West Seattle, Washington
30 Tuesday
Today we welcome new WSB sponsors PB&J Textiles, who start their seventh year of doing business in West Seattle with a major expansion.
PB&J Textiles owners Paul and Dave (above, with Doug the rescued greyhound) added to their embroidery business with a full line of promotional goods. PB&J now has logo merchandise, full-color banners, and screen printing. PB&J Textiles also offers sublimation, the ability to put art or photos on goods such as coffee mugs or mouse pads. Paul said this year PB&J is moving to “one call does it all,” which is why they have also expanded to a staff of five, including a full-time graphics artist. He added that their customers have been looking for a full-service promotional company, so he and Dave expanded to meet that demand. This summer, you can meet Paul and Dave while they’re working the popcorn machine at West Seattle Outdoor Movies (which are a little more than 2 weeks away!). You’ll also find them in their new HQ at 3805 Delridge Way SW, online at pbjtextiles.com, or call them at 206-243-3053.
We thank PB&J Textiles for sponsoring independent, community-collaborative neighborhood news on WSB; find our current sponsor team listed in directory format here, and find info on joining the team by going here.
A gift-card/tech company is opening its first-ever headquarters in West Seattle – home to its founder. Tango Card tells WSB 
it’s just signed a one-year lease for office space in the Huling-owned building on 40th SW north of SW Edmunds, on the east edge of The Junction. Tango Card is “a startup that’s innovating in the gift card space. Our primary goal is to redefine how enterprise customers incorporate digital goods into gift card and loyalty programs. The Tango Card itself is the ‘get exactly what you want’ card where you choose the amount and then the recipient chooses their gift card, donates to charity, or splits the amount between options,” explains marketing director Kelly Scott, adding, “Several of the company’s 20 employees live in West Seattle, including our CEO and Founder David Leeds, and the team is excited to have local office space.” Till now, she says, Tango Card has done some work out of ActivSpace in Luna Park, “but mostly a lot of working from home and whatnot.” She says they’ll be moving in before the month’s out.
If you’ve driven Fauntleroy Way SW through Fairmount Springs in the past day-plus, you might have noticed that green bus labeled Free Range Mercantile. Kaela did, and sent a note wondering if we knew the story behind it. We had only just noticed the bus ourselves hours earlier, but after a little sleuthing overnight, we tracked down the info: You’ve heard of food trucks? Meet a retail truck! West Seattle entrepreneur Mary Summers, who you might know from CAPERS, is launching a mobile store. Reached via e-mail, Mary told us, “I’ll be selling sustainable goods, domestically sourced and fairly traded. Still filling in a few categories, but all useful items: brushes, brooms, tools, laundry soap, dish towels — home and hardware. This was my first weekend off after having worked at Capers for 16 years. A whole new adventure.” Mary hasn’t set an opening date yet for Free Range Mercantile – she just got the bus painted and found that “parking space” – but she expects to announce the date soon.
Four updates on businesses losing their Junction locations because of the impending start of Equity Residential construction (Alaska/California/42nd):
MIND BODY SPIRIT’S NEW LOCATION: Walking in The Junction the other day, we noticed Mind Body Spirit appeared to have cleared out of its storefront on the southwest edge of the future Equity Residential development site – but there was no sign. Now, there is (thanks to Brian Presser of TouchTech Systems for the photo!) – it says MBS has moved north to 3258 California SW, “above the West Seattle Natural Medicine clinic.”
SUPER SUPPLEMENTS’ LAST JUNCTION DAY: It’s been six months since first word that Super Supplements is moving to the old Blockbuster location at 6451 Fauntleroy Way SW (just east of California SW), Today is their last day in The Junction; they will be closed till their scheduled reopening on Friday (July 13th), with a “grand opening” event planned for July 21st.
ROCKSPORT AUCTION: As first reported here in May, Rocksport Bar and Grill is closing after the final day of West Seattle Summer Fest, Sunday, July 15th – no new location, they’re just going out of business. The Rocksport website now has information on the auction they’d mentioned would be held – it’s set for 10 am July 24th (after an 8 am preview) with James G. Murphy Co., the same famous auctioneers who handled the auctions for other local longtime venues including the Charlestown Café last year and the Corner Inn in 2008.
RUBATO RECORDS: No new location yet, according to their Facebook page, which says they’re also closing after July 15th.
OTHER BUSINESSES: We published this recap/update eight days ago, after AAA confirmed its Jefferson Square move. As for when construction of the two-building Equity Residential project will begin – our inquiries still haven’t been answered. Online city records do show they’ve applied for a demolition permit.
The doors opened at Alki Arts on July 10, 2010 – the 1st anniversary party was July 10, 2011 – this year, the party’s on July 1st. “That’s the day we got the keys,” reminisced co-owner Diane Venti, above with co-owner and husband, artist Tom Wyrick.
They’re celebrating till 8 tonight, with live music and refreshments, and a sunny attitude despite the relentless gray. Back in 2010, they told WSB they were just “trying the space out for the summer”; two years later, Diane says running an art gallery/events venue remains touch-and-go – some good months, some not-so-good months – but they defy patterns: She says they were told that February’s usually the worst month in the gallery business, and the first year, that turned out to be true, but this past year, February was their best month ever (with the help of a big order for a new development). She’s grateful for community support, and intent on giving back any way they can – lending space for school fundraisers, for example. It’s a bright, airy space, especially when the door’s rolled open; she says well-wishers have been stopping by all day. (They’ll be open on the 4th of July, too, and often have special drop-in events with art and music, including West Seattle Art Walk nights – watch the AA Facebook page for announcements.)
Yet another business losing its current location because of the upcoming Equity Residential two-building development in The Junction (California/Alaska/42nd) has announced what it’s doing next: AAA is moving to a new location in Jefferson Square. Spokesperson Jennifer Cook tells WSB they’ve just signed a lease for the former AT&T storefront in the eastern row of businesses facing the inner parking lot. No exact date yet, but probably sometime in August. “We are working diligently so that there is no overlap between when we vacate the current location and open in Jefferson Square, but it’s difficult to determine if this will be accomplished.” Cook also says this is a “permanent move” – they’ve signed a long-term lease.
To recap and update, here’s what other businesses have done/will do, west to east on the development site (most of the links go to previous WSB coverage of the moves/closures):
*Classic Barber Shop moved a few blocks south in January, to the former Alki Style and Barber Shop
*Sound Advice moved in February – one block north on California SW to a storefront on the ground floor of the Senior Center building
*Super Supplements is moving from California/Alaska to the former Blockbuster site (6451 Fauntleroy Way SW) in Morgan Junction, as first reported here in January; SS says it will open at the new location on July 14th (after closing in The Junction on 7/7)
*Rocksport is closing, with its last day on the last day of West Seattle Summer Fest, July 15 (here’s our story from last month)
*The city’s Neighborhood Service Center closed one year ago and was not replaced (West Seattle now has one, which recently moved from Delridge/Brandon to the former Southwest Community Center at 2801 SW Thistle)
*The Beer Junction moved three months ago to 4511 California SW, adding new features including a sitdown bar
*Limber Yoga and SIMA Martial Arts, which had been co-housed on the 42nd SW side (where Young at Art is now), have separate new locations – Limber at 6019 California SW and SIMA at 4159 Fauntleroy.
As for the big question – when will demolition/construction begin? – we have been trying to reach Equity for an update, but our calls and e-mails have not yet been answered. In January, a corporate spokesperson in Chicago told WSB they planned to start construction before year’s end. The project already had its land-use permit before they bought the site from Conner Homes earlier this year; this month, there’s been construction-permit activity in the city permit files. (Photo courtesy Desiree)
Though it’s based in Burien, Highline Medical Center has clinics in West Seattle – where it’s starting work in The Triangle on a new home for its Urgent Care Center – so its announcement this morning is of potential interest to local patients. Highline says it’s looking to join forces with another regional health-care organization:
Highline Medical Center in Burien and the Tacoma-based Franciscan Health System announced today they have agreed to explore a strategic affiliation.
Thanks to Colette for the tip: The women’s-clothing chain Dress Barn has closed its West Seattle location. The chain is owned by Ascena Retail Group, which made some recent acquisitions elsewhere in the women’s-clothing business and also announced it’s shutting down Fashion Bug (which is what Dress Barn used to be); we couldn’t find anyone at corporate HQ to discuss this closure, but Westwood Village management confirms that the store cleared out after deciding not to renew its lease. No one is locked in to take over the space yet, but they’ve had some interest.
Just hours after a soggy morning of tabling at the rain-shortened Morgan Junction Community Festival on Saturday, Anne Higuera of Ventana Construction was on top of the world during a sunny evening, with husband/business partner Clarence Higuera and staffers as their company (a longtime WSB sponsor) won three regional Remodeling Excellence Awards during a ceremony at the Space Needle. You see Anne and Clarence in the photo above, with Arne Granberg, lead carpenter for the winning “whole house remodel” project. One other West Seattle construction company was a winner in this year’s awards – Weitzel Construction won a REX Award too. Here’s the full list of all 24 regional winners – and here’s more on the WS winners:
VENTANA’S AWARDS
*“Rebuild Excellence: Residential Whole House/Rebuild, more than $400,000” for a project described as “Goodbye, ’80s; hello, contemporary cool” – see it here
*“Major Remodel Excellence: Residential Partial House/Addition, more than $200,000” for a project described as “Goodbye, 1970s; hello, 1929” – see it here
*“Bath Excellence: Bath, more than $75,000” for a project described as “Goodbye, windowless cave; hello, relaxation” – see it here
WEITZEL’S AWARD
*“Outdoor Living Excellence: Entry/Porch/Deck, more than $40,000” for an outdoor space with full kitchen and even a wood-fired pizza oven
Update on the Kits Cameras closure at Jefferson Square (first reported here yesterday) – we got a note from Kalani Gamble, a Kits employee, who says:
We are here packing and cleaning. Please let everyone know that they can pick up their orders from us in WS until Tuesday. … Thank you WSB, and we thank West Seattle for their loyal business over the years, we’ll miss being here!
The Kits Cameras store at Jefferson Square has gone out of business. After a texted tip (thanks!) we went over to investigate and found a sign on the door, saying yesterday was its last day in operation.
Court documents available online indicate that its parent company has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy. (We’ve sent an inquiry to corporate PR, but haven’t heard back.) As the door sign says, if you have photo prints or camera repairs you were expecting to pick up at this shop, you should instead contact Cameras West downtown, 206-628-0066.
In previous discussions of the city’s impending “plastic-bag ban” – taking effect July 1st, as noted here last weekend – some have wondered how small businesses, especially those selling carryout food, are dealing with it. The Junction’s renowned Bakery Nouveau is telling its behind-the-scenes story on its website today – including the tax complications that it’s anticipating with the fee required for paper bags.
Four news notes from The Junction:
CLEMENTINE SHOE DRIVE EXTENDED: We stopped in to see Linda Walsh at Clementine after she announced that their shoe drive for Jubilee Women’s Center has been so successful, she’d delivered boxes full of shoes and had a new empty collection box ready for more! The drive is now continuing throughout next Sunday. If you take in a donation of gently used women’s shoes, you’re eligible for a discount on new shoes, too. Or just drop them off for the joy of helping. (Clementine is at 4447 California SW.)
A block south:
CURIOUS KIDSTUFF’S CASH-AND-CHECKS DRIVE A HIT: See all those chips? They are tokens of no-plastic purchases made at the Curious Kidstuff toy store. During their anniversary sale two weeks ago, CKS launched the campaign to get customers to use cash or checks, avoiding fees charged by banks for credit-card processing; owner Ann Walker said she’d donate to charity in lieu of those fees, and she shares this update:
Curious Kidstuff wants to thank you for embracing an idea. We have had an overwhelming response to the request for checks and cash instead of credit and debit cards. We can see we will be writing a check to WestSide Baby at the end of June. A loose estimation at this point would be close to $200. “Wow,” what a great and giving community we are when we work as a team. We will give you the exact dollar amount in the beginning of July. I’m so proud of us!
Curious Kidstuff is at 4740 California SW.
SHOP LATE THURSDAYS, STARTING THIS WEEK: Clementine and Curious Kidstuff are both among the participants this summer, listed here – go to The Junction on Thursday night and shop, dine, drink at 20 businesses that will be staying open at least till mid-evening. (The participant list also includes WSB sponsors Click! Design That Fits and Fleurt.)
NEW GALLERY MANAGER AT ARTSWEST: The gallery/playhouse in The Junction announced a new gallery manager today – Susanna Bluhm, described as “an artist, educator and member of SOIL artist-run gallery in Pioneer Square,” has taken over as of last week. She also is a resident of Cooper Artist Housing in North Delridge, and has taught art to all ages as well as showing her work internationally.
Just launched: West Seattle Women in Charge.
Diane Venti of Alki Arts hatched the idea of a monthly mixer for local women who own businesses, and she invited a few to a get-together at her beachfront gallery/event venue last week. Five showed up, and now they’re organizing a second meeting and casting a wider net. If you’re interested in being part of it, you’re invited to “like” their new Facebook page, set up by one of the five – Krystal Kelley of Mind Unwind in the Admiral District – with this mission:
We are the women business owners of West Seattle. We believe in symbiotic networking and idea-sharing with good intentions, supporting our wonderful community and the arts in West Seattle, along with having a good time and smiling.
Interested? Next meeting is 9:30 am July 23rd at Mind Unwind (2206 California SW) – and of course there’s a Facebook event page already.
For the second time in a little more than a month, Tony’s Market at 35th/Barton has been broken into. This time, the report comes from SPD Blotter, which says that once police found the intruders, they also found evidence of what writer Jonah Spangenthal-Lee calls a “food fight”:
As the officer pulled up to the market, he found fruit and vegetables strewn in and around the business, and in the middle of the street.
Officers searched inside the market, found two men hiding under tables, and arrested them.
SPD Blotter says a third man was arrested for “obstruction.” We reported in early May on another break-in at the market, but one that didn’t involve the kind of damage reported here.
BENEFIT YOGA CLASS: 5 pm on Sunday, Bikram Yoga Seattle (WSB sponsor) invites you to a special class to benefit Run of Hope, fighting childhood brain tumors. (4747 California SW)
SHOE DRIVE: Sunday is day 1 of a week-long shoe drive at Clementine (4447 California SW). Bring in “gently used” women’s shoes to donate to Jubilee Women’s Center. Here’s the Facebook event page. Donors get a discount on new shoes if interested, as pointed out in this update on the Clementine website.
Almost four weeks after an early-morning dumpster fire that spread to the exterior of Poggie Tavern in The Junction – here’s our coverage from May 14th – the Poggie is finally open again, as of about an hour ago. In our photograph, that’s bartender Amy, who explains that in addition to repairs required by smoke damage, they also took the opportunity to do some other work inside. (Thanks to Deborra for the tip!)
Today WSB welcomes a new sponsor, RN Patient Advocates of the Pacific Northwest.
The health-care system has become a difficult place to navigate and few know that better than nurses. Debra Nicholls, RN, has been providing expert nursing care and advocacy in hospitals, home care and hospice throughout the Seattle area for more than 25 years and with her new business would like to empower you and your family with the knowledge and resources you need. Locally owned and founded by this Westwood area resident, RN Patient Advocates of the PNW is a affiliated member of RN Patient Advocates, your health-care safety net™, the dynamic national network of independent trained clinical nurse advocates. A skilled RN advocate can act as a vital instrument in the optimal delivery of safe, patient centered care. Advocates provide crisis intervention, timely support and resources when and where you need them for yourself or a family member. Whether you are caring for an elderly family member, dealing with an acute or chronic illness, planning a surgery, or various other medical situations, you may benefit from the services of an RN Advocate. An advocate can protect your rights and safety, research and educate you about all your treatment options and advocate in your behalf with all your medical providers, making sure they all have the same, complete and timely information they need.
Debra has a broad clinical background, from her early years in neonatal, pediatric and adult intensive care, but found her most favorite roles in home health and hospice due to the more patient and family focused care. She is passionate about informed choice and empowerment, health care should not be one size fits all. She can serve clients at all walks of life, from children to seniors. As a mother and a caregiver for her parent, she knows well the health-care system from both sides. To round out her years of bedside advocacy, she completed RN Patient Advocate training to develop her own independent practice. Debra is also actively seeking to partner with other members of the health-care community dedicated to wellness and holistic care.
RN Patient Advocates of the Pacific Northwest, PLLC serves the greater Seattle area. The first step is a free phone consultation to see if the service would be a fit for you – call 206-429-5243. RN Patient Advocates of the PNW is a member of the West Seattle Chamber of Commerce, an affiliated member of the National Network of RN Patient Advocates, and a member of Advoconnection.
We thank RN Patient Advocates of the Pacific Northwest 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.
The Admiral District‘s business association, led by president Parris Sadow of Atomic Boys, is sailing full speed ahead. We have toplines from the group’s meeting this afternoon at the Heartland Café‘s Benbow Room:
SLOGAN: It’s finally official, and was announced at this afternoon’s meeting – “Welcome Aboard.” This was chosen following several months of discussion and brainstorming. (You can even see it on the Admiral District Facebook page.)
EVENTS: A draft list of events circulated at the meeting included both proposed Admiral District participation in events/activities organized by other groups – most notably, tabling at the Admiral Neighborhood Association-presented Summer Concerts at Hiawatha series (co-sponsored by WSB), Thursday nights 7/26-8/30 (seen the lineup yet?) – and also new Admiral District events. One that you can mark on your calendar already: August 11th, the Admiral District Sidewalk Sale. They’re also starting to plan for the fall holidays too – including the always-popular Treats and Treasures Halloween event.
ART WALK: Admiral District businesses want to be sure you know some of them participate in the West Seattle Art Walk too – it’s not just “a Junction thing,” so they’ll be raising their profile. At today’s meeting, they heard from Art Walk planning committee members including John Smersh of Click! Design That Fits (Junction business formerly located in Admiral, WSB sponsor), Lora Swift of Hotwire Online Coffeehouse (WSB sponsor), Susan Melrose from the West Seattle Junction Association, and WSB co-publisher Patrick Sand. Next Art Walk is June 14, 6-9 pm!
While you’re in The Junction today – or some other day – check out the new location of Many Moons Trading Company, which describes itself as an “upscale thrift store for men and women.” The shop was long tucked away along a breezeway off the main streetfront, but is now right on the northwest corner of California and Oregon (vacated recently by Fleurt [WSB sponsor], the flower shop that moved to 4536 California). Not only is it a higher-visibility location for Many Moons, it’s also a family reunion of sorts – Many Moons owner Mary is mom of Angela, owner of Funky Jane’s Consignment, which is one door down. Via e-mail, Mary tells WSB, ““We are very happy with our new space! Of course we hope to see new customers, but we are very glad to present our loyal customers with a fresh and lovely shopping environment.”
(Added 12:15 pm – the poker-chip jar at CKS, photographed around 11 am)
Today’s the day for the big 25-percent-off anniversary sale at Curious Kidstuff (WSB sponsor) in The Junction, 9 am-5 pm – and proprietor Ann is also kicking off a new plan that could mean extra savings for you AND money for a local nonprofit:
We think we have come up with a fantastic idea here at Curious Kidstuff. We will kick this off (today) during our 25% off 14th-year Anniversary Sale.
Our business’s credit-card fees are approximately $800.00 a month. Can you believe it? I believe that if we can get our community to embrace this great idea, we could give hundreds of that back each month.
Every time a customer purchases gifts with cash or checks, we will drop a poker chip into our jar. Each month we choose a local charity and give that money to them. First charity we have chosen is WestSide Baby. Simple, keep dollars in our community instead of passing it on to banks.
We hope to see you between 9:00 and 5:00. We will give an extra 1% off for all checks and cash. (License required with checks, please.)
Curious Kidstuff is at 4740 California SW.
The sun arrived in West Seattle at mid-morning, just in time for Northwest gardening celebrity Ciscoe Morris‘s scheduled visit to West Seattle Nursery – the setting today for his live weekly two-hour KIRO-FM radio show. His first interviewees were from the WSN team. Before sitting down at the microphone, he mingled with shoppers:
If you missed today’s West Seattle-based Ciscoe-cast, keep an eye on this page, which should eventually have the archived audio files. This was Ciscoe’s second visit to this area this spring; on April 15th, he was at Village Green Perennial Nursery (WSB sponsor).
With the official start of summer only 3 weeks away, 2 ice-cream notes:
FULL TILT ON DELRIDGE: Martin’s Way at Delridge and Findlay is now carrying Full Tilt Ice Cream, per a tweet this afternoon. We first told you a week ago about the Martin’s Way produce partnership with Tony’s Market, and now the store has expanded its offerings – which also include spices and grains/legumes – by stocking ice cream, too.
CUPCAKE ROYALE ADDS ICE CREAM: Per a news release this afternoon, CR is adding 14 flavors of ice cream to its product line soon – no cones/scoops in West Seattle, but they plan to have pre-packed pints as well as ice-cream sandwiches. (This announcement reminds us of the trivia point that Cupcake Royale’s Junction location at California/Alaska is a former ice-cream parlor, with Ben and Jerry’s there for a while in the ’00s.)
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