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New food and drink businesses at Broadway Building — Conveyor belt sushi comes to the Hill

The Broadway Building, a mixed-use, ode to Gucci/Prada (iconic red stripe anyone) building, currently in development across from the Broadway Seattle Central Community College, announced today that they have secured two new retailer tenants:

Bellevue-based Franchisor Emerald City Smoothie (they have over 65 locations including in Connecticut and expect to expand the franchise by another 30) will have a presence here.  Emerald City Smoothie already has a location at 428 Broadway East.  Since franchisees normally are given territory rights, we contacted the existing Emerald City Smoothie for comment.  Sarah Glesk, the manager at 428 Broadway East, explained to us that both locations have the same owner – hence no competition.


The other tenant will be Genki Sushi, an outlet of a kaiten (via conveyor-belt) sushi that is very popular in Hawaii.  They already have a Seattle location in Lower Queen Anne, but this is their first offering on the Hill. Is Vi Bacchus (strange name for a Japanese place perhaps an ode to leftover decorations from la spiga), which is only a block away too far a walk for Seattle Central students?

I think Hendrix will feel out of place  with these new neighbors – what say you?

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Paul
Paul
14 years ago

Is prada…

zeebleoop
14 years ago

i’m surprised that vi bacchus is even still open. i thought they had closed. i can’t remember the last time i saw anyone in there.

but i think having a sushi place across from sccc is a good thing. i’m glad to see more restaurants in the area; especially since i live just a few blocks away. plus, i wouldn’t compare kaitan sushi to that of vi bacchus. that’s like comparing a burger from mcdonalds with one from broadway grill.

while i don’t want to imply genki sushi is mcdonalds quality it is surely fast food sushi, which i’m actually okay with. i’ll be looking forward to their opening.

radiofoot
radiofoot
14 years ago

Conveyer belt sushi is sort of dumb but also lots of fun, so ok, fine.

I hate smoothies! They’re up there with grumpy girls in pajamas, the free credit report dot com commercials, and having to go to church. Well, okay, not as bad as having to go to church.

jseattle
jseattle
14 years ago

is beer

Angelina
Angelina
14 years ago

I’d be pretty bummed if Vi Bacchus closed. They’ve got some of the best sushi on Capitol Hill and good happy hour prices. I’m way closer to Hana and Aoki but the walk down to Union is worth it.

Rachel
Rachel
14 years ago

I agree that Vi Bacchus has really good food, but the experience is always bad. Really slow. Don’t go with a large party or if you are very hungry.

Jason
14 years ago

I agree that Vi Bacchus isn’t really a competitor to Genki. Even when Vi Bacchus had their famous 50%-off appetizer special on Sundays, I saw few SCCC students in there. Genki Sushi’s major competitor for the kaitenzushi market is the new Blue C Sushi across from Gameworks downtown.

David
David
14 years ago

Oh joy, a chain smoothie shop replicating one just a few blocks up the street and a low-end sushi shop. While any tenants are better than empty storefronts, why don’t we throw in a Money Tree, a pho restaurant, and a tanning salon and call it a done day.

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14 years ago

Those types of businesses wouldn’t be here if there were not a market for them. If you don’t use them someone in your neighborhood does. Maybe you don’t really know who your neighbors are.

SS
SS
14 years ago

I’m a neighbor on the Hill and I couldn’t agree with you more. BO-RING! I will never eat at either of these two places. How about a deli with pickles in a jar, a salad bar and awesome sandwiches? I wish the bodegas of NY would catch on in Seattle. (No, I’ve never lived in NY so folks – please don’t tell me to go back there – I just love the little bodegas on every corner!)

zeebleoop
14 years ago

or, instead of whining, you could get a small business loan and open your own “inspired” business in an empty storefront.

while these businesses might not be run by the guy down the street, the one with the beard, riding the fixie, who makes $12 bacon sandwiches, they are businesses opening during a significant recession. i applaud the fact that they are taking a chance and opening shops that, historically, fail in their first year. plus, keep in mind that these two businesses alone will likely employ a minimum of 10 people. new jobs on the hill, yay!

don’t get me wrong, i like me some $12 bacon sandwiches and would love to have a deli with store-made pickles from a barrel (pint of half sours please), but you take what you can get (or what the market demands); unless you’re willing to step up and open something yourself. Besides, it could be worse; you ABSOLUTELY could be getting another money tree there.

SS
SS
14 years ago

Not whining – just stating my preference for a new business in my neighborhood. That’s allowed, right? If my dream was to open my own restaurant, I would. But isn’t, so I won’t. Thanks for the suggestion though.

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14 years ago

You did sort of whine or agree with the person who was whining.

And then…you stated your preference.

steve
steve
14 years ago

top 3 wishes for capitol hill in 2010!

Swift Albero
Swift Albero
14 years ago

I hope this one will be open for late night dining.

Cyn
Cyn
14 years ago

Umm, Vi Bacchus is terrible. I love sushi and i’d RATHER eat at a sushi land type place with those prices and get what I paid for than eat at Vi Bacchus, which is expensive and gross. Also, DUH college students are going to go to the quick place across the street. Vi Bacchus takes like an hour to get your food (even when empty).

Someone knew exactly what they were doing when they decided to go with the conveyor belt idea on cap hill.

Trevor
Trevor
14 years ago

Rumor has it a Panera may open in that building.

CoryJohnson
CoryJohnson
14 years ago

I can’t wait to have conveyor-belt sushi nearby. It really satisfies my instinctual desire for instant gratification when eating. ;) HaNa is good, but I usually forget what I ordered by the time it arrives.

While at DPD doing some research last week, I noticed that Genki had turned in the first draft of their plans. Here’s a picture I took of what it might end up looking like inside.

http://twitpic.com/12o17p

Sam
Sam
14 years ago

I <3 GENKI

the fact that i had to drive down to queen anne to eat kaiten-style sushi was quite annoying. im glad that there will be decent (cheaper) sushi coming to the hill!

spicy tuna, my fav. mmmmm.

sb
sb
14 years ago

being employed on the hill, and being in the know about the changes happening here, i think its very a good thing that there are businesses OPENING on the hill, especially on broadway, especially with this recession. sure, you can complain about not enough “indie coffee sandwich pickle fixie shops” opening, but when it comes down to the money, they wont last with the high amount of rent needed to keep a business open. much props to all small business owners.