(Clementine owner Linda Walsh, photographed Monday by WSB’s Patrick Sand)
Happy 5th anniversary to Junction shoes/accessories powerhouse Clementine and its owner Linda Walsh! Her feisty, fashionable Junction shop was one of the first local businesses we tracked even from the butcher-paper-on-windows stage; our archives show that five years ago today, we noted that the lights were on and shoes/purses were on display at the then-about-to-open Clementine. Now, after five lively years, Linda, her team, and their legions of stylish fans are preparing for a party. 10 am-6 pm this Saturday (September 17th), as announced on Clementine’s site, not only will shoppers be offered cake and mimosas, they’ll also get a “mystery discount” – at least 5 percent, maybe as much as 50 percent. Stop by and help Clementine celebrate the Big 5 on Saturday; keep an eye out for more previews at clementines.com, or on Facebook, here. (What? Never been? 4447 California SW)

Seattle-based Viking Bank (WSB sponsor), which has one branch in West Seattle, is getting new ownership and a new name. Spokane-based AmericanWest Bank has just announced it’s buying Viking’s parent company, and will merge Viking Bank into AmericanWest. Here’s the official news release; here’s a letter from Viking Bank to its customers, saying “you can count on working with the same professional staff as always at our seven locations.” The merger is expected to be finalized by the end of the year, according to this list of FAQs.

Though it’s not as hot a topic as the West Seattle Trader Joe’s project nearby (see yesterday’s update?), we know there are folks awaiting the opening of the new Les Schwab Tires on the southwest corner of 38th/Alaska, so we checked to see how that’s going. This one’s taking a bit longer, too; when we talked with a spokesperson in June, they were hoping to open this month. But that spokesperson tells WSB today that the new estimate for opening is mid-October.

FIRST THURSDAY REPORT, 12:25 PM: If you’ve noticed anything unusual today at the port facilities in and near West Seattle: Reports are circulating that longshore workers in Seattle and elsewhere are off the job today in relation to a dispute that turned violent in Longview. The International Longshore and Warehouse Union is quoted as saying it’s “investigating” those reports; the Port of Seattle has issued a statement acknowledging “work is not occurring at our terminals today”:

The Port of Seattle is aware that work is not occurring at our terminals today, as longshore workers are not present. Port of Seattle terminals are leased to terminal operators who work directly with ILWU for staffing. We do not know when work will resume. We will send an update at 3:00 pm today.

Here’s the ILWU’s side of the story about what’s happening in Longview. The dispute has been simmering for a while, as chronicled on the union’s Facebook page.

THURSDAY 1:09 PM UPDATE: Labor Notes quotes ILWU as saying no action had been formally called, but “large numbers of individuals appear to have taken action on their own.”

EARLY FRIDAY MORNING: Our partners at the Seattle Times have updated the situation. No followup statement emerged from the Port of Seattle Thursday afternoon/evening; it remains to be seen if work will resume today.

8:25 AM FRIDAY MORNING: The Port has issued a short statement saying operations are back to “normal” today.

By Tracy Record
West Seattle Blog editor

With three grocery stores within a radius of barely three blocks, the Admiral District is home to West Seattle’s busiest food-shopping hub.

And it’s been a big year for all three of those supermarkets – Safeway just opened its new store, PCC Natural Markets (WSB sponsor) remodeled its West Seattle store, and Metropolitan Market (WSB sponsor) celebrated “a fantastic 40 years of being in business,” as Admiral store manager Glen Hasstedt describes it.

We talked with him recently to check in on what’s new with MM, and what’s ahead.

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Eight notes from and about local businesses, received/gathered recently:

MAWADDA CAFE: For those wondering when this Mediterranean café in the Admiral District (first reported here in July) is going to open – as seems to be unavoidable for projects like this, the café’s owner tells WSB that it’s taking a bit longer than expected, so no opening date yet, despite the big bright OPENING SOON banner out front. We’ll keep you up to date!

AVALON ADDS LUNCH: Got a note from Avalon that it’s now serving lunch, if you haven’t heard. (You’ll find the lunch menu on their website; they’re at 2940 SW Avalon Way.)

We have a couple longer restaurant-related updates in the works too – check back here in the next few days (unless you’re checking out for the long holiday weekend, in which case, have a great time, we’ll see you when you’re back!)

Now, the non-food businesses:

SIMA MARTIAL ARTS MOVES: Owner Bob Heinemann says they’ve officially finished their move now to the new location at the corner of Fauntleroy/Genesee in The Triangle. And he’s launching an 8-week boot camp starting September 12th, 6-6:40 am. He says, “We have a diverse curriculum and diverse community of men & women ages 12 to 71!” They’re online at simamartialarts.com.

CYCLE UNIVERSITY SALE: Also in The Triangle, Cycle U is having a sale through this weekend. Brad Loetel explains that it’s “our end of summer closeout sale on all 2011 Bikes and Clothing through Labor Day weekend. Our 2012 bikes will be arriving shortly so we need to clear out the remaining inventory.” Cycle U is at 4550 Fauntleroy Way SW.

MOUNTAIN TO SOUND SALE: And another Triangle business with a sale – Mountain to Sound Outfitters (WSB sponsor) has just kicked off its Labor Day sale; full details here. They’re in The Triangle at 3602 SW Alaska – and remember, they have an online store now too.

WEST SEATTLE FABRIC COMPANY SALE: The sale at West Seattle Fabric Company (WSB sponsor) is announced on their Facebook page, including “20% off over 450 selected bolts of collection fabrics (1 yd. min. cuts), 20% off quilting tools and rulers, 20% off select quilting books and patterns, and 20% off All Sewline fabric pencils, erasers and refills.” 2210 California SW.

NEW PILATES STUDIO: Be: Pilates recently opened in West Seattle (3703B California SW). Its owner is West Seattle resident Beth Montanez. She says hers is “the only studio in Seattle with the Balanced Body CoreAlign.” Besides private and group classes, Beth says she is offering “the first Pilates Instructor Training Course to be hosted in the West Seattle community,” starting September 30th.

HIGHLINE PHYSICAL THERAPY MOVES: Clinic manager Darren Dilley, PT, says they moved over the summer from their previous quarters east of Jefferson Square (home to Highline Medical Center’s West Seattle Family Medicine clinic (WSB sponsor), and future urgent-care clinic) and are now in the Jefferson Square tower, on the 5th floor, above Bartell Drugs. Dilley says Highline Physical Therapy-West Seattle is “planning an open house for physicians, and possibly another one in early October for the general public.”

It’s the first day of September, and there’s a bit of chill in the air. Time to think about heating oil, if you use it, and that’s the business of a new WSB sponsor, SC Fuels. Here’s what they would like you to know:

Customers rest assured that SC Fuels will deliver the best prices on home heating oil. We pride ourselves on having the highest level of service that is possible, from the time someone picks up the phone and places their heating oil order with one of our customer-services representatives, till the time our delivery drivers step on the property to deliver the oil, our unwavering commitment to customer service is unmatched. Customers also rest assured that we have the highest level of integrity of any heating-oil-delivery company and we always look out for our customers’ needs and family first. After all, without our customers, who would we be? No one.

Customers come to SC Fuels because they know that they will find the best possible price for their oil. They know that we have a price-match guarantee, and we always beat our competitors’ prices. Home heating oil is the most efficient way to heat your home and we ensure that you can do that at the most affordable prices possible!

Customers continually come back to us because of the peace of mind we have developed with our customers. When you call to place an delivery order to your home, you want to know the delivery personnel are not going to do anything shady. Customers tell us all the time that they know, when SC Fuels delivers their oil, they can rest assured that they will receive their delivery with no problems.

SC Fuels‘ community/advocacy involvement includes organizations such as the Pacific Northwest Oil Heat Council and the National Biodiesel Board (for development of sustainable energy resources), and sponsorship of the Washington State Special Olympics. You can call them at 253-475-7600; they’re online at scfuelsnorthwest.com.

We thank SC Fuels 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.

Three updates from The Junction this afternoon:

NEW PAINT: Thanks to Brian Presser from TouchTech Systems for the photo of a crew applying new paint to the long-beige building where he and several other businesses are headquartered – the one with the breezeway, south of the old liquor store. Speaking of which:

VAIN MOVING INTO OLD LIQUOR STORE: We’ve already reported that The Beer Junction is taking part of the old state liquor store space in the 4500 block of California SW (open since the liquor store’s new location is now in business). This afternoon, we know who else is moving in – VAIN salon/boutique will open its third Seattle location there (it’s already downtown and in Ballard). Its news release says this is a homecoming for VAIN founder Victoria Ptak, who lives in West Seattle. Read the news release in full, with more details, here. Victoria also sent a note, saying, “The building will be undergoing a major rehab in the next few weeks. We will be starting work on our portion of the building starting October 1st with the goal of being open winter-ish. As a resident and huge fan of West Seattle I am excited for the opportunity to join such an active community! There are so many great businesses, community activists and fun neighborhood happenings, I look forward to bringing what we can to the mix.”

‘EXPERIENCE JUNCTION LOVE’: Just because our abbreviated summer is ending, don’t retreat into your shell – “experience Junction love”! It’s the new campaign just announced by the West Seattle Junction Association, whose website mentions some of the things just waiting for your love (and patronage). The campaign will spotlight a new theme each month – read on for a sneak peek:Read More

EDITOR’S NOTE: Many WSB’ers have asked about the former Tervo’s at 4415 Fauntleroy, which has changed hands a few times recently and been closed a while. Suddenly this week, windows were installed on its south side, and painting was under way. We asked WSB contributor Keri DeTore to check it out; here’s what she discovered.

Update and photo by Keri DeTore for West Seattle Blog

New owners Negash Yassin (pictured) and his brother Daniel have purchased the former Tervo’s site in The Triangle and are adding it to their Corner Store & Deli franchise. This West Seattle location will feature fresh Boar’s Head sandwiches, some fresh produce, and a substantial wine and beer selection. It will still offer some of the typical corner-store products, such as sodas and cigarettes, but in a more “upscale” environment.

Negash says he and his brother studied the neighborhood to determine what it seemed to need, so in addition to the previous offerings, they will offer more coffee options. They will be featuring Ethiopian coffee in their mochas and lattes and providing punch cards for coffee drinks and sandwiches.

As for the renovation, the inside has been completely gutted, with new wall systems being installed and the wood-framed windows presenting a more inviting street front. Says Negash: “We try to look our best; we don’t want it to look like a prison.”

He says “Corner Store & Deli #2” will be open for business within the next two weeks. (#1 is in the Central District, at 1720 S. Jackson.)

One of the newest stores in The Junction, Nurturing Expressions, is one of our newest WSB sponsors, and today is their turn to share what they would like you to know about their business: Nurturing Expressions has been nurturing mothers and their babies in Washington State since 2004 and recently expanded by opening a new boutique store in West Seattle. Whether mothers choose to breastfeed, pump, bottle feed or do a combination, Nurturing Expressions‘ team of board-certified lactation consultants will support mothers and their babies through all stages of feeding. The store offers a private breastfeeding room where consultants can personally support mothers and their babies, and they offer free baby-weight checks. They also provide in-home lactation consultations, classes and support groups – find the schedules here – and specialize in selling breastfeeding supplies, breast pumps, nursing bras (with personalized fittings), and more. Owner Tracy Corey (left) has lived and worked in West Seattle for more than 16 years. Tracy and her husband, Mike, have two children that attend Madison Middle School & Arbor Heights Elementary School.

Nurturing Expressions offers some extras, too. If you’re in The Junction with your baby and need a quiet place to nurse, you can stop by. Their store carries compression stockings, as well (read more about the store here) – and if you’re looking for babywearing accessories, Nurturing Expressions is also the place to go. Tracy wants to hear from the community – what else would you like to see a store like hers carry; what services would you like to see them offer? They’re in the Junction Tower building at 4746 44th SW, second floor, across from Junction True Value; online at nurturingexpressions.com and on Facebook, here.

We thank Nurturing Expressions 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.

We caught Erin from Twilight Artist Collective in the frontier-fun mood as The Junction goes Wild West (Seattle) today for its annual late-summer “Big Bonanza” sale day. (Their big deal of the day is described here.) Around the corner from Twilight, Brian at Easy Street Records with the vinyl:

Further north on the west side of California between Alaska and Oregon, Marcie told us Jan’s Beauty Supply has discounts today on one-liter sizes:

And we finished our quick jaunt at California/Oregon’s northwest corner, saying hi to Hank at Fleurt:

Who else is on the Big Bonanza list? All here, including WSB sponsors Click! Design That Fits and Hotwire Online Coffeehouse, where you’ll want to be at 6:30 pm tonight as gates open for the West Seattle Outdoor Movies presentation of “Toy Story 3,” preceded by a free barbecue (enough food for 225 people, first come, first served) courtesy of West Seattle Christian Church.

(EDITOR’S NOTE: After several WSB’ers e-mailed – thank you! – to point out the daily lines outside West Seattle Coins in The Junction, we asked Keri to check out the story.)

Story and photo by Keri DeTore
Reporting for West Seattle Blog

There’s gold in them thar garages! And in drawers and old boxes, and … With gold prices at their highest point in years, people are cashing in at West Seattle Coins, leading to frequent lines outside their California/Oregon storefront.

The shop doesn’t open until 10 am, but the first customer in line was there at 8:30 this morning, and had brought a book to read while he waited. As of 9:30, four more people were in line and explained they came early in order to avoid the wait once inside the shop.

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(Our grand-opening coverage from earlier today is here and here)

The Admiral Safeway grand-opening celebration continues, with The Toucans playing till 7 pm – we went back to get them on video. The store is still crowded with shoppers/visitors. If you couldn’t make it to the ribbon-cutting ceremony at 11:30, we recorded it all on video, 19-plus minutes with a few speeches from Safeway officials and longtime Admiral neighborhood advocate Dennis Ross, who helped cut the ribbon:

Other Admiral community leaders we bumped into included Admiral Neighborhood Association president Katy Walum:

And Rev. Peter DeVeau from nearby St. John the Baptist Episcopal Church:

Rev. DeVeau told us he had toured the store earlier in the morning – and they accepted his offer of a pre-opening blessing.

Many more photos ahead, including perhaps the most famous Admiral-area resident we spotted:Read More

(12:15 PM UPDATE: The store’s now open. Ribboncutting video added to this story; separate full report later.)

10:57 AM: If you visit the new Admiral Safeway, which opens its doors to the public a little more than an hour from now (noon today, after an 11:30 am ribboncutting), take a moment and check out “Barb’s bench.” It’s on the landing of the stairway to/from the rooftop parking (which of course has an elevator nearby), and as noted on a it’s in honor of longtime Safeway employee Barb Fuda, a 41-year West Seattle Safeway employee who’d been looking forward to working in the new store – till cancer claimed her life two months ago. The store has other seating areas too:

This one is also on the west side of the store, to the right of the Starbucks kiosk, and includes a TV – Safeway’s Sara Osborne joked this morning (or maybe she wasn’t joking) that the Seahawks game would be on tonight. (Like other local Safeways, this one has wi-fi.) Then outside, as promised while the project went through an exhaustive series of design reviews, there’s a seating plaza at the southwest corner (California/Lander, across from Hiawatha):

We’re on our way back to the store right now – they’re offering a tour to show off the features of the store that Safeway says racked up enough points to potentially qualify for LEED silver status. Besides the 11:30 ceremony, special features today include a shopping-bag giveaway (limited quantities) and the Toucans steel-drum band playing 4-7 pm (that’s expected to be outdoors). More to come.

ADDED 12:16 PM: The ribboncutting, with longtime Admiral neighborhood leader Dennis Ross and City Councilmember Tom Rasmussen wielding the scissors:

We’ll have a separate report later with more video and photos, including the entirety of the grand-opening ceremony.

New information – plus that old photo – from Safeway, as its new Admiral store gets ready to open this Thursday. First: Though the doors officially open at noon, there will be an outdoor ribboncutting ceremony at 11:30, and the public’s welcome – enter the parking lot from California SW. Safeway’s Sara Osborne points out that this marks Safeway’s 50th anniversary in the Admiral District, and that’s why the photo is significant – it’s from 1962, showing the original store when it was about one year old an old Safeway in West Seattle. Historic photos will play a role inside the new store as well; Admiral and Alki scenes will be displayed. And Safeway promises some freebies: The first 500 customers will get reusable grocery bags with “Admiral Safeway” written on them; the first three weeks post-opening will include tastings of various items offered at the store. And if you look for a “Yellow School Bus” tag on items, note that purchasing them will send 10 percent of the sales price to a local school of your choice. Note that the big changes at the site (where a retail and residential building are still under construction) include parking – there’s still some ground-level parking, but there’s also a ramp on the east side of the store that will take you up to new parking on the roof. (added 5:14 pm – video showing you a bird’s-eye view of where the parking is, and more):

P.S. Still awaiting word on what band will be playing (after suggestions were solicited here)!

ADDED 3:23 PM: More of the new signage is up:

To recap if you’ve missed earlier coverage, Umpqua Bank and Menchie’s Frozen Yogurt will open this fall in the retail building on the northwest side of the lot; the building on the southeast side is mostly apartments and scheduled to be available for leasing next year.

Got a band? Want to play for thousands? Safeway‘s Sara Osborne says they’re looking for a group to play at the Admiral Safeway grand opening one week from today, 4-7 pm. Yes, they’re expecting thousands to come see the store that day. If your band is interested – or if you want to make a suggestion! – please comment here and/or e-mail her at sara.osborne@safeway.com.

Two quick notes: First, “The Big Bonanza” is back this year in The Junction. The big Junction-wide sale is set for August 20th, and the list of more than 30 participants is already on The Junction’s website – see it here. Again this year, just look for the red balloons and checked tablecloths! Second, longtime WSB sponsor Click! Design That Fits has announced a special event for tomorrow night’s edition of “Shop Late Thursdays” – West Seattle-based cookbook author Kim O’Donnel will be at Click! with tastings of dishes from her “Meat Lover’s Meatless Cookbook,” 6 pm tomorrow. (Any other “Shop Late” participants with something special tomorrow? Let us know!)