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Two more Broadway closures but I Love Wasabi’s sushi already has a Thai replacement

Add two more to the great Capitol Hill end-of-July going-out-of-business wave of 2010. In addition to Saturday’s final day of business for The Anne Bonny, Tiempo and Broadway News, CHS has learned of two more Hill shops closing their doors for good this weekend.

The Loveless Building’s peculiar little corner of Capitol Hill commerce was not immune to the July die-off, it turns out. A phone tipster alerts us to the closure of The Adventure Travel Company shop that has been part of the Loveless complex. The San Francisco-based company continues to operate its Web site and its other outlets in California and Canada. We’ll try to check in with them to see what else we can find out about the closure and also check in about how long they’ve been operating on the Hill.

Meanwhile, a little more than a year after they opened in spring 2009 under a sign that famously proclaimed, “I Love Washabi,” sushi joint I Love Wasabi has served its last roll on Broadway. Thanks to James Knapp for the tip. The restaurant, owned by Mai Nguyen of Renton, never really seemed to gain a following and doubtless didn’t find conditions much improved as new sushi options including a very popular, very affordable chain have moved onto the Hill.

Broadway News says goodbye (Photo: Matthew)

But not all is death and destruction. Neighbor James also alerts us to a ‘coming soon’ sign now hung inside the former I Love Wasabi. Cynics, at this point in the article, will ask, “Thai, pho or sushi?” According to the phone pic James passed along, new joint is called Wedgwood II. Wait for it. Vegetarian Thai.

Also coming soon to Broadway up the street from Wedgwood, Thai+sushi fusion project  Pinto Thai is planning an August opening in the old Ali Baba location.

To round things out and makes sure we hit all of Broadway’s three basic food groups, Pho 900’s last day of business, you might recall, is August 9th. We’ll know soon whether it will be part of an August wave of business turnover on the Hill.

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etaoin shrdlu
etaoin shrdlu
13 years ago

I suggest we start a “How Long Until They Close?” pool for the two new Broadway Thai places.

Any takers?

Kma
Kma
13 years ago

Is it too much to ask for a great Chinese restaurant on Boroadway? Great Dim Sum, shaved noodles, congee even?

lilyson
lilyson
13 years ago

I am so glad this place is going. It was sushi sacrilege, seriously, and I’ve never gotten food poisoning from any other restaurant in Seattle.

maus
maus
13 years ago

we totally need new thai sushi restaurants on broadway

maus
maus
13 years ago

I like Thai and sushi restaurants, but still.

Mark Atwood
13 years ago

I gave Genki Sushi a try this weekend. Bluntly, you can get significantly better sushi at QFC. I am sad that ILW is closing. Good food, good service. They had really good stuff for my vegetarian friends as well.

SS
SS
13 years ago

Ali Baba is closing? That’s a shame – I liked them.

smoothjade
smoothjade
13 years ago

Some GOOD Chinese food on Broadway would be nice.

Roy
Roy
13 years ago

I had no idea Tiempo had closed its doors. Very sad indeed.

weekilter
weekilter
13 years ago

It’s really no wonder that businesses can’t make a go on Broadway. Landlords make cost to do business on Broadway pretty much prohibitive. All it will end up doing is force more businesses to go out of business because of greed.

Alex & Will
Alex & Will
13 years ago

Yeah I really don’t think that’s the case. Panevino serves decent, not-so-expensive Italian food and it seems to be bustling with people on nights and weekends. I just think Broadway isn’t that hospitable to copycats that only discern themselves by providing an inferior product.

M
M
13 years ago

…with the Thai & Sushi places, we have enough!
Can’t we get a decent (southern style) bbq place?

BTW Panevino is great, I highly recommend it!

Bookworm2004
Bookworm2004
13 years ago

Ya know, I am not sure what the rage is, cheap rent, or what but we have enough, no wonder they can’t stay in business. Look at your demographics people….

Kenn Johnson
Kenn Johnson
13 years ago

Dammit, shut down yet another sushi restaurant to make way for yet another Thai restaurant? Makes sense, you just can’t have enough of the same damn thing on that depleting stretch of road. Here’s a unique idea for a shop that is sure to thrive: a tumbleweed store.

I know things change, and I remember fondly the days when I sat and ogled hotties over lattes at what is now a UPS shipping store; but I <3 I <3 Wassbi, dammit!

Kane
Kane
13 years ago

More Thai. Really? Not that the sushi was very good, but at least it was…slightly different. OK, not really. Come on! Do something new! In the Bowl is already established a few blocks away and its going to be VERY hard to top them for vegetarian Thai.