West Seattle, Washington
02 Wednesday
That’s the note up at DutchBoy Coffee in Highland Park (southeast corner of 16th/Holden). Proprietor Jenni Watkins has announced she’s closing the stand after almost 2 1/2 years. “I am the 4th business owner to operate a coffee stand on my corner and I tried to be the last one,” she told WSB by e-mail. “Sadly the way our world works, with business taxes, beverage tax, and the increasing cost of rent I cannot remain open. … I hope someone can carry on the neighborhood magic somehow. I want to let my customers know how they changed my life in great ways & I’ll miss serving great coffee.” As the sign says, she plans to stay open a few more weeks, so you can stop by to wish her well.
Unwind Café is about to open across from Seacrest (aka the West Seattle Water Taxi dock), at 1619 Harbor Avenue SW. It’s actually something of a “reopening” because Unwind Café’s proprietor Vanessa Kammeyer was a co-proprietor of the shop that used to be in the space, Moondrop Coffee and Tea. Vanessa tells WSB that while the new name is a fresh start, otherwise, “everything is the same”:
Same menu; fresh juices and smoothies made with real fruits/vegetables. We have dairy-free bubble tea, organic/fair trade coffee provided by “Grounds for Change,” locally roasted in Poulsbo, which I pair with organic milks only. My dad’s anise/almond biscottis will still be stocked. Bagel sandwiches made with Einstein Brothers bagels, and smoothie bowls topped off with superfoods like cacao nibs, chia seeds, spirulina, granola, etc.
Vanessa notes that she has worked for 14 years in the food-service industry, running the Harbor Avenue shop since October 2014:
One of my goals has been to serve healthy food with great ingredients to my community; Unwind Cafe is my opportunity to do that. And to top it off, we have a great view of the Seattle skyline. … It’s a great place to come and unwind.
Vanessa expects to reopen the shop this Friday.
This Thursday, you can drink up for a good cause. Ounces co-proprietor Laurel Trujillo (WSB file photo at right) is raising money as she prepares to have surgery, but it’s not a benefit for her – it’s to raise money for brain-tumor research. Here’s her announcement and how you can help:
Laurel here, owner of Ounces! Hoping you’ll join me and our brewery friends to help raise money for a cause very personal to me. I was recently diagnosed with a brain tumor and will be going under the knife (hence the name, lol) on April 3rd to have it removed.
Before the surgery, I’d love for you to come have beer/cider with me and help raise a bunch of money for brain tumor research!
Here’s how the fundraiser works: We’ve partnered with 21 of our brewery friends (and 2 cideries) to raise funds for the American Brain Tumor Association (or ABTA). For 1 night only, both us and the 23 breweries/cideries will be tapping up a specific beer/cider and donating $1 of every pint sold (us at Ounces and each of the breweries/cideries at their respective taprooms).
So on Thursday, 3/28… head to Ounces or one of the below breweries and lets all drink beer for a good cause!
Partners & Taplist:
Holy Mountain Brewing -Creation and Providence Saison
Stoup Brewing – Beer with Friends IPA
Urban Family Brewing Company – Perpetuation Sour
Matchless Brewing – The Clarity IPA (100% of proceeds donated)
Aslan Brewing Company – Classic Light Lager
Lowercase Brewing – Forbidden Rice Lager
Georgetown Brewing – Manny’s Pale Ale
Rooftoo Brewing Company – Scotch Scotch Scotchity Scotch Ale
Chainline Brewing Company – Going Under the Knife IPA
Counterbalance Brewing Company – Secret Summer Hazy IPA
Standard Brewing – Ghost Note Dark Lager
Optimism Brewing Company – PRIDE Farmhouse Saison
Jellyfish Brewing Company – Cannonball Oatmeal Porter
Seapine Brewing Company – Dutch Skater Pale
Two Beers Brewing Co. – Party Line IPA
Hellbent Brewing Company – Flight Test Experimental IPA
Black Raven Brewery – Test Flight 2.5 Hazy IPA
Mac & Jacks Brewery– Serengeti Wheat
Chuckanut Brewery & Kitchen – Pilsner
Old Stove Brewing Company – Amber Waves
Fremont Brewing – Nitro Dark Star (*100% of proceeds donated, only at Ounces, not at Fremont Urban Beer Garden)
Locust Cider – Original Dry Cider
Seattle Cider Company – Lemon Lavender Cider
Laurel and husband Andrew Trujillo opened Ounces in North Delridge (3809 Delridge Way SW) in 2016. For more info on the participating breweries, follow the links in this post on the Washington Beer Blog.
(WSB photos by Patrick Sand)
As announced a month and a half ago, Friday (March 8th) is the big night for The Best of Hands Brewery and Barrelhouse (7500 35th SW) – its grand opening! The proprietors took a break from intensive preparations to invite media in tonight, so we stopped by for photos.
Above are Chris Richardson, Gregory Marlor, and Nicholas Marianetti. They’ll have 17 beers on tap when they open – 12 ar theirs.
Best of Hands is focused on “farmhouse and sour ales inspired by those of Belgium and France but with an emphasis on Washington state ingredients, mixed-culture fermentation, and some spontaneous fermentation.”
Best of Hands is not a restaurant, but food trucks will be visiting – Falafel Salam this Friday, Buddha Bruddah on Saturday, Plum Bistro on Sunday. Best of Hands is a 21+ space; hours will be 3 to 10 pm, Thursdays through Mondays.
P.S. If you’re wondering about the rooftop cow, inherited from the space’s previous tenant John’s Corner Deli – it’s not back in place yet, but, the proprietors tell us, soon!
ADDED TUESDAY: The cow’s return turned out to be REALLY soon – hours later!
That’s the scene we found inside West Seattle Thriftway (WSB sponsor) at midday today after a reader texted us wondering about that video crew. We learned at the store that they were shooting a commercial for a flavored water called Hint – and after noting that Hint is based in San Francisco, we sent an inquiry wondering what led to the choice of location. Here’s the reply we received from Katherine at Hint:
We are excited as it will be our first commercial for Hint Kids. Why Seattle? Well who wouldn’t love to be in Seattle? ;-)
Actually the production company we are working with is based in Seattle and were able to source locations in their area for our commercial. They will be coming down here tomorrow to finish up the non-grocery store portion at our corporate offices in San Francisco.
I hope your readers will enjoy spotting their favorite store when the ad runs…they will have the inside scoop.
10:59 AM SUNDAY: The “for lease” sign has been down for a bit but there’s been no hint of what’s ahead for the former Tully’s at 2676 Alki Avenue SW – until now. A “site plan” has just showed up in city files. The early-stage plan is for remodeling the space into a “new eating and drinking establishment” that the document names as “Harry’s Beach House.”. What’s on file also notes that the siding and windows will be replaced, but the alterations otherwise are interior only. That’s all the info so far. It’s been 11 months since the Alki Tully’s suddenly closed, part of a wave of other closures around the area, followed by legal action for eviction a few weeks later.
EARLY MONDAY: In finest community-collaborative-news style, more information has unfolded in the comment discussion – thanks to Will o Wisp saying he’d learned of an affiliation with Harry’s Fine Foods on Capitol Hill, we found a clue, that Todd then confirmed.
(Photo courtesy Best of Hands Barrelhouse)
9:09 AM: Long-in-the-works Best of Hands Barrelhouse has just announced its opening date for 7500 35th SW, former home of John’s Corner Deli (past and future home of the cow on the roof):
Craft beer drinkers near and far – rejoice! Best of Hands Barrelhouse, West Seattle’s newest microbrewery, will open March 8, 2019. Casual imbibers to beer connoisseurs can look forward to a comfortable taproom and outdoor patio to discover beer designed around Washington state ingredients and terroir.
West Seattle owners and brewers, Chris Richardson, Gregory Marlor, and Nicholas Marianetti’s brewery will showcase a range of rotating beer styles, with a focus on mixed-fermentation barrel aged sours and European inspired farmhouse ales. The goal of the brewery is to make beer that embodies a sense of place by utilizing the highest quality Washington state and Pacific Northwest ingredients whenever possible, and forging relationships with independent raw materials producers. The mission of the brewery is to produce the best handcrafted product we can while providing eclectic offerings to our guests.
Nicholas Marianetti and Gregory Marlor have most recently been serving the West Seattle community as beertenders at Alaska Junction’s beer bar and bottle shop, The Beer Junction. The two of them are level II Certified Cicerones®, and they will be sharing brewing and beertending duties at Best of Hands Barrelhouse.
Best of Hands Barrelhouse is located at 7500 35th Ave SW, Seattle, WA 98126 and can be found
at www.bestofhandsbarrelhouse.com.Hours of operation:
Sunday- 3-10 pm
Monday- 3-10 pm
Tuesday- CLOSED
Wednesday- CLOSED
Thursday- 3-10 pm
Friday- 3-10 pm
Saturday- 3-10 pm
ADDED LATE WEDNESDAY: Nick from Best of Hands sent answers to some questions that came up in comments:
-We are a 21+ establishment
-Well behaved pets will be allowed on the patio only
-We are planning to host rotating food trucks but have not yet developed that program
-Lastly, the parking lot on 35th beside the patio, as well as Clearview’s parking lot, will be available to our guests after 5 pm on weekdays and anytime Saturday and Sunday. There is usually ample street parking besides, and we’re conveniently located on the 21 bus line.
As for the cow (whose name is Merriam), Nick says she will be back before they open.
Two readers emailed us to report that they had heard Shadowland in The Junction would be discontinuing its regular slate of events including pub-quiz trivia and DJ Night soon. They were worried it was a sign of more change to come. So we went over to ask. No, manager Heather told us, not a sign of anything ahead – they are doing fine as a restaurant and bar and have decided to focus on that since attendance at events had slipped, and features such as trivia are abundantly available elsewhere. Shadowland (4458 California SW) is in its 12th year.
(WSB photos)
Today is the first full day of business for Zoe Lyn Kritzer‘s new shop Youngstown Coffee Co. at 5214 Delridge Way SW, but you might know her already from her past West Seattle gigs. We contacted Zoe after neighbor Kate tipped us about seeing the new shop in soft-open mode on New Year’s Day at the former Daily Dose space. Zoe tells us:
My desire to start a coffee shop in West Seattle began when I was 18 and I started working at Uptown Espresso on SW Edmunds St. I have continued to fall in love with the community of West Seattle as I made my residence permanent a few years back and juggled four jobs, two of which allowed me even more exposure to the best of the West; Ma’ono and Uptown Espresso. I am beyond excited to create a space where every person that walks in the door feels like they can be unabashedly themselves and leaves at least a bit better off than when they entered; satiated mentally, physically, and emotionally. My shop is centered on building the beautiful community of Delridge and bringing together people from every walk of life through interpersonal communication and connection.
A big question for coffee shops is always “what are you serving?”
I’m partnering with Victrola for my beans. I grew up on Cap Hill, going to their original shop on 15th; it’s where I began my love affair with coffee and I still think they make the best coffee in Seattle. They also have one of the most supportive, intelligent, ethical, and just generally wonderful team of coffee professionals.
I’m also featuring Friday Afternoon Teas. Friday, the owner of the tea company, is a true tea artist and scientist. Her teas are unlike anything I’ve ever tasted or smelled. She uses a combination of ethically sourced fruit, herbs, and spices to create unique and intoxicating blends.
Lastly, I serve pastries from my innovative and mastermind bakers down at Macrina. They deliver tantalizing treats daily for the fantastic folks of West Seattle to snack on with their craft coffee.
Youngstown Coffee Co.’s hours are 5 am-6 pm weekdays, 7 am-3 pm Saturdays and Sundays.
By Tracy Record
West Seattle Blog editor
Four and a half months after the sudden death of Uptown Espresso‘s owner, the local chain is getting some management help – and some resulting changes have raised questions among customers.
We looked into the changes – specifically, the ones made at the Uptown shops in the West Seattle Junction and Delridge – after e-mails from half a dozen customers wondering about the changes and rumors of others to come.
The major changes confirmed by the new management: The Junction shop is now closing earlier in the evening. And the Delridge shop is phasing out retail sales of board games.
Uptown owner Dow Lucurell died in July, just 54 years old. Fonté Coffee, Uptown’s roaster, is now its manager.
Our questions were answered in an e-mail exchange with Jason Cronk, retail operations manager for Fonté and Uptown. First, he clarified that Fonté has not purchased the Uptown shops: “Fonte is merely the management company at this point. With the sudden passing of Dow the owner, we have agreed to step in to manage and refresh the cafés. We are committed to maintaining the heart and soul of Uptown. We will be replacing worn-out equipment and refreshing the stores with some much-needed maintenance. The sudden passing of Dow, the owner of Uptown has put us in a situation to help maintain the legacy of Uptown.”
At Delridge, Cronk says, the Gameporium identity is evolving, not ending. “Delridge will continue to offer games to all customers to play while in the Café. We simply will not be retailing them anymore. We plan on turning the front shelving into a community lending library. We are offering BOGO on all games until our stock is depleted.”
Delridge will continue to be open into the evening, Cronk said: “We have no intention of changing hours in Delridge.”
The West Seattle Junction store, however, is closing earlier, at least for now, Cronk confirms. Previously, it was open until 10 pm five nights a week, 11 pm Fridays and Saturdays, and now it’s closing at 6 pm, seven nights a week, displacing some community groups that had held evening meetings there.
Explained Cronk: “Short term, we have adjusted hours at several of the cafés in order to rein in expenses and assess the overall health of the business. These hours are a temporary measure in certain stores and will be addressed again seasonally when the traffic patterns shift.” Specifically, he says, “hours will be revisited in the spring.”
Any other changes? we asked. The reply: “No other big changes are occurring on the customer side right now. We will be introducing additional scratch-made products to all stores next year. A full sandwich and savory program as well as an expanded whole-bean coffee selection and some new offerings.”
Even under the wing of Fonté, which has cafés downtown and in Bellevue, the Uptown brand will carry on, Cronk said: “Uptown espresso will remain Uptown. We are two separate companies with a shared goal of creating great customer gathering places with amazing products.” He said Fonté is overall promising “even better coffee, cleaner stores, more options.”
West Seattleites Kendall Jones and Kim Sharpe Jones founded the Beer Church with the idea they could do good deeds while having a good time. Twenty years ago, they organized the first beer-and-bowling event they called the Turkey Bowl. Though Kendall at first wasn’t sure there’d be a second Turkey Bowl, it rolled on and gathered momentum year by year, and around the 10th one, he says (that’s the first one we covered), they realized they had a good thing going. How good?
That photo from tonight’s 20th annual Turkey Bowl gives you an idea of how good – every year, hundreds of pounds of food donated for the West Seattle Food Bank. (They promise to send us an update on tonight’s tally – including donated dollars – later.) The fun also includes an ever-more-impressive raffle, which was happening when we looked in on the Turkey Bowl tonight:
Tonight’s Turkey Bowl also launched this year’s Beer Church IPA, a partnership with three breweries, with sales benefiting the Crohn’s and Colitis Foundation of America. You can “look for it at better beer bars and bottleshops around the Seattle area” even if you didn’t make it to tonight’s Turkey Bowl.
P.S. Kendall and Kim also bring you the Washington Beer Blog year-round.
One of our newest WSB sponsors is Schooner Brewing & Provisions, which is more than a brewery – it’s also a restaurant and deli. Here’s what they would like you to know about what they offer:
Located in the heart of SODO, just a 10-minute drive from West Seattle, Schooner Brewing is a neighborhood brewery serving up delicious hand-crafted beers! Most of the staff call West Seattle home, and the brewery has a long history of involvement in the West Seattle community.
Independently owned and operated for over 11 years, Schooner Brewing offers everything from classic Northwest IPA’s and Lagers, to Barrel-Aged Sours and Farmhouse Ales. House favorites include Hopvine IPA, 3 Grid IPA, King Street Brown Ale, and SODO Lager. Longtime head brewer Joel Stickney enjoys experimenting with different hops and barrel-aged sours to consistently offer new and unique options. Schooner’s commitment to the craft is unwavering, and guests can taste the time and energy that goes in to every pint.
The tap list features 20+ options ranging from Schooner beers, draft Washington wines, house-brewed spiked seltzers from San Juan Seltzers, and Timber City Ginger Beer, a non-alcoholic beverage made in the South Park neighborhood.
The dinner menu showcases a variety of large plates and shareable appetizers such as Chicken and Turkey Bahn Meatballs, Beer Cheese Dip with Giant Soft Pretzel, Chicken & Waffle Sandwich, The Schooner Burger, Asian Noodle Salad, a Build-Your-Own Dirty Fries menu, plus a variety of seasonal dishes highlighting fresh, in-season produce. Dinner and snacks are available in the brewery from 3 p.m. to close daily.
Happy hour is offered Monday-Friday 3-5 p.m. and features $3 select pints and $2.50 King Street Brown Ribs. Schooner Brewing’s weekend brunch is served Saturday-Sunday 10 a.m.-3 p.m. and offers dishes such as Biscuits and Gravy, Chicken and Waffles, Fresh Veggie Scramble, and Seasonal Pastries.
Schooner Provisions, the adjacent lunch deli, offers hot and cold made-to-order sandwiches, fresh salads, fish and chips and more, Monday-Friday 10 a.m.-3 p.m.
The brewery is family-friendly, with a shaded dog-friendly patio. Guests are encouraged to enjoy their custom-made shuffleboard table, giant Jenga, Thursday night trivia starting at 7 p.m. and other various events held at the brewery. Schooner Brewing is also a great setting for your next private event or party, with up to 75 people easily accommodated. For private event inquiries email info@schoonerbrewingseattle.com
Schooner Brewing and Provisions is located at 3901 1st Avenue South. Schooner Provisions is open Monday-Friday 10 a.m.-3 p.m. The brewery is open Monday-Thursday 3-9 p.m., Friday 3-10 p.m., Saturday 10 a.m.-10 p.m. and Sunday 10 a.m.-9 p.m. Weekend brunch is served Saturday-Sunday 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Happy hour is Monday-Friday 3-5 p.m. To learn more, visit www.schoonerbrewingseattle.com or call 206-432-9734.
We thank Schooner Brewing and Provisions for sponsoring independent, community-collaborative neighborhood news via WSB; find our current sponsor team listed in directory format here, and find info on joining the team by going here.
(WSB photos)
Three months ago, we mentioned that a coffee shop to be called West Seattle Grounds was on the way to the former mortgage-broker space at 2141 California SW, next to Mioposto. Now it’s open (thanks to Adam for the tip).
West Seattle Grounds is serving Caffe Umbria coffee, along with baked goods, breakfast and lunch sandwiches, and salads. Hours are 5:30 am-8 pm Mondays-Saturdays, 6:30 am-8 pm Sundays.
P.S. As posted in our West Seattle Jobs Offered section, they’re hiring!
6:38 PM: Perfect night for a Wine Walk … second one this year presented by the West Seattle Junction Association, and another sold-out event. More than a dozen Junction businesses are hosting wineries; the WSJA photo above is from CAPERS, where Viscon Cellars (WSB sponsor) is pouring. (Our other winery sponsor, Welcome Road, is featured too, pouring tonight at Carmilia’s boutique.) Here’s the full lineup. Watch for word of more Wine Walk action next year, and remember to get your ticket(s) early!
8:59 PM: And as it wraps up – from the loft at Click! Design That Fits (WSB sponsor), where the wine was from Mercer Wine Estates:
Excited about Halloween yet? You can get in the spirit starting Monday by bringing your dog to Dutchboy Coffee in Highland Park – in costume. (Your dog, not you, although you’re certainly welcome to dress up too.) Dutchboy proprietor Jenni Watkins shares the rules:
To participate, the Pupstomer must be in costume at the shop within the month of October. Each Dogstume (dog in costume) will be photographed at Dutchboy Coffee and will be judged on originality, quality, and pizazz. All pupstomers’ pics will be on Instagram for all to vote.
Jenni adds that there are prizes: “A fancy custom dog collar made by local artist Angelia, a drink for the human, and a picture of the lucky dog in costume on our wall for all to see.” Judging will happen on Halloween, and the winner will be announced November 1st. Dutchboy is on the southeast corner of 16th SW/SW Holden.
Having a Halloween/harvest contest, event, etc.? Let us know – for our calendar and our annual Halloween Etc. event guide, launching soon – westseattleblog@gmail.com – thank you!
Thanks to Evan for the tip via Twitter – another West Seattle business closure, The Daily Dose coffee shop (5214 Delridge Way SW). We don’t know when it happened, but Evan was the first to mention it to us, after spotting that sign in the window this morning, and we went over to confirm.
(WSB photos)
The first-ever West Seattle Beer and Music Festival has begun! The boards up outside the Alki Masonic Center in The Junction tell you what’s happening – including the featured restaurants and breweries.
It’s not just brewers who are in the spotlight, it’s also local beer specialists like The Beer Junction:
From left are Chris, Allison, and Morgan. The festival’s on until 10 pm; part of the proceeds benefit WestSide Baby.
The Masonic Center is at 4736 40th SW, and you can get your tickets – which include food and drink – here. Tomorrow has two sessions, afternoon and evening, and then the festival finale is Sunday afternoon, when you’re invited to bring your pup.
(Black-headed Grosbeak, photographed in Fauntleroy Park by Mark Wangerin)
Busy Tuesday in West Seattle (and beyond):
ELECTION DAY! Get your ballot into a mailbox today (postage no longer needed) or into a King County Elections dropbox by 8 pm tonight – West Seattle’s dropbox is by the High Point Library (3411 SW Raymond). Here’s our most-recent election refresher.
WADING POOLS: Could get to 90 today, so they’re open. West Seattle’s Tuesday pools are Lincoln Park (8011 Fauntleroy Way SW), 11 am-8 pm, and Delridge (Genesee/Delridge), noon-6:30 pm.
MOBILE BIKE REPAIRS: Fourth BikeWorks session of the summer. Free or reduced-price bicycle repairs are happening on the driveway behind Neighborhood House High Point, 2-4:30 pm. (6400 Sylvan Way SW)
DELRIDGE GROCERY FARMSTAND: The Delridge Grocery Coop is scheduled to continue its weekly farmstand, 3-7 pm at the Shell across from DGC’s future store. (5441 Delridge Way SW)
‘NIGHT OUT’ BLOCK/BUILDING PARTIES: Tonight’s the night that neighbors gather to build and celebrate community in the spirit of safety. 6-9 pm is the basic window. West Seattle has more than 260 registered block parties that’ll be closing off side streets; some have also chosen to be shown on this map.
WEST SEATTLE LITTLE LEAGUE WATCHING PARTY: It’s a must-win game tonight for the West Seattle Little League All-Stars at the Northwest Regionals in Southern California, 7 pm vs. Alaska. WSLL says the Great American Diner and Bar in The Junction will again host a viewing party with the ESPN+ video feed. (4752 California SW)
WEST SEATTLE BIKE CONNECTIONS: 7 pm meeting at Neighborhood House High Point. (6400 Sylvan Way SW)
GEEKS WHO DRINK: Weekly trivia at Whisky West (WSB sponsor), 8 pm. 21+. (6451 California SW)
SEE THE FUTURE … by browsing our complete calendar.
Before we get back to previews of imminent summer fun (and other news) – we want to be sure you know about the first-ever West Seattle Beer & Music Festival, which is sponsoring WSB right now to help get the word out. First thing you need to know – this is a 21+ event. It’s happening August 24th through 26th at the Masonic Center in The Junction, offering what organizers describe as “an amazing selection of unique beers, spirits, customized food pairings from local culinary heroes, and an event soundtrack of live music throughout the weekend.”
It’s a benefit, too, with ticket proceeds helping WestSide Baby serve thousands of families in need.
So far, 30 local and national brewers are participating in the West Seattle Beer & Music Festival, with 70 beers, both specialty and familiar. The spirits will be offered in handcrafted cocktails in a special lounge. And the food pairings will be featured in “Sips and Bites” popups “curated by local culinary stars working directly with festival brew masters.” Food on Sunday will include a pig roast, and that’s also Dog Day – when you’ll be able to bring your furry friend.
As for the music – showcased acts include Rippin’ Chicken, Funky 2 Death, Marmalades, and Unsinkable Heavies – plus others – as well as DJ Indica Jones.
“We are thrilled to bring this festival to our community. It’s a very exciting time to be on the Westside,” said West Seattle Beer & Music Festival Association chair Joe Jeannot. (Read more about organizers here.)
READY TO GET YOUR TICKET(S)? There’s a range of festival ticket options, starting at $25. All include a souvenir pint glass, available for pickup at the festival. Limited and VIP ticket offerings are available, with amenities listed by organizers as including “early access, preferred seating, special drinks, private restrooms, custom T-shirts, private pours, and epicurean creations.” Get your ticket(s) here!
You probably recognize this now-iconic mug – known best to hold the Mai Tai at West 5.
The West Seattle Junction restaurant/bar is one of our newest WSB sponsors, and we’re officially welcoming them in this week when we all celebrate what’s local as Summer Fest approaches.
This is a big year for West 5, celebrating its 15th anniversary in the spring. Co-proprietor Dean Overton explains that the idea of opening a place grew out of the closure of the old Admiral Benbow. He and business partner Dave Montoure thought that the neighborhood needed a good bar that kept the spirit and flavor of the neighborhood alive. Since Dean and Dave are both West Seattle born and raised, they thought they were suited to bring that idea to life.
Once they secured West 5‘s location in the Junction, Dave and Dean stocked the place with items from some of the other former West Seattle establishments, such as the giant plaster ship painting, which came from the old Vann’s (now the Maha).
West 5‘s signature lighted crown in the rear of the restaurant came from the time when the space was a bowling alley.
Looking back, Dean says he and Dave were ahead of the curve in trying to bring a great establishment to the Junction. (One that happens to be TV-free!) Over time, they believe that they’ve been around this long because they let the community have a say in which direction West 5 would take. While that’s meant some changes to the menu – don’t worry, some faves like the legendary mac and cheese are still there! – and drinks, it also creates a sense of togetherness for both the patrons and staff.
As always, West 5 will have its outdoor café for Summer Fest next weekend, starting Thursday night with the Yadda Yadda Blues Band. But you are welcome to visit any time of year – 4539 California SW – lunch, dinner, drinks, and/or weekend brunch.
We thank West 5 for sponsoring independent, community-collaborative neighborhood news via WSB; find our current sponsor team listed in directory format here, and find info on joining the team by going here.
Two coffee-related notes:
(WSB photo from March)
EX-TULLY’S FOR SALE: Almost four months after Tully’s Coffee closed on Alki, the 2676 Alki SW building it had been renting for more than a decade is listed for sale. The flyer says you have to call the listing agent to inquire about the price, and also notes that leasing the space is an option too. Tully’s was officially evicted from the building, as it has been from others around the metro area, some weeks after the sudden shutdown. (Thanks to Jonathan French for the tip.)
NEW COFFEE SHOP FOR NORTH ADMIRAL: That’s what’s on the way to the space next to Mioposto at 2141 California SW:
The mortgage broker who originally was in the space has moved to Sunrise Heights. Documents on file with the city say the coffee shop for which the space is now being renovated will be called West Seattle Grounds. We have a message out in hopes of finding out more.
By Randall Hauk
Reporting for West Seattle Blog
The South Delridge area will see the arrival of a new neighborhood bar and restaurant later this summer, with Can Bar set to sail into the stretch of 17th Avenue SW between Delridge and Roxbury.
David Gradwohl says he and his partners — Josh Baymiller and James Imonti — are hoping for a mid-July open of their nautically themed bar and restaurant, with an eye toward being able to meet the community during White Center Jubilee Days (July 18-22).
The “Can” in Can Bar is a reference to the prominent role canned beer will play in the bar’s offerings. While there will be six taps for draft beer and a full bar, there will be no bottled beer available.
(WSB photos. Above, Jade Nguyen and Tony Larson)
By Tracy Record
West Seattle Blog editor
Soon to join the West Seattle bar scene: The Alley.
Jade Nguyen explains that her parents – who have operated Be’s Restaurant in The Junction for more than 30 years – wanted to open a bar.
The private room in the rear of the restaurant at 4509 California SW, which hadn’t undergone much updating over the years, seemed like the perfect space.
So it’s undergone a transformation in recent months – with Jade teaming with veteran local bar specialist Tony Larson to create a space with a “speakeasy” motif. We talked there with Jade and Tony earlier this week.
The lighting will be dim; the decor and cocktails will transport you back in time to the Prohibition-era. Even the bartenders/servers’ uniforms and chilled glassware will be intended to enhance the mood.
Tony says he is “huge on bars as a place for people to talk, to put your phone down.” The Alley will be that kind of place.
You’ll enter from the alley, one door down from California/Oregon. There might not even be signage. Probably just a light to let you know you’re in the right place. Most of the drinks will be familiar: “a decent-sized menu, about two dozen cocktails, you’ll recognize most of them.” Manhattans, for example. And Sazeracs. And some “new classics,” promises Tony, who will do some bartending in the early going too (you might know him from the launch team at Alchemy [WSB sponsor]).
Music? Jazz, says Jade, who has also been working on the decor – The Alley’s somewhat industrial-looking legacy windows will be covered by velvet drapes; a crystal chandelier catches your eye over the corner “lounge” area on one end of the bar. Other touches include an antique fireplace grate and some wall bricks that are newly installed but look like they’ve long been in place.
Food? Small bites. And before too long, you’ll be able to dine next door, as Jade says she expects to expand Be’s dinner offerings into later hours once the bar’s open – Vietnamese food, in particular (she’s working on a new menu for that).
Hours for The Alley will be 4 pm to midnight Sundays-Thursdays, 4 pm-2 am Fridays and Saturdays. Happy hour 4 pm-6 pm. They expect to be open by West Seattle Summer Fest Eve (July 12th).
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