West Seattle, Washington
12 Tuesday
If you are concerned about reports that tens of thousands of grocery workers around the region have voted to authorize a strike – you’ll be interested to hear that another round of contract talks has just been set by the workers’ unions and the companies with which they’re negotiating: Safeway, Albertsons, QFC, and Fred Meyer (represented together by Allied Employers). One of the unions, UFCW 21, says the two sides have agreed to sit down and talk again next week, on Thursday and Friday. They’ve been negotiating now for eight months and they say the sticking points include pay, health-benefit, and pension-cut proposals.
Today we welcome a new WSB sponsor, West Seattle Autoworks, owned and operated by Todd Ainsworth and Chris Christensen, both longtime West Seattle residents.
(Todd and Chris with team member Nathan Huie)
West Seattle Autoworks has been open for a little over a month, but the staff brings more than 60 years of combined experience. Todd and Chris say they are working to earn each customer’s trust by giving straight, honest assessments of what work needs to be done. The shop is ASA-certified and the staff all have obtained ASE Master certifications. The work on all domestic makes, German, Japanese, and some select European makes. They also specialize in working on hybrid vehicles.
West Seattle Autoworks is the first garage in the neighborhood to offer oil changes using re-refined oil from Universal Lubes. Todd says that by using a re-refined product, we can cut down our use of imported oil by two barrels per oil change, and the re-refined oil only adds $10 to the cost of the average oil change. West Seattle Autoworks is open Monday through Friday from 8 to 5:30. You can make an appointment by phoning 206-257-5344 or you can book an appointment online by going to this page on their website. West Seattle Autoworks is at 7501 35th SW (here’s a map), and you can find them on Facebook too.
We thank West Seattle Autoworks for sponsoring independent, community-collaborative neighborhood news on WSB; find our sponsor team listed in directory format here, and find info on joining the team by going here!
That’s Liame, who Service Dog Academy proprietor Mary McNeight says has been trained in a unique area of service-dog work: Diabetic alerts. Mary says a trained diabetic-alert dog might cost up to $25,000; a dog with this training can tell its owner they are going low “20 minutes before a meter can even register it – dogs’ noses are amazing feats of nature that can be easily harnessed to help their human companions take control of their diabetes.” She’s offering a 16-week, $650 class for regular dogs and their owners that “will teach the dogs to alert when blood sugar levels drop below 80, go retrieve sugary drinks to quickly raise blood sugar levels, go get a meter and if the need arises go get the help of a human companion or call 911.” According to Mary, this is the only training of its kind available in the Northwest right now. She trains not only service dogs but regular dogs/puppies at her recently opened training studio north of Morgan Junction; there’s more info on her website about the upcoming diabetic-alert training and who’s eligible.
Festive green balloons mark the now-open door to High Point Mini Market, the small grocery that has just opened at 3413 SW Graham (map), next to Hans’ VW Repair. Its sign announces halal meat and spices – halal means slaughtered/processed in accordance with Islamic dietary laws (explained here) – and it’s also offering a selection of other foods, as you’ll see on the shelves inside:
The store’s hours are 9 am-9 pm daily for starters, according to its cards; they’re at 206-932-4003.
We’re welcoming a new WSB sponsor today, Sound Advice in The Junction, where you’ll find Gary Larkin (shown above with a huge historic photo of “Downtown West Seattle”). As is WSB custom, new sponsors get to tell you about themselves; here’s what Sound Advice has to say: We at Sound Advice have been following the West Seattle Blog for quite a while when we noticed a number of our customers were posting some very flattering comments about us (which we were very appreciative of). Sound Advice has been in The Junction for ten years and has local West Seattle ownership, so we are vested in the local community. Actually, we were the very first Verizon agent in the area back in the mid-1980s (then known as US West New Vector), so we have loads of experience in the wireless business. Sound Advice has always handled Verizon along with a couple of other carriers, but a couple of years ago we decided to go back to our roots and become an exclusive Verizon agent, since being exclusive allowed us to match the Verizon direct pricing and programs.
Our expertise is in Smartphones, setting up e-mail, and computer-related issues with wireless equipment. We will have 4G launch shortly — that will allow us to have wireless data speeds of 10 to 12 mps, which is faster than most cable modems. We also carry a wide variety of Droids, BlackBerries, other PDA’s, and just regular everyday phones. We have the ability to copy contacts from one phone to another and we can do 98% of what can be done at the bigger mall wireless stores, but with much less waiting on most days. Stop by and check us out! Sound Advice is at 4702 California SW (map), online at soundadvicecellular.com, or call 206-932-4247.
We thank Sound Advice for sponsoring independent, community-collaborative neighborhood news on WSB; find our sponsor team listed in directory format here, and find info on joining the team by going here.
Thanks to TouchTech Systems‘ Brian Presser for sharing the photo of the sign going up today. We’re awaiting owner Aimee Pellegrini‘s announcement of the opening date, but it’s clearly very close for her Tuscan Tea Room and Romanza Floral in The Junction, next to the newly opened Wing Dome. We first reported on the new business back in June; Aimee’s been running Romanza Floral for quite some time, but decided to venture into the tea-room business.
Just got word that West Seattle Thriftway, an independent, locally owned grocer, is getting a $2 million loan through the National Development Council and the City of Seattle. The announcement from the NDC says its Grow Seattle Fund is loaning Thriftway the money to help it consolidate its debt and “make energy-efficiency upgrades to lighting and refrigeration units, resulting in an annual energy-savings of more than 596,042 kilowatt-hours … enough energy to power 45 single-family homes for an entire year.” The program uses a U.S. Small Business Administration “guarantee program,” according to the announcement, which says this is designed to help small businesses that might otherwise have trouble getting financing. The city says businesses can apply for a Grow Seattle Fund, with qualifications including three years of profitability and a need for $100,000 to $5 million “to help with working capital, equipment purchases, tenant improvements, or energy-efficiency improvements” – there’s more information here.
(Look closely and you’ll see some of the new lighting atop the ArtsWest building)
Exactly one month till this year’s tree-lighting ceremony in The Junction on December 4th – and this year, it’ll be in Junction Plaza Park, instead of the 44th/Alaska parking lot where it’s been held the past few years. (The first year we covered a ceremony for WSB, 2006, it was on the site that’s since become the park!) 
Meantime, we also learned from West Seattle Junction Association director Susan Melrose at last night’s Southwest District Council meeting that the Junction’s holiday lighting will be different this year – instead of hanging lights in Junction trees, you will find the tops of “Downtown West Seattle” buildings outlined in lights, plus the trademark Junction wreaths will have additional lighting, for a “brighter, more festive experience,” as Melrose puts it. As previously noted, you can also mark your calendar for three Hometown Holidays Sundays in The Junction, December 5th, 12th, and 19th (the 5th is when the West Seattle Volunteer Recognition Awards will be announced – separate from the tree-lighting ceremony this year – nominated someone yet? do it now!). Watch wsjunction.org for even more holiday-happenings details to come.
In addition to the business comings-and-goings noted the past few days, we have a virtual stack of notes to share. First:
GUITAR TEACHER ON THE MOVE: That’s Richie Jenkin, longtime WSB sponsor, who teaches guitar. He’s switched locations and asked us to share:
I have relocated my guitar lesson studio from my office on California Ave SW to my home studio in the Alki Beach neighborhood. My new location is a half block from the beach and right across the way from Alki Playfield. I can be reached via my website: www.richiejenkin.com or by phone at (206) 799-7432.
SPEAKING OF ALKI, NEW ATM: One year after the BECU ATM was removed from the wall near the Alki Starbucks, Robert pointed out via Facebook that a Chase ATM has now taken its place. Via the WSB Forums, Jo tells us it was installed just yesterday.
ANGELINA’S CELEBRATES FIRST ANNIVERSARY: In a Facebook invite, Angelina’s West Seattle notes that it’s celebrating 1 year in business, and offering specials Friday to commemorate the occasion, plus a DJ starting at 9 pm.
JUNEAU STREET MARKET: We’ve received many notes this past week-plus about this market appearing to have closed again, less than 6 months after it reopened following an eight-month shutdown caused by a fire in the apartment over the market. We have been trying to reach its owners, both in person and via e-mail. Finally spotted people working in the space yesterday and asked them what was going on. Only got a one-word comment: “Remodeling.” We’ll keep watching …
NEW HEAVENLY WHOLESALE LOCATION: This retail business was in The Triangle for a while, then made a temporary seasonal move last fall to the Junction space that had previously been home to Funky Jane’s and is now home to Suite Arrangements. Now, Heavenly Wholesale has turned up in the 5446 California SW space that used to contain On The Way Maternity.
AUTOMOTIVE SOLUTIONS OF SEATTLE: 13 months after this car-sales business moved onto a lot on SW Alaska east of Jefferson Square, they’re gone – the space has clearly been cleared out.
BUILT BURGER MAKES A STAND: This isn’t in West Seattle, but it’s big news for a business that was founded by a West Seattle couple, David and Rebecca Makuen. For more than a year, they have sold flavor-infused BuiltBurger patties by mail, and now they’re opening a burger stand in Pioneer Square, 217 James Street, on November 8th.
TONY’S PRODUCE: Now closed for its annual fall hiatus before reopening with Christmas trees. Meantime, across the street to the south:
EX-EXXON, FUTURE 7-11 WORK REVS UP: Thanks to Kevin for the latest tip about activity at the former Exxon station that’s slated to become West Seattle’s next 7-11. Went by to check; a demolition crew is definitely at work this morning (though the permit does not indicate the existing building will be demolished – just remodeled), and there are two other signs that the store is now on the fast track: First one actually involves signs – a permit issued for one illuminated pole sign and five wall signs reading 7-11. Second one explains why the “seeking franchisee” shingle has come down – according to a liquor-license application last week, the store-in-progress now has a franchisor. By the way, it was exactly one year ago today that we first reported the Exxon station/minimart had closed.
After multiple notes in the past few hours saying a “For Lease” sign had been spotted at the West Seattle Pharmacy site – where a coffee stand had opened while the pharmacy license was awaited – we called proprietor Kenny Wolfe to ask what happened. He tells WSB it just didn’t work out because of a combination of circumstances mostly centering on federal (Drug Enforcement Administration) licensing taking too long – four months longer than expected. “The stars just weren’t aligned,” he tells WSB, which means he’s going back to working as a pharmacist “for someone else, instead of myself.” So now the storefront at California/Brandon (across from West Seattle Nursery) — where Westside Pharmacy closed more than a year ago, after its longtime proprietor moved his business into the then-new Junction QFC — needs a new tenant, and contact info should be posted at the storefront by tomorrow.
During weeks of voting, the KING 5 “Best of Western Washington“ contest was all the buzz … and this week they’re rolling out the winners. No list yet that we know of, since they’re parceling out some of the announcements on “Evening Magazine” this week – but they’ve featured a couple West Seattleites already – among them, about a minute and a half into the top video clip, you’ll find Morgan Junction’s own Feedback Lounge (WSB sponsor) celebrated for “Best Cocktails”! Next clip is all about West Seattle radio/Web personalitiies Marty Riemer and Jodi Brothers, who took 2nd place in “best radio” – even though they now broadcast from Marty’s basement, almost a year after getting the boot from their last full-time radio gig:
We have it on good authority there are at least a few more West Seattle/White Center winners yet to come – next edition of “Evening Magazine” is 7 pm tonight, Channel 5 (and the list should be on best.king5.com starting Friday).
(WSB photos by Ellen Cedergreen)
Whatever you do for a living, you know being in business is hard work. So last night, members of the West Seattle Chamber of Commerce took a break, just for one night, to have a good time while raising money for the organization’s ongoing work to strengthen West Seattle’s economy. Even chamber president/CEO Patti Mullen got a chance to relax a bit:
That’s Patti on the left with twin therapists Jessica and Michelle DeShayes of Alki View Massage. Another popular event during the “Bordeaux, Bites, and Boogie” celebration at Herban Feast‘s Sodo Park was lipreading:
The “lipsologist” for whom those lip-print-bearing partygoers were waiting in line was Jilly Eddy, here doing an analysis:
With the microphone, here’s Paul Binder from PB&J Textiles, which moved this past year to new headquarters next to Skylark Café and Club (WSB sponsor) in North Delridge:
And we caught up with the CEO again, here with Bonnie David of Salty’s and Molly Swain from Providence Mount St. Vincent:
If you’re a West Seattle businessperson but not a Chamber member – here’s membership info. (WSB is a member; we signed up a few months after becoming a business 3 years ago.)
Just 5 months after adding a retail storefront to their wholesale/catering operations, West Seattle’s Heavenly Pastry and Cake has decided to go back to wholesale/catering only. Co-owner Michael Stein e-mailed this morning to say this note is now up on the door of their location on California just south of Admiral:
Dear friend;
Heavenly Pastry and Cake is making a few changes. Our retail shop will be closed as of today.
We will continue baking here, however, for your special orders and our catering and wholesale customers.
Ordering our delicious Pretzels, Cakes, Scones, and other treats is easy, at (206) 420-2780; or online, at www.heavenlypastry.com
Thank you for your support, and we look forward to seeing you soon!
Team Heavenly
One new enterprise that’s under way – Stein points out they’re making pretzels for Dante’s Inferno Dogs, the popular hot-dog purveyor that’s best known in more-northern Seattle neighborhoods.
(WSB photos/interview by Ellen Cedergreen)
Got a mattress you don’t need any more and can’t find anyone to take? Your solution may lie with Matt Althauser, who recently opened Bed Be Gone, a mattress-recycling company, based at ActivSpace on Harbor Avenue north of the West Seattle Bridge. He’s been a man of many potential-startup ideas over the years, but this one just made sense: “I started researching and realized there’s nobody doing it for individuals in Seattle, so I thought it’d be a great service and it’s a pretty straightforward business model.” How does it work? Read on! Read More
The Avalon Way 7-11 is now under the same ownership as 2 other West Seattle 7-11s (Admiral Way and Harbor Avenue). What makes that particularly notable is that the owner is throwing a “grand opening” party in a couple weeks (though he took over last spring); here’s the announcement sent to WSB to share:
Grand Opening: Meet Chintu the owner
November 6th, Saturday – 12:00 pm to 2:00 pm
Free Hot Dogs – Fresh Bakery Chips, Balloons & much more! Bouncy House for kids
7-Eleven 22561, 3280 Avalon Way SW
Bring your kids and have fun
We asked Monti, who e-mailed the announcement, for a little more information:
Chintu took over the store on May 19, 2010. He does not live in West Seattle, but he has been running two other 7-11s in West Seattle for the last 14 years. Chintu wants to have a grand opening for this store because he wants to connect with new friends and families in the West Seattle community … he knows if he connects with the community, he can improve his store to serve the customer better. We believe with this grand opening we can bring the West Seattle community together. AND HAVE FUN TOGETHER!!
The store’s at 35th and Avalon; here’s a map.
… is this Thursday. Bordeaux, Bites, and Boogie is the biggest fundraiser of the year for the West Seattle Chamber of Commerce, which advocates for the health of our peninsula’s economy, while connecting local businesspeople with each other, and also making sure that key concerns such as sustainability are addressed as part of economic growth. The Chamber has a lot of big projects in the year ahead, and has had a busy year, but this one night is a time to celebrate and mingle, and you’re invited. The event is at Sodo Park, the events venue in SODO that’s owned by West Seattle-founded Herban Feast (which is also the parent of Fresh Bistro). It starts at 5 pm this Thursday night, and as the title suggests, there’s food, drink, and dancing, among other parts of the festivities – plus a raffle. You can get tickets online through Brown Paper Tickets (here’s the direct link), $50/person. (Disclosure note: WSB, like many local businesses, is a Chamber member and is honored to be its current Business of the Year.)
Saturday night in The Junction, and the nightlife is usually centered around the restaurants and bars – but this evening, Click! Design That Fits (WSB sponsor) was the place to be. Two weeks after opening for business in their new, larger Junction store, proprietors John and Frances Smersh threw their official grand-opening party. The top photo was taken from the “mezzanine” overlooking the store’s main floor – it’s mostly administrative/storage space, but tonight it was DJ Cotton Candy‘s perch too:
Back down among the partygoers and merchandise, two young shoppers found a place to sit:
This is the seventh year in business in West Seattle for Click! – their sixth anniversary was October 1st, the day the new store at 4540 California SW opened its doors. T-shirts, anyone?
As first reported here earlier this week, their former storefront at 2210 California SW is now the future home of West Seattle Fabric Company.
The Admiral District space that Click! Design That Fits (WSB sponsor, now in The Junction) vacated at 2210 California SW didn’t stay empty for long. Meet Monica Skov (and daughter) – Monica is going to open a fabric store there, something West Seattle has been without since Hancock Fabrics closed two years ago to make way for the now-tied-up-in-lawsuits 39th/Alaska development. Monica tells WSB that her store, West Seattle Fabric Company, will carry fabrics and notions like thread and needles. While the notions will be fairly basic, she’s planning on a variety of fabrics including special vintage-inspired fabric and brands such as Amy Butler/FreeSpirit, Michael Miller, Kona Cotton/Robert Kaufman. She also hopes to eventually have classes for people who are new to sewing, and quilting groups. She’s expecting to open the shop within the next two months – as you can guess from the photo, remodeling is under way now.
West Seattle Chamber of Commerce members heard from Duwamish Tribe chair Cecile Hansen during their lunch meeting today at the tribe’s Longhouse and Cultural Center in eastern West Seattle. She provided an update on the tribe’s fight for federal recognition, granted toward the end of the Clinton Administration, invalidated at the start of the Bush Administration: Hansen says the Duwamish have a new legal team in place to help them with their appeal of the latter decision, which they had been pursuing for years, along with new legislation. (She in fact left shortly after her speech for a meeting with the new team, which is why we don’t have a photo of her from today – we’d intended to take one with Chamber leaders as the lunch wrapped up.) According to Hansen, the tribe’s 600 current members are spread around the region, and their intent to seek recognition has no “ulterior motive.” She requested support in the form of letters to Congress, asking them to get the recognition process moving. Meantime, the Longhouse has presented a variety of fundraisers to help pay the legal bills, under the “Frybread for Justice” umbrella – there’s another one this Saturday; check the Longhouse website’s Calendar of Events for more on that and many other upcoming events.
OTHER NOTES FROM THE CHAMBER LUNCH: Local businesses are invited to join a Seattle Chamber event tonight that’s almost in West Seattle – a citywide mixer at Herban Feast’s Sodo Park, 5:30 pm … That’s also the site of next week’s Chamber fundraiser, Bordeaux, Bites, and Boogie, October 21st at 5 pm (more information here) … City Councilmember Sally Bagshaw will be the “Lunch with LEO” guest for the periodic brown-bag-with-an-elected-leader at WS Chamber offices, noon October 28th, RSVP required … And next month’s Chamber lunch will feature South Seattle Community College‘s new president Gary Oertli.
Sometimes when a business moves, its old location is empty a while. Not the case with the longtime Swedish Automotive (WSB sponsor) spot at 7501 35th SW (map). As first noted here in late July, a tenant was lined up long before Swedish moved to its newly built headquarters a few blocks south. Above, the proprietors you’ll now find at 35th/Webster – Todd Ainsworth and Chris Christensen (above), who are now up and running with West Seattle AutoWorks. They went public with details a month ago, as Swedish prepared to move, and today marks the start of their first full week in business. Chris and Todd are both West Seattleites and have worked locally for a long time too; they do repair/maintenance on everything but the cars Swedish handles to the south. They’re online, too – on Facebook here, on the Web here – open Mondays-Fridays, 8 am-5:30 pm.
Thanks to Brian Presser from local Mac dealer TouchTech Systems in The Junction for sharing the photo – First Mutual Bank has been part of Washington Federal for a while (as noted on its website), but the new sign has just arrived.
(Photos by Ellen Cedergreen)
If you’re in the promotional-items business – just figures you’re going to put pizzazz into the otherwise semi-simple act of moving your location. And so tonight, the proprietors of ZippyDogs – Elise “Top Dog” Lindborg and Kelli “Chili Dog” Henderson – threw a party to celebrate the ribbon-cutting outside their new “world headquarters” in the newly built 6031 California SW building north of Morgan Junction. They’re not a new business – 10 years (“that’s 70 in dog years,” their website points out) – but now they’ve got fresh digs, and they hosted friends/clients/community members tonight:
ZippyDogs makes a point of offering eco-friendly options – and its proprietors show their environmental interest on the road too:
That’s their ZENN electric car (zero emission, no noise). (P.S. – Practically across the street, another business celebrates its own new location this weekend – Solar Epiphany plans an open house at its new solar showroom, 6016 California SW, 10 am-4 pm Saturday.)
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