An amalgamation of a classic coffee shop with a shopping experience you’d typically find in Latino mercados, BonitoCafé y Mercadito, is preparing to open on E Olive Way, neighboring Capitol Hill’s Pie Bar and Donna’s.
It will soon serve locally Latino-grown sourced coffee and will be hosting mercado events featuring Latino vendors.
From photographers to monthly hosts of Aqui Mercado in Pioneer Square, couple Daniel and Ismael Calderon, are soon to open their dream business that was inspired last year after they hosted their first mercado event. Over the past months hosting their mercado, they were able to build a community of hundreds of supporters and fans.
It was never the plan to open a cafe-market hybrid store. However, after positive feedback from the Latino and queer community from their mercado, the couple decided to pursue opening the business that captures the vibrancy of their monthly event into a daily experience. Continue reading →
Still looking for a few perfect gifts? It’s the most wonderful time of the year to shop locally and skip the sadness of telling your special gift-getter that the perfect present is still somewhere in the back of UPS truck. Here are a few ideas from around Capitol Hill and the Central District. Let us know where you’re shopping this year in the comments.
Station 7 is a second-generation family business that focuses on handmade goods, and has made a retired 1920s firehouse its home. Lauren Tilden, owner, told CHS that some of this season’s bestsellers are shower steamers, which allow you to turn your shower into a full-blown steam room. Volcano topography coasters, candles, and minimalist jewelry by And Arlen have also been fan favorites.
“When you shop with us, you’re not only supporting our small business, but dozens of other local makers and artists whose goods we carefully curate,” Tilden said. “From candles and home goods to jewelry and paper goods and everything in between, Station 7 has you covered this holiday season.” Continue reading →
Tucked into E Pike and displaying an array of Pride flags, designs created by owner Jeff Gonzales, and a neon sign, Capitol Thrill is marking its second anniversary supporting independent brands owned by underrepresented groups with a new selection of queer-created merchandise.
The Little Queer Pop-Up Shop is growing into a small but lively corner of the store with goods from LGBTQ+ brands, designers, artists and authors.
“The plan is to really do a deep dive and try to find what things people from our community can create,” Gonzales tells CHS.
But finding brands to feature in the pop-up has not been an easy task because a lot of smaller, local artists aren’t set up to do wholesale. They can be found in markets around Seattle, but not in physical stores, Gonzales says. Continue reading →
Though it only was able to bloom for a short time before the COVID-19 crisis set in, the Glasswing Greenhouse brought a burst of life to the corner of Melrose and E Olive Way. Glasswing hopes to continue the growth at its Melrose Market location as it is shutting the Greenhouse space down:
Though the Greenhouse is closing its doors at this location, Glasswing will continue to offer all of the same “green” community services and specialty products that their Capitol Hill neighborhood has come to know. They have expanded their plant and garden assortment in-store at their main shop, located just a block away at 1525 Melrose Ave. Their workshop program released class dates for Spring and during the transition to a new space, these workshops will be hosted out of the Melrose Market, adjacent to Glasswing.
CHS reported here on the opening four years ago of the live plant shop outgrowth of Glasswing Forest Eckley and Alisa Furoyama have created a lush greenhouse at the corner of E Olive Way and Melrose in the former home of John John’s Gameroom. The building had been in the running for one of E Olive Way’s open spaces for retail marijuana but didn’t make the final cut. Continue reading →
Online shopping is rarely optimized for building relationships with other artists and customers.
Solia Hermes and Juli Hudson are two local artists who have taken the initiative and opened their own boutique on Capitol Hill, a small start to building community and helping support local artists showcase their work.
Having customers experience E Aloha’s Spark and Thread in person has created a positive impact for the artists to see people appreciate their work and the creations of others featured in the small store.
“Online you’re searching for things versus in person you see all kinds of things that you didn’t expect.” Hudson said. “Meeting the artist changes the relationship people have with the art.” Continue reading →
Suzette by Moop Shop found a new home on Capitol Hill on 11th Ave for a production space with a tiny storefront. Along with the new energy from the relocation and full commitment to Seattle from its Pittsburgh origins, Moop Shop and owner Wendy Downs are looking to expand beyond selling bags.
In 2019, Moop opened a popup shop on Chophouse Row as a beta test to see how they’d like it in Seattle. The 15-year-old company has now chosen a full move from Pittsburgh for family reasons as well as the energy and vibes of Capitol Hill.
“We loved the neighborhood, people’s interactions, and space, all those things,” Downs said.
After the popup shop, Downs said they were planning to move to Seattle, but the pandemic put a halt to the big move.
Suzette is now located in a second floor suite above 11th Ave and up the staircase where customers will find a tiny storefront where they can shop for weather resistant backpacks, crossbody bags, tote and clutches. The shop also carries other bag brands, notebooks, water thermoses, skincare, toiletries, travel needs, and others. In the back of the store, customers will get a behind the scenes look at the design and production process with the industrial sewing machines, fabrics and tools used to make Moop’s items. Continue reading →
The name Late Night Vintage Market pretty much says it all.
But the new addition to E Pike’s retail mix is a deeper cut of Capitol Hill history and a showcase of some of the spirit the neighborhood still touts but can’t always live up to — mass culture subversion, random, one of a kind experiences, and, perhaps the biggest loss of pandemic-era Pike/Pine, late night hours.
The market featuring multiple vendors and, soon, events from Shannon Mendoza and Jesus McCloskey is now open every night but Tuesday from 3 PM to “late” at E Pike and Belmont.
Mendoza says the market was born of McCloskey’s love for vintage and tested with pop-up events around Tacoma as they looked for a home for the project in Seattle. Just as one off-Hill space for the market fell through, Mendoza said the E Pike opportunity emerged. Continue reading →
Tucked into a cozy corner unit upstairs of the Broadway Alley building is the first brick and mortar (or wood in this case) home of Sankofa Boutique, a new shop that feels a lot like the old Capitol Hill, stuffed with special stones and imported items of art and spirit. Pink walls reflect the sun from the skylights onto polished orbs of Hematite, obelisks of Trulite, and Obsidian organized by size. Aromatized by the faint smell of sage, the room is filled with gentle music while Cherika Wilson looks up to greet each customer as she refills incense or works on her computer.
Wilson was raised in Ballard, but chose Capitol Hill for its vibe. “I chose Capitol Hill because of the carefree environment. I like it here,” Wilson said. “It seems like the only place here that hasn’t changed. It’s comforting to come to a part of Seattle and it’s still the same as what you left it.”
Before you wonder what the heck Wilson might be talking about when it comes to the Capitol Hill and change given the waves of redevelopment that have reshaped many areas of Broadway and Pike/Pine, you should know Wilson is more focused on the energy than the buildings.
“I just like the community, the environment, everybody’s doing their own thing,” she says. “A no judgment zone. You can come here and be yourself. It’s very accepting.” Continue reading →
The City of Seattle has rolled out a new map to help you connect with Capitol Hill retailers. Meanwhile, you’ll see new Shop the Hill posters around the neighborhood.
Shop the Hill, the long running effort from CHS, is partnering again with the Capitol Hill Business Alliance for the free service to help promote local retailers and small businesses and share updates on promotions, deals, and holiday offerings. Participating merchants and venues are complying with COVID-19 safety measures and many offer online ordering and curb pick-up. Check it out at capitolhillseattle.com/shopthehill/
City Hall is also hoping to help boost local shopping with its new Shop Your Block map effort:
The map allows users to find small retailers near them to support this holiday season! You can filter by business name, neighborhood, and by key words like ‘toys’ or ‘pet store. The map will also display operation days and hours per business, identify if a business is open for in person shopping, online shopping, curbside pickup, or appointment only. Businesses are able to display if they are BIPOC, Woman, LGBTQ+ or Veteran owned. Business owners can add themselves to the map by completing a short questionnaire here.
CHS reported here on the new statewide COVID-19 rules that have added new restrictions and reduced capacities for businesses to help slow the spread of the virus as numbers continue to surge. For Capitol Hill small businesses, bars seem to be the most solidly impacted by the changes that include a ban on indoor service with many venues opting to close until conditions improve and the restrictions can be lifted. Retailers, meanwhile, are limited to 25% occupancy. The state says the current restrictions will be in place through at least December 14th.
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Dinah’s Cheese from Kurtwood Farms may save the day (Image: Good in Seattle)
A Capitol Hill business owner is helping lead the way on a new project hoped to help small shops and food and drink crafters from around the community stay connected to the city as “stay home” restrictions continue.
Good in Seattle is a local delivery box “that comes full of products made by small businesses in our community” — from fresh pasta from Lagana in Ballard to records from Broadway’s Spin Cycle.
Brandon Waterman announced the new project this week with lots of connections to the home of his Good Weather bike shop and cafe, 11th Ave’s Chophouse Row.
The new shopping and delivery service won’t depend on bikes, though. The packs are too heavy for cycling, with plans to fill the parcels for weekly delivery around Seattle:
Every week, you’ll have the opportunity to pre-order boxes, delivered directly to homes in Seattle, so it’s easier to support the companies you love. This is our way of celebrating the amazing things this city continues to offer each and every one of us. Your support helps to assure the future for all of the participating companies and, as a bonus, you’ll get some help filling those idle hours at home with delicious and fun stuff.
Lagana Foods – Fresh Pasta with Pesto Nettle Sauce
Seawolf Bakers – Sourdough 1/2 Loaf
KurtWoodFarms – Dinah’s Cheese (1/2 round)
BellFlower – Single-Origin Chocolate
Sweet Alchemy – Ice Cream – “London Fog”
Nashi Ciders – 4 pack of deliciousness
Seattle Made Wine by Elsom Cellars
Stoup – Double Crowler
Beneficial Brewing Kombucha
Salt Blade – Salami
The Kitchen Imp – Spice Packets
Beneficial Brewing – Kombucha 2-16oz cans.
Herkimer Whole Bean Single Origin Coffee – 12oz bag
Westman’s Bagels – 2 pack with Schmear
Beast & Cleaver – Sausages
Ayako & Family – Jam – Plum Jam
“We’re starting off with a morning box and an evening box with products from more than 15 great companies and will figure things out from there,” Waterman said.
The boxes aren’t cheap, ranging in price from $85 to $160 depending on the mix you choose, but think of them as the ultimate self care reward or a proper COVID-19 relief package — pay attention, Congress — to send to a friend or loved one in the city.
The initial roster has some familiar names from around Chophouse plus a few new things to try. “Some things you may have never tried before, others are probably tried and true favorites,” Waterman said.
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