West Seattle, Washington
24 Tuesday
Just out of the WSB inbox, a big party starts tomorrow at The Admiral District’s award-winning The Good Society Brewery and Public House:
We are celebrating turning 3 and we’ve got some good stuff lined up for you!
On Friday we will release our 3rd Anniversary DIPA, 3rd Time’s a Charm. We added Phantasm and used a thiol-boosting yeast to release some awesome tropical notes. Combined with the boozy 8.7% abv, it’s reminiscent of sitting on the beach with a drink in hand!
We are also release Rye Hard 2: Rye Harder. We took Rye Hard, our Imperial Rye Stout we brewed late in 2021, aged it in rye whiskey barrels, and then blended it with a young batch. We will have a sixtel of the original on as well.
On Saturday, we are doing weekend versions of Music Bingo and Trivia! We love these events and often hear how folks have trouble making it to these events during the week, so here’s your chance! Come win some prizes!
We also partnered with our friends at Shug’s Soda Fountain to bring you ice cream sandwiches and beer floats!
The Good Society opened on Valentine’s Day 2020 on the southwest corner of California and Lander.
Those candles are part of a revived recycling program that Canna West Seattle (WSB sponsor) is relaunching starting today. The program is the resumption of a pre-pandemic commitment, and also an initiative led by Canna’s owner to encourage change in her entire industry. Here’s the announcement explaining the return of Canna Collect:
Back in 2019, Canna West Seattle launched a one-of-a-kind recycling program to collect all cannabis and hemp packaging sold through both its stores. With an incentivized program called Canna Collect, customers were encouraged to bring back their packaging in exchange for loyalty points and discounts within the Culture Shop (Canna’s sister lifestyle store).
Behind the scenes, the team putting the program together intended to collect the packaging and commission an artist who could convert the materials into a massive sculpture. The sculpture was meant to help raise awareness as a symbol of the damaging environmental impact the cannabis industry is responsible for. What they learned was that the various materials collected actually could not be safely merged. Much of it couldn’t even be recycled, Mylar being the number-one pollutant.
The program resonated with thousands of customers donating monthly, but due to unexpected regulations and roadblocks, the actual result was just collecting and storing empty cannabis packaging. Canna worked hard to find innovative companies to potentially partner with – companies that could possibly find use for or convert the materials – but had no luck.
Just as the program was really gaining momentum through community support and national media coverage, the pandemic hit, and everything came to an instant halt. Priorities shifted to keep the staff safe and serve the community, while the recycling program was put on the back burner until further notice.
Stalled for an unpredictable amount of time, the program was always intended to be resumed once everyone felt it was safe again to do so. Now almost 3 years later, the Canna Collect recycling program is relaunching with a new aim.
“We desperately need industry change to decrease industry waste.” says Maryam Mirnateghi, CEO and Founder of Canna West Seattle. “If climate is truly a priority to our representatives, then they need to look at the regulations that they are imposing on the cannabis industry that are directly impacting the environment and hurting small business.”
The original end goal was to bring awareness to the pollution cannabis packaging is causing, and to motivate industry leaders and state representatives to work together to change regulations and create business and environmentally friendly alternatives. It is meant to make customers more aware of what kind of cannabis packaging they are purchasing their products in, and in turn, to create more eco-conscious consumers.
“While we’ve had to make some modifications to our recycling program, our end goal still remains the same,” Mirnateghi continues. “Only now we’ve partnered with Northwest Island Botanicals, who is upcycling the glass jars we collect into therapeutic candles that will be sold at our Culture Shop. A portion of those proceeds will be donated to customer-choice local charities. In addition, we will be encouraging and helping our customers to contact our legislators.”
To learn more about the Canna Collect Recycling Program, visit cannawestseattle.com. There you’ll find details about what packaging will now be accepted, who to contact in Olympia which includes a simple copy and paste letter to send to your local politicians. Keep an eye out for future petitions or initiatives! “It’s time to bring the cannabis community together to create real environmental change,” Mirnateghi concludes.
Canna West Seattle is at 5440 California SW; the Culture Shop is across the street at 5435 California SW.
Two food followups:
WESTWOOD McDONALD’S REOPENS: Multiple readers, including Thomas – who sent the photo above – report that the Westwood Village McDonald’s is now open. The entrances were still coned when we went by around 9:30 am today, so the opening happened sometime after that. As noted here again Monday, the restaurant’s been closed almost six months for a “transformation.”
DUE CUCINA OPENS TOMORROW: Thanks for the texted tip that the new Italian restaurant in The Junction (4437 California SW) has announced tomorrow as its opening date, a week and a half after installing the exterior signage. We couldn’t find any info about what time, though, so we went over to look, and found one staff member who told us they’re expecting to open Wednesday around 11 am. This will be the fourth restaurant for the regional mini-chain, after Roosevelt, Capitol Hill, and Totem Lake. We first reported the West Seattle expansion plan six months ago.
The Delridge Grocery Cooperative (5444 Delridge Way SW) continues expanding the days/hours it’s open. Starting March 7th, they’ll be open on Tuesdays, 3-7 pm, This is thanks, the DGC announcement notes, to volunteer power – the DGC is an all-volunteer organization. If resources permit, the DGC announcement says, they hope to expand Saturday hours, too. For now, they’re open 3-7 pm Fridays and Mondays, 9:30 am-3 pm Saturdays, 11 am-3 pm Sundays. The store is open to all, but member-owners get a 10 percent discount the first Friday through Monday of each month, and once they add the extra day next week, that will extend to the first Tuesday of the month too. You can find out about membership here, and about volunteering here. (DGC also continues to sell “Essentials” produce boxes and uses volunteer help to deliver them on Saturdays, too.)
11:48 AM: It’s been the most popular business-related question in the WSB inbox for weeks: When is the Westwood Village McDonald’s reopening? It closed six months ago for what a corporate spokesperson told us would be a “major transformation.” At least from the outside, the work has appeared complete – drive-up menu boards illuminated, among other things – so we’ve tried repeatedly to get official word on the reopening, but no reply from corporate spokespeople. So we’ve been going by daily to check. This morning we found a work crew member who told us his company had been told their work has to be finished in time for a “March 1st opening.” That’s this Wednesday. Not an official answer, but in lieu of corporate comment, it’s the best we have.(Let us know if you find it open sooner!)
4:59 PM: Commenter says it appears to be open now.
7:05 PM: We just went by. The entrances are coned off again, but it looks like more of a private party inside – balloons, etc.
Thanks to Susan for the photo from early this morning, as the line for The Original Bakery‘s final Friday (applesauce donuts!) stretched down the block, well past its storefront at 9253 45th SW. We also heard tonight from Kay, who suggested reminding people to get there early if planning on one last trip this weekend. Sunday is the bakery’s final day of operations, as first reported here three and a half weeks ago. Bakery proprietor Bernie Alonzo is retiring after almost 50 years; the parent company of neighboring Endolyne Joe’s, CHOW Foods, is taking over the space. The bakery will be open 7:30 am-3 pm Saturday and Sunday (unless everything sells out early).
(WSB photos)
By Tracy Record
West Seattle Blog editor
When Rebellyous Foods moved to West Seattle four years ago, they were producing three tons of plant-based “chicken” every month. And they told us they were looking for “roommates” to help fill the huge space they’d leased in The Triangle.
Now they’re manufacturing 20 times that volume, and they’ve outgrown the space – their production happens in another facility, and their HQ will likely move when their lease runs out next year, though founder/CEO Christie Lagally says they have hopes of staying in West Seattle. We visited Rebellyous Foods HQ recently to see how they’ve grown.
Their biggest customer, buying the lion’s share – or perhaps we should say the rooster’s share – of their product: Schools. They sell “Kickin'” plant-based “chicken,” specially formulated to meet nutrition requirements, to more than 100 districts around the country (though not Seattle Public Schools, Lagally notes). That’s 90 percent of their sales, with the rest to retailers, mostly around the Northwest
Despite that production boom (5 days a week at Orca Bay Seafoods in SODO), ready-to-cook plant-based “chicken” nuggets, patties, and tenders aren’t what Rebellyous Foods is really all about. As Lagally had told us in 2019, her company is a technology company – inventing more efficient ways to produce the “chicken.” Much of what they’re doing inside the SK Food Group building is so super-secret, we weren’t allowed to photograph it.
Lagally says it’s all about the dough. (In two respects, in fact – Rebellyous Foods recently announced it has “raised a $9.5 million equity round” to build what it’s inventing.) Their technology enables the dough at the heart of their plant-based “chicken” to be made without backbreaking work. Most of what they’re doing at the West Seattle HQ is research and development – in one room they have production equipment both secret and (below) not-so-secret:
The whole point is to bring plant-based “chicken” into “price parity” with its flesh-and-blood counterpart. And Lagally says Rebellyouse Foods is not looking to own the market – not the market in their consumable product, anyway, but rather, in the technology – “production solutions” – so the revolution can spread further. “Our mandate is to be a production company, not a brand company.”
What they’re creating will “dramatically lower the cost of making plant-based meat,” Lagally – a former aerospace engineer – is confident. It will require 90% less labor, but she’s adamant that is not just a money-saving feature, but also a matter of “human safety.”
Banners on the wall celebrate the names of what they’ve been working on – the Mock 1S was a “small-scale version” of their dough-making system, Lagally explains, followed by the Mock 2, which is what she expects will achieve the goal of “price parity.” (You can read more about it on their website, where it’s touted as having a variety of advantages including energy efficiency.)
Since they’re prototyping technology, they’re 3-D-printing some of the parts they need – we wandered through one room where mechanical-design engineers were busy at workstations with a few of the printers nearby. They’re among Rebellyous Foods’ 19 current employees. Most of them are in R&D or production, Lagally says. Her company won’t be manufacturing the production equipment, but she expects it’ll have quite the market: “People do want meat replacement” – 20 percent of the meat sold now could be replaced by plant-based products, according to “think-tank research” she cites.
So the next time you pass by that big building in The Triangle, just south of the Y – remember there’s a revolution going on in there. (Rebelly-ion, they’d say.) And if you haven’t tried their products yet, you can go here to find a store that carries it (including nine in West Seattle).
(Photo courtesy Clay Eals)
Vans like those carrying the name Avamere were the first sign for some of a big change at Park West Care Center in North Admiral. We confirmed that the facility is now Avamere Rehabilitation at Park West. Avamere is a regional chain of skilled nursing and rehabilitation facilities, with more than 32 locations in Washington and Oregon, including this one. The takeover was one of four that Avamere announced this month, the company says:
Avamere Living acquired four new facilities on Feb. 1, 2023, in Washington state. All four were formerly operated by North American Health Care, as part of a previously announced deal with Sabra Health Care REIT. These properties currently serve the cities of Seattle, Shoreline, Issaquah, and Burien, and will continue to offer post-acute care, short-term rehabilitation, and long-term care. … The four properties will be transitioned over the month of February, with existing teams remaining in place while Avamere leadership spends the month on-site doing training and onboarding. This increases the Avamere footprint in the greater Seattle-Tacoma area to nine facilities and allows for increased collaboration and support for the entire region.
Avamere vice president Maggie Hilty tells WSB the signage for the center at 1703 California SW will change, but they’re not sure how soon, as the company has just “gathered the specs.” The company is based in Wilsonville, Oregon, where it started with one facility in 1995.
As mentioned here last Friday, local business organizations organized a fundraiser for Turkey/Syria earthquake victims – you shop/dine/drink at participating businesses this Friday-Sunday (February 24-26), and they in turn will donate part of the proceeds to one or both of these relief groups: AHBAP and White Helmets. The West Seattle Junction Association sent this graphic with this list of who’s in:
The region has been shaken by another deadly quake this week, two weeks after the one that is blamed for more than 40,000 deaths.
Congratulations to West Seattle Nursery for an award-winning run at the Northwest Flower and Garden Festival. The report is from WSN’s Marie McKinsey:
The crew at West Seattle Nursery is tired but happy today. Their display garden, “Shaded from Reality,” just won the Founder’s Cup – Best in Show Award at the Northwest Flower and Garden Festival. They also won the Beyond Beautiful Award from Fine Gardening Magazine, and a Gold Medal.
The garden featured a rustic greenhouse in the woods, built using reclaimed windows and other recycled materials. The structure was surrounded by shade-loving plants, including a stunning collection of hellebores, with a stream tumbling over rock near the entrance.
The Show opened on February 15th and closed last night.
It was held at the Convention Center downtown.
The Senior Center of West Seattle‘s corner ground-floor space at California/Oregon is hosting another pop-up shop. If you haven’t been yet, you have through tomorrow to go browse the art of Bjoern T.M. Larsen, who tells us a bit about himself and his work:
I’m a Danish artist locally residing in Seattle.
I studied art in Venice (Italy) and within decades I was able to build my own unique style by using iridescent Acrylics and resin on Canvas. I won several Art Festivals (Art Shoreline Festival 2020), I sell originals, prints of different sizes, and greeting cards.
With me there is Lucia, an Italian jewelry and candle maker.
Larsen’s pop-up is open until 5 pm today and again 11 am-5 pm tomorrow (Sunday, February 19th).
(2011 Alonzo family photo: Erich, Anna, and dad Bernie)
By Judy Pickens
Special to West Seattle Blog
Bernie Alonzo has had the tempting smell of fresh-baked bread in his lungs since he was a kid helping in his father’s bakery. When he and his wife, Lorraine, visited friends in West Seattle, they checked out the little bakery for sale in Fauntleroy. Buying it came naturally, and he’s been baking there since 1975.
Now nearly five decades later, he’ll be hanging up his apron on February 26. While tempting pastries, breads, and cookies fresh from the oven have kept people coming back for more, old-fashioned hospitality made The Original Bakery as much community center as business.
In a profile published in 2000 in the Fauntleroy Community Association‘s newsletter, Bernie explained that he was the fourth owner since the bakery opened in 1936 in the Adams Building at 45th Ave. SW and SW Wildwood Place. The founding owner’s name is lost to history, but Bill Latta owned it from the 1940s to the 1960s, then sold it to Florian Dunbar, who sold it to Bernie.
He kept “The Original Bakery” as the name, even though it’s legally “Bakery The Original.” In the early days, small neighborhood bakeries were common, so the deed made clear that this was the original bakery in Fauntleroy’s Endolyne business area.
Bernie established a routine of weighing out ingredients the afternoon before so he could start baking at 4:00 the next morning. He opened the door to customers at 7:30, Mondays through Saturdays. Young people needing work experience (including his three children) were often the ones behind the vintage display cases. After three decades of baking alone, daughter Anna Alonzo‘s arrival in 2009 after completing culinary school lightened his load.
As tastes changed over the years, Bernie responded by shifting to healthier recipes. In 2000, he recalled one of the biggest changes.
“I never thought espresso would be such an integral part of our business,” he said. “When we bought the first espresso machine in the 1980s, many people didn’t know what espresso was!”
Bernie looked forward to special orders, somewhat because they varied his routine but mostly because they enabled him to share in birthdays, weddings, or whatever his customers were celebrating. Over the decades he donated countless cakes and cookies in support of whatever good cause sought him out. He also enjoyed giving local artists free wall space in the bakery’s seating area.
Whether making sure customers knew they could sit awhile over their favorite pastries or always baking what people most enjoyed, a big part of what The Original Bakery long offered was constancy in the midst of change.
“You try to survive in business,” Bernie said in 2000, “but having people appreciate you as an important part of the community is a real plus. It’s been a nice reward for me.”
At the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Alonzo kids helped their dad brainstorm how to safely continue to serve customers. His solution was to add a walk-up window and reduce hours. After operating that way for two-plus years, Bernie decided the time had come for him to start sleeping in. With Anna’s top priority being to raise her daughter, she was not in a position to take on the business.
“Since we announced our closing, we have been very busy every day, which is great,” she said. “We have also had an outpouring of good wishes and appreciation from the neighborhood.
“Folks have been bringing cards and saying goodbye and we’ve had former customers come from afar to say best wishes and thank you. It’s been very heartwarming.”
Stop by if you can (9253 45th Ave. SW) before The Original Bakery closes on Sunday, February 26, at 3:00 pm.
While in The Junction today, we noticed the sign going up at the future Dué Cucina restaurant (4437 California SW). It’s been six months since we first reported the Italian mini-chain was expanding to the former Ma’ono space. We don’t have a projected opening date yet, but it’s close enough that Dué Cucina has posted a listing in the West Seattle Jobs Offered section of the WSB Community Forums. If you’re curious how they’re changing the interior, they posted a sneak peek video here earlier this month.
Twelve years ago, almost 30 West Seattle businesses – and many of their customers – joined in a one-day fundraiser to help Japan recover from the earthquake/tsunami disaster. Now another catastrophic earthquake has taken thousands of lives, this time in Turkey and Syria, and local businesses are again joining forces for a community-led fundraiser. The West Seattle Junction Association and Chamber of Commerce asked us to publish this invitation for businesses to be part of it:
West Seattle supports Syria and Turkey earthquake relief efforts:
Want to join? If you are a business owner in West Seattle, email Chris Mackay at chris@wsjunction.org by end-of-day Monday (February 20th) and let her know you would like to join.
We will be asking West Seattleites to support all participating businesses by patronizing them between Friday, February 24, and Sunday, February 26. The businesses will donate a portion of their sales to AHBAP, a Turkish-run non-profit providing shelter to victims, or to the White Helmets, based in Syria doing rescue and recovery work. Both organizations are locally based and well-respected by the locals.
One Junction business owner who is from Turkey and has family there, YogaSix studio owner Sechil Thornton, says, “So many families have experienced unspeakable heartache with the loss of loved ones and an uncertain future. There are millions of homeless people, many sleeping in tents, schools, parks or their car. Those who were fortunate to be able to flee the cities are now being temporarily housed in hotels. With no timeline, or place to start in trying to rebuild their lives. I believe we must stand with all human beings in their times of need and ensure they receive our support. Which is why we are so grateful and proud to be a part of the West Seattle community showing its support stepping up to aid in relief efforts.”
Three West Seattle biznotes:
MOUNTAIN TO SOUND OUTFITTERS SALE: The shop at 3602 SW Alaska (WSB sponsor) is kicking off the holiday weekend early with a sale starting tomorrow (Friday, February 17th):
Hi there, Neighbors!
Mountain to Sound Outfitters is having our annual Presidents Day Clearance beginning Friday the 17th and you all are invited to come check out the hottest deals in the area on skis, snowboards, boots and clothing! Up to 40% off on select hard and soft goods.
We are also doing buy one get one half off full tune specials so come see us in the tune shop! Now is the perfect time to get stocked up and tuned up for the last half of our season.
M2SO is open 10 am-7 pm weekdays, 10 am-5 pm weekends.
EL CAMION UPDATE: The Fauntleroy food truck has been away from its spot in the Endolyne business district for site work and maintenance. When last we checked in, they were hoping to return last week, but they’re not back yet. So we checked in again. Via email, Scott tells us the truck maintenance has taken longer than expected: “There was an issue getting some parts and it has taken a while, but I am being told that it is going to be ready this evening and that we could be back in operation on Saturday.”
COFFEE FUNDRAISER: Many of your favorite local independent small businesses continue helping local nonprofits and school groups with dining/drinking fundraisers. Next one on the WSB West Seattle Event Calendar is at Hotwire Coffee (4410 California SW) tomorrow (Friday, February 17th) – get coffee (or another beverage) there on Friday and tell them you’re there for the Genesee Hill Elementary PTA fundraiser, so they’ll get a share of the proceeds. Hotwire is open 6:30 am-5 pm.
Just in from the West Seattle Chamber of Commerce – nominations are being welcomed for the 2023 Westside Awards:
Annually the West Seattle Chamber of Commerce presents the Westside Awards, and the nomination portal is now live for you to submit your selections for 1) Business of the Year, 2) Not-for-Profit of the Year, 3) Emerging Business of the Year, and 4) Westsider of the Year.
The community is invited to submit nominations online here forms.office.com/r/igvg7KMMg0. Deadline to submit nominations is Tuesday, March 7th, 2023.
Mark your calendar for the Annual Westside Awards Breakfast to be held in-person on Tuesday, May 16th, 2023, at The Brockey Center at South Seattle College. At this event, the West Seattle Chamber will honor the award winners as well as the awardee finalists. Event details to follow at wschamber.com. Take a look back at the previous Westside Award winners in each category here: wschamber.com/westside-awards.
If you have questions about the Westside Awards, please reach out to Chamber Executive Director Whitney Moore at whitney@wschamber.com.
(Reader photo from Dick’s truck visit in The Junction, December 2020)
West Seattle’s food truck scene just keeps sizzling. Highland Park Corner Store (7789 Highland Park Way) hosts a different truck every week, usually on Thursdays, but this week it’s adding a bonus truck visit two days after that – proprietor Meaghan Haas just sent word that the Dick’s Drive-In burger truck will be at Highland Park Corner Store 11 am-2 pm Saturday (February 18th). It’s made scattered West Seattle stops since launching in fall 2020, but this is the first one we’ve heard of in a while. Just remember – the truck sells burgers and shakes, not fries. Meaghan says, “We’re excited to bring this Seattle legend to Highland Park and greater West Seattle!”
Two weeks after we first told you about the big change ahead for Morgan Junction’s only gas station, it’s happening – Shell‘s out, Mobil‘s in. The station and its mini-mart have been closed all this time, and we haven’t found anyone yet who can tell us the planned reopening date, but for everyone who’s been asking, here’s a sign that the transition is proceeding. This will be the only Mobil-branded station in West Seattle.
Exactly one week until Valentine’s Day. Three West Seattle notes:
JEWELRY: Thinking about diamonds for a gift? Lauren’s Jewelry (WSB sponsor) in Westwood Village is having a special shopping party this Friday (February 10th), 4-7 pm. The independently owned shop promises, “We will have diamonds of all prices and sizes, spin the wheel, party favors, bites, & beverages for all of our attendees. Each guest will get the chance to win up to 30% off!” This is an RSVP-required event – get on the list by emailing hello@laurensjewelrystore.com or calling 206-937-9200.
FLOWERS: On Valentine’s Day afternoon – 2 to 4 pm Tuesday, February 14th – HomeStreet Bank‘s West Seattle branch (4022 SW Alaska; WSB sponsor) invites you to stop in for sweet treats and, if you’re among the first 40 visitors, a long-stemmed rose. Also for visitors: “We will have a drawing for one of our favorite restaurants in the area.”
(Photo provided by Senior Center of West Seattle)
ELVIS! Also on Valentine’s Day, get your evening started early with Elvis tribute artist Bret Wiggins at the Senior Center of West Seattle (4217 SW Oregon), 4-5:30 pm, performing a show themed “Love Me Tender” – classic love songs along with Elvis’s biggest hits from the ’50s, ’60s, and ’70s. Tickets are $10 members, $15 non-members, refreshments included, and you can reserve yours right now by going here.
Three restaurant notes today:
(Photo courtesy Circa)
CIRCA’S 25TH ANNIVERSARY: It’s happening today! Circa in The Admiral District at 2605 California SW is celebrating its 25th birthday today, and co-proprietor Gretchen tells us they’re offering “$12 burgers, $2.50 mini cake slices, $2.50 Manny’s Pale Ales, $15 red beans and rice plate.” If you visit today (they’re open until 9 pm) you’ll also find “decorations [photo above] and fun!” Circa is the Westside Awards‘ reigning Business of the Year, by the way.
PAGLIACCI FREEBIE: Just noticed while in The Junction that Pagliacci Pizza (4449 California SW) has window signage promising free slices on Valentine’s Day (Tuesday, February 14th), 4-8 pm.
TALARICO’S ADDITION: Speaking of pizza, Talarico’s in The Junction (4718 California SW) is adding weekday lunch starting Monday, February 20th – they emailed us to announce they’ll open at noon Mondays-Fridays. They’re expecting to offer lunch specials but are still working on the details.
(WSB photo, November 2022)
Three months ago, we photographed Animated Café founder/proprietor Melanie (aka “Ana“) just after her coffee stand moved to 4518 Fauntleroy Way SW. Today, she has a new cause for celebration: It’s been exactly one year since she opened (originally at 35th/Barton). We had her backstory here about a week before that. Now, a year later, here’s the anniversary musing she shared with her email list:
Oh my goodness has it been one wild year… A year ago when I was 18 not many people believed I would start a business. More people thought I would fail than succeed and truthfully the odds weren’t in my favor.
If you’re reading this, maybe I can add some inspiration because I really wasn’t sure I could do it myself.
This business has had lots of twists and turns. Some amazing ones and some not so amazing ones, but every high and low has taught me something. Let me list a few:
– What it takes start
– How to fix things & work with what I have
– How to use pretty much every tool in the garage.
– How to motivate even when I’m tired & manage the highs and lows
– How to create on social media (check out my TikTok account!)
– How to perfect my drinks with customer feedback
– How to break out of my shell (I’m a little shy) and create memorable experience
– How to hire and manage employees
– How to ask for help when I need it
– and many other things…Most importantly though you all have taught me to be more confident in myself. Some of the best experiences when looking back have been when I get inspired to make something new and turn it into a theme, an outfit, a drink, or even a new conversation starter. It’s become like some kind of magic to me to learn and create something new every day.
I feel so blessed that you all have supported this venture. I can’t wait to see what the next year brings & I hope you come by this weekend to say hi! I’ll have balloons set up and sidewalk chalk for anyone who wants to leave behind a little positivity. I couldn’t be more grateful for this past year.
Now, as for her gift for families – Her sister and niece are launching a weekly Sunday story-time event in the building next to the lot Animated Café shares, 9:30 am Sundays starting next weekend (February 12th). It’s free but they ask for RSVPs – you can sign up for next week, or one or more of the following weeks, by going here.
(WSB file photo)
Fauntleroy food fans not only were coping this past week with news of The Original Bakery‘s closure plan, but also with the absence of the El Camion food truck. A few asked us about its status, including a question in the WSB Community Forums. So we’ve been pursuing an update and heard back this morning from Scott at El Camion, who said “most definitely” they’ll be back: “We are doing some maintenance on the truck and some site improvements. Hope to be back and up and running by Tuesday or Wednesday.” El Camion has been set up at 9250 45th SW in the Endolyne business district for three and a half years.
A beloved small independent business that announced closure plans two months ago will NOT be closing after all. Alair Gift Shop at 3270 California SW (and co-housed sibling business Dylan) has a new owner! Alair founder Shandon Armstrong finalized the deal this week. The new owner explained via email, “I was shocked when Shandon said she was closing because I knew she built something really great over the years. We were able to come up with a solution. I’m thrilled to be able to keep the awesome local staff, location, name, and general awesome vibe of Dylan and Alair.” The new owner and partners are choosing to be anonymous but describe themselves as “long-time locals with a passion for women-owned small businesses.” The transition will be seamless, and you’ll have more time each week to shop there soon: “We will move to being open 6 days per week (Tuesday-Sunday) beginning February 14th.”
| 3 COMMENTS