Alki Urban Market sign sighting
Just up on the future store’s door in the past 24 hours or so. The fine print is an e-mail address at the domain “seattleurbanmarket.com.” The website at that address doesn’t mention the Alki location right now but lists 9 others around the area and describes the parent company as “a company dedicated to the development of ‘high end’ delicatessen stores in the Seattle & Eastside Metropolitan Areas to serve the particular neighborhood they are located in with high quality products and services. Utilizing well known quality products such as Boar Head meats and cheeses, Appasionato Coffees, quality groceries, health foods and fine Washington Wines.”
Food and wine around West Seattle: News ‘n’ notes
First, the food. Happened to notice this on the windows at Alki Crab & Fish at Seacrest – “all you can eat” nights, Tuesday for fish and chips, Thursday for prawns and chips. Since it’s Tuesday, thought we’d mention it, for anyone seeking dinner ideas. While taking the pic this morning (before AC&F was open), we also noticed a sign instead inviting people to be there for New Year’s Eve — “fireworks and fun”!
Now, the wine. Two items:
First, a liquor license has just been approved for “cheapwinestore.com” at an address in a Gatewood residential neighborhood. The website at that address isn’t up yet, so we tracked down the e-mail address of its proprietor, Patrick Collins, who tells WSB they’re hoping to be up and running within a month or so, elaborating:
My wife Brandy and I though it would be a great idea to be able to offer good, really tasty wines at inexpensive prices. Wine appreciation really is on the palate of the “beholder” but we are putting together a selection of wines that we think really stand up to what most people will really appreciate. We will be shipping wines to all of the places that allow, and as we get into this a bit more, we will start to really focus on the great wines that Washington and Oregon have to offer. It has been a great project that my wife and I have really been able to have fun with!
Second West Seattle wine note — WSB talked this week with the folks at West Seattle Cellars about what ever happened to their plan for a wine bar next door (the space that’s still covered with plywood). They say it got hung up in red tape, but they’ve got some other plans for the space now, including office expansion and possibly some additional retailing that complements wine (chocolate? cheese? etc.).
Welcome to the newest WSB sponsor: Curious Kidstuff
It’s a WSB tradition to let you know when a new sponsor comes aboard. This morning, we’re welcoming Curious Kidstuff, whose team invites you to “come on down to The Junction’s fun place to play and shop.” Next year, Curious Kidstuff celebrates its 10th anniversary – how time flies – in the meantime, your time for Christmas shopping is flying, and Curious Kidstuff is offering 20% off any purchase through 12/24/07, except for sale and clearance items; gift wrapping not included. Thanks to Curious Kidstuff for supporting WSB; all our current sponsors are listed on our “Advertise” page, along with information on how your business can join them!
New business north of Morgan Junction
Heard the other day from Eric Renn, who’s getting ready to open West Seattle Digital in the storefront shown above at 6016 California, in the same block as Puget Sound Lock & Key, Star Nails, and West Seattle Cellars (Eric sent the photo too, after hanging the festive COMING SOON banner). He says WSD will be an authorized retailer for Dish Network, XM Satellite Radio, Clearwire, and VOIP.com (broadband telephone); he lives in West Seattle and plans to have the store open by the first of the year.
Jumpin’ in The Junction: The dawn of Twilight
We traveled from Admiral to The Junction tonight to check out the late-night shopping and West Seattle Art Walk happenings; above you see the biggest crowd we encountered, jammed into the new Twilight Art Collective space in the former Bikes ‘n’ Brew storefront west of Easy Street. Classic dance rock (example: Bowie’s “Let’s Dance”) thumped through the cheerful conversation din. We’ll go back soon for a more leisurely look at the art (such as a Kafka portrait that caught our eye). Twilight looks like a great addition to the funky side of Junction life. Though we didn’t get to The Junction till after 8 pm, we noticed good turnouts elsewhere, including a hive of shoppers buzzing around a sale table outside Clementine.
Tonight: West Seattle Art Walk, “Wrap It Up,” more …
Got holiday shopping left to do? Tonight you can shop throughout The Junction, and even get your presents wrapped, as part of “Wrap It Up” — More than a dozen businesses are open late (including the participants listed on the official flyer, which you can see here (linked from the Clementine blog). While you’re in The Junction, the monthly West Seattle Art Walk 
will deck the halls — be sure not to miss Divina, Ginomai, and Hotwire on the north end. (Participating artists and venues are listed here.) And in the heart of The Junction, Twilight Art Collective is welcoming visitors into its new space (ex-Bikes and Brew, west of Easy Street; here’s our original report on them from last month). And this isn’t even all that’s happening in WS tonight – more on that as the day goes by.
More proof this ain’t your grandma’s West Seattle
Or maybe even your mom’s. Back when we moved here in the early ’90s, really not THAT long ago, we lamented that we would have liked to do more shopping in The Junction, but everything seemed to close so early — “rolling up the sidewalks,” as the small-town saying goes. Not these days, and here’s the latest proof: Coinciding with this Thursday night’s West Seattle Art Walk in The Junction is “Wrap It Up,” with participating stores open well into the night for holiday-shopping fun. And it’s not just The Junction that will be jumping — on the north side of West Seattle, we’ve heard from more shops planning to be open late on Thursday, including WSB sponsor Click! Design That Fits and Shanti in the Admiral District, and along Avalon, Murphy’s Furniture Studio has an event planned Thursday night for late-night shopping while raising money for GambiaHELP. All in all, Thursday’s a good night to spend your $ where you live. Here’s the “Wrap It Up” flyer listing Junction participants, by the way:Read More
West Seattle Christmas tree price check 2007
THIS IS OUR 2007 PRICE CHECK – FIND OUR WEST SEATTLE 2008 LIST HERE
Just back from making the rounds of every West Seattle Christmas tree seller we know of. (If we missed one – we’ll admit to not checking arterials east of Delridge to look for indies – please let us know and we’ll get out to scout it.) We chose a couple representative tree sizes for comparison’s sake – 5-6′ Noble Fir, 6-7′ Noble Fir, 5-6′ Douglas Fir. Here’s what we found, north to south, including any special notes – caveat, this is from an in-person survey conducted today; pricing changes certainly could happen before you make your tree-shopping trip:Read More
Alki Ave updates: Ex-Coyotes, and more
Exterior work is under way right now at the ex-Coyotes, finally confirmed firsthand to be the future home of Pegasus Pizza (whose original location next door will be torn down for a new building). The beige-ish panel actually features marbling much like the current Pegasus decor. Meantime, we talked to a worker outside the future Alki Urban Market – he said he had no clue when they’ll be opening; and down the street at the ex-Alki Mail/Dispatch, future Pioneer Coffee Roasting Co., someone’s inside working on a huge PIONEER sign. As for the water side of the street, a couple scenes from our breezy, chilly walk:
WSB sponsor welcome: Square 1 Books
This morning, we welcome another new WSB sponsor – Square 1 Books, which is the place in West Seattle 
to buy new books from an independent bookseller. Square 1 is in Jefferson Square, steps from the rest of The Junction, and part of the heart of the West Seattle community — this weekend, as we mentioned yesterday, Square 1 is offering the chance to buy new children’s books at 15% off and have them given to local families through WestSide Baby. This past September, Square 1 sponsored an event for West Seattle readers to meet West Seattle authors, “Words from the West Side,” held at ArtsWest. And it’s got its own book club – you can keep up with its happenings via the Square 1 blog. Thanks to Square 1 and our other sponsors, who are listed on this page along with information on how other prospective advertisers can join them.
West Seattle holiday shopping: It’s a party
As you head out today, to the Farmers’ Market perhaps, or just to enjoy the sunshine, you might want to poke your head inside some of your favorite West Seattle shops. We’ve started to hear from more stores planning special events during the holiday shopping season (like the early-early-bird Black Friday sale we covered @ Friends & Company); to name just a few, Husky Deli is having a holiday open house 5-9 pm next Friday (11/30) that’s also a 75th anniversary celebration (historic photos here); much-appreciated WSB sponsor Click! Design That Fits in the Admiral District is planning December “Late Night Thursdays” with treats on 12/6, 12/13, and 12/20 where they’re staying open till at least 8 pm (or longer; “we just hang around until people leave,” Click! co-owner Frances Smersh told WSB); less than a block from Click!, Shanti Salon and Spa has a holiday open house with refreshments 6:30-8:30 pm Thursday 12/13; the Junction Association says a variety of retailers are planning promotions during Hometown Holidays next weekend; between Admiral and Alaska Junctions, Saturday night shopping parties are the plan at basic green box, with wine and cheese. We’re going to drop by as many WS businesses as possible to keep track of what’s planned for the holiday season, but with so many of them, we’d also love to hear from local retailers directly, and from shoppers who hear about upcoming events. E-mail or call us; here’s all the contact info.
From the Black Friday front lines in West Seattle
So a particular chain retailer at Westwood Village had this incredible laptop deal. Got there when they opened at 6 am … 100 people in line, plotting near-military strategy for bargain reconnaissance. We retreated. Friendlier crowd at the one Junction store that opened its doors at 5 am, the rubber-stamping store Friends and Company, where we caught up with proprietor Doris Goulet and her early-bird shoppers during the first half-hour:
West Seattle holiday-shopping season ’07: And they’re off!
Nobody camping outside West Seattle’s early-opening chain stores when we checked late last night (just the big cart lineup outside Westwood Village Target, shown above). But they’re not the only ones opening early (Target 6 am, Bed Bath Beyond 6 am, Radio Shack 6 am, for example) — some independent retailers are getting creative too, like Friends & Company in The Junction, which is coupling a 5 am opening today with free early-bird eats and a tiered sale, starting at 40% off between 5-6 am. But there’s time to pace yourself — from today through Christmas Eve, 32 shopping days this year, and lots of new choices (as well as existing faves) for keeping your $ here on the peninsula.
Nucor permit application: Time running out to comment
WSB reader Julia called this to our attention. We have not been able to do a lot of research on it but wanted to let you know about it before it’s too late, in case you are interested in having a say: Nucor Steel is upgrading one of its cranes, to boost production, and because that could increase emissions of carbon monoxide and a variety of other components (details in this notice), Nucor has to get permits from the state Ecology Department and the Puget Sound Clean Air Agency. Both are recommending approval; the deadline for public comment is tomorrow (the notice was apparently posted almost a month ago; as a result of this, we’ve learned about a new place to check for important public notices!), although it appears from the second part of a posting on this site that one piece of the project is open for comment until 12/12. Both these notices say a public hearing will be held only if there is “significant public interest” — contacts to express said interest can be found on the links.
Today we welcome West Seattle Realtor 
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