15th Ave E bike parking coming soon (Image: Red Chair)
We won’t bother trying to point out the trends. We won’t try to explain that the numbers are increasing. We’ll just say that there are Capitol Hill restaurant, bar, shops, and salon owners who believe their businesses can best survive with a strong, walking-distance customer base. There are some who would also like to help foster the addition of a riding-distance Capitol Hill customer base.
Howie Sennet, owner of 15th Ave E’s Red Chair Salon, is working with the city to make it easier for bike riding customers to visit his shop and neighbors like Smith, Agora, Bamboo, Remedy Teas, the coming soon Sur 16 — and Starbucks and Subway, too. Take it away, Howie:
After 2 years of unsuccessfully dealing with Metro / King County among other agencies / programs – I’m happy to report that I got a quick (and very friendly) response from the City of Seattle in regards to getting a bike rack installed in front of our Salon (and neighboring businesses Starbucks and Smith). 15th Ave will be joining the growing list of Seattle neighborhoods to install a bike rack in place of a parking spot.
After one of our staff had their bike stolen from the hallway, and many requests from our customers and neighbors, this will be a much wanted / needed bike rack for patrons for the entire 15th Ave E neighborhood.
Unfortunately, Metro never responded to my multiple requests to make use of large unused area in front of their Power Sub Station for this purpose. I had also contacted Puget Sound Bike Share program – but they felt there wasn’t enough room on that property.
Regardless, we’re happy to report – it’s official! : ) There will be a 12 Space / Bike Rack installed in front of the salon and neighboring businesses. Specifically, it will be installed just north of Group Health, across from Key bank near Starbucks and Smith – at 324 15th Ave E (Red Chair Salon).
Per Brian from the City, it will be just like the one already installed in front of Von Trapps down on 12th.
Anybody who has tried to park along 15th Ave E on a sunny spring Thursday night knows it’s not easy and it’s true this won’t make it any easier. But for every car circling the block, there are apparently enough customers walking and riding. From the businesses’ perspectives, the trade is also one or two motor vehicle spaces for room for 12 bikes. Meanwhile, surrounding neighborhood street parking is partially protected by the city’s restricted (or residential, depending on who you ask) zones.
15th Ave E’s coming-soon on-street bike parking will join six other spaces around the Hill inviting riders utilizing Capitol Hill’s increasing investments in bicycle facilities and safe/safer bike routes like the Broadway bikeway which fully opened Wednesday.
Capitol Hill On-street Bike Parking
- Kaladi Coffee. 517 E Pike St
- Melrose Market, 1501 Melrose Ave
- Montana Bar, 1506 E Olive Way
- NW Film Forum, 1515 12th Ave
- Stumptown Coffee, 1115 12th Ave
- Von Trapps, 912 12th Ave
- Red Chair Salon, 324 15th Ave E — coming soon!
Neat :) Never had trouble finding a rack in that area though; there’s a small rack at the bank across the street, and I never saw it full… Still, that rack is just one of the thin single-bar types that can only hold maybe 4-ish bikes (depending on the lockup method used), and I always went at odd hours, so maybe space is needed at other times.
I’m always pleased to see more bike racks. I literally locked my bike to a trash can last night on Capitol Hill, and have to do this more often than not.
Great! A stop at Plum with a place to park your bike and then heading off to Volunteer Park sounds like a perfect Saturday.