That’s the Hummingbird, signature cupcake for Indulge Desserts LLC, which is taking over the 9003 35th SW spot vacated by Stuffed Cakes this summer. Proprietor Michele J. Auld tells us Indulge Desserts is a “retail and catering bakery. Our motto is ‘Custom cupcakes because your special day should be your special way.” She started in a commercial kitchen two years ago and now plans to be “creating a community atmosphere where you can satisfy your sweet tooth, grab a cup of joe and socialize with friends.” Along with specialty cupcakes, she sells “cake, Oreo & marshmallow pops, ethnic inspired desserts (I’m Hispanic), and anything my imagination dreams up!” Opening day is set for Saturday, October 20th; she plans to be open 11 am-9 pm Tuesdays-Saturdays, Sundays and Mondays by appointment.

Thanks to Mark Daughhetee for sending that photo from yet another of Saturday’s big West Seattle events – if you remember the late ’70s-early ’80s TV series “WKRP in Cincinnati,” you’ll recognize Loni Anderson, celebrity guest for the ribboncutting at the Aegis Living of West Seattle (4700 SW Admiral Way; WSB sponsor) grand opening.

Aegis Living of West Seattle, with a public grand-opening celebration this Saturday, is one of the newest WSB sponsors. Here’s what they’d like you to know:

West Seattle has a new neighbor! Nestled along the west-facing hilltop of Admiral Way, Aegis Living of West Seattle assisted living and memory care community is now open, providing aging area residents a beautiful new home. Fresh colors, imaginative touches, and beachy design elements relate to the water-oriented West Seattle lifestyle and the restorative serenity that comes from living near the sea.

Aegis Living is a nationally recognized company known for its innovative offerings in assisted living. CEO Dwayne J. Clark (right) founded the company 21 years ago with a disruptive mindset to redefine the living experience for seniors needing care. This grew out of frustration with senior living options and poor service standards encountered when caring for his own mother. Aegis Living offers well-appointed assisted living with the amenities of a five-star hotel, combined with outstanding care from highly trained and valued staff. Aegis Living at West Seattle offers 82 apartment-style units for those who can no longer live independently and for people with advanced memory loss. Innovative Life Enrichment™ activities address mind, body, spirit to keep seniors healthy physically and mentally. “Premium surroundings make every day a celebration and provide a wonderful backdrop for the excellent care and sense of belonging provided by our warm and loving staff,” says Clark.

An “employee first” company recognizing that employees are at the heart of its success, Aegis Living treats employees like family, justas they regard the residents as family. Aegis Living rewards employees with outstanding perks and benefits, including the annual “Dream Big” giveaway with a range of cash prizes. In 2017, Aegis Living was named one of Glassdoor’s Top 50 Best Places to Work — the first assisted-living company to place on the national workplace review list. Aegis Living currently operates 31 communities in Washington, California, and Nevada, with six in development.

Stepping through the front door of Aegis in West Seattle, visitors are greeted by the fresh blue and white color palette of a relaxed, chic vacation villa. The dramatic two-story entrance hall features blown glass chandeliers and decor inspired by the sparkling blue water of the ocean. Whimsical features throughout include a submarine aquarium with portholes for viewing tropical fish and a real tugboat in the large outdoor courtyard — named for Dwayne Clark’s mother-in-law and longtime West Seattle resident Norene Ott. A theater and sports den enable residents to enjoy both cultural activities and cheer their favorite team in style. A spa, hair salon and barber shop keep residents looking good. Several elevated decks — including one on the roof — and a large outdoor courtyard provide numerous spaces to enjoy fresh air and views.

For more information or to schedule a tour, visit aegisliving.com/aegis-of-west-seattle.

GRAND OPENING: Area residents are invited to take a tour and enjoy grand opening festivities on Saturday, August 25th, 1:00-4:00 pm, at 4700 SW Admiral Way. Valet parking provided. Guests will enjoy fruit drinks, fresh Northwest seafood, and desserts. Music includes tropical style rock and a Caribbean steel band. Raffle prizes include original artwork ‘painted on site’ by local artist Beth Goodman. Actress Loni Anderson of “WKRP in Cincinnati” fame will sign autographs and help cut the ribbon marking the official opening.

We thank Aegis Living of West Seattle 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.

By Randall Hauk
Reporting for West Seattle Blog

Seattle Yarn has found the new owners it needed to keep its doors open.

As we reported in May, store proprietor Ruth Bowen wanted to sell the business by August so she could pursue other interests.

Enter new owners-to-be Cheryl Lea and Destiny Itano, who will soon assume ownership of Seattle Yarn, assuring that the shop which has served local knitters for more than two decades will continue.

(Photo added: Destiny and Cheryl)

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Whether you are seeking employee(s) or employment, you’re invited to be part of the second Westside Job Fair, just announced by the West Seattle Junction Association and West Seattle Chamber of Commerce. Local businesses will set up at Great American Diner and Bar in The Junction (4752 California SW) 10 am-1 pm Tuesday, September 18th, for on-the-spot interviewing. (We’ve signed on to be its media sponsor again.) If you’re a business owner and interested in participating, you can e-mail lora@wsjunction.org or call 206-935-0904 to sign up.

The photo is from Casey at Mobi Repair, which has moved to a new location as of today: “We have been subletting in West Seattle Computer for 4 years now and have outgrown that. We love West Seattle with our whole hearts and love being the go-to for cellphone repair needs.” Mobi is now at 3215 California SW, several blocks south of the previous location.

It’s the financial institution that looks more like a café than a financial institution. That’s the view from the open-air (weather permitting) storefront where Verity Credit Union (WSB sponsor) soft-opened its first West Seattle branch today (4505 California SW; previous tenant, Radio Shack).

There’ll always be someone at the front to greet you; depending on what you’re there to do, you can go sit at a table, or at the bar in the back.

One feature of note – a coin-counting machine. Free for Verity members, five percent fee for others:

Speaking of five – you can join Verity for $5 (explained here). And there’s an ATM outside, part of the Co-Op network if you’re a member of another credit union. The branch will be open 10 am-6 pm weekdays, 10 am-2 pm Saturdays, and the grand-opening celebration is the first day of West Seattle Summer Fest (Friday, July 13th).

Thanks to Ben Hutchinson for the tip: The sign on the door at Alki Cleaners (2718 Alki SW) announces its closure after 19 years. If you still have cleaning to pick up, the sign has a phone number and email address to arrange pickup until July 14th. This is the fourth business to close in the heart of Alki in recent months, after Alki Urban Market, Maree Bistro, and Tully’s Coffee.

(WSB photos by Patrick Sand. Above, Gregor Terjung with daughter Gail Spores)

By Tracy Record
West Seattle Blog editor

“50 years is enough.”

That’s the simple reason Gregor Terjung gives for the decision to close his West Seattle Junction gift shop, Terjung’s Studio of Gifts.

He and wife Gloria Terjung took over the storefront at 4547 California SW in 1968, after 10 years of previous ownership. Their lease runs through this October, and they’re planning to stay open until then – depending on how long the merchandise lasts! – but they wanted to make the announcement now so you’ll know they’re having a big sale during West Seattle Summer Fest (July 13th-15th).

They aren’t selling the business itself, just closing it. Daughter Gail Spores – who’s been working there 40 years – doesn’t think anyone would buy it, given how the retail business continues to shift more and more onto the internet.

In the meantime, all these years, the shop has been a family labor of love as well as livelihood.

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Just a little over a month until hydroplanes race at Seafair – and the West Seattle Junction got a bit of a preview today when defending national champion Miss HomeStreet visited the West Seattle branch of its sponsor, HomeStreet Bank (also a WSB sponsor). The public was welcome to visit this afternoon, which is also when we photographed branch manager Nam Le and his staff with the hydro:

Then tonight, the West Seattle Chamber of Commerce converged on the branch (and the hydro) for this month’s After Hours.

Though it’s midsummer, there was a little Christmas atmosphere in one corner – “Santa Al” and The Christmas People, Rev. Fred Hutchinson and Ruth Bishop:

They invite you to Christmas in July, a benefit dinner and auction July 22nd at the Masonic Center – full details in our calendar listing. That by the way is also the day WestSide Baby is hosting its annual Diaper Drive Bash:

Nam (above, with WS Baby’s Toni Sarge) and his team are hosting a diaper drive at the bank – just drop off diapers at 4022 SW Alaska (see the hours here).

As first mentioned here back in December, Bohemian Studios (6531 35th SW) is preparing to move into a brand-new space at 4801 Fauntleroy Way SW – and they’ve set Labor Day weekend as their opening date. They’re planning to shift their schedule “to hold more barre students, offer more yoga classes, workshops, and yoga + barre teacher training” once they’re open. They shared the photos – above, the new building; below, their space:

Bohemian and other commercial tenants – a spa and nail salon among them – are moving into the ground floor of the new mixed-use building Liv Fauntleroy.

Pete and Cameron Moores, proprietors of C & P Coffee Company (5612 California SW; WSB sponsor), presided over a party Sunday – to say “thank you.”

Signs like that one in the shop invited customers to celebrate the coffee house’s future, secured back in March when the couple bought it from their longtime landlords, who had put it on the market in January, promoted as a “terrific development opportunity.” Crowdfunding and more ensued, culminating in the $1,265,000 purchase. Sunday’s celebration included cake, the Marination food truck, and even a poem:

That was a collaboration between poets who have participated in PoetryBridge readings, among the many regular events at C & P (you can see their calendar here). We stopped by late in the party, so we asked Cameron if we’d missed any big announcements; no, she said, it was just all about the gratitude

(WSB photos. From left, Amir, Arianna, owner Maryam, Kara)

Canna West Seattle (WSB sponsor) is now open in its “new” location at 5440 California SW – which was intended to be its location all along.

When we reported back in 2016 that proprietor Maryam Mirnateghi had obtained the first state license for a recreational-marijuana store in WS, she had bought the Craftsman house and expected a relatively quick conversion from its previous incarnation as professional offices.

The city permitting process didn’t work out that way – so she launched Canna West Seattle across the street in a storefront that had been a dispensary in the medical-marijuana-only days.

But now, 5440 California SW is fully remodeled into Canna West Seattle’s permanent home. Mirnateghi says it’s larger than the space across the street, which means more room to display products and information.

There are also now five registers, which means less waiting at busy times. And soon there will be a sixth for people to pick up and pay for orders they place online. There’s also an illuminated menu board for pre-rolls.

While the new location doesn’t have offstreet parking, you can still park across the street in the lot for 5435 California SW, which Mirnateghi plans to reopen soon as Canna West Seattle’s merchandise store – “high-end glass,” T-shirts, etc. Also in the works, some paving along the alley behind the new location so a ramp can be installed for those unable to use the stairs that lead to the front door.

Canna West Seattle is open 9 am-11:30 pm seven days a week; June 23rd is set for a grand-opening party at the new location, so watch for details on that.

WEDNESDAY, 12:45 PM: If you’re trying to call a business and having trouble getting through … it might be the Comcast business-phone outage that’s affecting our area and others in the country. Here’s the Comcast tweet about it:

So far we’ve heard from (updated) three West Seattle businesses affected.

THURSDAY, 9:39 AM: Two commenters just mentioned the trouble’s not resolved. And Comcast confirms that via Twitter:

Custom-decorated M&Ms are among the treats awaiting you if you stop by Illusions Hair Design (5619 California SW; WSB sponsor) to help celebrate 40 years in business! On June 1st, 1978, co-founders Sue and Linda opened the doors and got going with the scissors (etc.).

You can admire the wall full of memories when you stop by – this is just part of it:

And as is traditional for business anniversaries – you get the gifts – not only treats but also deals. No appointment needed to join the party; just visit before closing time, which is 6 pm tonight.

(WSB photo: Verity team at this morning’s breakfast)

You might have noticed that Verity Credit Union (WSB sponsor) is getting a jump on community involvement, even before opening their first branch in West Seattle. They’ve gotten involved with community events from the West Seattle Food Bank‘s Instruments of Change to Bike Everywhere Day. This morning, Verity hosted an event of its own, gathering West Seattle community leaders for a brainstorming breakfast at the Senior Center of West Seattle in The Junction.

Attendees were asked three questions:

*What makes West Seattle unique – how is it different from other neighborhoods?
*What role can Verity play in the community?
*What do you need from a bank that you’re not getting now?

Verity CEO John Zmolek participated, and presented Senior Center executive director Lyle Evans with a $1,200 donation for the center’s foot-care program:

Verity CU expects to be open in the former Radio Shack storefront on California south of Oregon before West Seattle Summer Fest (July 13-15). During the festival, they’re planning a variety of activities out front of what will by then be the newly opened branch.

(WSB photo: Donna Lawson during her shop’s 1st-anniversary party in 2012)

One of West Seattle’s most beloved bakers has announced she will be shutting down her shop. Here’s what Stuffed Cakes proprietor Donna Lawson posted online today:

It’s hard for me to write this, but the time has come for me to make a big ol’ change in my life. When I started Stuffed Cakes in 2010, I was excited to start sharing my love of making deliciously creative cakes with more than just my friends and family. My first year of business was a steep learning curve, but I was able to take my tiny investment, build my customer base and open my first shop a year later – a lifelong dream come true.

I opened my shop a couple of blocks from my house, MY neighborhood, MY shop; a way to really be part of this wonderful West Seattle community I call home. The neighbors that pop in to my shop quickly became regulars that became friends I look forward to see annually, monthly, weekly, or sometimes even more often. I really couldn’t ask for better customers! We’ve laughed together, cried together, shared hugs, stories, and mostly just our lives while nibbling on tasty treats. I’ve watched babies grow into fantastic big kids, and teens grow up to be amazing young adults. I’ve made engagement cakes, wedding cakes, baby shower cakes, baby’s 1st birthday smash cakes, and birthday cakes from then on for families. We’ve made thousands of custom cupcakes for businesses like Google and Amazon, and even more for anyone walking in for that special treat. I have made cakes on national television and even for celebrities as big as Billy Joel! We’ve won award after award, and stood our ground against some of the best pastry chefs in town. We’ve been part of the best days of your life, and even part of your saddest times – and I’m beyond honored that you have counted on us and trusted us to be part of your big moments. I’ve caught myself tear up more than once, realizing I created exactly what I dreamt of – that little neighborhood shop that brings joy to others lives and creates memories that might even last a lifetime.

It’s time I take Stuffed Cakes in a different direction. Some of you know (and most of you don’t) that I suffer from Fibromyalgia and Arthritis – both of which do not do well with long days and body-taxing work. Unfortunately, Seattle is making it harder and harder for micro businesses to flourish. Business owners either end up taking on more and more work, or we have to expand into a kind of business model we don’t want. I need to re-prioritize: more time with family and friends; and most-importantly, more time taking care of my physical self.

What does this mean for Stuffed Cakes? Well, the honest answer is I’m not entirely sure. I know I want to teach and share my art with you. I will be growing my online presence – with videos, more photos on a regular basis and hopefully even in-person classes. Who knows, maybe I’ll even write a book!

I’ve gone round and round, over all of my options, and I’ve decided it’s time to close my shop. This has been an incredibly hard decision to make – one I have not taken lightly. I have never been for lack of customers and for that I am truly grateful!

July 28th, 2018 will be Stuffed Cakes Grand Closing party! We had the MOST amazing, supportive Grand Opening in the fall of 2011, and now it’s time to go out with a BANG!, Mostly I just want to have a great time with all of you and give back to my community. More info to come…

So, if you need a cake, get your order in! The last date we’re taking custom orders for is Saturday, July 21st so we can focus on walk-in customers and prepare for our party on July 28th. Starting today there will be a $150 minimum order with a preference given to more elaborate cakes. Most of June is booking up quickly, we’ll be closed the week of 4th of July, and we’re only taking orders for Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays from now on so don’t wait to place your order.

If you know anyone looking to buy a turn-key bakery/catering spot, please have them email bakeryforsale98126@gmail.com for more information.

Thank you EVERYONE!
I LOVE YOU!

(Thanks to Sandy for the tip.)