Category Archives: Food & Drink

‘Zero waste’ Scoop Marketplace makes Earth Day debut at The Works on 12th Ave

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(Image: The Scoop Marketplace)

(Image: The Scoop Marketplace)

12th Ave DIY community, class, and retail provider The Works has sprouted a new friend to help with your zero waste ambitions this Earth Day. The growing 12th Ave class and retail space is now home to Scoop Marketplace, a grocery dedicated to efficient and package-free shopping.

The new market debuts Monday with a sale, giveaways, along with The Works hosting an Earth Day plant swap.

“Scoop Marketplace was founded out of a need for a grocery store that facilitates low impact living,” Scoop founder Stephanie Lentz says. “Our family was always naturally inclined toward environmentalism, but we didn’t realize just how much thoughtless consumerism we were taking part in. Once we embraced the zero waste lifestyle, we were eager to change our family routines, and eliminate waste. The changes definitely haven’t happened overnight, but the slow process has helped us better understand our relationship with food, possessions, and the things we throw away.” Continue reading →

Wall fire scorches building home to Union bar — UPDATE

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(Image: CHS)

Firefighters battled a stubborn wall fire Sunday night inside the building home to Capitol Hill gay bar Union.

Seattle Fire was called to the scene just after 10 PM and found the fire in an area of the building’s second floor. Firefighters were able to quickly bring the fire under control. It was not clear how much damage the flames and fire response caused inside the building.

The intersection of 13th and Union was filled with fire trucks and a haze of smoke as nightlife patrons cleared the building and gathered from nearby venues.

There were no reported injuries. The Seattle Fire Marshal was called to the scene to investigate.

UPDATE 4/22/2019 12:40 PM: Seattle Fire says the incident has been ruled an accidental fire “most likely caused by an electrical/mechanical malfunction of the natural gas water heater.” The estimated loss is $70,000.

The investigation’s findings can put to rest any worries that the fire could be connected to a recent string of arson fires on Broadway.

No word yet on damage from Union.

UPDATE 11:00 PM: Union is temporarily closed to clean up after the damage from the fire:

Our Sunday Funday was so hot we caught fire, literally. We appreciate your patience while we temporarily close for clean up. ​ We sincerely thank the Seattle Fire Department, our staff, and all the kind messages from the community. ​ Stay tuned for updates, we will be open again soon!

Weigh in on proposed changes to Seattle’s sidewalk cafe and streatery rules

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Lost Lake’s Streatery (Image: SDOT)

The Seattle Department of Transportation is iffy on the whole “bike lane” thing but it is ready to go big on one urbanist element of its cityscape plans — sidewalk cafes:

It’s a space for you to enjoy a drink or food outside. Not only are they fun for everyone around Seattle to enjoy, but they provide economic support to businesses and activate our streets. Businesses who are interested in having a sidewalk café will need a permit with us. We’ve managed the sidewalk café program for nearly ten years.

After around a decade of new sidewalk eating and drinking areas at around 400 cafes, bars, and restaurants under the program, the City Council is readying legislation to update — and hopefully improve — the program under what SDOT says are three key aspects: Continue reading →

Will workers bring Little Big Burger’s Little Big Union to Capitol Hill? — UPDATE: Now open

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(Image: Little Big Union)

Portland’s Little Big Burger is coming to Capitol Hill soon. iIs workers could bring a fast food labor movement here, too.

In mid-March, Little Big Burger workers in Portland, led by staff at one location, went public with their decision to unionize, a rarity for fast food personnel, following issues of safety, scheduling, and what it says are inadequate pay raises. After talking to workers at other locations of the chain, workers realized that their concerns were widespread across restaurants.

“Conditions, you know, needed to change,” said Cameron Crowell, a union member who has worked at Little Big Burger in Portland for two years.

The union’s demands include $5 raises, two weeks of both paid sick leave and vacation time, fair and consistent scheduling ahead of time, and time and a half for all federal holidays, according to its website. Continue reading →

At The Garage, Bowlero hopes to keep the ‘vibe’ without throwing a Capitol Hill gutter ball on ‘authenticity’

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In the midst of a West Coast expansion, the folks at the New York City-based Bowlero company want you to know this about its plans for Capitol Hill bowling alley and pool hall The Garage:

“The core is that we’re going to keep that vibe, keep the authenticity,” Bowlero spokesperson Colie Edison tells CHS, confirming our report last week that the AMF family of bowling focused companies was taking over the 1996-founded Broadway bowling alley from its founding ownership with plans for an overhaul that will update the bowling center with an arcade and bar and food service.

Edison said no name change is planned for the venue and that while the currently 21and over bar setting for the Garage will likely give away to an all ages setup, she still expects times when the 1130 Broadway hangout will be adults only for nightlife hours.

The sale is not necessarily a time for congratulations for longtime owner Mike Bitondo. He and business partner Alex Rosenast founded the Garage two decades ago after a chance run-in with the property’s owner at a Mariner’s game. Three years ago, Bitondo bought his partner out so he could spend more time with family and away from the day to day grind of owning a business.

Now Bitondo is also ready to step away. Continue reading →

Will more Capitol Hill businesses become pay transparent? Molly Moon’s, leading by example, hopes so

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(Image: Molly Moon’s)

If you weren’t surprised by the revelation that a survey found nearly 50% of men believe the gender pay gap is “made up,” the kind of emails people have been sending to local ice cream chain Molly Moon’s won’t shock you either.

“We’ve received emails with people saying they’ll no longer be customers of ours because of our stance on pay transparency citing that women simply need to work harder and to stop whining,” Katie Cole, marketing director at the company, says.

What are the emailers upset about? The fact that founder and CEO Molly Moon Neitzel announced on April 2, Equal Pay Day, that the company had officially become pay transparent. Continue reading →

Bowling giant AMF hopes to pick up Capitol Hill’s Garage to expand bowling center empire — UPDATE: Bowlero

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A longtime staple of Capitol Hill nightlife fun and games appears headed for a big change.

AMF, an operator of bowling and entertainment centers including laser tag arenas, and a manufacturer of bowling equipment, has applied for a liquor license for the acquisition of Broadway’s Garage Bowling and Billiards.

UPDATE: Permitting work indicates the venue will be operated as a Bowlero bowling center and arcade with bar and food service. Hopefully this isn’t bad news for the neighborhood’s pool sharks.

A representative at the Virginia-based company declined to comment on the application and our inquiry to Garage ownership has not yet been answered.

Alex Rosenast and Mike Bitondo founded the Garage two decades ago after a chance run-in with the property’s owner at a Mariner’s game. A company registered to Rosenast now owns the $3 million-plus building home to the alleys and pool hall. There is no record of any property sale at this time. The building is also home to a Vivace coffee bean roasting facility.  Continue reading →

Rancho Bravo drops Broadway burger joint Freddy Junior’s from Capitol Hill family

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(Image: Freddy Junior’s)

The histories of current era Pike/Pine will surely have entries for cheap but satisfying taco provider Rancho Bravo. But we also might want to remember restaurant owner Freddy Rivas for the Capitol Hill projects he decided to pull the plug on.

The Freddy Junior’s Broadway burger joint is dead. Rivas tells CHS he had to say goodbye.

“We closed Freddy Junior’s for a variety of reasons,” Rivas said. “One of the key reasons was because I just didn’t have the time necessary to dedicate to overseeing the business. Staffing has also been a huge issue because the labor market has been really tight.” Continue reading →

More good bagel news for Capitol Hill — by way of Seward Park: Westman’s is expanding

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(Image: Westman’s Bagel and Coffee)

There is a lot of good news for Capitol Hill bagels this week. You’ll find Loxsmith continuing its run of Capitol Hill pop-ups at Vios on 19th Ave E.

Now comes the good word that Westman’s Bagel and Coffee — born in the E Madison walk-up in the winter of 2018 — is ready for a 2019 expansion and ramp-up in production. The Seattle Met reports Monica Dimas is preparing to open up a key new location in Seward Park — Westman’s Bakeshop:

Westman’s Bakeshop isn’t a retail shop but a commissary bakery that can, finally, satisfy Seattle’s appetite for bagels. It will up production to keep the walk-up well-stocked, plus fulfill wholesale and large catering orders. Should you have a personal need for a large haul of bagels, you can put in an order and pick it up in Seward Park next to the Caffe Vita on Wilson Avenue South.

Continue reading →

I drank this on Capitol Hill: Old Fashioned at the DeLuxe

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Corey Reed has been a bartender on Capitol Hill for more than eight years, having worked at Grim’s for two and now DeLuxe Bar and Grill for the past six. When he’s not serving you booze, he’s hanging out with his Corgi, Archer, which he says is “my favorite part of my life.” Salt Lake City makes an appearance in this cocktail, as Reed prefers High West Double Rye as the base for his Old Fashioned. “A little sugar, we use Toschi cherries, Angostura Bitters, orange peel, muddled, on the rocks” is his recipe and CHS highly recommends taking it outside to enjoy the sights and sounds of northern Broadway.

I drank this on Capitol Hill is a semiregular photographic tour of some of Capitol HIll’s best cocktails and libations. Have a suggestion for something we should drink? Let us know in comments.