West Seattle, Washington
23 Monday
Dream Dinners-West Seattle (longtime WSB sponsor) has long been partnering with local schools for fundraisers that get easy home-cooked meals for you and vital support for the schools. Here’s the latest:
In the spirit of Valentine’s Day, help us support our community. Friends of West Seattle Elementary has a BIG GOAL to reach and we want to contribute. When you purchase 3 Special Event meals from us, we are able to donate $10 back to West Seattle Elementary. If you have ever experienced ‘what’s for dinner’ decision fatigue, we can help you get dinner on the table and contribute to West Seattle Elementary. Our dinners last up to 3 months in the freezer. You will always have a dinner ready to cook! It’s a WIN for the students and a WIN for your family and your peace of mind. Let’s support our community together.
Direct links for orders and pickup dates/times for the fundraiser:
2/22 – 6 pm dreamdinners.com/session/964354
2/23 – 11 am dreamdinners.com/session/964355
2/23 – 6 pm dreamdinners.com/session/964361
2/25 – 9:30 am – dreamdinners.com/session/964356
2/27 – 10 am – dreamdinners.com/session/964360
FOWSE adds, “If you haven’t been to Dream Dinners before, these are pre-made, frozen meals that can either be defrosted for consumption or put in your freezer for a future dinner.” Dream Dinners-West Seattle is on the east side of outer Jefferson Square, at 41st/Alaska.
Since the Alonzo family announced Tuesday that they will close The Original Bakery in Fauntleroy later this month after almost half a century of owning and operating it, legions of fans have voiced their sorrow. Some also wondered what will happen with the space at 9253 45th SW, which the Alonzos’ announcement said would be taken over by the owner of CHOW Foods, which operates Endolyne Joe’s next door. We reached Peter Levy by email – here’s what he told us:
Yes, we are moving into the Original Bakery space. Given the history of the space, what we do know at this point is that we will continue to serve morning pastries & espresso.
We are still working on determining conceptually what our plans are for the balance of the day & night operating hours. Depending on the permitting process and time required for construction, we are anticipating opening sometime in the late summer/early fall of this year.
We also asked if the pastries he mentioned would be baked on site, retaining the space’s use as a bakery: “We are in the very formative state in the process and I have no further information to provide at this time.” But, in response to another followup question, he did say the space “will have a different name” rather than being operated as part of Endolyne Joe’s, which has been at 9261 45th SW for almost 20 years.
P.S. Watch for a story here soon looking at the history of The Original Bakery, which plans to close after Sunday, February 26th.
Two milestones for one of West Seattle’s one-of-a-kind businesses – Avalon Glassworks in the Luna Park neighborhood. Here’s their announcement:
Avalon Glassworks is celebrating 30 years of business and 20 years for current owners Shannon and Jon Felix. To commemorate, the studio has created a blown glass Anniversary Float, signed AGW 2023 “30” on the sealing button.
It is a 4″ sphere in transparent burgundy red with accents of sparkly gold flecks. It can be purchased online at their Etsy store or in-person at the West Seattle location at 2914 SW Avalon Way. Avalon Glassworks’ new hours are Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays, 12-4 pm.
(WSB photos)
As noted in our daily preview, today is opening day for Ali Brownrigg‘s new shop Swan Dive in The Junction. We reported on her plan two weeks ago. Swan Dive is at 4537 California SW, in the spot occupied by Virago until recently, and selling merchandise including vintage clothing:
You’ll also find new wearables including shoes, courtesy of a partnership with Clementines, with whom Swan Dive has long partnered on the other side of the bay.
Swan Dive’s hours for starters are noon-5 pm weekdays, 11 am-5 pm Saturdays, 11 am-2 pm Sundays, or by appointment – email swandivevintage@gmail.com to set something up.
We previously reported on two future Westwood Village businesses based on permit files. Now, new confirmation:
HAPPY LEMON: We reported one month ago that Vatsana’s Thai Restaurant had closed and the international boba-and-more tea chain Happy Lemon would move in. Passing through WWV today, we noted Happy Lemon now has window signage up, saying it’s expecting to open in spring.
FITNESS 19: We reported last week that sign-permit documents indicated this gym chain would take over the two-years-vacant 24-Hour Fitness spot at WWV. It wasn’t listed on the official WWV directory at the time, but it is now. We’re still waiting to hear back from the company about its timeline.
West Seattle’s longest-running bakery is about to end its storied run. A few readers told us in recent days that they’d heard The Original Bakery in Fauntleroy was planning to close – we’ve been working to confirm it, and today bakery proprietor Bernie Alonzo‘s daughter Anna Alonzo confirmed it to us shortly before she made this public announcement:
It is with heavy hearts that we are announcing that The Original Bakery will close its doors at the end of February. Our last day will be Sunday 2/26/2023.
After nearly fifty years of doing business, Bernie is retiring. He says it’s been a good run. We have seen so many kids, employees and customers, growing up before our eyes. We have experienced so much joy seeing those grown-up kids bring their children to enjoy their favorite bakery treats. We truly have appreciated the love and support from our community over the years. The Original Bakery’s history dates to the 1930s. Our family has had the pleasure of being the fourth generation of families to run this business. We had hoped to sell the business and pass the baton. I may open a bakery café sometime down the road when my daughter is grown up.
The bakery’s space is slated to be rented and developed by Peter Levy of Chow Foods/Endolyne Joe’s.
Come say farewell. We will miss the bakery and the people more than we can say in just words. For me, Bernie’s daughter, it’s been like a second home growing up. I look forward to relaxing and vacationing with my Dad more in the near future!
You can’t rush down to 9253 45th SW today – the bakery’s open Wednesdays-Sundays, 7:30 am-3 pm. As noted here, the bakery was founded in 1936; the Alonzo family has owned and operated it since 1975.
Since West Seattle has long been without a standalone bagel shop, fresh truly local bagels aren’t easy to find. Adam Pfeifle bakes them and is having a pop-up this Sunday, for which he’s taking pre-orders. Adam is a veteran baker, and also a military veteran. He says his first baking job was as a donut baker in Snoqualmie; he later went to culinary school and worked in restaurants including two now-closed West Seattle eateries, West City Kitchen and Ma’ono. His culinary career was punctuated by joining the military in 2001 and serving “two tours in Iraq as a combat medic, in 2004 and 2008.” Adam says his bagels are made with sourdough starter “in 200-bagel small batches from my home’s chefs kitchen, based in West Seattle. To achieve optimal flavor, our products cold-ferment from 20-24 hours.” His pop-up is for 1-3 pm pickup on Sunday (January 29th) west of The Junction. Here’s the pre-order link (10 varieties!).
Thanks to Ian for the tip. The pumps are closed and the mini-mart shelves are bare at Morgan Junction’s only gas station/mini-mart (6540 California SW). According to city permit files, a branding change is imminent – currently it’s Shell, but a sign company has just been granted a permit to install Mobil signage. How soon that’ll happen, we don’t know, but the permit issued this past Monday lists an estimated installation date of March 6th.
(Photo courtesy Launchpad)
Working at home and need somewhere else to go for a while, but taking up a table in a coffee shop isn’t the solution? How about a free coworking space next to a coffee shop? The Morgan Junction entrepreneurs behind Youngstown Coffee and HeartBeat Organic Superfoods Café have launched Launchpad. It’s open daily 8 am-5 pm for drop-in coworking; the space also is available for rental for special events and meetings. Launchpad is officially described as “a free service offering of Launch Industries, a minority-owned and -operated business consulting and contract services firm.” Launch Industries is owned by Monica Colgan, proprietor of HeartBeet and co-proprietor, with wife Autumn Lovewell, of Youngstown. They hope Launchpad will have some synergy with Youngstown and HeartBeet: “You can support our small businesses when you visit by purchasing food & drink from one of the cafes.” Launchpad is at 6030 California SW.
Ollie the pup is awaiting one last wave of donations for the warm-clothing drive at Dave Newman State Farm Agency (WSB sponsor), on behalf of the West Seattle Clothesline/West Seattle Food Bank. Here’s the reminder:
The West Seattle Clothesline annual clothing drive is once again coming to a close. Last day to drop of donations is Friday the 27th. We would like to give heartfelt thanks to fellow citizens who made it possible by their generosity and giving nature.
The clothing drive at Dave Newman State Farm Agency happens every year in December and January. Watch for the clothing drive at the end of this year!
The office is at 3435 California SW – you can stop in any day this week between 9 am and 5 pm.
More new-business news – we’d been looking into who’s taking over the ex-Best of Hands Barrelhouse space (7500 35th SW) since a reader mentioned the “For Lease” signage had disappeared, and now we have the answer: GH Pizza and Pasta. The name may be new but the operator is not – Chef Brian Clevenger and General Harvest Restaurants, which already has Haymaker (open since 2019) and Raccolto (open since 2016) in The Junction, among other Seattle restaurants. The announcement notes, “The menu boasts fan favorite large bowls of fresh pastas, a variety of pizzas with rotating specials, starters, and salads all at approachable prices.” They’re excited about the new West Seattle location, planning to offer “a huge year-round outdoor-seating section along with a separate adults-only space.” GH Pizza and Pasta is aiming to open in West Seattle in “late spring.” But will the rooftop cow stay? We asked that on followup; the reply – “Of course!” There’s one GH Pasta location so far, in Belltown, and the announcement notes GH Pizza and Pasta is currently “taking over” Haymaker’s Eastlake location – see the menu here.
Two years after 24 Hour Fitness left Westwood Village, the center’s owners appear to have found another gym to move into the space. Though the “for lease” sign is still up, documents in city permit files indicate that Fitness 19 has plans to take over the spot. Fitness 19 describes itself as “a simple fitness club concept – an extremely affordable, family-friendly facility that offers state-of-the-art cardio, strength, and free-weight equipment,” operating in 12 states; the only location listed in Washington right now is in Ballard. In addition to documents seeking a city permit to add signage for the WWV space, we’ve also found state records for a newly formed LLC on behalf of “Fitness 19 WA 318,” with Westwood Village’s address. We have an inquiry out about when they hope to open.
By Tracy Record
West Seattle Blog editor
Drawings by kids, from planes to pigs, cover the wall by the front door at The Swinery.
Kim Leveille says drawings don’t come down until they fall down. Some are by kids who’ve become adults in her 13+ years at The Swinery: “I’ve seen entire families grow up.”
The Swinery’s a family thing for her too – she owns it with her husband Danny Rogers; her father-in-law comes in and helps out on weekends. The little shop at 3207 California SW is wall-to-wall memories, hopes, dreams.
“I’m just not ready to let it go.”
But she might have to if a new round of crowdfunding doesn’t help.
They tried it in the heart of the pandemic and West Seattle Bridge closure, an agonizing time for so many local small independent businesses. In that 2021 crowdfunding, Kim says, fans raised $17,000 in two days. But they’ve had equipment breakdowns and thefts since then, and are looking for help again to catch up. They started a new crowdfunding campaign a month ago but, Kim says, “It didn’t work.” So they’re trying again – this time, more directly declaring they’re in danger of having to close.
“We may not make it until spring,” Kim said in her email to us, which we decided to follow up on by visiting the shop. In addition to cooler/freezer repairs, they have a simple need: More staff, beyond their longtime part-time helper and a “very part-time dishwasher.” “It’s a Catch-22 – we need enough money to hire a fulltime person so the grill can do more volume.”
Right now, it’s Danny on the grill, which is an ever-increasingly important part of The Swinery’s business. Kim has worked there since just months after its original ownership opened the shop to much fanfare in 2009; she and Danny bought it in 2018. The shop was founded as “more of a butcher shop with a few things on the side.” But then one of those “things” drew extra acclaim: “Once we got ‘Best Burger in Seattle’ …” demand soared. The shop also was featured on the Food Network and the Travel Network. “Now the grill is much more important.” Tons of takeout/delivery orders, since The Swinery’s only seating is a small courtyard by the grill.
Along with all that grilling, their other offerings are labor-intensive too – “since we do everything in-house.” The meat case is full of sausages, chops, smoked meats, and more.
Popular items include ribs and beef bacon. For Thanksgiving, they smoke turkeys; for Christmas, ribeye roasts. No nitrites. No allergens. “I just want everyone to be able to eat,” says Kim.
She’s hopeful this time they’ll get the boost they need to stay in business and up the output so revenue isn’t an issue again. What if somebody would rather buy a few pounds of sausage, for example, than just give money? “Anything would help,” Kim says. That includes more patronage.
Ten months ago, that banner on the window at 4735 42nd SW gave West Seattle poké fans hope that Just Poké was finally close to opening here. Then the banner disappeared during the recent round of snow/ice, and we’ve been getting questions about it ever since. The permit file indicates recent activity, though, and that’s confirmed today by Just Poké proprietor Norman Wu, who tells WSB, “The space is currently under construction, slated to be done at the end of February. It took us almost 10 months to just get our permit to build, which is why the project has been so delayed.” (The space was home to art gallery/framing shop Wallflower until summer 2019.) The regional chain originally indicated West Seattle plans five years ago.
The West Seattle Junction space at 4537 California SW where Virago recently closed won’t be vacant for long. A shop called Swan Dive will open there on February 1st. Proprietor Ali Brownrigg tells WSB that Swan Dive will have “vintage and previously loved clothing” as well as new shoes and clothing from Clementines in the early going – and more. Here’s how Ali, a longtime West Seattle resident, explains the plan, and the partnership:
I started Swan Dive with Linda Walsh (Clementines, Carmilia’s) in 2017 in the basement of Clementines in Pioneer Square. Swan Dive sells vintage and previously loved clothing, accessories, and home goods with a focus on affordable designer items and unique and one-of-a-kind pieces for the modern home and wardrobe. Swan Dive will be the West Seattle home of Clementines at least until the spring. Clementines focuses on new shoes and clothing from brands such as Intentionally Blank, MOMA, Atelier Delphine and Prairie Underground.
Once we get up and running, we hope to have a space to host pop-ups and trunk shows for Carmilia’s, Clementines, and Swan Dive, as well as a crafting nook for people to come hang out and knit, make pom-poms and punch needle art. Most people who know me know that I am compulsively crafty and have a desire to share my love of crafting with the masses.
(Side note – Clementines’ original home was in The Junction, part of where Pagliacci is now.) You can find Swan Dive online here and here. Hours in the new Junction space will be noon-5 pm weekdays, 11 am-5 pm Saturdays, 11 am-2 pm Sundays. Ali adds, “We’re always happy to be open by appointment if someone wants to shop outside of those hours. Email is the best way to reach me: swandivevintage@gmail.com”
Becky and Alyssa are welcoming you this afternoon/evening to what their shop Doll Parts Collective‘s third and hopefully permanent location.
They’re now on the south end of The Junction at 4832 California SW (which held Again & Again/Kid Friendly Footwear until that shop merged into Three Little Birds), just a few blocks south of their former space, which is being redeveloped, as was their original space in north Morgan Junction. Today they’re celebrating their “grand reopening” after the move:
Doll Parts offers vintage clothing and other quirky, funky items including houseware – a place where shopping can be fun.
Stop by today before 6 pm for a look and celebratory extras including snacks and flash tattooing.
A new business just opened at 5432 California SW – Zoo Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, whose proprietor Bob Brown describes it as “a martial-arts academy that offers self-defense/Brazilian Jiu Jitsu classes for both kids and adults.” Bob adds, “My family and I are new to the area – moved from Missoula, Montana,” where he still owns, and helps operate remotely, another academy. He opened that studio after years of competing internationally (read more here). Zoo BJJ info is online at zoobjjsea.com.
That’s the trailer for “Tribal Waters,” a documentary telling the story of the Wind River – described as home to some of Wyoming’s best fishing – and two tribes who cherish it and are fighting for its future. A special screening is planned at 6:30 pm Thursday, January 26th, at Emerald Water Anglers (4502 42nd SW; WSB sponsor) in The Junction, with director Jon Klaczkiewicz and some of those featured in the film there for Q&A afterward. EWA proprietor Dave McCoy says they have room for 50 people and tickets are available now – online here, or call the shop at 206-708-7250.
The “for lease” signs are down at long-vacant 2758 Alki Avenue SW, formerly home to Top Pot Doughnuts (which closed two years ago) on the left side and a variety of short-lived food businesses on the right side. We discovered the new plan via city permit filings: The combined 3,200-square-foot space will become West Seattle Arcade. The proprietor is West Seattle resident Elyssa Cichy, who explained when contacted via email, “West Seattle Arcade will be a family-focused, modern arcade with birthday party space and awesome video games for all ages. We are planning on opening this Spring. Our family has lived in West Seattle for over a dozen years, and we are excited to bring something new and special to our community.” You can watch westseattlearcade.com for updates. Alki has had a mini-boom in family-focused businesses in recent years, with additions such as Outer Space Seattle and Seattle Early Learning Center.
(WSB photos)
As announced last week, today is opening day for Portage Bay Café‘s new West Seattle Junction location, the former Agave Cocina spot at 4725 42nd SW. We just went over for photos.
Today is a soft-open day, for which they took a limited number of reservations, so they opened at 9 am and are closing at 1 pm. Regular hours will be Thursdays 8 am-1 pm, Fridays 8 am-1:30 pm, Saturdays and Sundays 8 am-2 pm, Mondays 8 am-1 pm, closed Tuesdays and Wednesdays.
Above is the famous “bar” where you can choose toppings for your pancakes or french toast. For now, we’re told, they’re offering the same breakfast/brunch menu as the other PBC locations, but once they’ve truly settled in after a few weeks or so, the chef will also have a location-specific fresh sheet. We first reported Portage Bay’s West Seattle plan in August; this is the southernmost location for the mini-chain, founded a quarter-century ago by John Gunnar.
Back a few years, when events were few and far between, Herbert Shepard set up rock and mineral shows under a tent in his Pigeon Point driveway.
(2021 photo)
Now he has a storefront, explaining, “After a long search we have found a location to open a retail and wholesale rock facility. It’s 1500 square feet, which is awesome and infinitely better than our one-car garage.” The World’s Fossils and Minerals is a short hop across the bridge in SODO, at 2700 4th Ave. South [map]. The proprietor adds, “Free 1-hour street parking. Entrance is up the stairs just west of the red and white Mallet Design Build sign. Open Wednesdays-Sundays, 10 am-4 pm, except Thursdays noon-6.”
If you’re among the many resolved to boost your fitness level in the new year, here’s an option: Wednesday night, West Seattle Runner (2743 California SW; WSB sponsor) hosts the next Info Night for its Get Fit West Seattle program. This is training that will get you from “couch to half-marathon” within just a few months, starting with a one-mile run next Saturday morning. But first, show up at the shop at 7 pm Wednesday (January 4th) for an explanation of the program and a chance to ask questions. (If you have any in advance, you can email lori@westseattlerunner.com.)
A city permit filing says the international tea-shop chain Happy Lemon is moving into the Westwood Village space long occupied by Vatsana’s Thai Restaurant. Before we could follow up on that discovery, we learned the restaurant has apparently already closed. A reader says a Vatsana’s staff member reported that employees were told on Christmas Eve. We went over yesterday and found only this note on the door:
We went back today to check again and the restaurant remains locked, with workers inside who appear to be dismantling fixtures. We sent inquiries both to the posted email address and to Happy Lemon corporate HQ; our note to the former just got a reply promising a “reply in the near future.” Meantime, Happy Lemon’s website says it has more than 2,000 locations in 20+ countries, with 14 in the Puget Sound metro area, nearest ones in Columbia City, South Lake Union, U-District, and Tukwila. Happy Lemon’s menu shows tea drinks featuring a variety of ingredients from boba to salted cheese, plus smoothies. This will be the second international tea chain to open in West Seattle, after Sharetea‘s Jefferson Square arrival a year and a half ago.
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