email address to arrange pickup until July 14th. This is the fourth business to close in the heart of Alki in recent months, after Alki Urban Market, Maree Bistro, and Tully’s Coffee.
Multiple Web references plus, more authoritatively, the City of Seattle Business License Database, have it as 2718 Alki. 2716 is the address for Phoenecia next door.
Last September they just quietly went away, no note; though, as noted in our blurb, a customer had told us some time earlier that they had heard this was the plan, but the store refused comment when we asked.
https://westseattleblog.com/2017/09/biznotes-supreme-starbucks-alki-urban-market/
Maybe that owner has been there for 19 years but there has been a dry cleaner at that location since at least 1980 when I first moved to Alki!
Alki Cleaners, Had been there in the late 70’s my parents had bought a condo in this area. And i picked up dads dry cleaning. 35 plus years being in business sad to see family businesses vanish.
We will dearly miss Alki Cleaners … sorry that they had to close. Wonderful customer service – great on alterations – and always with a joyful smile. Is Phoenicia being pushed out as well? That would be a huge loss.
I don’t know that the cleaners was “pushed out” and this seems to be a standalone thing.
I am pretty sure that business has been open longer than 19 years (unless they changed owners). I remember bringing my clothes there back in the mid 90’s.
I used to deliver clothes for a dry cleaners that also had a shirt service – Before I moved to WS in 1988.. There was a cleaners in that spot then as it was one of our stops. There were three WS stops on my route and quite frankly, visiting every day was the main reason that I moved to WS. I had to move last week to Greenwood for a couple of years, but I now deliver food and was in WS today. I actually thought of the old cleaners when I drove by there today. Sad to see that they closed. Taco Del Mar needs to open on Alki. Or a similar type place.
Sorry to see them close. Most likely a restaurant will move in but PLEASE, something other than another bar, pizza, or Asian one in its place. There are already too many in West Seattle.
Open whatever type of restaurant you want Raywest! Also, you left out banning Mexican food.
The Truth — That’s because there aren’t already a zillion Mexican restaurants in West Seattle. What I want to see is diversity of all types of eateries and retail businesses, and not just one more of the same old-same old. I don’t think that’s unreasonable.
Another Asian one in its place and too many of Asian sounds like a cranky old man’s whine.
Alkibum–First, I’m not a man–old, cranky, or otherwise. I wrote, “not another bar, pizza, or Asian one (“one” meaning a restaurant) in its place. I didn’t feel it was necessary to list every specific type of Asian eatery that is already here (Thai, Chinese, Sushi, Teriyaki, Vietnamese. Pho, etc.) As I mentioned, West Seattle has a predominance of those three types of restaurants (bars, pizza, and Asian) and my hope is that something else completely different will open, offering us West Seattlelites more cuisine choices. We also have enough places that offer hamburgers.
Will miss them — the nicest family. The owner told me the last time I was in there to pick-up 2 weeks ago that she had been thinking about it for awhile, that she needs to be available to care for her ailing parents (Juanita, the older gal who used to do alterations in front is her mom and ailing for some time) and with the lease expiring it was just time. She did say though too that the owners of the building were looking to sell so who knows what may come of Phoenicia.
I’m so sad to hear this and even more so that we didn’t have a chance to say ‘Thank you’ to Meow (sp) and her family! Her mom is so sweet and I know she’s been dealing with health issues. Best wishes to everyone in the future!
I even had an argument with my Husband as I knew that this cleaners had been there since I was a little kid. He said he never remembered it. I did get confirmation from a relative of the owner that it had been there since the 70’S. Sad to see it go.
Way back when there was a dry cleaners in the building that now houses Sunfish. Anyone remember that?
There was a laundromat where Sunfish is now. I moved here in the late 70s and there were few restaurants in the Alki business district. Biggest loss was the grocery store.
I’m a bit late adding to the comments, and I know I’m reiterating what others have said but…I moved to an Alki apartment in 1996 (behind the Phoenicia), Alki Cleaners was there then. So, that’s at least 22 years. Wonder why they said 19.
Will O Wisp — If you’re referring to the grocery store that was where Cactus is now, I agree. I used to zip in there many times on my way home from work to pick up a few items for dinner. The guy who ran it turned it into a quality corner grocery/convenience store. Unfortunately, he expanded it into a high-priced, over-stocked “market” (that’s always a clue that it’s going to be expensive) with tricky underground parking that quickly went under. It’s also too bad that the other small grocery/delis didn’t last. It was nice to have a place where you could pick up a sandwich, salad, snacks/drinks etc. and go eat on the beach.
Sorry, comment time is over.
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