West Seattle, Washington
29 Friday
The photo is from Mountain to Sound Outfitters (WSB sponsor) in The Triangle, where the West Seattle Boat Swap is happening until 4 pm. It’s all about, as M2SO describes it, “human-powered watercraft (Kayaks, SUPs, Canoes) and accessories!” With weather like this, there’s still lots of prime time to get out on the water, and it’s also never too soon to get ready for next year. The shop’s at 3602 SW Alaska (and once you’re all geared up, join tonight’s sunset paddle for Maui, presented by M2SO’s sibling business Alki Kayak Tours).
(WSB photo, West Seattle Junction QFC)
As the Kroger/Albertsons grocery mega-merger plan continues moving forward, reports today say Kroger is planning to sell hundreds of stores to alleviate some concerns related to the merger. The buyer would be C&S Wholesale Grocers, a wholesale supplier that also operates some grocery stores in other states. The deal would include the QFC brand name, under which two West Seattle stores operate (The Junction and Westwood Village). According to Kroger’s announcement, any QFC stores not sold in the deal “will be re-bannered into one of the retained Kroger or Albertsons Cos. banners following the close of the transaction.” (Albertsons’ best-known “banner” around here is Safeway.) Also according to the announcement, Washington would be the state with the most stores affected – “104 Albertsons Cos. and Kroger stores” would be sold. (We haven’t yet found the list of specific stores.) The $1.9 billion deal would take effect after the Kroger/Albertsons merger closes – currently expected early next year – the corporation says. Its potential effects have been of concern here for reasons including the current proximity of Kroger and Albertsons stores – the Junction QFC store and Jefferson Square Safeway store are less than a block apart; the Westwood QFC store is just a few blocks from Roxbury Safeway. QFC, owned by Kroger since the late ’90s, has 50+ stores in Washington.
You can buy, sell, or trade paddlesports gear this Saturday at Mountain to Sound Outfitters (3602 SW Alaska; WSB sponsor) during the West Seattle Boat Swap. Extra reason to go to the shop: As announced last week, the M2SO store in The Triangle (and online) is getting out of the paddlesports business, so they are offering hot clearance deals as they get ready to focus on winter sports. If you have gear to sell on Saturday, register online first – deadline is 6 pm Friday – and then drop the item(s) off 9-11 am Saturday; if you want to buy, Boat Swap hours on Saturday are 11 am-4 pm. (P.S. You can also set your calendar now for M2SO’s West Seattle Ski Swap, October 14-15.)
As mentioned here last week, this month’s spotlight at HomeStreet Bank-West Seattle (4022 SW Alaska; WSB sponsor) is shining on the West Seattle Food Bank – and it’s accompanied by a donation drive! You can bring food and/or clothing (for the WSFB Clothesline) to the branch (look for the display shown above) during regular hours, 9 am-5 pm Mondays-Thursdays, 9 am-6 pm Fridays. While you’re there, register for this month’s prize drawing – on September 15th, they’ll draw the winner for one ticket to the Taste of West Seattle.
Three years after the national chain Rite Aid acquired Seattle-founded regional chain Bartell Drugs, it’s closing some Bartell stores. And employees of the White Center Bartell store (9600 15th SW) are telling customers theirs will soon be among them. We’ve heard from multiple readers who say they’ve been told in recent days that the store will close at the end of the month, and a visit to the store reveals many items on sale at deep discounts. We have inquired with both Rite Aid and Bartell corporate spokespeople via email and phone, but have yet to receive a reply or acknowledgment either confirming or denying. As we reported on partner site White Center Now, the White Center store’s building changed ownership a year and a half ago, purchased for $5.1 million by an LLC associated with a California electrical contractor (we have an inquiry out to the owner as well). King County permit records show nothing on file for the sizable site. When the 4th Avenue Bartell store in downtown Seattle closed in July, The Seattle Times reported that was the fifth Bartell closure in less than a year; since then, one more has been announced. All this is unfolding against a backdrop of financial challenges for parent company Rite Aid.
Lots of questions in the past week or so about the status of Tony’s Market, the independent seasonal produce-and-more store under the red, white, and green tent at 35th/Barton. By this weekend, it seemed clear that the market had stopped selling produce for the year, as the merchandise had all been cleared out, but we wanted to reach proprietor Joey Genzale to be sure. Today by phone, he confirmed to WSB that the market is closed for the season, but he says he’ll be back as usual for pre-Halloween pumpkin sales, followed by Christmas trees in November and December. No start date for pumpkin sales yet; we’ll check back.
P.S. There’s now a Mexican-food truck on the lot, according to Ross at nearby West Seattle Coworking (9030 35th SW; WSB sponsor). We’ll be checking on that soon.
PCC Community Markets‘ West Seattle store (WSB sponsor) has two accessibility-related updates to share today:
The elevator at West Seattle PCC is back in service. It was a pain point in accessing the store for the last few weeks…
We are also updating to have permanent reserved accessible parking when the parking lot is restriped this coming month.
The store is open 6 am to 11 pm daily at 2749 California SW (corner of SW Stevens).
Thanks for the tips. Almost four years after opening Nos Nos Coffee at Upton Flats in High Point (35th/Graham), Khalid Agour has sold the shop to his longtime coffee provider, QED Coffee. Contacted by email, QED’s Matt Greenfield explained why it’s been a low-key transition and what’s ahead:
Having worked as Nos Nos’s coffee partner for years, when Khalid approached us about taking over Nos Nos we were both excited and honored. Nos Nos has a special place in the community and my partner lives only a few blocks away, so it is also part of our personal neighborhood. We took over Nos Nos on somewhat short notice because we did not want to see it sold off to some random “no longer local” group.
In the short term we will be transitioning to QED signage in the next few weeks and will slowly be expanding Nos Nos’ beverage and food options. However, it is our intent to keep most of Nos Nos unchanged. We were lucky enough to retain the same kitchen staff and our in-house food options will continue to be the same.
So Nos Nos may be transitioning to QED, but we intend to retain the things that made Nos Nos the special place that it is.
QED actually had a West Seattle shop for a while last decade, in the space now occupied by (for a few more weeks) Youngstown Coffee.
P.S. Nos Nos founder Agour continues to work on an expansion of his original West Seattle establishment, Itto’s Tapas on the north end of The Junction (California/Genesee). He says that “will be more of a wine bar with different food than Itto’s.”
“Coming soon” is about to change to “open now”! Two months after we reported that Seattle Yarn was moving to The Admiral District, the one-of-a-kind shop has announced that today is opening day in the new location. Among other things, the new location will facilitate more dedicated class space. Seattle Yarn is now at 2701 California SW; hours are on their website.
Three weeks ago, we reported on the boutique Cherry Consignment> celebrating 14 years in business. In conjunction with that milestone, HomeStreet Bank (WSB sponsor) spotlighted Cherry throughout the month, and (above R-L) proprietor Nyla Bittermann joined HomeStreet’s Joyce Leslie for a Thursday drawing to win a gift card. Every month, the HomeStreet West Seattle branch (4022 SW Alaska) spotlights a local business or nonprofit; this month, it’s the West Seattle Food Bank, so if you visit the branch, you can learn about WSFB too.
Another change in south Morgan Junction: We noticed a big COMING SOON sign while passing 6971 California SW, and stopped to check out the sign next to it that explained what’s “coming soon.” The Fine Baking Co. is on the way to the middle space in the building (where massage clinics have been located in recent years). Via the email address on the window sign, we contacted baker Chely Smithgall, who told us:
I’m a home baker with a cottage food permit; since I had such a great turnout and feedback from people I decided to open up my storefront! So excited about it!!!
I do cakes, cupcakes, cake pops, personalized printed cookies and treats; they can be ordered or just come to buy at the store.
Not sure when we will get permits and all that, but hoping to be able to open before holidays – hopefully October!
You can see some of her creations here.
Thanks to Mike for the tip! Floors Plus Northwest has moved – but is still in Morgan Junction, now in the former Super Supplements space at 6451 Fauntleroy Way SW, where we stopped in and talked with co-proprietor Liliana Morales.
She says the new location is bigger and has offstreet parking for customers. The sign’s not up yet but they’ll install it as soon as it arrives.
Meantime, she says they’re having a sale right now “on all Gaia LVP lines, Abode and Kentwood Savannah Collections in hardwood, Aurora hardwood, and all Dream Weaver carpets.” She and husband Luis Morales opened Floors Plus Northwest almost three years ago; the building where they were originally located, 6959 California SW, was on the market recently, but county records don’t show a change in ownership.
Thanks for the tip! Dere Auto is clearing out at 35th/Barton, after more than three decades. We went over to inquire after a texter sent a photo of this note on the door:
As the note says, they told us, they’re consolidating into their Rainier Avenue location. They also told us that the West Seattle site – which has been listed as “for lease” for a while – will be taken over by Meineke, which recently closed its 17th/Roxbury location (slated for redevelopment). We haven’t yet reached that company to confirm.
A change in focus is ahead for Mountain to Sound Outfitters (3602 SW Alaska; WSB sponsor). As proprietor Greg Whittaker summarizes it, the Triangle shop – and its online operation – will be “focusing on the mountain side of it and the Sound side will be primarily located in Alki Kayak Tours,” his longtime business at Seacrest. Here’s the announcement:
Mountain to Sound Outfitters (M2S) in West Seattle announces it will no longer continue its Paddlesports department. After several years of attempting to grow the category, we have determined that it is no longer a feasible category for us in the Seattle market. Mountain to Sound Outfitters’ on-water location, Alki Kayak Tours, will continue to operate as a rental, instruction, and touring operation for paddle sports, and will offer demo kayaks and stand-up paddleboards (SUPs) for certain brands. M2S will continue to be the go-to winter-sports provider for the Seattle market and is currently ramping up for the upcoming winter ’23-’24 season.
This Labor Day weekend, Mountain to Sound Outfitters is holding a clearance event to liquidate its inventory and has amazing clearance deals in the best paddle brands in the world. M2S is also holding a Scratch & Dent, and Boat Swap on 9/9 and will be selling off a lot of the used equipment from Alki Kayak Tours at that time as well. Information can be found at this link: m2soutfitters.com/boat-swap–scratch–dent-sale.htm
“It is a business decision that I have held off making with the hopes we could make the paddlesports department work,” says Greg Whittaker, owner of M2S. “We are paddlers and love providing the best equipment in the world for our customers, but the volumes don’t offset the overhead costs of the store to continue to be a stand-alone paddlesports shop.” Whittaker adds, “Since we also operate an on-water location, we will be shifting our energy toward growing the variety and offerings at Alki Kayak Tours, and will still be able to offer certain kayak and SUP brands to demo and purchase through our livery operation.”
Come by and support the shop online or in person as we clear out our remaining paddlesports inventory, and stay tuned for developments in our retail operations as we determine what best fits our store and community’s needs.
M2S is open Wednesdays through Sundays; you can see its hours by going here.
Just in time for another heat wave, there’s a new type of ice cream in town. Meaghan Haas of Highland Park Corner Store says it’s a new sideline in her storefront:
Tip Top an Ice Cream Shop brings New Zealand-style ice cream to Seattle. New Zealand-style ice cream, also known as real fruit ice cream, blends frozen fruit into an ice cream base, creating a custom-flavored ice cream each time. While it has been popular in New Zealand for quite some time, this fruity treat is just now catching on in the States. With only a handful of Little Jems (the custom-made ice cream blenders) in the States, Tip Top is the first one here in Seattle.
Tip Top’s tagline is “New Zealand-style ice cream with a Northwest twist.” Sourcing local ingredients that reflect the flavors of both New Zealand (hokey pokey – aka seafoam – from Indu!ge Desserts) and the Northwest (sweet cream and coconut cream base from Full Tilt), Tip Top seeks to keep the simple intent of NZ-style ice cream with local NW tastes. Additional regional ingredients include locally sourced fruits (when available), Theo chocolate, Three Tree Tea matcha powder, and Papa Tony’s Hot Sauce spice powder.
Tip Top is located inside Highland Park Corner Store, a community-centric corner store in Highland Park, West Seattle. Owner Meaghan Haas immigrated from the Seattle area to New Zealand after high school and obtained her degree from University of Auckland. She sees Tip Top as a way to bring her appreciation of her time in New Zealand – and Kiwi culture – to the Seattle area. Tip Top serves ice cream 7 days a week, from 11 am-8 pm Mondays-Saturdays, and 11 am-5 pm Sundays.
Highland Park Corner Store, and Tip Top, are at 7789 Highland Park Way SW.
Thanks to Dave for the tip. A beloved West Seattle Junction business is entering a new chapter, with a change of ownership – though you could say it’s staying in the family. The Beer Junction‘s longtime proprietor Allison Herzog announced the change via email this morning (we’re excerpting it with permission):
(Photo courtesy The Beer Junction)
Yesterday was my last day as the Owner of The Beer Junction. I’m very happy to say that Corey, our General Manager, and his wife, Shanel, purchased the business and are the new Owners effective today. The store will open a little late today (we’re targeting 4:00 pm, but maybe earlier!) to finalize a new Point of Sale system and The Beer Junction will continue under new leadership.
If you’ve followed our story, you’ll know I have a lot of love and memories at The Beer Junction. It has been part of my life for thirteen years, through good and bad times. The bad times: losing Morgan to cancer and learning to run the store without him. That was the hardest. But also: Fear of going bankrupt in the early years. Fear of going bankrupt again during Covid shutdowns. Fixing broken fridges. Losing internet service (why does it always happen on a busy Friday?)
But those are outweighed by the good times: the West Seattle community, who was here with me through it all. The friendships and relationships I’ve made that I will carry with me. You know who you are. Brew day for our anniversary beer each year. Inside jokes with employees and customers (too many to list!). And the amount I’ve learned—about beer, about business, and about myself.
To be clear, this is not goodbye. I still live in West Seattle. I still plan on visiting The Beer Junction for a pint or two. I’ll just be on the other side of the bar.
After I made the decision to sell the store, it was important to me that it continue much as it is today, under someone with beer knowledge and experience running a bottle shop/beer bar. It didn’t take long for me to find that person—it was obvious that it was Corey. If he’s ever given you a beer recommendation or if you’ve attended one of the recent tasting events he’s hosted, you’ll know how knowledgeable he is. Like me, he is a Level 2 Certified Cicerone, but I must admit his beer knowledge far surpasses mine. And before he worked at The Beer Junction, he was the General Manager at the well-respected Teku Tavern. Corey has already made positive changes since he has taken over as General Manager here, and I am grateful that The Beer Junction is in good hands.
Allison’s late husband Morgan Herzog opened The Beer Junction in July 2010 in a small commercial building that was demolished for the construction of Junction 47, leading to the shop’s move to 4511 California SW less than two years later.
Meantime, new proprietor Corey says in the announcement, “I am thrilled to continue the legacy and the great work that has been done at The Beer Junction. … I can’t wait to continue to provide our community with great beer, excellent service and a place to feel at home.” He explains that he had long dreamed of opening a beer bar, before coming to work at The Beer Junction, and so this now makes that dream come true. You can read the entire announcement, and see photos from the shop’s history, by going here.
Also – you’re invited to a sendoff celebration for Allison on Wednesday, September 6th starting at 5 pm. And in the short term, as mentioned above, the shop is opening late today for some point-of-sale-system work – they’re hoping for 4 pm-ish.
It’s been almost two weeks since we first reported on sewer-line repairs affecting Elliott Bay Brewing and then Talarico’s Pizza in The Junction. The work got ever more complicated, Tim O’Neill of O’Neill Plumbing Company (WSB sponsor) explained, as they dealt with, among other things, a century-old line. He sent an update today explaining that you’ll see his crews in the area a little while longer:
Both Elliott Bay Brewery & Talarico’s Pizzeria are open for business.
The EBB pipe-lining project from inside the building’s basement to the main on California Ave ha been completed.
We then moved over to Talarico’s to make similar repairs and have found additional pipe separations near the curb line that will require some equipment that is not readily available until early next week.
We apologize for the inconvenience and hope to have everything, including the cement repairs, completed by 8/31.
Early this afternoon, we learned of two business burglaries in the Junction area:
EMERALD WATER ANGLERS: Burglar(s) broke a window on the north side of West Seattle’s only fishing-focused store (a WSB sponsor), which is on the southeast corner of 42nd/Oregon.
Proprietor Dave McCoy says the burglar(s) stole high-end jackets. He’s going through security video for more on what happened, including the time. This isn’t the first time Emerald Water Anglers has been hit; Dave posted on social media, “I didn’t realize this is what being a community-minded advocate for clean, cold water and wild fish was going to look like, but here I am and here I will stay!”
TAILS TO ASTONISH: On the south edge of The Junction, burglar(s) broke into West Seattle’s only comic-book store overnight too. No visuals from this one (yet) so we don’t know if there’s any chance it was related. Co-proprietor Shaun Duff tells WSB the list of comic books they know the burglar(s) stole totaled more than $20,000:
Amazing Spider-Man #129 First Punisher
Amazing Spider-Man #13
Amazing Spider-Man #14 First Green Goblin
Amazing Spider-Man #3
Amazing Spider-Man #129 Signed by Jerry Conway, First Punisher, CGC 8.5
Amazing Spider-Man #13 First Mysterio, CGC 4.5
Amazing Spider-Man #9 CGC 3.5
Avengers vs. X-Men #1 Mid Town Comics Edition Variant Cover by Skottie Young, CGC 9.8
Detective Comics #34 Restoration, CGC 5.0
Fantastic Four #46 First Black Bolt, CGC 4.0
Infinity #1 Skech by Jim Starlin Signed Signed by Jim Cheung, CGC 9.8
X-Men #9, CGC 3.0
Batgirl #37, CGC 9.8
Raphael Mini Series High Grade
Raphael Mini Series Low Grade
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #1 3rd Printing
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #3 1st Printing High
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #3 1st Printing Low
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #4 1st Printing
The shop at 4850 California SW is closed today “to get as much of this sorted out as we can.” (added) Police incident # is 23-243112.
As noted here a few weeks ago, the seasonal store Spirit Halloween has returned to the ex-Bed Bath and Beyond space at Westwood Village. Going through the center this morning, we noticed this morning that it appeared open, so we went in to verify. Here are the posted hours:
This is an earlier start than last year, when the store didn’t open until September.
A dozen-plus years after Sarah Mettler took over Lady Di Pet Chaperone, she’s in need of a new location – again – thanks to redevelopment, and hoping you might know the perfect place.
(Photo courtesy Sarah Mettler [clients enter off the alley])
Last time, she was able to stay on the same block in The Junction, moving from 4433 42nd SW – which became Junction Flats – to 4451 42nd SW. But now, nine years later, the block is almost completely redeveloped and out of possibilities. Mettler says her landlord has informed her the site will be used as staging for the upcoming mixed-use project at 4448 California SW and she’ll have to be out by year’s end. As she told her clients in the initial announcement, “Although I’m planning to work with an agent, some of the best properties are discovered by word of mouth. If you or anyone you know has a property available for lease or a lease-to-own option, please share their contact information and I will be so grateful.”
So we asked – what’s she looking for? “My dream is to stay in West Seattle but I am open to surrounding areas. I will need a space with a minimum of 1000sf. Cozy is my desire but I could turn an old warehouse into a palace if needed. The dogs will need access to an outside area to potty, even if it’s not your traditional yard. I offer daycare and overnight boarding 365 days a year.” If you have a possibility in mind, contact info – email, phone, or web message – is here. (But in the meantime, Lady Di Pet Chaperone remains open and “business as usual.”
Thanks for the tips! The old signage for Dick ‘n’ Dale’s Appliance & TV has been uncovered by the new tenant moving into 4538 California SW. It was beneath the signage for Village Woodworks, which occupied the space for a quarter-century before suddenly closing in early 2022. We’re not sure how long Dick ‘n’ Dale’s was there but did find an archived Seattle Times story quoting its owner in 1990. And the West Seattle Junction Historic Resources Survey from 2016 says, “This store, built in 1948, was West Seattle (and later Sportsland) Sporting goods from the 1950s into the 1970s. Later, local residents operated Dick & Dale’s Appliances until the 1990s.” As for the sign’s future, the Industrious proprietors told us they aren’t yet sure what they’ll do with it after taking it down,
A West Seattle mini-market with a passionate fan base is celebrating its customers this afternoon. As featured in the WSB West Seattle Event Calendar and today’s highlight list, Super Deli Mart – northwest corner of 35th and Barton – is hosting a parking-lot party until 5 pm. Free food, games, and live music, plus a beer garden. The celebration is a summertime tradition for the store.
Happened onto an event that wasn’t on today’s list but it’s still on until 3 pm – barbecue and “pup market” at West Seattle Thriftway (4201 SW Morgan; WSB sponsor) benefiting Seattle Humane.
They’re selling lunch for $7, plus a variety of dog-related merch, and: “For every $20 donation, receive a complimentary Dog is Good tee shirt.” It’s part of the store’s “Dog Days of Summer” events.
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