BIZNOTE FOLLOWUP: Top Pot Doughnuts opens in The Junction on Wednesday

Three and a half months after we first reported that Top Pot Doughnuts would return to West Seattle, it’s about to open. We visited the new space at 4709 California SW – where Wildflour closed in January – during a preview event this afternoon. The Top Pot team confirmed that they’ll officially open tomorrow (Wednesday, August 7), 6 am-7 pm.

Below are Mark and John from Top Pot, with Chris and Stacie from the West Seattle Junction Association:

The Junction shop is opening three and a half years after Top Pot closed its previous West Seattle location on Alki.

The chain was founded on Capitol Hill more than 20 years ago.

Whisky Woods August 6, 2024 (6:08 pm)

Vee August 6, 2024 (6:15 pm)

This looks like a real nice cozy atmosphere for coffee and donuts, I hope it isn’t turned into a wifi sit all day with your computer so no one else can

K August 7, 2024 (6:37 am)

Does that actually happen in real life? I’ve only ever seen that on TV.
- Sm August 7, 2024 (2:37 pm)
  
  Yes, this just happened when I tried to go enjoy a coffee sit-in at Olympia coffee yesterday. All the seats were taken by people working on laptops
  - Pam August 7, 2024 (6:02 pm)
    
    The people on their laptops are also paying customers. Why do you deserve a seat more than them?
    - Saltier than the Surcharge at Salty’s August 8, 2024 (1:28 am)
      
      Pam, at what point does a person go from a “paying customer” (your words) to a wi-fi-coffee-shop-seat-taker-upper (I’m paraphrasing Vee here)?? I’m not even suggesting that I know the answer (I can’t wait to read the replies), but pointing out the issue so that you see where Vee is coming from. Does buying a cup of coffee entitle a paying customer to sit there for an hour? Two hours? All morning? There would come a point at which we would all agree (even you, Pam) that other paying customers would “deserve” that seat more than the wi-fi-coffee-shop-seat-taker-upper. The West Seattle Blog clearly needs its own version of “Miss Manners” to adjudicate these matters of coffee shop etiquette (and I am SO available). :)
    - Pam August 8, 2024 (3:31 pm)
      
      By your logic people meeting up with friend should spend no more than an hour at the shop too then. How do you know people aren’t buying multiple coffees while they work on their computer? I love seeing a filled shop, even if it’s people on their laptops. It shows that it’s a welcoming environment. So how about we stop policing who can and can’t sit there. If a shop sees an issue with the amount of time someone spends there they can put rules in place.
    - Saltier than the Surcharge at Salty’s August 9, 2024 (2:28 pm)
      
      Pam, as the new self-appointed coffee shop etiquette guru for West Seattle, here’s how I see it: Anybody with a laptop should get a shared office space. Working on a laptop from a coffee shop is so 2019. It’s not a thing anymore. Nobody needs to be working from home or browsing Grindr at a business you just spent $8 at. There’s no need to “police” anything because we’re all on the honor system. And now for my new tagline (as the self-appointed etiquette expert of West Seattle): You’re welcome, West Seattle.
    - WS Res August 8, 2024 (8:38 am)
      
      I’m impressed with SM’s ability to just look at people on laptops and know how long they’ve been there and how much they’ve spent, thereby calculating their degree of deservingness of the seat.
Foop August 7, 2024 (11:20 am)

Why is that bad? We need so many more “third spaces” in this city.

Morgan Graham August 6, 2024 (6:34 pm)

Woohoo! Welcome back Top Pot 😋

Rdubs August 6, 2024 (6:48 pm)

Chocolate old fashioned, here I come!!

sbre August 6, 2024 (7:43 pm)

Please save me one, Rdubs!!

T August 6, 2024 (7:50 pm)

My daughter and I happened to wander by this morning, and peeked in to say hello. Mark, a worker there, warmly welcomed us and even invited my daughter to a free doughnut. I was very impressed by their friendliness and hospitality (and the kid was impressed by the chocolate doughnut).

Joanne August 6, 2024 (9:30 pm)

Yummy chocolate bars how I have missed you..

Derek August 6, 2024 (10:21 pm)

Excited! About time they came back over here

WS mom August 6, 2024 (11:18 pm)

Yaaaassssss! Welcome back, Top Pot. We missed you!

jj August 7, 2024 (3:40 am)

Someone please put my cardiologist on notice. I’m about to go way down to donut town in the Junction.

Kate August 7, 2024 (6:00 am)

Mark Klebeck is a co-founder of Top Pot. He has an amazing eye for design which is why his spaces are welcoming and cozy. He’s also an incredibly nice and talented person with a delightful family and staff. Great addition to The Junction!

Pauline August 7, 2024 (6:38 am)

Interesting how businesses like to bundle in the same area. Competitors with Dough Joy lol

LyndaB August 7, 2024 (10:07 am)

Yeah, like pizza. 😆

Westseattlelifer August 7, 2024 (8:36 am)

Unpopular opinion top pot is gross. There is far better donuts in west Seattle

Genesee5Points August 7, 2024 (12:56 pm)

“Gross”… really? I get that you have an opinion that there are better doughnuts in West Seattle, but gross is too far.
dangle August 7, 2024 (1:01 pm)

100% agree. They were decent 15 years ago but there are much better options now.
1994 August 7, 2024 (10:47 pm)

Please share where to find far better donuts in WS. I would love to sample! so please share where!
- Hw August 9, 2024 (6:27 pm)
  
  Seriously, I want to know too. I like Top Pot a lot, and don’t love the other WS options. Would be happy to try something else. Either way… yay top pot, we are happy you are back!

AK August 7, 2024 (9:54 am)

Finally! Real donuts!! Yummy! Welcome Top Pots!!

West Marge August 7, 2024 (1:06 pm)

Sounds like business is coming for the Junction again! Is it time to lobby the WSJA to get rid of paid parking in the lots yet? This did wonders for Georgetown when John Bennett ended parking on his lots after there was paid parking for a few years

1ofathousandmegs August 7, 2024 (3:44 pm)

From my understanding, part of the reason the WSJA had to change to paid parking is because the city taxes the lots and it is very expensive. I hate having to pay when I go to The Junction and loathe Diamond Parking in general, but the businesses were literally paying taxes on air. The way I heard it explained was because the city taxes the parking lot as if a six story commercial building were there due to the zoning laws. So it was a massive expense that all the stores had to pay. If I am incorrect, someone please feel free to correct me, but that was my understanding as to why they changed. And for the employees that work there, they also have to pay for parking. It’s a bummer for sure, but I don’t think it would be sustainable for the stores to have to pay for the parking lot on top of rent that’s gotta start at at least $10k for the smaller spaces.

sam-c August 7, 2024 (2:03 pm)

Yay! Nice to see the early opening time too.

Bea August 7, 2024 (5:14 pm)

Had an “apple” fritter from there today. Nicely dark, but not a single scrap of apple in it!

Cruller fan August 7, 2024 (5:52 pm)

Does Top Pot sell French Crullers? Looking for a place that sells them

Sue H August 8, 2024 (11:18 am)

I don’t know about Top Pot, but Good Day Donuts used to sell french crullers on Saturdays. You might check to see if that’s the case still.

Lynn August 7, 2024 (8:55 pm)

Welcome home Top Pot!
We missed you in West Seattle😁

sgs August 8, 2024 (8:20 am)

Missing Chaco Canyon……….

Friend O'Dinghus August 8, 2024 (8:39 am)

I nominate Saltier Than… as official West Seattle Etiquette Adjudicator (WSEA), although I must admit that personally I prefer the moniker West Seattle Etiquette Czar. Good luck Saltier Than… I know you will do great!

22blades August 8, 2024 (2:58 pm)

Mark! Good to see you guys back in WS. Bauhaus Alumni..

sam-c August 9, 2024 (7:14 pm)

Has anyone found a shop that sells buttermilk doughnuts that were as good as the ones that Original Bakery sold on Thursdays?

West Seattle Neighbor August 17, 2024 (2:30 pm)

Stopped in today, I was reminded why I stopped going to Top Pot back in 2011. The staff is far from happy; surly would be a better description. The last time I encountered a happy employee at Top Pot was in 2010 at the Wedgewood location. And the doughnuts are supermarket quality, literally. QFC sells the same doughnuts at a significant discount if you wait unil the end of the day. A fritter is supposed to have flavor. The sugar glaze was so thick there was little else I could taste. Sugar bombs with little. I expect they will be gone in little over a year unless they give people a reason to come in. Have you noticed most of the single treat businesses from the early 2000s (Cupcake Royale, and Pie Ala Mode) even prior the pandemic had started to diversify their offerings in order to stay competitive? Top Pot is could take a lesson from them. The good news is there are better doughnut offerings in the neighborhood that appeal to a broader audience and their staff seems way happier. IYKYK

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