Just spoke with Leon Capelouto, the longtime Junction entrepreneur/property owner, who confirms he will run the soon-to-be-former state liquor store in his Capco Plaza, without much change – for starters – from its current operations. The state branded it Premier Liquor Store before opening it nine months ago, and that’s the signage/name that Capelouto tells WSB he is keeping for now. He says it’s “still going to be a premium liquor store, going to carry a lot of items that people can’t find elsewhere – it’s one of the most complete liquor stores in the state of Washington.” He says he is “hiring all the people who worked there, so the personnel will be the same.”

We followed up with Capelouto after reporting the state’s announcement yesterday that it would close most stores one or more days before the official transition to privatization next Friday. The last day for both West Seattle liquor stores will be next Tuesday, May 29th. Capelouto says he is one of a handful of new liquor-store owners who then will be opening their stores the first day possible, Friday, June 1st – as building owner, he said, he was able to “get a jump on” the process. (The state’s auction – in which Capelouto bid $225K for licensing rights – did not guarantee all bidders the right to the locations; they had to negotiate with property owners.)

He has plenty of retail experience, after all – as owner of the Shafrans clothing store in The Junction for more than 40 years, just steps away from Capco Plaza, which also is home to QFC and Petco stores and Altamira Apartments, as well as smaller storefronts on the building’s east side. He also was high bidder for a state liquor store he will operate in Issaquah.

Bottom line for the Junction location, he says, “West Seattle needs a fine liquor store. … I know the community wants to keep that store.” Though it will be open June 1st with, for starters, the same hours as the state has kept, he says it’ll be a work in progress and that there will be an official “grand opening” somewhere down the line.

Other West Seattle retailers planning to sell liquor include eight of the nine grocery stores (PCC Natural Markets [WSB sponsor] still hasn’t decided) and all four drugstores. (We’re checking on the Westwood state-store site.)

Just announced by the state Liquor Control Board, they’re closing the remaining state liquor stores in phases, with many shutting down BEFORE May 31st – meaning that since the private sellers aren’t supposed to start until June 1st, you might have a few days without availability. Here are the local stores affected, according to the WSLCB’s list: May 29th (next Tuesday) is the final day for West Seattle’s two state stores, in The Junction and at Westwood Village, while May 28th is the final day for the store in White Center. Meantime, several of the local grocery stores that will be selling hard liquor already have stocks on hand, though selling isn’t legal until June 1st.

It’s no guarantee that the current state-liquor-store locations will turn into private liquor stores, but the auction for rights to liquor licenses at existing store sites is over, and the state has announced the high bids. While many bidders face the prospect of negotiating with the sites’ current landlords – since the auction was just for exclusive license-application rights, NOT for the sites themselves – that’s not the case for one in West Seattle: At Capco Plaza in The Junction, owner Leon Capelouto was the high bidder for the license rights to his building’s almost-new “premier” store location, $225,445 – and also the high bidder for an Issaquah liquor-store location’s license-application rights, $251,000. For the Westwood Village liquor store location’s license-application rights, Ankur Patel was high bidder at $300,100. Kulwinder Pabla was the high bidder for the White Center store, $130,100. There are a variety of deadlines in the process now that bidding is over – for example, a deadline of May 4th for payment (per “terms ande conditions” here), after the state finalizes its announcement of winning bidders a week from today. The state has till June 1st to get out of the liquor business, when privatization, as approved by voters last year, takes full effect. The total amount bid on the license-application rights statewide was almost $31 million, according to the state’s news release.

Every Thursday is “free wine tasting” night at West Seattle Cellars, and since it’s almost that time of the week, we’re welcoming them today as one of our newest WSB sponsors. Here’s their message to you:

This April marks West Seattle Cellars’ 17th year of doing business in West Seattle! Over the years we have seen lots of change, but our goal has always remained the same: To help our customers discover their own unique palates, and find wines they love at prices they can afford.

What We’d Like You to Know About Us

•We carry a huge selection of wines — with extensive offerings from the Northwest, France, Italy, and Germany, as well as from lesser-known regions around the world. If we don’t have a wine, we’re always happy to try to track it down and order it!

•We offer wines in all price ranges, from rare and limited wines for serious collectors to our well-stocked bins of wines from around the world — all under $10. We taste nearly every wine we bring in, and each one must earn a place on our shelves, whether it is $8 or $380.

•We hold a free wine tasting every Thursday evening with a different theme each week, plus a monthly Saturday tasting featuring a Washington winemaker. Our tastings are relaxed and informal, and we encourage people to try new wines, ask questions, and discover new favorites.

•We have six monthly wine clubs tailored to different interests, from every-day drinkers to highly collectable wines. Our club members are always telling us how much they love being introduced to great new wines that they would have never tried on their own.

Over the years we’ve enjoyed being part of the West Seattle community. We are highly involved with the West Seattle Helpline’s Taste of West Seattle every year, and Westside School’s annual fundraising auction, as well as other local fundraising efforts. We’ve been a member of the Morgan Junction Community Association for the past 12 years, and we’ve been supporting local artists via the West Seattle Art Walk since 2009. We also work closely with the Northwest Wine Academy at South Seattle Community College as an active member of their Technical Advisory Committee.

In celebration of our 17th anniversary, we’d like to extend an invitation to new customers by offering a 10% discount on your first visit (6026 California SW), during the month of April. Just click our ad in the right-hand column to learn more.

We thank West Seattle Cellars for sponsoring independent, community-collaborative neighborhood news on WSB; find our current sponsor team listed in directory format here, and find info on joining the team by going here.

Another update on something we’ve been tracking for about 2 months – the list of stores in West Seattle planning to sell hard liquor, once privatized sales start on June 1st. Two more applications have just appeared on the state Liquor Control Board‘s website, bringing the total so far to 14 prospective liquor-selling stores in West Seattle, which currently has two state-run stores.

Newest West Seattle applications: Both Rite Aid stores – Westwood Village and California SW south of The Junction.

Previously reported West Seattle applications: Metropolitan Market in Admiral (WSB sponsor), Bartell Drugs (Admiral and Jefferson Square stores), Walgreens (16th/Roxbury and High Point stores), Target (Westwood Village), West Seattle Thriftway, QFC (Junction and Westwood Village stores), Safeway (Admiral, Jefferson Square, Roxbury stores)

Remember, this is NOT the final list of who’ll be selling liquor in West Seattle – sales can’t start before June 1st, and qualifying businesses can apply at any time. (Before last week’s update, we checked with PCC Natural Markets (WSB sponsor), which hadn’t decided.)

Also checking in on the auction for the current state-store locations’ licenses: Bidding started at $1,000 each, as reported here March 8th – the Westwood-location license is up to $4,050, while the Junction-location license bidding is up to $7,100. Bidding is also open for all locations’ licenses together, and that’s now at $551,100, more than double what it was last week. Bidding continues into April.

Sometime in the next few days, wander past The Beer Junction‘s new location at 4511 California SW (first reported here last July), and you just might find the store in “soft open” mode. Proprietor Morgan Herzog will reopen with new features, not just a new storefront. Some are small – like the shopping carts on the left side of our top photo – some are large, like the added bar:

And then there are the familiar features, like Pliny the Oscar:

What about the beer, you ask? (And the other beverages?) 1,250 types of beer fill the refrigerated cases along the store’s walls – here’s the north side:

1,250 is not only double what Morgan opened his former location (across from Jefferson Square, on the site of <strong>Equity Residential‘s future mixed-use project), that’s also about 200 more than he had in stock when he closed that store earlier this month to finish the move. He’s also stocking 100 hard ciders, 50 meads, and 90 wines, plus assorted merchandise including T-shirts and mugs. Hours will be the same as the old location for starters, including Monday closures.

Just in from Jeff Gilbert at the Feedback Lounge (WSB sponsor), on behalf of all the West Seattle/White Center establishments participating in the name-the-charity-beer campaign: After judges reviewed hundreds of entries, they chose … Hi-Yu Brü! The announcement:

HI-YU BRÜ, the third of three Big Al Brewing charity beers, benefiting the West Seattle and White Center communities, arrives just days from now. In a three-week contest to name the beer, HI-YU BRÜ, the entry by TIAN RICHARDSON of West Seattle, was chosen from more than 300 submitted titles. (The contest was only open to West Seattle and White Center residents).

“I am thrilled to have my beer name HI-YU BRÜ chosen to represent our West Seattle/White Center communities,” says Tian. “Hi-Yu, which means ‘much, plenty, abundance’ in native Chinook jargon, will undoubtedly bring just that to all of us in the form of…well…beer, and will also bring help to those in need in our communities.”

For the beneficiary of the sales percentage of HI-YU BRÜ, Tian has chosen the Holy Rosary Parish Ministries, which has a number of different local benefits in the West Seattle community, from meals for the elderly/low-income, to a weekend women’s shelter.

On Friday, April 6, 2012, 6 PM, nine West Seattle/White Center bars and restaurants will introduce HI-YU BRÜ to the neighborhood, with each establishment pledging a portion of the sales to the chosen charity. The beer, crafted by Big Al Brewing, is hoppier styled IPA and will be exclusively available at The Feedback Lounge, West 5, Shadowland, Mission, Big Al Brewing, The Bridge, Locöl, Beveridge Place Pub, and Company Bar until April 26, 2012. After April 26, any venue with a liquor license will be able to buy and offer HI-YU BRÜ to their customers.

“It was extremely challenging to pick a winning name for the beer,” says Feedback Lounge co-owner and charity beer organizer, Jeff Gilbert. “There were so many amazing suggestions, the judges had a hard time deciding. Some of the more fun ones were Alki “Pasty Leg” Ale, Pirate’s Landing Pale Ale, Gatewood Grog, Lincoln Lager, Innocent Amanda Ale, Viaduct Fail Ale, Rolling Roxbury, and Wes C. Addle Pale Ale. Makes me wish we were releasing 10 more beers.”

This is the third in a series of Big Al Brewing-brewed beers with proceeds benefiting local charities. The previous two were Löwman Bräu and Whale Tail Ale.

For almost 2 months now, we’ve been tracking license applications, to see who in West Seattle plans to sell hard liquor once privatization takes full effect on June 1st. Another wave of applications has just appeared on the state Liquor Control Board‘s website.

Newest West Seattle applications: Metropolitan Market in Admiral (WSB sponsor), Bartell Drugs (Admiral and Jefferson Square stores), Walgreens (16th/Roxbury and High Point stores), Target (Westwood Village)

Previously reported West Seattle applications: West Seattle Thriftway, QFC (Junction and Westwood Village stores), Safeway (Admiral, Jefferson Square, Roxbury stores)

This is not likely the final list of who’ll be selling liquor in West Seattle – sales can’t start before June 1st, and qualifying businesses can apply at any time. Meanwhile, the fate of the current state liquor stores remains unsettled. The auction for the locations’ licenses continues; bidding started at $1,000, as reported here March 8th – the Westwood-location license is up to $3,050 (as of right before publication of this story, anyway), while the Junction-location license bidding is up to $5,100. Bidding is also open for all locations’ licenses together, and that’s now at $266,700. (And one final note – the legal fight over the liquor-privatization initiative isn’t over yet.)

ADDED 2:48 PM: Since PCC Natural Markets (WSB sponsor) is the only currently-in-business West Seattle grocery store that hasn’t applied for a license, we checked with the company to see if they’re planning to. Spokesperson Diana Crane’s reply: “The straight answer is that we’re still considering this opportunity and haven’t reached any decisions yet.”

The big move is finally almost here for Morgan Herzog‘s beverage shop The Beer Junction – moving from its original location at 4707 42nd SW in The Junction (which is on the site of the future Equity Residential development) to a big new space less than 2 blocks away (4511 California SW). We first told you about the plan last July; now, the move is at hand, and Morgan is having a sale this weekend to try to clear out inventory before closing the old store. Tomorrow (Sunday) is the LAST DAY at the old store – everything is 10 percent off today and tomorrow. Morgan added in his announcement, “If you have boxes or cloth bags you can bring to package up your purchases, it will be a great help (with the moving process we’re currently running low on extra boxes).” After close of business tomorrow, TBJ will be closed for up to two weeks, Morgan says, to get everything switched over – no hard-and-fast reopening date just yet.

As of today, you can bid on the right to sell liquor, when privatization kicks in June 1st, at (or near) the sites of existing state stores, including the two in West Seattle. The auction listings also include some interesting facts about those stores. Example: Here’s the bidding page for the Westwood Village store, less than two years old. It mentions that the store’s gross sales totaled $3.5 million last year. And here’s the bidding page for the new “premier” store in The Junction, not open long enough for a full year of sales stats. Exactly what does the winning bidder get? Kind of complicated, but explained here.

With three months to go till the hard-liquor business is fully privatized in our state, two local stores are asking your opinion regarding what they should stock. Metropolitan Market (WSB sponsor) has just announced an online survey asking which brands you’d like to see, including locally produced “craft” spirits – take the survey here. Meanwhile, West Seattle Thriftway is inviting you, via their home page, to e-mail your thoughts, particularly regarding “local craft liquor.” (While they’re not conducting surveys so far as we know, we also have reported that local QFC and Safeway stores have already applied for their licenses to sell liquor.)

That’s Tammy, who, with husband Pete, has just opened Alki Juice and Java across from Seacrest. (The space they have taken over was longtime home to Bubbles.) Tammy e-mailed us to share the news about their new business (she shared the photo too), and says:

The menu consists of fresh organic juice options, as well as smoothies made with frozen fruit and juice, and espresso. We already have an amazing mix of customers, residents nearby, scuba divers, Coast Guard employees, water taxi commuters, and people out for a stroll along the water.

No website yet, but Tammy says it’ll be up soon. Alki Juice and Java is open 7 am-4 pm weekdays, 8 am-4 pm weekends.

ADDED 2:09 PM: For commenter “Coffee” and anyone else who wondered – Tammy says they’re using coffee from Zoka.

Two weeks ago, we reported that QFC was the first to seek licenses to sell hard liquor in West Seattle, once Initiative 1183 takes effect, privatizing liquor retailing in our state. We’re continuing to watch the liquor-license applications, and there are a few more stores seeking spirits (hard liquor) retail-sales permits: All three Safeway stores in West Seattle have now applied (Jefferson Square, Admiral, Roxbury); so has West Seattle Thriftway. June 1st is the day that the state is supposed to be out of the booze-selling business.

Five years after the “sexpresso” trend was the talk of the town, people don’t seem to get steamed up any more over the concept of espresso stands with baristas in lingerie. Nonetheless, it’s noteworthy that one of these stands has turned up here, first one we recall hearing about: At 9435 Delridge Way SW in the South Delridge Triangle, the former Java Joint drive-up stand has just been repainted pink and given the new name Brewlesque Espresso. Noticing this while in the area today, we stopped for a photo; the barista told us the stand has new ownership as of just a few days ago, and that’s who made the change. (As was noted in coverage five years ago, as long as the baristas keep their naughty bits covered up, it’s all perfectly legal.)

Thanks to Forest for the tip on this: Readers across America (and likely beyond) who check out The Atlantic‘s website today have the opportunity to read about West Seattle’s Super Deli Mart. The article by Christopher Solomon is headlined “A Postmodern Elks Club Serving Some of the World’s Best Beer” but talks about the 35th/Barton store as a community gathering place as well as a beverage retailer. Read the story here. (Added 1:13 pm – The Atlantic’s story didn’t include a photo of proprietor Min Chung, so we dropped by to get one to add here!)