Just heard from Stacey, one of the owners of The Missing Piece Café and Game Lounge, who reports:

As one of the co-owners of the popular game cafe/coffee shop, and on behalf of Eric, Lex, James, and the other co-owners, I am so excited to announce the official opening of The Missing Piece is planned for November 7th. The grand opening will follow sometime soon, date TBD.

They’ve been quietly partly open for a bit – last time we went in to check, you could buy a game, for example, but not food or drink yet. If you’ve lost track, they’ve taken over the ex-Pharmaca space behind KeyBank in The Junction, at 4707 California SW, after moving out of their original location at 35th SW and SW Roxbury. Their hours are online. And they’re restarting some regular events, too – like the twice-weekly Mah Jongg games, “effective now,” per Stacey, 9:30-11:30 Sundays and 2 pm-4 pm Wednesdays.

Three biznotes this afternoon:

OPEN HOUSE AT THE SUMMERLAND: Avian King‘s new North Admiral business at 2233 California SW is welcoming visitors this Sunday:

The Summerland is a sanctuary for movement, ceremony and soul. A soul-led wellness studio, for yoga, ritual haircutting, sound and energy healing. Currently in our soft opening phase, we are hosting an open house soft launch event this Sunday 11/2 from 12-3, in honor of Samhain and Dia de Los Muertos. There will be a community altar, if anyone wants to bring an offering for a loved one. A flower, candle, photo, note etc. Info about the studio is on the website at www.thesummerland.studio

We featured Avian in our coverage of last Friday’s Admiral District Trick-or-Treat.

NEW TENANT FOR EX-BOOKSTORE SPACE: Thanks to Mike for the tip. Eight months after Paper Boat Booksellers (WSB sponsor) moved out (now in The Junction at 4522 California SW), a new tenant has uncloaked for 6040 California SW, continuing West Seattle’s newest hot business trend, clinics:

The website for Upward says the sports-physical-therapy clinic has two locations already, in Georgetown and Frelard.

PIZZA CHANGE: Today is the last day that Shawn Millard, founder of West of Chicago Pizza, will be there. A little more than 3 years after West of Chicago moved into the former Chaco Canyon location (3770 SW Alaska), the restaurant announced he’s leaving:

… After 6.5 years of creating the delicious pizzas you’ve come to love, our head chef, Shawn Millard, will be leaving us to pursue new opportunities and his last day will be October 31st.

If you’ve had the pleasure of getting to know Shawn since we began West of Chicago in April of 2019, you know that he brings a level of passion and caring for both his food and our customers that is unmatched. His dedication to quality and creativity has helped make West of Chicago Pizza Company what it is today, and we’re so grateful for everything he’s contributed.

If you’re wondering what happens to the food, fear not! We want to assure you that the menu, quality, and exceptional customer service you expect from us aren’t going anywhere. Our talented kitchen team will continue serving the same deep-dish pies, thin crusts, salads, and sandwiches with the high standards and warm smiles that you’ve come to know and trust. … We look forward to continuing to serve you for many years to come.

We reached out to West of Chicago to find out more about what’s next for Millard; no response yet.

(WSB photos)

Treats await all ages at the “Fall Fest” party/open house on through 8 pm at the new West Seattle offices of Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Northwest Real Estate (WSB sponsor).

The branch recently moved to 5415 California SW from the Jefferson Square north-side office building. Left to right above are brokerage vice president Tay Krull, branch manager and managing broker Emma Lazo, and president/CEO Melanie Weidenbach, who told us the new location has more space for team members and customers to collaborate.

60 agents and brokers are on the team. Many are there tonight, as are other fun features including a photo booth. The Berkshire team also says they’re happy to be at street level – “great curb appeal,” Lazo said, like the perfect home.

Again today, the aftermath of flooding blamed on a plumbing problem has forced some Jefferson Square businesses to stay closed. Here’s what we found at noontime today:

CVS: Still closed, hoping to reopen before day’s end

THE JOINT CHIROPRACTIC: They’re now projecting they might not reopen before Saturday.

WEST SEATTLE ANIMAL HOSPITAL: As first reported Monday, they hadn’t expected to reopen any sooner than tomorrow.

WEST SEATTLE SCHOOL OF ROCK: Still handling lessons remotely.

DREAM DINNERS WEST SEATTLE: Still closed.

We have an inquiry out to the center’s management firm Kimco Realty regarding the situation but have yet to hear back.

We reported Sunday on the flooding that closed the Jefferson Square CVS store (former Bartell Drugs). After commenters reported today that some other businesses in the center were also affected by water damage, we went over to find out more. Here’s what we found, either from signs on doors or from talking to people at the respective businesses:

CVS – still closed, might be able to reopen this afternoon

The Joint – closed today

West Seattle Animal Hospital – closed today and tomorrow

Dream Dinners – closed today

School of Rock – studios closed today, handling lessons remotely

ATI – open but directing clients to an alternate entrance

The inner Jefferson Square businesses on the east and south (Safeway) sides are open, as are other lower businesses. We’re told the plumbing problem was traced to a restroom in the CVS space. We’ll be following up with center management.

12:40 PM: Thanks for the photo! Multiple readers have reported that the CVS store in Jefferson Square is closed because of flooding. No details yet.

12:53 PM: We just went to try to find out more. Store staff told us the flooding was from an internal plumbing problem, not the weather, and they have a cleanup crew coming soon; they expect to be open tomorrow.

Readers have been noticing for a while that the for-lease sign has vanished from the former Bank of America at 4323 SW Admiral Way, which closed last February. A commenter, and permit applications, suggested who’s moving in – and now they’ve confirmed it to us: Lévy Aesthetics. Founder Dr. Daniel Lévy tells WSB, “We are opening a new state of the art Dermatology and Wellness clinic at that location.” It’s an expansion of their Bellevue-based business.

(WSB photos)

Chely Smithgall wants you to know, her Fine Baking Company shop is back open for business and offering a variety of sweet treats.

Less than a year after opening, Chely was hit by one of those crises that can knock a small business down for the count, but she’s battling back. A leg injury made it impossible for her to stand long enough to get the baking done. “I had to close my business for a month,” she laments. But then she got back to three hours a day, and now she’s expanding to five hours a day, all but one weekday afternoon, perfect timing for families going to and from nearby Gatewood Elementary (and other businesses in lower Gatewood/south Morgan Junction).

Chely hopes you’ll pop in to try (or re-try!) her cake pops, cupcakes, cookies, and more (empanadas were also on the menu when we stopped in) – she’s at 6971 California SW, open noon-5 pm Tuesdays through Fridays, 10 am-3 pm Saturdays.

Today we welcome Ingallina’s Box Lunch as one of our newest sponsors. Local businesses joining the sponsor team get the opportunity to tell you about themselves – so here’s what Ingallina’s Box Lunch would like you to know!

Welcome to Ingallina’s Box Lunch: Fresh Food, Stronger Teams

Who We Are

Seattle has always been our home. Ingallina’s Box Lunch began in 1991 as The Metropolitan Lunch Express Café beneath the 5th Avenue Theatre, and by 1993 we were dedicated fully to catering fresh-made lunches. From the beginning, we’ve built our reputation on baking breads and pastries from scratch each night, roasting our own meats daily, and preparing fresh salads and dressings in-house. Everything we do centers on quality and care. But more than food, our mission is satisfaction — customers who feel cared for and connected. That philosophy has kept businesses across the West Coast calling on us for over 30 years, and we’re thrilled to now introduce ourselves to West Seattle Blog readers.

Why Team Lunches Matter

A box lunch is more than just a meal; it’s a proven way to bring people together. Research from Cornell University found that firefighters who ate meals together performed better as a team than those who didn’t —proof that sharing food can build trust and camaraderie. Indeed, eating together has “a long, primal tradition as a kind of social glue,” notes Cornell researcher Kevin Kniffin. Studies published in Cognition and the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition also show that meal breaks improve focus, engagement, and even healthier choices. Simply stepping away from the desk for lunch can reset energy, prevent burnout, and spark more creative collaboration.

The benefits of team lunches include:

●Supporting employee retention and recruitment

In fact, a recent Harvard Business Review article reported that employees who take regular lunch breaks are more engaged, more satisfied with their jobs, and more likely to recommend their workplace to others.

How Ingallina’s Can Help Your Workplace

Team lunches don’t need to be complicated to make a real impact. A catered meal can show appreciation, improve morale, and even reduce turnover — studies show engaged teams see up to 59% less turnover when they feel valued. At Ingallina’s, we make it easy for companies to invest in their people with box lunches, party platters, and gift baskets designed to suit every taste and dietary need. Whether it’s a weekly lunch, a special celebration, or a casual “lunch and learn,” our fresh and scratch-made meals create space for conversation, connection, and stronger workplace culture. For West Seattle companies working hard to keep their teams connected and motivated as work routines evolve, we’re here to help. After all, 29% of employees say they enjoy their jobs more when lunch is provided — and isn’t that a small step worth taking?

Ready to see the difference a great lunch can make? Place your order today at Ingallina.com and treat your team to fresh, scratch-made meals that build stronger connections — delivered right to your office door.

We thank Ingallina’s Box Lunch for choosing to advertise their services by sponsoring independent, community-collaborative neighborhood news on WSB. Interested in doing the same? Please email WSBAdvertising@wsbsales.com for information – thank you!

Looks like See’s Candies is coming back to Jefferson Square for the third holiday season in five years. We’ve been watching to see if the banner would go up, as it did last October, and spotted it at the center just now. It’s not listed on the See’s website yet but is likely another holiday-season pop-up as in 2021 (when it stayed open through Valentine’s Day) and 2024.

Three biznotes today, all related to reinvention in one way or another:

LADY JAYE’S TEMPORARY CLOSURE: Thanks for the tip! The Junction restaurant/bar at 4523 is closed for the next week. It had recently announced a plan to focus on sandwiches, and it had been on the market a while too. So we asked proprietor Evan Carter what the closure’s about. His reply: “We decided not to sell, just to revamp the menu and make it more approachable to ALL of West Seattle. So we will be doing our new concept called LJ 4.0 which will be headlined by the Wagyu Smash Burger as well as the other sandwiches that we have mastered over the last 6 years of running this restaurant and doing our daily specials :) But we will have a consistent menu that will be priced so everyone can enjoy. It will be like an elevated sandwich shop but still have the Lady Jaye restaurant feel and the same great cocktail and whiskey selection.” See for yourself starting October 22.

THE CLAY CAULDRON’S PERMANENT CLOSURE: Proprietor Frances Gifford tells us she’s closing The Clay Cauldron (5214 Delridge Way SW) at the end of the month. But first – a party this Saturday:

In a followup exchange after we received this announcement, Frances confirmed she’s retiring, though she and associates are looking for a new place to start a pottery studio with which she’ll help out.

DREAM DINNERS GOES INDIE: The meal-prep business in outer Jefferson Square is now independent, rather than a franchisee, but they’re still there to help you save time and solve dinner dilemmas. You’re invited to a freezer sale – what’s in the freezer(s), ready to take-and-bake, not the appliances themselves! – and open house this Saturday, 11 am-1 pm. They’re on the southwest corner of 41st Avenue SW and SW Alaska.

By Anne Higuera
Reporting for West Seattle Blog

The former Haymaker space (4706 California Ave SW) in The Junction will reopen, possibly mid-2026, with two new food options, both franchises owned by the Kirkland-based Keshap Group. Sana Keshap has confirmed to West Seattle Blog what permit documents seemed to suggest last month when we first reported on a “leased” sign in the window: that Dave’s Hot Chicken will take up the lion’s share of the space. The balance will go to another of the Keshap Group’s franchises, Gong Cha, purveyor of teas including boba.

“Our goal is to open them at the same time,” says Keshap, who is managing the build-out of Dave’s locations around the Pacific Northwest. Her sister Prachi is heading up the Gong Cha franchise locations, the first of which opened last Friday, not coincidentally right across the street from the group’s first Dave’s location on Capitol Hill at 12th and Pike.

Having the two franchises in close proximity is something Keshap thinks will be a natural combination, given the menus. “You have hot and spicy chicken and then you get a milky bubble tea, the sweet treat after having something spicy.” She says they plan to see how that synchronicity plays out both on Capitol Hill and in West Seattle as the Keshap Group plans as many as 15 Dave’s in Western Washington from Olympia to Bellingham and 50 Gong Cha locations across Washington, Oregon, and Idaho.

Why West Seattle? Keshap says that in the time since the Capitol Hill location has been open, she’s talked with many customers who said they’d driven there from the peninsula and would love to see a location closer to home. Then it turned out that the owner of the building that includes the Haymaker also owns a building in Ballard where the Keshap Group has a Papa John’s. Having a space large enough for both franchises, fans in the neighborhood and a known landlord were all signs to move forward. “They’re excited to work with us,” she said, and agreed to a 10-year lease.

Keshap sees the two shops bringing energy and new food options to the Junction in a location that already attracts the kind of people who are their customers, with Easy Street Records just across the street. “I don’t think there’s any fried chicken concepts out there. [Dave’s has] a young, fun, funky vibe. It just fits the Seattle vibe very well.”

Dave’s Hot Chicken will be on the north side of the space, with Gong Cha on the side facing the walking path to the south that goes through to the alley. Keshap Group will seek a single contractor to build out both spaces concurrently.

Still up in the air is the open hours for both stores. Keshap says the group tends to keep hours consistent throughout their franchises, but they have adjusted their first Dave’s location based on demand. On Capitol Hill that means opening at 10 am each day, and closing at 2am except Friday and Saturday, when they’re open until 4 am. “So is there a demand for that late [in West Seattle]?” she asked. “I’m not sure yet.”

Keshap says the next Dave’s Hot Chicken to open will be in Redmond on October 30th, followed by Tacoma in December and Federal Way in January. A location in Puyallup is also in the works for 4th quarter of 2026. Gong Cha has more than 2,000 locations worldwide.

Three Junction business updates:

THE MISSING PIECE MOVE UPDATE: Readers have been asking about the status of The Missing Piece game store/café‘s move into the ex-Pharmaca space at 4707 California SW. We checked in today; they told us they’re still awaiting a few inspections, so the reopening date isn’t set yet. We’ll of course be following up, but they also offered a tip: As soon as they set a date, table-reservation slots will open up on their website.

PAPER BOAT PLAYOFFS SALE: Paper Boat Booksellers (4522 California SW) owners Desirae and Eric Judy are such major Mariners fans, they’re having a sale that they say will last as long as the team stays in the playoffs – buy one hardcover book in-store, get 25% off a second one. This starts tomorrow (Saturday, October 4, the date of the M’s first best-of-five American League Division Series game).

FOURTH EMERALD GAMES: The new gaming lounge/shop at 4517 California SW (upstairs) is hosting a murder-mystery game on October 11, and tomorrow is your last chance to get early-bird pricing:

Experience “The Curious Carnival,” a murder mystery event with Foulplay. Take on the role of various circus performers and work to uncover the murderer who ruined the act. Your ticket includes refreshments and two drink tickets from Revelry Room. There will be three games throughout the day — pick your preferred time.

The times are 3 pm, 5:30 pm, and 8 pm. Here’s the link.

“Every time I open the door, I feel humbled,” beamed Nyla Bittermann, who recently celebrated 16 years of running Cherry Consignment in The Junction. We photographed Nyla at Mechanics Bank, also in The Junction, at the end of Cherry’s run in the September small-business showcase aat the bank. It was the first one since Mechanics took over the former HomeStreet Bank, a continuation of the branch’s tradition and further proof that – as the sign says – only the name changed. Each month’s showcase ends with a drawing for a prize donated by the featured business, this month a $50 gift card for Cherry Consignment, and we photographed Nyla with Mechanics Bank’s Andrew Tento as they drew the winning entry earlier this week. All you have to do to enter a drawing is visit the branch at 4022 SW Alaska. This month’s spotlight will be shining on ArtsWest.

West Seattle Autoworks (WSB sponsor) is celebrating 15 years in business!

Back in 2010, we opened our doors just as the recession was making its dramatic exit. From that very first day on October 1st, you’ve showered us with your trust and support, and we are so grateful! Through a pandemic and, oh yeah, a 2 ½-YEAR BRIDGE SHUTDOWN, your loyalty kept our shop busy and our team going. While half of small businesses don’t make it to 5 years, we’ve made it to 15! A massive thank you, West Seattle!

Chris, Kacie, Pedro, Michael, Elliott, Alex, Joe, and Nate

West Seattle Autoworks is on the southwest corner of 35th and Webster.