West Seattle, Washington
20 Wednesday
(Photos courtesy Aimee Owenz)
After Tony’s Market announced its impending closure in August, we learned a food truck with Cuban sandwiches was on the way to its lot, which already hosts a Mexican-food truck. The sandwich truck’s owner then turned up in a comment thread on another food story, and promised to update us when she was ready to open. Now, after soft-opening last weekend, the Aimee Owenz truck will officially open tomorrow. Proprietor Jenn tells WSB, “We are tentatively planning to be open Tuesday through Saturday 11 am-7 pm. We are working on our website and will be adding DoorDash too.” In the meantime, here’s the menu. And here’s a photo of their Cuban sandwich:
The Aimee Owenz truck is on the east side of the lot at 35th/Barton.
P.S. We asked Jenn about the truck’s name: “It’s mine and my brother’s middle names and while we were waiting for the city approval for our truck, our mom unexpectedly passed away. We feel even more proud to honor her. She liked the way Aimee was spelled and Owenz is a family name, so in a serendipitous way she named it.”
For those who asked about an emergency response at 26th/Barton around 9:30 pm, it was reported as a driver hitting a pedestrian. We don’t know details of the circumstances, but Seattle Fire says the pedestrian – a man in his mid-30s – was taken to the hospital by AMR ambulance, in stable condition.
Three reader reports this morning:
STOLEN VAN: Sent by Greg:
Reporting that my van was stolen last night from our home in the Gatewood area about 9:00 pm in case someone spots it parked in the area. The van is a white 1998 Ford Econoline 150 with a roof rack, license #C74786Z. The van was filled with carpentry tools. Please contact me at 206-234-6402 if you see it!
FOUND TRAILER: Jo spotted this trailer parked, door open, no one around, items inside:
If it’s yours, let us know – we don’t know if it’s been reported to police yet. (Update: It apparently was stolen from a band – we’ve heard from them and told them where Jo saw it.)
HIT-RUN INFO SOUGHT: Sent by Tracey:
My friend was hit and run on his e-bike yesterday afternoon. Details are sketchy as I took him to urgent care and he hit his head (helmet on). He lives on 32nd and Thistle and was on his way home with groceries from QFC. His groceries were scattered all over the street and he lost his glasses. He said there was a roundabout at the intersection he was hit at. No one stopped to help him recover his belongings. Any information from the community would be supportive. And his glasses remain lost.
Seattle Fire is at the scene of a small fire that initially was dispatched around 7:30 pm as a large “full response” but then was almost immediately downsized – Ladder 13 was first on scene and able to deal with it quickly. It’s at a vacant, boarded-up house in the 2200 block of SW Trenton [map], northeast of Westwood Village. The fire’s now out, and SFD’s investigator is on scene (and calling just now for police assistance, so we’ll be following up on that). No injuries reported.
(WSB photo, Westwood mailbox’s usual spot)
Thanks to the reader who tipped us that the Westwood Village Post Office‘s drive-up/ride-up mailbox is gone again. Since the Junction Post Office has been without its drive-up/ride-up mailbox for 10 months, that means right now – with another mail-in election approaching – West Seattle is without this type of mailbox. We asked USPS‘s regional spokesperson Kim Frum what happened to the WWV box and whether the Junction box is ever coming back. First, she said, “The box at the Westwood Post Office was removed for repairs. As soon as the box is fixed it will be reinstalled. Our maintenance team estimates it should be no more than a week until it is back in place.” (What kind of repairs, she didn’t say, but we’re asking on followup.) Regarding the Junction box, gone since it was stolen last November: “The box at the West Seattle Post Office had a replacement ordered, however, it was the wrong design. A new box was requested, and the office is currently waiting for it to arrive from the manufacturer. Once the box is delivered, maintenance will install the lock, the sticker with posted collection times, and replace it at its location at the West Seattle office as soon as possible.” Both drive-up/ride-up mailboxes had somewhat decreased in utility since they were replaced earlier in 2023 with smaller mailboxes that were described at the time as more secure.
More city work on SW Trenton by Westwood Village today. This time, it’s speed-cushion installation. We reported last month that SDOT planned to install four sets of speed cushions on Trenton between 25th and 29th, as part of the Safe Routes to School program (with the Chief Sealth International High School/Denny International Middle School campus a block north). Crews are working today, east to west; we happened onto them as they were finishing the easternmost cushions and moving westward.
(Myers Way, Thursday evening, post-resolution)
“Resolution” is the word the city currently uses rather than “sweep”; workers from multiple departments resolved two RV-dominated encampments in West Seattle this week, so we followed up for the statistics that are usually available afterward. We requested and received this information from the mayor’s office, to which the Unified Care Team reports:
SW Trenton north of Westwood Village, cleared on Wednesday (September 18):
-35 people were contacted (over three weeks – they weren’t all living at the site); 7 accepted offers of shelter; 6 RVs and 3 vehicles were at the site, 3 towed; 4,200 pounds of debris removed
Myers Way near the Joint Training Facility, cleared on Thursday (September 19):
-11 people were contacted; 2 accepted offers of shelter; 18 RVs and vehicles were at the site, 2 towed; 11,400 pounds of debris removed
(Looking east on SW Trenton)
10:57 AM: As announced by the city via signage last week, the cleanup operation is under way at the SW Trenton encampment site between Westwood Village and Nino Cantu Southwest Athletic Complex. Workers from multiple city departments and agencies are at the scene. We checked starting at 7 am; the crews showed up around 8:30 am, and a supervisor told us they would be starting at 9. One RV and one trailer remained in the area then (six had been there until recently); when we returned for these photos a short time ago, one trailer remained.
(Looking west on SW Trenton)
We will be checking back later and also asking the city for the information they usually provide afterward, such as how many people they contacted and whether any vehicles were towed (one tow truck was at the scene but appeared to be in standby mode).
11:54 AM: Our photographer went through the area again and says the clearance appears to be over. (Photo added above)
Thanks for the tips. “No parking” signage for next Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday has gone up along SW Trenton between 25th and 29th, and the paperwork attached to some of them confirms those dates are set for cleaning up the encampment in that area.
As reported here previously, the city said it was planning to resolve the encampment in the second half of this month (which starts Monday); that timeframe was reconfirmed by City Councilmember Rob Saka and his district director Leyla Gheisar at Wednesday’s Southwest Precinct community meeting (WSB coverage here). SPD’s Parking Enforcement unit also has orange-tagged vehicles parked in the area:
The tags are warnings that the vehicles will be towed if not moved. Though the signage sets aside three days for the cleanup, past encampment operations we’ve reported on in other areas of West Seattle have tended to be completed on the first day.
(Tuesday afternoon)
As reported here last Friday afternoon, just before the holiday weekend, the city sent an update about the SW Trenton RV encampment, saying it would be cleared “within three weeks.” It was too late for us to reach a city rep for clarification until after Labor Day weekend, but we’ve since heard back from spokesperson Callie Craighead. She says, “The Unified Care Team has a scheduled resolution date for this site in the second half of September, pending shelter bed availability. Notices will be posted 72 hours prior to the scheduled date.” In late August, the city had said only that it was “closely monitoring” the site.
For those who have asked “whatever happened to the plan for Panda Express at Westwood Village?”, our photo has two signs that work is finally under way at the former Pet Pros space, just north of QFC. (Plus, a reader walking by over the weekend reported seeing a handwritten sign on the inside of the door bearing the Panda Express name.)
We first reported last October that the space had been labeled as Panda Express on Westwood Village’s directory map, the only way the center’s semi-new owners have “announced” new tenants in recent years. The map spot labeled Panda Express has remained through multiple updates of the map since then, as well as a listing on the center’s leasing flyer (note page 4), but no signage or permit applications have appeared, nor have there been signs of work – until now. The chain has 72 locations in this state already, including Burien just to the south; to date they haven’t responded to inquiries, but we’re trying again.
Also back in service as of today – Southwest Pool (file photo at right). We reported last month on the plan for two weeks of repair/maintenance work, scheduled to end in time for today’s sessions, and indeed it did – we just went to the pool to check, and the noon lap swim was under way. However, for those who have asked, the long-out-of-service hot tub was not part of this work, and it’s still not fixed, nor does pool staff have a timeframe for when it will be. Southwest Pool (2801 SW Thistle) is the only city-owned indoor pool in West Seattle; you can see its schedule online.
(WSB photo,s this afternoon)
Last week, we reported on the city saying it was “closely monitoring” the growing RV encampment on SW Trenton by Westwood Village. While, as we noted, there have long been a few RVs there, the number has increased in recent weeks to at least five, plus other assorted vehicles, and sidewalk obstructions; nearby residents said the nature of the activity there has changed. In their response to us, a city spokesperson also said a “resolution date for this site is pending.” Now, there’s a timeframe – half a dozen of the people who have reported this encampment via Find It Fix It forwarded us this update they received from the city late today:
In response to your recent email or customer service request submitted with the City of Seattle’s Customer Service Bureau or Find It, Fix It app, the Unified Care Team (UCT) would like to provide you with an update on the scheduled resolution for the large unauthorized encampment located along SW Trenton St. UCT is scheduled to resolve this site in the next 3 weeks based on available shelter and resources.
The City’s contracted outreach partners have been engaging at the site to make offers of shelter and provide connections to services in hopes of avoiding the displacement of any high-needs individuals into other parts of the neighborhood or repopulation of this site.
On the day of scheduled removal, any tents remaining on the site will be removed, and individuals will be offered storage of personal property in addition to an offer of alternative shelter. The Unified Care Team will then conduct a thorough cleaning of the site and removal of all trash and debris.
Following removal, this site will remain on a frequent inspection route in an effort to quickly address any attempted repopulation of the site. Frequency of inspection and removal of obstructions will be reassessed over time based on the level of site activity observed. If you observe a new encampment at this site, please report it using the Customer Service Bureau’s Unauthorized Encampment service request form or submit a service request using the City’s Find It, Fix It mobile app. As always, dangerous or criminal behavior associated with this site should be reported to 9-1-1 for emergency situations or SPD’s non-emergency number (206) 625-5011 for other criminal activity or incidents.
Once again, we would like to thank you for your patience throughout this frustrating situation and for communicating with us as we advance our efforts to keep Seattle streets, sidewalks, and public spaces clean and accessible to all.
Hearing about this, we immediately tried to follow up with the Unified Care Team spokesperson in the mayor’s office, but they’re gone for the holiday weekend, so we won’t likely be able to get followup information before Tuesday. The city has cleared at least three other roadside RV encampments in West Seattle that haven’t been “repopulated,” but the removals were followed by modifications of the area where the RVs had been parked – a new bike lane along SW Andover, eco-blocks along West Marginal, no-overnight-parking signage along Harbor Avenue.
The recent cyberattacks on SEA and on the Seattle Public Library are reminders that online security is a concern for us all. This Thursday, you’re invited to learn about risks and protection, as well as fraud/scam protection, in a cybersecurity presentation by the Seattle Neighborhood Group, hosted at Village Green West Seattle (2615 SW Barton; WSB sponsor). It’s scheduled for 1-2:30 pm in Building 2 at the complex, and all are welcome – RSVP is requested but not required; corinne@villagegreenretirement.com.
By Tracy Record
West Seattle Blog editor
This afternoon, Westwood Village hosted free family-friendly activities in its central breezeway as part of what was announced as an “End of Summer Bash.”
The announcement of this event, sent by a PR firm on behalf of Westwood Village owner ShopCore, was the first one of any kind we’d received on behalf of the center in a long time. We had tried previously to get comment from the ownership/management on various matters with no reply, but this seemed like an opening, so we asked the PR firm if perhaps they could arrange for us to talk to a WWV rep.
They said they couldn’t arrange an interview, but would route our questions to a mall spokesperson. The answers weren’t hugely revelatory but it could represent a start toward more communication from ShopCore. The responses, received via email, were all attributed to Westwood Village asset manager Kori Murphy.
We asked if ShopCore has any long-term redevelopment/infrastructure improvement plans for the center. Murphy replied, “At Westwood Village, the primary focus at this time is on securing exciting new tenants that will continue to elevate the shopping experience for our guests. And while we do not currently have plans for significant capital improvements, we have recently made a number of important aesthetic changes that include repainting the center, giving it a fresh new appeal.”
We also asked if ShopCore was considering selling or redeveloping the often-empty northwest area of WWV’s 1,286-space parking lot. Murphy said no: “At this time, rather than focusing on redevelopment, we are working to fill any unused retail spaces with desirable and coveted new tenants. Doing so will make use of the under-used parking spaces for the timebeing. We are currently in negotiations with a number of potential new tenants for the northwest part of the property and hope to be able to share some news with you soon.”
Specifically, we asked if there’s any hope on the horizon for a permanent tenant in the former Bed Bath & Beyond space, where the temporary store Spirit Halloween has just opened for a third year of a two-month-ish run.
Murphy said the leasing team is “busy assessing new offerings … We are in discussions with a number of potential new tenants at this time, including prospects for the former Bed Bath and Beyond space, and we hope to be able to share some exciting news with you in the near future.”
What about sit-down restaurants? That topic often comes up, with the center’s current offerings takeout-focused.
Murphy’s reply: “Westwood Village is continually assessing its tenant mix and is interested in adding what our community wants and needs. We have heard that our guests would like additional dining options, and our leasing team is taking the request for more dine-in, sit-down restaurants to heart. If there are specific requests that the community has for restaurants and eateries, we encourage them to share those requests by direct messaging the center through its Facebook and Instagram pages.”
With the decision to host a family event today, might ShopCore be considering bringing back some of the events that were staples under previous ownership/management, such as trick-or-treating and Santa photos?
Murphy didn’t address those two specifically but said that “we do expect to provide even more fun-filled activities in the coming months. In fact, our marketing team is hard at work right now putting together our holiday event, which will take place on December 14th. Those details will be shared with the public when they are available.” That will include, they promised, listings on their website calendar.
Last but by no means least, we asked how the owners are addressing crime/security issues. The last line of Murphy’s reply suggested ShopCore intends to step it up somewhat: “The safety and security of our shoppers, retailers and employees is very important to ShopCore and to Westwood Village. As a result, there are a number of security measures already in place that may not be visible to the general public and that we do not discuss as doing so could impact the effectiveness of those measures. What I can tell you is that the center’s on-site security team has a very strong working relationship with local law enforcement and, together, we continually assess and update our security procedures to ensure we are in lockstep with one another. We regularly hold on-site meetings that include our own on-site security team, local law enforcement and tenants so each entity is aware of our procedures and prepared to enact them should an incident occur. Additionally, as we approach the fourth quarter, we will be implementing a more visible law enforcement strategy and relying more heavily on the use of new state-of-the-art CCTV cameras.”
According to Shopcore’s website, they have properties in 15 states, mostly on the east coast.
If you know a student who could use some help gearing up for the new school year, they’ll want to be at Southwest Teen Life Center (2801 SW Thistle) this Friday afternoon – here’s why:
(2023 photo courtesy 1World1Sky)
1World1Sky is pleased to announce the “Backpack for Kids: Summer Bash” event, taking place in the heart of West Seattle. In collaboration with the Seattle Police Department (SPD), Target, Operation Engage, and other valued community partners, we are hosting an exciting Back-to-School celebration on August 16th from 3:00 PM to 6:00 PM at the Southwest Teen Life Center.
The event will feature a giveaway of over 600 backpacks filled with essential school supplies, helping families prepare for the upcoming school year. Attendees can also enjoy a range of summer activities, including a BBQ provided by SPD, games, inflatables, a live DJ, and more. With offerings for students from Kindergarten through high school, there’s something for everyone.
We invite you to join us at the Southwest Teen Life Center on August 16th as we celebrate the end of summer and the start of a fantastic school year!
(WSB photo, June 2018 Westwood Village ‘street fair’)
Westwood Village used to have an annual “street fair,” but – under relatively new ownership – haven’t brought back any events; the last one in our archives was in 2018. Suddenly an announcement landed in the WSB inbox today, sent by a PR agency on behalf of Westwood Village:
Westwood Village, a landmark open-air shopping destination on the south end of West Seattle, invites the community to celebrate the end of the summer season with an “End of Summer Bash” on Sunday, August 25th, from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. in the Westwood Village courtyard near Big 5 Sporting Goods and FITNESS 19. Visitors will be able to enjoy music and fun activities, including balloon twisting, face painting, giveaways and more. The Westwood Village End of Summer Bash is free and open to the public; no pre-registration is required. Activities and giveaways are first come, first served.
In the announcement, the PR agency also offers a new description of WWV as a shopping center where “Seattle sensibility and cool Pacific Coast vibes merge” and touts its history as having “served the neighborhoods of West Seattle, White Center, and Burien since 1966.”
12:11 AM: Police are investigating what’s reported as a collision near Westwood Village involving a driver hitting a pedestrian in the 25th/Barton vicinity in the past half-hour, then leaving the scene. The initial description of the vehicle was only “black sedan.” The pedestrian is reported to have a serious leg injury.
12:18 AM: Dispatch has been told they’re taking the victim to Harborview Medical Center.
10:01 AM: SFD tells us the pedestrian is a woman in her mid-30s and that she was in stable condition when transported.
ADDED WEDNESDAY: Here’s the SPD summary:
At 2347 hours, a witness called 911 Dispatch (CARE) to report a vehicle vs pedestrian collision in the 2500 block SW Barton St. Officers arrived in the area and located the victim lying in the roadway with obvious injuries. The witness stated he observed the victim crawling across the roadway when a dark colored sedan struck her and continued without stopping. SFD arrived and treated the victim who was transported to HMC.
People were lined up waiting to be the first customers for Daiso‘s new Westwood Village store when it opened its doors at 9 this morning. It was an exciting day for the staff, too:
Never been to a Daiso store? Inside, you’ll find generally inexpensive items both practical and fun:
The new store is in the combined space previously occupied by two businesses – Fresh Vitamins (which closed six years ago) and SportClips (which closed last year).
Thanks to the texter who sent the photo – a Seattle Police Mounted Patrol sighting at Westwood Village. They’re seen around West Seattle on occasion, as they’re based here, at Westcrest Park (as shown in this WSB story from last year); SPD has told us in the past that this is one of the places they go to get acclimatized to being around people and traffic. Community interaction is the unit’s main job, aka “relational policing” –
Sunday before last, John L. Scott Westwood Real Estate (WSB sponsor) presented a shredding event and food drive in a corner of the Westwood Village parking lot. Now we have the results, and words of gratitude!
(WSB photo, April 28)
Thank you to:
–White Center Food Bank for their time coming out – we raised $1,295 in donations and 495 pounds of food.
–Joe Kiser and Jason Fox of the Madrona Group/John L. Scott Westwood for putting on this community event.
–Luke Zender of Evergreen Home Loans> for supporting this amazing event!We were able to shred 3,675 lbs of paper.
Please contact Natalie Trius @ natalietrius@johnlscott.com if you would like to be added to our email list for our next shred event!
P.S. You can help the WCFB any time by going here.
(WSB file photo)
Thanks to Ashley for the tip! Ten months after we first reported that Westwood Village had a Daiso store on the way, the opening date has been announced: Saturday, June 1. If you haven’t seen the signage (which went up two months ago), Daiso is opening in a newly consolidated space that was formerly SportClips and Fresh Vitamins. According to the announcement, the first 100 customers making $30 purchases after the store opens will get tote bags and plushies. Store hours weill be 9 am-9 pm Mondays-Saturdays, 10 am-8 pm Sundays.
One of the last remaining independent small businesses at Westwood Village is closing its brick-and-mortar doors. Lauren’s Jewelry, formerly known as Wyatt’s Jewelers, is going online-only. Proprietor Lauren Wiggins already has started promoting a going-out-of-business sale (as noted here) and is now officially announcing her shutdown plan:
It is with a heavy heart that after 5 years of Lauren’s Jewelry, we are closing our store. Lauren and Tyler would like to thank each of our friends, and customers for allowing us to do what we love to do, and being a part of our lives.
Please come in and take advantage of this opportunity to save up to 70% on our entire inventory of diamonds, color stones, and silver jewelry. Come in and enter to win a pair of 1.00ctw diamond earrings.
From the bottom of our hearts, thank you. -Lauren
It’s been a challenging five years – as noted in this January report, Lauren reported having a collection of seven SPD officer cards from investigations of burglaries and attempted burglaries (and now, add the truck theft to that). Meantime, Lauren tells us she hasn’t set a hard-and-fast closing date yet – the going-out-of-business sale will include a “VIP preview” event next Tuesday through Friday for starters, and she’ll see how things go from there. She bought Wyatt’s Jewelers from previous owners Kirk and Joni Keppler when they decided to move on after 15 years.
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