After 37 years, retailer leaves 15th Ave E for the Internet

Come mid-March, much of the buzz in our local retail industry will likely be centered on 10th Ave as Elliott Bay Book Co. makes final preparations for its Hill opening. A smaller change will happen on 15th Ave E as Tilden -- an old-timey store filled with gifts and tchothkes replete with a sign warning that the shop is 'difficult for children' -- closes its doors. After 37 years, Tilden is moving out of its brick and mortar space and going online only at tildenseattle.com (The site is not yet live). Thanks to offtopicdude for the off-topic but useful tip about the "for lease" sign he saw in Tilden's window.

An employee of the store confirmed Tilden's 15th Ave E closure for us this morning. We have not yet spoken with the store's owner James Gunn.

We did, however, speak with Billy Poll from Morris Piha Real Estate about the property that is now for lease. The broker says he is putting out feelers now for what kinds of businesses will be interested in the space. "The landlord is pretty open," Poll said. "But not open to somethign that doesn't fit the character of the great building."

According to King County records, the property is owned by Ann Kumata, a Seattle elementary school teacher.

In the past, the space was home to a Piggly Wiggly grocery store. CHS documented some of that history in this post: A Piggly Wiggly history of chain stores on 15th Ave.

Poll said he is hoping to find a match for the 2,660 square-feet of space with a "business that will make the location its home for many years." He's asking for rent of $24 per square foot. "We would love to talk to people who are interested about the space," Poll said, providing his phone number. You can reach Poll at (425) 974-4232 if you are interested, by the way.

If you have your hopes up that Tilden's former home might add to the restaurant or lounge choices on 15th, don't get too excited. Poll said the space would require a full buildout for food and drink needs. Interestingly, the first use of the building in 1922 included a restaurant, according to the county records. So, hey, it can be done. Live your dream.

Meanwhile, a few blocks up the street, the old home of Horizon Books remains empty behind a wobbly chain-link fence. We reported on the building this summer when the owner was looking to sell it for around $1.25 million. Another 15th Ave retail space -- this one in the mixed-use John Court Apartments development -- has finally come to life with the opening of an Edward Jones office on the building's ground-floor retail level. Financial advisor Paula Fedirchuk has hung her shingle as the first -- and, currently, only (I'm reminded that a dry cleaners does, indeed, also do business in John Court) -- inhabitant of the development's retail space.