Post navigation

Prev: (04/01/14) | Next: (04/01/14)

April Fooling? Costco Coffee signs go up at Broadway/Union — UPDATE: BEER

(Images: CHS)

(Images: CHS)

IMG_0714The joke is that you’re not sure it’s a joke. Tuesday morning, new signs appeared inside the former auto showroom and garage at Broadway and Union touting a new era in Capitol Hill cafe culture — Costco Coffee.

It’s not for real. Right?

On a Capitol Hill where 20,000 square-foot retail projects are a trend, and Starbucks is one air quality permit away from developing a double-roaster coffee facility — and restaurant complex — at Melrose and Pike,  you could wonder. The $19.99 per gallon price might be one hint.

The building where the signs appear was most recently home to Complete Automotive. In summer of 2013, CHS reported on plans for Arizona-based Wolff Co. — already active with the Pike Motorworks project on E Pike at Harvard and Sunset Electric at 11th and Pine — was under contract and making plans to purchase the property from the Polyclinic after the medical services company decided to move forward with its development plans elsewhere on First Hill.IMG_0719

Wolff developers went so far as to take the property — also known as the Great Western Motors building — through the landmarks process where it was ultimately rejected by the board. But by the new year, Wolff representatives told CHS the deal was off. We’ve been watching the property since.

The prank joins the great Pine/Pike switcheroo of 2011 in the annals of Capitol Hill April Fools’ shenanigans worthy of the day.

It also may join Ada’s Technical Books and its fuzzy “Hello World” 15th Ave E yarn bombing as a fun way to announce a new project on Capitol Hill.

Whatever entity is behind the signs knows the neighborhood pretty well and went to the extra effort to also file a permit with a 4/1/2014 date to “construct structural improvements and repairs to existing commercial building, per plans.” The address listed is a Southern California commercial office park suite. The architecture firm is Olson Kundig. But we think an earlier filing with the same contact information and same architect might shed more light.

Tennant [sic] Improvement (Substantial Alteration) to single story building to change from retail use to eating & drinking establishment (tap room) and light manufacturing (brewery).

Beer? Here’s hoping Optimism Brewing has finally found its Capitol Hill home. Cheers!

UPDATE: And, yes, it’s beer.

UPDATE x2: The joke is double-funny. Gay Gilmore and Troy Hakala, The couple behind Optimism Brewing previously lost out to coffee giant Starbucks in their bid to build a brewery at Melrose and Pike.

IMG_0712

Subscribe and support CHS Contributors -- $1/$5/$10 per month

9 Comments
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments
M
M
9 years ago

The other “hint” is that the first letter of each line spells “April Fools.” :P

Tiki Dood
Tiki Dood
9 years ago

Look at the first letters of the list going down in bold no less…it spells out APRILFOOLS

Andrew Taylor
9 years ago

Don’t forget the Broadway/ Brix Hooters incident:
http://millerparkseattle.blogspot.com/2007/09/storm-in-d-cup.html

Dod
Dod
9 years ago
Reply to  Andrew Taylor

*like*

trackback

[…] on the multi-million dollar purchase of a former auto-row era building at Broadway and Union for a planned beer brewery at the site. Records show that sale weighing in at $6.15 […]

trackback

[…] have confirmed their plans to open a Capitol Hill beer brewery in the Great Western Motors building at Broadway and Union. CHS first reported on the project last December. More to come on the project […]

trackback

[…] Brewing used April Fools Day to tell the world it had found a home at Broadway and Union. Now you can follow the progress as the husband and wife team behind the […]

trackback

[…] big fun to the area. Meanwhile, there are already plans for the new home for Ines Patisserie and a giant beer production facility and HQ for Optimism Brewing at Union and […]

trackback

[…] The Elysian on E Pike and Optimism Brewing, a venture CHS reported on last December, taking shape after the couple behind the project slapped down $6.15 million for an old auto row showroom and […]