Just in time for your local holiday shopping, we’re welcoming Alki Surf Shop to the WSB sponsor team. Here’s what they’d like you to know:

Ever since Alki Surf Shop opened, people have been asking, “What’s a surf shop doing at Alki Beach?” The standard answer is, “No waves, no worries.”* But there’s more to the story than that.

The owners, Kahuna Dave and Terri Nakamura, are both from Seattle. Terri grew up on Beacon Hill and Dave claims to hail from “the ancient Hawaiian kingdom of Burien.” Longtime veterans of the Seattle graphic design and advertising industry, they wanted to use their skills to launch a local business of their own – something fun. And what could be more fun than a surf shop, right in the heart of Seattle’s favorite beach?

“Alki Surf Shop is a dream come true for us,” Terri says. “We’ve been able to create a unique, inviting experience to add to the Alki Beach neighborhood in West Seattle. People come in and say, ‘Wow, what a cute shop. How long have you been open?’”

The shop features their exclusive Genuine Alki brand tops, designed and produced in Seattle. A great selection of Alki gifts, including mugs, shot glasses, totes, cards, and wall art. Beach essentials, such as sunglasses, volleyballs and kites. Plus jewelry and cool new gifts for the holidays.

Kahuna Dave also wrote “The Alki Beach Song” and produced a short music video to go with it, which can be seen on YouTube:

It’s all part of the fun at one of West Seattle’s newest businesses, located at 2622 Alki Avenue SW (between Homefront Smoothies and Alki Beach Miniatures.) If you hear the sound of someone blowing a conch shell, you know you’re getting close. At the Alki Surf Shop, that’s how they say mahalo!

Alki Surf Shop can be found at alkisurfshop.com and on Facebook at facebook.com/alkisurfshop. Or join them for a holiday Tweetup by following them at twitter.com/alkisurfshop.

We thank Alki Surf Shop for sponsoring independent, community-collaborative neighborhood news via WSB; find our current sponsor team listed in directory format here, and find info on joining the team by going here.

*No waves, except…

(WSB photo by Patrick Sand)
We hope you’re finding a multitude of reasons to shop at your local independent small businesses this holiday season (as well as the rest of the year!). Continuing our spotlight on many of those reasons, we stopped by West Seattle Fabric Company (in The Admiral District at 2210 California SW) this weekend after proprietor Monica Skov sent word that she’s added giftable merchandise “because not everybody sews” (you’ll see that on the sidewalk sign outside). The items she’s posing with are among the added lines – we found the beach-walking exhortation especially appropriate because we stopped in just after revisiting those wild waves at Alki. WSFC is open until 4 today, and expects to add more non-sewing “gifts and goods” in the days ahead, including West Seattle-themed merchandise.

P.S. Watch our West Seattle Holiday Guide for an ongoing list of shopping notes and highlights (including some local businesses’ online deals, too) as well as for the list of open houses still to come (if yours isn’t listed yet, send us info, plain-text e-mail at editor@westseattleblog.com).

On this extended holiday weekend, Thunder Road Guitars (WSB sponsor) is celebrating a two-part anniversary – three years in business online, two years in their store midway between Admiral and Alaska Junctions, at 3916 California SW. Proprietor Frank Gross shared the photo taken in the shop this morning and says they’re celebrating by offering you 15 percent off and (if needed) free shipping today and tomorrow. The shop’s open until 6 pm tonight, 10 am-6 pm Saturday.

P.S. We’ve been collecting shopping info for local stores – TRG and others – in the WSB West Seattle Holiday Guide – just scroll until you see it!

Also happening tonight – all within a few blocks of California SW in Morgan Junction:

TRY GLUTEN-FREE FRIED CHICKEN: From proprietor Bruce @ Harry’s Chicken Joint (WSB sponsor):

We are introducing a new product, *fried chicken without breading* for those who prefer a gluten-free option. Chickens will be available in whole ($24/12 pc) or half ($13/6pc) and are smoked and then fried in our cast-iron skillets. This is a delicious alternative.

We are inviting folks to come to the Beveridge Place Pub (6413 California SW) tonight at 6:00 for free samples. Call Harry’s at 206-938-9000 for more details.

‘LADIES’ NIGHT’ WITH PIZZA: Three other Morgan Junction businesses are teaming up for a Ladies’ Night extended-hours shopping event tonight, 6-9 pm. One is Peel and Press (6503 California SW), which is providing pizza and appetizers at the other two, Second Gear Sports (6529 California SW) and My Three Little Birds (6959 California SW), both of which are featuring “new items for the holidays and, of course, high quality, gently used resale/consigned goods” with giveaways and discounts.

Emerald Water Anglers is about a lot more than fishing. The new West Seattle Junction shop has just joined the WSB sponsor team, which means EWA gets a chance to tell you what it’s about:

(L-R, Reid, Jon, Dave in the Emerald Water Anglers shop)
Proprietor Dave McCoy‘s company has been in business a long time – and now it’s taken the next step, a retail storefront. His emphasis is on having a high-quality sporting-goods store in and for West Seattle, there to help you experience the outdoors in any way you choose. Along with fishing gear, you’ll find hiking gear, ski wear, and lots of merchandise from Patagonia.

Fly fishing, though, is how Emerald Water Anglers gained its fame, and the shop offers fly-fishing classes, with a particularly popular class geared toward women. You can also check into one- or two-day immersion classes taught up in Snoqualmie, and you can even learn to fly-fish from a paddleboard. This winter, fly-tying classes will be offered (check in at the store and/or online for dates/times and availability).

Emerald Water Anglers offers a busy slate of other events, and next month will include two of special note – Patagonia ambassadors will be there on December 10th to talk about winter wear (watch the EWA website for how to RSVP) and Santa Claus will be there December 20th for DIY photos.

Dave says a shop in West Seattle makes perfect sense for a variety of reasons – most of his staff also lives here, and the neighborhood is full of water and green spaces, a perfect fit for everyone who loves the outdoors and wants to take care of it as well as enjoy it. Speaking of sustainability, Dave’s also proud of having one of the first all-LED-lit businesses in the city.

You can also find out about Emerald Water Anglers‘ guide services at the shop, which is on the southeast corner of 42nd and Oregon, on the ground floor of Oregon 42, and online at emeraldwateranglers.com – by phone, 206-708-7250.

We thank Emerald Water Anglers for sponsoring independent, community-collaborative neighborhood news via WSB; find our current sponsor team listed in directory format here, and find info on joining the team by going here.

Story by Tracy Record
Photos by Patrick Sand
West Seattle Blog co-publishers

With multiple football games on screens in the background, co-proprietors of The Westy shared the news they wish they could have shared many months ago: Their official opening date.

It’ll be Wednesday, November 26th, JP Vidican and Paul Ritums (L-R above) told WSB today. That’s when The Westy will finally open its doors at 7908 35th SW, a new establishment that looks nothing like what you’d imagine – in either space or decor – from passing by on the street, where you’d mistake it for a relatively tiny storefront (recent former identities included an electronics-repair shop and medical-marijuana dispensary).

November was the hoped-for opening month when we first talked with them in summer 2013 – November **2013**. Permit and utility challenges stretched out the buildout, like the final minutes of a sports match with seemingly endless timeouts.

Now they’re ready for kickoff, and hoping you’ll decide The Westy was worth the wait. We took a look inside this afternoon, noting details from the handcrafted wooden tables to small-but-vital touches like purse hooks and power outlets under the bar with USB slots where you can charge your phone:

Of course we talked sports, food, and beverages too:

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Two businesses on Alki have announced they’re closing:

BAMBOO BAR AND GRILL: Thanks to Mike for sending that photo of the board posted outside Bamboo (2806 Alki SW), saying the restaurant/bar is closing permanently as of November 22nd. Earlier this year, it was listed for sale; the listing is now inactive, so we don’t know if the business was sold or just taken off the market. We’re trying to reach Bamboo, but it wasn’t open yet for the day when we went by in late morning, and the phone is currently being answered by a fax tone. Though Bamboo was long notorious as a trouble spot, that peaked (more, like bottomed out) in 2012, and changes were made following a shooting. More recently, the owner had merged Amante Pizza into the operation last spring when Amante lost its California SW location because of development. (P.S. We’ll update the story whenever we find out more about the closure and what might follow it.)

(added 2:15 pm) WSB co-publisher Patrick Sand just talked in person with a manager at Bamboo who confirms what has been brought up in comments: It’s closing, but a new sports bar will open in its place, after renovations. They’re not committing to a timeline because they don’t know how long that will take.

(back to original report) ALKI BEACH DOG: This shop’s location at 59th/Alki also is in the path of development, but that’s not why it’s closing.

As announced on that sign outside the shop, its owner, Debra Brown, has died. Groomer Amanda Regan is overseeing the shop during its closeout sale through Friday; people who contacted us about the closure said they appreciate her talents and hope she stays local, but she just told us by phone she doesn’t know yet where she will wind up. She’s going to take the holidays off, for starters.

Four biznotes with an opening, two (temporary) closures, and an update:

‘THE GENERAL STORE’ OPENING: This Saturday (November 8th), The General Store-Seattle is opening at ActivSpace (3400 Harbor Ave. SW), with shop hours starting at 10 am and a party at 6 pm. It’s an online AND bricks/mortar endeavor focused on selling local products; its website has a sampling, including food and body-care items.

BAKERY NOUVEAU CLOSED FOR 2 DAYS: A texter thought you might want to know that the legendary Junction bakery is closed until Wednesday. Its Facebook page says BN is doing some maintenance before the busy holiday season fully ramps up. Its Capitol Hill location remains open.

SEASONAL CLOSURE AT TONY’S: The produce market at 35th/Barton in Westwood is shut down for its seasonal break between Halloween and the winter holidays. It’ll reopen for Christmas-tree sales right after Thanksgiving.

WESTSIDE PUBLIC HOUSE: The sports bar moving into the former Terrible Beauty (etc.) spot at California/Edmunds says its liquor license is in hand. David sent this photo of the U-Haul truck outside the past few days as interior work continues:

No opening date announced yet; we first noted the sports-bar plan in September.

When the reality-TV show “My City’s Just Not That Into Me” premieres on FYI early next year, you can watch for a guest appearance by The Junction and Click! Design That Fits (WSB sponsor). A crew stopped by yesterday – on less than 24 hours’ notice – for a round of filming:

Click! co-proprietor John Smersh explained, “Their concept as I understand it is to find people who are thinking about moving to a new city and have them figure out where to live and how they’ll accessorize their new place. They liked our contemporary style and the overall look of the store as a ‘set’.” One crew member mentioned living in West Seattle and having shopped at Click! The show premieres in January – more background is in this HollywoodReporter.com story – and the episode featuring West Seattle is expected to be shown in February.

(SATURDAY MORNING UPDATE: Club has yet to reopen)

What appears to be a transition at West Seattle (Athletic) Club continues, with the fitness center closed again today, as announced in e-mail Wednesday and posted on the doors Thursday, both saying it will reopen tomorrow. We went by after a tip that police were called there at midday. No officers there when we arrived, but we did see the truck shown above and exercise equipment sitting outside.

SPD told us the call was about “a disturbance,” but did not lead to arrests. Today was the court-ordered deadline for club owner Sam Adams to pay property owner John Pietromonaco $1.1 million or face eviction; when contacted earlier this week, Pietromonaco told WSB that he had “a plan” if that didn’t happen. We asked the King County Sheriff’s Office if it had or was planning to serve eviction papers; spokesperson Sgt. DB Gates said the “writ of restitution” issued October 6th in the unlawful-detainer (eviction) case has been assigned to a detective, but they don’t comment further on specific plans for serving paperwork (or not).

ADDED 9:33 PM: Commenter John sent a photo of the drained pool, visible from the sidewalk:

If you plan on going there first thing tomorrow morning, please let us know (comment, e-mail, phone/text, whatever works) what you find – open, closed, etc. Thank you!

SAT. MORNING, 8:43 AM: We won’t be able to go look for a while longer but as of a short time ago, a caller says, closed and locked, same sign.

Apparently not all West Seattle (Athletic) Club members received the e-mail announcement that the fitness center at 2629 SW Andover is closed today and tomorrow, as the court-ordered deadline for its owner to pay $1.1 million nears. E-mail from several members this morning indicated the closure has indeed happened, without explanation (and we just went over to photograph the sign on the door). We added the announcement last night to our most recent update (read it here).

The closure so far seems to match the scenario laid out in a club employee’s e-mail to some of its fitness instructors; that e-mail suggested the club would reopen under new management/ownership. As first reported here in early October – and reiterated by property owner John Pietromonaco when we spoke with him Tuesday – this Friday is the deadline for owner Sam Adams to pay $1.1 million, mostly back rent, or face eviction. Pietromonaco told us that if Adams failed to do that, he had a plan to keep the club running. If any new information on the club’s future becomes available today, we’ll add to this story.

(UPDATED Wednesday afternoon with club’s e-mail re: Thursday/Friday closure plan)

By Tracy Record
West Seattle Blog editor

The future of the West Seattle (Athletic) Club should be clearer, for now, by the end of the week.

This Friday (October 24th), as reported here two weeks ago, is the deadline for owner Sam Adams to pay $1.1 million in back rent/other payments to landlord John Pietromonaco, to hold off eviction. According to the court orders stipulating that deadline, a “loan contract already executed by [Adams’s company] Hollystone Holdings” was going to provide that money.

However, with three days to go, he hasn’t paid up, according to Pietromonaco, who we reached by phone this afternoon.

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Two West Seattle food-biz notes:

FIREFIGHTER WITH A NOT-SO-SECRET IDENTITY: Embedded above is the recent Evening Magazine profile of Chef Michael Poole and his artisan candy business, Hot Chocolat Artisan Firehouse Chocolates. Even if you saw the profile on TV, you might not have realized Chef Poole is based in West Seattle. His day job, as the TV feature shows, is as a lieutenant in the Seattle Fire Department dispatch center; in his “spare time” he has space at one of the commercial kitchens in The Triangle, making his Hot Chocolat creations. (We met him there earlier this year.) His culinary career started out with a more general line of catering, but he eventually went on to study and work with master sweets-crafters in France. He sells his chocolates online and also has some retail outlets, including Chaco Canyon Organic Café in The Triangle, where you can buy his vegan chocolates.

COASTLINE CROWDFUNDING ADDS PUNCHCARDS: It was suggested by WSB commenter Goodgraces, and now it’s part of the crowdfunding campaign for Coastline, the “burger joint” that is taking over the ex-Shoofly spot in The Junction. One of the partners, Aaron Shepherd, sent this update tonight:

Responding to community feedback in regards to their hopes for participation with the Kickstarter campaign, we have Upgraded our Rewards. We’ve added a new category of “Punch Cards”:

4 Burger Punch Card for $25
6 Burger Punch Card for $35
9 Burger Punch Card for $45
12 Burger Punch Card for $55
15 Burger Punch Card for $65

We hope people are excited about the Upgraded Rewards, and look forward to seeing everyone at Coastline ASAP.

Shepherd says they hope to open in about a month.

Congratulations to Paul Kapioski, owner of West Seattle Thriftway (WSB sponsor) in Morgan Junction, just honored as the Washington Food Industry Association‘s 2014 Grocer of the Year. The award was announced in a surprise presentation at the store this morning; Kapioski said his staffers are the people who “make the store happen”:

WFIA says the award is given for “lifetime commitment to the independent grocery industry and exemplification of business leadership.” WS Thriftway celebrated its 25th anniversary just last year. The store’s ongoing campaign of community giving includes donations to the West Seattle Food Bank as well as summer-long series of benefit barbecues every year, with proceeds going to community nonprofits.

(King County Assessor’s Office photo)
The latest check of commercial-real-estate listings revealed a big new listing on Harbor Avenue: Right across from Seacrest, the world headquarters of international consultancy The Pacific Institute is on the market. The listing for the 18-year-old, five-story building at 1709 Harbor Avenue SW has its own website, titled Seattle Waterfront Office, where you can see photos and descriptions of each floor – offices, conference rooms, rooftop deck, fifth-floor living quarters used by visitors.

Two years have passed since The Pacific Institute’s chair and co-founder Lou Tice died, survived by his wife, co-founder Diane Tice, who remains active with TPI. The company’s Facebook page mentions that the Tices’ ranch retreat in Central Washington will be offered at auction this Thursday. Meantime, the 1709 Harbor building is listed “without an asking price,” inviting “offers … at any time.” Here’s the official flyer. We contacted The Pacific Institute for comment after seeing the listing, and they promised “a statement” sometime this week.

SIDE NOTE: West Seattle’s northeastern waterfront has other properties on the market too – the potential waterfront-development site at 2300 Harbor SW is listed at $5,750,000; the three-year-old live-work complex at 2383 Harbor SW is listed at $3,745,000; 2605-2645 Harbor is listed with a “negotiable price”; immediately southeast of that site, vacant land at 2651 Harbor SW is listed for $390,000; and the GT Towing yard at 3200 Harbor SW remains on the market, currently listed at $750,000.

(WSB photos by Patrick Sand)
By Tracy Record
West Seattle Blog editor

The West Seattle Chamber of Commerce took its lunch meeting on the road today – or, more like, to the shore, at Port of Seattle-owned Jack Block Park, where attendees heard from Stephanie Bowman, co-president of the Port Commission.

She introduced new port CEO Ted Fick, in his second week on the job. His first task is to “take a fresh look at the port and how we do business,” explained Bowman.

Her topics: First, the just-completed cruise-ship season, a “thriving industry” with 197 ship calls this year – and, she noted, an industry full of spending visitors, helpful for a “sales-tax-(dependent) state.” Second, Sea-Tac Airport, where international travel is vital, and a terminal serving it is being rebuilt, and where, she said, the baggage-handling system is being improved, too, thanks in part to a “big grant from the federal government” – helping with a $400 million project.

The big issue of specific West Seattle interest: The fate of Terminal 5 (closed since midsummer, as reported here in July), steps away from today’s luncheon location.

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A round of West Seattle biznotes tonight:

CHILI COOKOFF COMPETITORS SET: The Junction Association says it’s filled out the field with nine restaurants ready to face off in a cookoff, the Chili Competition that’ll be part of the West Seattle Junction Harvest Festival (co-sponsored by WSB) on Sunday, October 26th:

The 2nd Annual Chili Competition has its official slate of contestants. Thank you for helping to make this West Seattle Food Bank fundraiser possible.

Easy Street Café
Elliott Bay Brewery and Pub
Feedback Lounge
Husky Deli
Quadrato
Shadowland
Terra Cole Butchery
The Swinery
West 5

Husky took the title last year; you can help choose this year’s winner by buying a flight of chili during the event 11 am-1 pm on festival day. (The festival itself runs 10 am-2 pm, including the Farmers’ Market moved out into California SW for the occasion, plus a costume parade at 11:30 am, trick-or-treating at noon, and kids’ activities for the duration. See you there!)

SPEAKING OF QUADRATO … the Junction sandwich/pizza shop at 4302 SW Oregon, owned by Cary Kemp (who also owns Pizzeria 22 in The Admiral District), celebrated its 1st anniversary this week.

AND SPEAKING OF FIRST ANNIVERSARIES … also starting Year 2 is Second Gear Sports in Morgan Junction. Their announcement:

Second Gear Sports is celebrating its first anniversary this weekend! We have been so mightily embraced and supported by the entire community and we feel incredibly fortunate! On October 11, starting at 10 a.m. we will have cake, giveaways, and special discounts. At 2 p.m., Joe Albert from Bellevue’s FiveLo will be bringing a host of Seahawks-inspired gear, including their popular 12th Man ArmSox.

Second Gear is at 6529 California SW.

WEST SEATTLE CYCLERY ON THE ROAD: Actually, on the path:

Tomorrow, Thursday morning, West Seattle Cyclery will be under the West Seattle Bridge with our tent serving a little coffee, snacks and providing on the spot service. We should be set up after 6 am. We will be there until around 9-ish. We know that bike winter commuting in Seattle can be tough so we will be doing this on Thursday mornings a few times a month.

They’ll announce future dates online.