By Tracy Record
West Seattle Blog editor

The store that was “Junction True Value” for so long isn’t any more.

You might already be aware of that; four months have passed since the initial announcement.

The signage, however, hasn’t changed … yet.

“We’re waiting for the city to give us a permit,” says third-generation owner Bruce Davis, with a touch of mild exasperation. “Two and a half months, just to change a sign.”

Well, two signs. Junction Hardware, with Ace beneath it. That’s the name of the co-op that Junction Hardware is part of now. Here’s a rendering of the new signage:

But the sign isn’t what customers are asking about most, Davis says. The number one question: “Are you closing?”

Most definitely not.

But changing, yes, and in positive ways, Davis explains.

For one, returning to affiliation with a co-op, which True Value ceased being after it was sold to a private-equity firm. (Davis says he voted against the sale and was surprised to be on the losing end.) Ace has a more dynamic web presence, too, which means more features they can offer to customers – delivery, for example.

For in-person shoppers, you’ll see “new assortments of merchandise.” Love to grill? You’ll find a bigger stock of equipment – Green Egg, Traeger, Blackstone, and of course Weber. YETI coolers, too. Looking for tools? “More emphasis on big power-tool names.” And more steel products. “Ace is pretty big into the brand names. … Some brand names will be changing. Our private-label brands will change.” Ace also offers a handyman service, he notes.

Plus: “We’re going to do an interior remodel … we’re going to change the register area a bit … But we’re not getting rid of anything major.” They’ll configure the register area so there’s one line for the four cashiers. No self-checkout: “They’ll all be live people,” Davis assures us. The ownership is the same, the hours are the same, the staffing – about 30 people work at the store – is the same. Well, they’re a little short-staffed, he says, after “a couple people retired” with 30 to 40 years’ experience.

Again, the name is changing. And behind the scenes, it’s “kind of a big culture shift … we’re having to learn a lot of things. … We’re progressing through it one step at a time; there’s a lot of training to go through.” Returning to a co-op is good for his store, Davis adds, as it means member stores get to share in profits. “We’re happy to be back in a co-op again.”

And once the internal remodel is done and the external signage is up, they’ll celebrate. “It’s going to be great when we get this all integrated and done!” Look for that sometime in April. “There’s a lot of work between here and there.”

Share This

How easy is it to find a clean, safe, open restroom in a Seattle park? Here’s what the City Auditor discovered

February 25, 2025 6:17 pm

| 44 COMMENTS

| West Seattle news | West Seattle parks

By Anne Higuera
Reporting for West Seattle Blog

Finding a clean, open, and safe restroom in Seattle city parks is, for lack of a better word, a crapshoot. That’s the blunt conclusion of a City Auditor report issued earlier this month, documenting a number of failures around maintenance and access to potties in the parks. West Seattle parks fare no better than the rest. As of this writing, half of District 1’s 26 restrooms are closed for a variety of reasons, some expected and some not.

The auditor’s report (read it here), covering operations in 2023 and 2024, will be discussed by a City Council committee tomorrow. More on that later. First: The report details a confluence of circumstances that contributed to not meeting Parks’ goals around cleanliness and availability, despite almost doubling the parks tax levy in 2023. A hiring freeze in 2024 was the primary culprit, but an increase in vandalism, inconsistent/unenforced standards, and lack of data collection have added up to a situation where managers don’t know if bathrooms have been cleaned, or how much, and the public often can’t tell if the restrooms are usable, let alone open, until they arrive. Improvements are now promised for 2025, and park visitors have the potential to play a larger role in assessing them than previously.

Park restrooms bear the brunt of the challenges that come with providing public restrooms.

Share This

WEST SEATTLE WINDSTORM: The last unresolved major outage is over

February 25, 2025 5:18 pm

| 11 COMMENTS

| Utilities | West Seattle news | West Seattle weather

5:18 PM: As we head into evening, that’s the last major outage in not only West Seattle, but citywide, with the 1,600+ affected customers representing just under half the 3,800+ customers still out around Seattle City Light‘s entire territory. For earlier events, see our morning coverage here and midday/afternoon coverage here. Best news is that the wind has moved on, and we’re even expecting a break from the rain, tonight at least through Thursday – when the temperature could reach almost 60 degrees.

5:27 PM: As if by magic, a moment after we published this, the outage ended, and the SCL map now reflects that.

Share This

HAPPENING NOW: Online auction and dine-out fundraiser for Our Lady of Guadalupe School

February 25, 2025 3:22 pm

| 2 COMMENTS

| How to help | West Seattle news | West Seattle schools

Before the Our Lady of Guadalupe School (WSB sponsor) fundraising event this weekend, two things happening right now are open to everyone: First, now through Friday, you can bid in the school’s online auction, with items donated by local businesses and other supporters – gift cards, tickets, more. Second, both today and tomorrow (Wednesday, February 26), The Westy (7908 35th SW) is hosting a dine-out fundraiser for the school – use the code OLG and mention you’re supporting the school, and they’ll donate 15 percent of the proceeds. Though The Westy is a 21+ establishment for dining and drinking, you can get take-out for the whole family, and that can count toward the fundraiser too.

Share This

WEST SEATTLE WINDSTORM: Outage closes Thunder Road Guitars

February 25, 2025 1:58 pm

| 9 COMMENTS

| Utilities | West Seattle businesses | West Seattle news

If you were planning on guitar-shopping before the day’s out – Thunder Road Guitars (6400 California SW; WSB sponsor) sadly won’t be able to help you today. They’re one of the Seattle City Light customers still out of power, and with the possibility it won’t be back until day’s end, proprietor Frank Gross tells us, he decided to close. Check out the shop tomorrow, 10 am-6 pm.

Share This

FOLLOWUP: Milestone for Alki Elementary construction

February 25, 2025 12:19 pm

| 6 COMMENTS

| West Seattle news | West Seattle schools

Despite the stormy weather, workers are on site today at the Alki Elementary rebuild project; Don sent the photo showing the concrete pour that’s under way. If you’ve passed the site in recent days and noticed the white tent-like structures, those have been part of the preparations for this. This is for the building’s ground floor; other work already been done includes foundation construction and piping for utilities including the building’s heating and cooling system. We asked the district about any other updates, and a spokesperson says, “The mass timber structure installation will begin in March.” The new school is expected to open in fall of 2026; staff and students will have been in temporary quarters at the former Schmitz Park Elementary site for three years by then. It’s been a year and a half since the old school was demolished; after demolition, the start of construction was on hold until an appeal was resolved.

Share This

WEST SEATTLE WINDSTORM: Midday and afternoon updates

February 25, 2025 10:55 am

| 23 COMMENTS

| Utilities | West Seattle news | West Seattle weather

10:55 AM: The wind hasn’t entirely ebbed yet, but the official alert expired at 10 am and – at least in our observation – things are calming. Much of what we covered in our morning report has been resolved, so we’re starting fresh here with midday updates:

(Photo sent by Taylor)

TREE TROUBLE: The major roadblocking trees (Delridge Way, Olson Place, Holden) have been cleared by SDOT, as noted in our earlier coverage. But others are still awaiting clearance – like the one in the photo above, in the park near Delridge Community Center, west of the skatepark (thanks to everyone who sent tips and photos). And here’s another downed park tree, with some backstory:

This tree is at Highland Park. The large downed portion is covering half the road on SW Thistle between 11th and 12th.

As seen in the photo, the city knows about it and has already put caution tape around it this morning.

This is a favorite climbing tree of many kids who visit this park.

Seattle Parks also reissued its reminder that forested parks are places to avoid during high wind, and in general, when the wind kicks up, stay out from under trees. … In South Admiral, a texter reports this tree partly blocking at Walnut/Manning:

POWER OUTAGES: Many power outages were triggered by trees – City Light crews have been busy all night and morning – Al sent this photo from 47th/Eddy:

The largest remaining West Seattle outages are 1,600+ customers on the central west side of the peninsula, and almost 500 in Puget Ridge/Pigeon Point/North Delridge (see the darker markers):

We’ll continue adding to this story in the hours ahead – in general, give yourself extra time if you have to go somewhere, because you might encounter a downed-tree detour, or an intersection that’s stop-all-ways because a sign’s down or a signal’s out.

11:43 AM: The North Delridge/Pigeon Point/Puget Ridge outage is down to 215 customers.

12:30 PM: A caller wants to alert you that the California/Charlestown light is out, though everything around it seems to have power.

1:44 PM: A texter says this is where City Light is working to remedy the Seaview/Fairmount Park outage – “tree on power lines at 37th/Raymond”:

SCL has arborists in the trees (no alley access), but it looks like it will be a little while longer.

3:36 PM: Watch for low-hanging wires/cables – they’re not all live wires, but they can be dangerous just the same. One reader texted about one over the road at 55th/Andover.

3:59 PM: Also – beware of at least one flagpole! Our Lady of Guadalupe reports they’ve closed Myrtle between 35th and 34th (usually just closed during school hours) because of possible danger from their flagpole. They offer apologies to the neighbors.

Share This

WEATHER, POWER OUTAGES, TRAFFIC/TRANSIT/TREES: Stormy Tuesday morning updates

February 25, 2025 6:00 am

| 75 COMMENTS

| West Seattle news | West Seattle weather

Good morning – it’s Tuesday, February 25, and strong wind has been pummeling our area all night. Updates below, as they happen.

WEATHER UPDATE

The High Wind Warning alert remains in effect until 10 am. Otherwise, the forecast is for on-and-off rain, high in the low 50s.

POWER OUTAGES

6:08 AM: The Delridge/Thistle tree mentioned below has also just taken out power for 6,100 homes/businesses from Highland Park to White Center to South Park.

7:11 AM: Some if not all of those in the biggest outage say they’re back on.

7:39 AM: New big outage – almost 5,000 customers mostly in western West Seattle – here’s that part of the map:

Update: Per commenters, that outage was resolved around 9:30 am.

EARLIER: The Seattle City Light map shows scattered outages around the peninsula (as well as elsewhere in SCL territory) – the largest is about 500 customers in the Puget Ridge area, and about 200 around Alki Point, plus the 100-customer second Seaview outage noted earlier.

TRAFFIC TROUBLE, INCLUDING TREES

6 AM: The wind has brought down some trees that SDOT crews are dealing with; we’ve just heard a dispatch for a tree blocking Delridge/Thistle, while earlier tonight, one was reported on 35th near Holden. 7:30 UPDATE: SDOT crew on scene; RapidRide H rerouted until this is cleared … 7:55 AM: Now cleared!

ADDED 6:41 AM: And this tree’s blocking Holden about a block west of Delridge, per the texter who sent photo:

8:33 AM: Holden is now clear.

ADDED 7:28 AM: Two more road-blocking trees – one at 31st/Myrtle, this one on 47th between Oregon and Alaska (thanks for the photo):

ADDED 7:43 AM: A tree down on Olson Place at the east end of the Roxbury corridor is blocking eastbound traffic and rerouting Route 60.

Please let us know if you come across any closures – 206-293-6302 text or voice.

SCHOOL CHANGES

Added 6:33 am: The Highline district just south of West Seattle is on a two-hour delay.

Added 7:53 am: Vashon Island School District ~~1 1/2 hours late …~~ Genesee Hill Elementary lost power in the newest outage but is carrying on …

Update, 8:02 am: Vashon Island SD has now decided to CLOSE for today.

Any other changes? 206-293-6302.

SPOTLIGHT TRAFFIC CAMERAS

High Bridge – Here’s the main camera, followed by the Fauntleroy-end camera:

Spokane Street Viaduct – This view usually looks westward, with eastbound lanes at left and westbound lanes at right:

Low Bridge – Looking west:

1st Avenue South Bridge:

Delridge cameras: Besides the one below (Delridge/Genesee), cameras are also at Delridge/Juneau, Delridge/Henderson, Delridge/Oregon, and video-only (so you have to go to the map), Delridge/Holden and Delridge/Thistle.

MORE TRAFFIC CAMS: All functioning traffic cams citywide are here (including links to live video for most); for a quick scan of West Seattle and vicinity-relevant cameras, see this WSB page.

See trouble on the bridges/streets/paths/water? Please text or call our hotline (when you can do it safely, and after you’ve reported to authorities if they’re not already on scene) – 206-293-6302. Thank you!

Share This