BIZNOTE: Another one on the Alki ‘closed’ list

After reporting on the permanent closure of B’s Po Boy on Alki, we received this email from Alex Piano regarding Hawks Nest West about a block west, at 2806 Alki SW:

We are sad to announce that the Hawks Nest West on Alki has been sold to new ownership. They will be changing the concept and re-branding over the next few months.

We were given an opportunity to open a new sister location close to our original Hawks Nest in the SoDo area, we had to make the tough decision to sell our Alki spot to remain viable.

We had a fun run, learned a lot and want to say thank you to all the all the local sports fans who came in and enjoyed two exciting Seahawks seasons with us! We had an awesome time and made some amazing new friends. Don’t worry, the original Hawks Nest will be around for the long haul.

We will miss West Seattle and hope to see everyone downtown for the upcoming season! We still live in West Seattle and plan to be involved in the community! Please welcome the new ownership as they are excited to be in the community!

GO HAWKS!

Hawks Nest Ownership

We went by for a look; no note or sign, but definitely dark. We’re not sure exactly when it closed – on social media, a post last month mentioned transition to new ownership but not closure. We’ve noticed it (like B’s) listed for a while as a “business opportunity for sale”, but that kind of listing is often made while the business remains open.

SITE HISTORY: Before the change to Hawks Nest West a year and a half ago, this was Alki Huddle (closed in fall 2016), which followed Bamboo Bar and Grill (closed in fall 2014).

Richard February 17, 2019 (10:02 pm)

Yeah, the new owners posted on your forums a few weeks ago. They were looking for feedback on the place.

Michael February 17, 2019 (11:08 pm)

The place never looked busy…always looked empty. Places like Cactus, Dukes, and El Chupacabra are packed. This is a beach community…French restaurants and too many sports bars can’t compete.

aa February 18, 2019 (11:51 am)

I’ve been thinking about how often I read comments about Alki being dead 8 months of the year. And I don’t think I’m alone in the fact that as a WS resident, I avoid Alki in the summer because of crowds, noise, etc. So maybe its up to us, the residents of WS to do our part to support these businesses in the quieter months. When all the ‘outsiders’ go home, if we don’t spend our money there how can we expect them to survive? If not us, who?What if we, as a community, actively participate in supporting them by going to Alki for a meal more often and not buy into this misnomer that Alki is dead 8 months out of the year. If it truly is dead, are we not accomplices?

ACG February 18, 2019 (12:38 pm)

We actually eat down on Alki more in the “off season” than during the summer, just to avoid the crowds and hassles. I totally recommend it!!
- newnative February 18, 2019 (2:04 pm)
  
  I do the same.
- heartless February 18, 2019 (3:20 pm)
  
  ACG: Same. Oftentimes we are there early on a weekday, and while it’s sad there aren’t more places open we always find a spot to stop and grab some grub. We still get down there in the summer, just not as regularly.

CarDriver February 18, 2019 (12:43 pm)

Question. How many restaurants are there in WS? Are there truly enough people here-or visiting to keep every place open? Parking is an issue. if you don’t think so come to Alki in the summer and see how jammed the streets are. Whole lot of people-of every age that don’t want to walk, take a bus or ride a bike.

Q February 18, 2019 (3:00 pm)

And those people are more than welcome to go to the mall – oop no, too much walking going on there – those people are welcome to shop at amazon and stay home in a safe and protected environment while the rest of us are actually out living our lives.
heartless February 18, 2019 (5:08 pm)

Sure, and those people who “don’t want to walk, take a bus or ride a bike” are welcome to complain all they want about a perceived lack of parking. They can complain and complain about how it’s so busy it’s impossible for anyone to go there anymore. But I won’t be listening. For me and many others, no, parking isn’t an issue–and it’s lovely to have it be a non-issue. Just lovely.
- Anne February 19, 2019 (6:44 am)
  
  Oh I know you’re not listening-but just wondering if you live in the real world? There are many-like me -for whom parking is an issue-who are unable to walk or bike the several miles up hills to get to Alki & as for bussing it-sure if they ran regularly enough to make it even halfway doable -especially in the winter. It’s not that “us people” don’t WANT to walk,take a bus, or bike, -it’s that for many reasons we can’t. I am happy that for you & many like you parking is not an issue-but please don’t dismiss those of us that find it it to be one.
  - heartless February 19, 2019 (7:36 am)
    
    A few points: There are many people who might be, for various odd reasons, forced to drive. The previous comments were not about being unable to walk or bus, they were EXPLICITLY about people who simply didn’t WANT to walk or bus. And that, in particular, is where my response was directed. As for buses not running regularly enough for you, I’m sorry that is a problem. For me the 50, which runs about every 25 minutes, has been quite reliable–in part because it starts (ends?) down at Alki. It’s regular enough that it’s quite easy to get down there from the Junction, or anywhere along California, and then we can spend time before easily busing back. I get that the buses don’t run “regularly” enough for you, but I guess you can always drive… Just try not to complain about parking when you do…

wscommuter February 18, 2019 (2:09 pm)

Agreed – we eat on Alki at least a couple of times a month during the “off-season” and typically only go there to eat in the summer months once or twice … we, like many W. Seattle folks, let the tourists take over then. Good restaurants fail for all sorts of reasons. It is a very tough business. I remember a million years ago in a college Econ class learning that (at that time) the failure rate for restaurants in the U.S. was around 80% – and that included the “never fail” places like McDonalds. Too bad we’re losing another restaurant, but someone will step up and give it a try.

David February 18, 2019 (2:45 pm)

We don’t go to Alki during the summer due to crowds and lack of parking. Nowadays even in the off season it seems like there is no place to park within several blocks of the restaurants so we go to the ones in the junction. Lack of parking is a big issue as we get older.

JB February 18, 2019 (3:22 pm)

Saw an ad this weekend in a local paper Mansplat that said “Coming Soon to West Seattle… Gilbeys Drinkateria”. Ad didn’t say a location so maybe this is where it will be located?

WSB February 18, 2019 (4:00 pm)

Ah, the late, lamented Mansplat. In someone’s dreams, perhaps.
- Thermo February 19, 2019 (5:16 pm)
  
  Mansplat is back… There is a brand new issue. I picked one up last week.
  - WSB February 19, 2019 (6:27 pm)
    
    Wow. That’s a story all by itself. A search didn’t turn up anything following the previous comment but just guessing at the obvious domain brought up this.
    http://mansplat.com/

AlkiGuy February 18, 2019 (3:23 pm)

The fact that this place didn’t open until late afternoon didn’t help. Service, food, and theme were all subpar. Pulled pork nachos listed as “New menu item” but never had pulled pork. Ran out of cheese for the next batch of nachos. The places that survive down here are consistent and friendly.

Brian Feusagach February 18, 2019 (4:57 pm)

Like most of the other posts, we tend to avoid the Alki restaurants during the summer but love stopping at our favorites during the other months. Parking near the establishments is never an issue as we tend to park blocks away and walk. Yes, we are “old” – in our 60s – and don’t mind the brief trek when it comes to eating a good meal at place we enjoy. In our opinion, if you build it they will come – the good places stay and those that may be marginal or possibly too narrowly focused will come and go. It’s hard to know what people do indeed want but that’s the gamble of the restaurant business IMHO. See you all on Alki … until school’s out anyway :)

Anne February 18, 2019 (5:20 pm)

Would like to hear from folks in Alki neighborhoods- that are within walking distance of these restaurants- what kind of places would they patronize regularly?

WSobserver February 18, 2019 (7:53 pm)

We’ve lived in west Seattle next to Lowman Beach for 11 years and have only been to Alki once, we don’t have a car. It takes at least 2 buses to get to Alki from here, and 2 buses back home. No thanks. (In our mid 60’s we’re not biking up there in a cold rain either). Too hard to get to.

Lynn March 6, 2019 (8:56 pm)

Metro bus route #37 runs down 48th Ave Sw direct to Alki. Where do you live near Lowman Park that you need to take 2 buses?

CarDriver February 19, 2019 (10:22 am)

Heartless. As someone that lives on Alki I get to view the real world. Parking is JAMMED around Alki on nice day’s. The VAST MAJORITY of people I see look very healthy. They CHOOSE to drive. Come down here and watch when they have a bicycle Sunday. You’ll see the mass of people that DRIVE their bikes to the beach. I’m not arguing with those that promote walking, bikeing, bussing you need to face the reality that nobody’s listening to you.

WSB February 19, 2019 (10:39 am)

Don’t think Heartless will be able to take you up on that suggestion. While the “car-free” Alki events were annual from 2008 to 2014, there’s only been one in the five years since then (Seattle Summer Parkways in 2016).
heartless February 19, 2019 (11:52 am)

A couple points because I think the messages have gotten muddled:

first, I don’t think restaurants are going out of business because nobody can find parking due to Alki being so busy with people. That just doesn’t make sense.

Second, I am well aware that people choose to drive–my whole initial point was solely about that. I only started talking about people who must drive because I wanted to respond to Anne’s point.

And it was to those people, those who really want to drive–not those who must–that I said please don’t complain about parking, and if you do complain about parking don’t get on my case for suggesting you take a bus or a shuttle or bike or walk. That’s all I was trying to say.

And as for nobody listening to me, yeah… I get that a lot.
- Workin4thedirt February 19, 2019 (6:14 pm)
  
  I’m listening. Cars are dumb.

Gorillita February 19, 2019 (11:05 am)

I go to Alki to eat year-round, although more in the winter. From April to October, the Water Taxi Shuttle to Alki is free. You can catch it in the Junction, Admiral Junction and lots of other places in between. Park in one of those area and take the free shuttle. For those of you who are truly unable to ride a bus or walk any distance (or are elderly), have you considered Access? Once you apply and get accepted, they will pick you up at your door and drop you off at the door of the restaurant of your choice (from Olympia to Bellingham), then pick you up and bring you home later. A group of us “seniors (some disabled, some just old) have a “lunch club” and visit restaurants we’ve heard about all the area. We went to Burien last time, Snohomish next time. We go to Alki regularly too. Myself, I also take the 50 as recommended above.

CarDriver February 19, 2019 (12:41 pm)

We do need to promote alternatives to driving. My point being a lot of the posters here(trolls??)throw out stuff that’s clearly in FAR right field. Just muddies the water for the people with good idea’s. Back to the other point…I don’t eat out much-cook for myself most of the time. If I do, usually walk to Alki café or Sunfish

KM February 19, 2019 (1:23 pm)

If you see suggestions that are “FAR right field” for you, it doesn’t necessarily mean that people are trolling you or others. Several people see the future of transportation in this city/state/earth requiring a massive shift in our behaviors, patterns, and comfort levels due to climate change, safety concerns, equity, and population growth.

Sorry, comment time is over.