It says something about the state of Capitol Hill retail — or its media? — when a store in the middle of Pike/Pine closes shop and not a single “news” outlet notices. For six weeks.
So, here’s the “olds.” Turns out, in mid-June, vintage and design retailer Atlas Clothing quietly closed its 10th Ave location a year and a half after moving to the new location after a decade on Broadway. A Facebook post about a big “75% off” sale is one of the only online references to the closure.
“The location itself really never took off like I hoped it would,” Atlas owner Jamie Hoffman told CHS.
Atlas moved to 10th Ave from Broadway in early 2009.
Hoffman said he decided to consolidate his retail business in Fremont where the rent is lower and, he says, there seems to be a better demographic of shoppers for vintage clothing. Atlas lives on as a wing of Hoffman’s Fremont Vintage Mall where the businessman says he also benefits from the higher margins provided by furniture and knick-knacks for young urban hipsters on a budget.
Inside the 10th Ave store (Image: CHS)
“The demographics [on Capitol Hill] have changed a tremendous amount. A lot of my core shoppers have dispersed so much,” Hoffman said. The Capitol Hill his Atlas used to cater to is more likely to be found north of the ship canal or, he says, in areas like Rainier Valley where he is also planning to eventually open a shop.
But what about Capitol Hill’s cultural place in the city as a “cool” and “edgy” area? Won’t the Atlas brand suffer being associated with Fremont vs. Capitol Hill?
“When you look at Capitol Hil, it’s gotten less cool,” Hoffman said. “You’ve got big highrises going up. You’re going to have fewer young, cool hipsters.”
We won’t bother with the “high rises” thing — though six stories does not a high rise make, there is indeed a development project about to dig in at 10th and Union and another at 11th and Pine. But there are some trends playing out.
- Food + drink is king + queen: For one, the Hill is an obvious food and drink hot spot. There are three (three!) new indie sandwich joints opening in the next two weeks.
- High-end or highly defensible: Elsewhere, where retail is moving in, the move is toward either higher-end — or toward more “defensible” business models. The Internet doesn’t, yet, do used DVDs well.
- Hospitality: Meanwhile, the whole idea of Capitol Hill “retail” is being turned on its head. At Capitol Hill Housing’s annual meeting earlier this summer, the forum topic was retail and the big takeaway was that traditional retail — big or small — can’t compete here. We’re too close to downtown and University Village. The Internet is too powerful. There are easier ways to make a buck of beer and (really tasty) pizza. Instead, experts at the forum were talking about the possibility that, if there is a new type of retail space that should be developed on the Hill, it might end up being something in the hospitality category — how about a hotel tower at the Broadway light rail station when it opens in 2016?
Working in the midst of those big trends, Hoffman says that despite the challenges for independent retail to survive in the Internet era, the Atlas business is doing fine in Fremont.
“I hated leaving,” Hoffman said. “I was really excited about that neighborhood. But the cost of doing business was incredibly high.”
The exit of Atlas — successful business or not — is the exit of a colorful piece of recent Capitol Hill history. In 2007, you might remember the problems that came along when the Stranger reported on secret concerts being held at the old Broadway warehouse space.
Meanwhile, the two-location Red Light Vintage and the national chain Crossroads Trading continue to do clothing-specific second-hand business on Capitol Hill as do consignment stores like Le Frock and Take 2.
Anne Michelson, who owns the building on 10th Atlas moved to after Hoffman sold his Broadway building, tells CHS she has tried to keep rents reasonable to support small businesses and let Hoffman out of his lease because of Atlas’s struggles.
She is now looking for a new tenant for the space that also is home to the BOTH Collective dispensary and the Sweatbox yoga studio. Hoffman said he’s helped make a push for a new tenant that is interested in the space. That tenant, of course, is not a retailer.
I went in the 10th Ave shop once and had the two rudest sales associates not help me. I still managed to buy a necklace after trying to get their attention for a good 15 minutes. I walked out and the necklace broke when I removed the price tag. Never went back again.
“You’re going to have fewer young, cool hipsters.”
And that’s a BAD thing?
I agree, I don’t think you need “cool hipsters” for retail like Atlas to necessarily succeed in this neighborhood. Although I’m sad to see them go, but I don’t agree with the sentiment that Cap Hill is becoming “less cool” per se.
The selection at Atlas had gotten a lot sparser and less inspiring over the last few years–even before they left the Broadway location. I think a more serious vintage store could have done better, even in a more obscure location.
Their new location only has about 5% of the foot traffic that their Broadway had. It’s not rocket science.
The demographics don’t work on Cap Hill? That’s a convenient excuse for not successfully managing a transition. Somebody please alert Red Light and Crossroad (which not too long ago doubled their space).
less + hipster=cooler neighborhood :)
clearly this guy needed a math lesson before his interview.
Jo: great comment!….and one with which I agree.
For retail businesses, “cool young hipsters” are not necessarily a good thing, because most have no money to spend.
Very similar experience here.
I went into the new store to browse one afternoon after work (something I loved doing at the Broadway location) and the sales person was talking to a friend at the counter. No biggie, I just wanted to browse. But every time I came close to where they were talking, they would get super quiet and glare at me.
Wanting to give the store a fair shake with their move, I came in a few months later and the associates were talking to each other while pricing stuff and never glanced in my direction. All three different employees.
If they only want to cater to hipsters (I believe I was kinda gothy looking both times), that’s their deal. But snobbing any paying customer in this economy seems like a bad idea.
I loved stopping by Atlas to grab some thing new for an event or just a night out. It was also a great stop on art walk since they some times had a band playing. Luckily we still have Cairo and Indian Summer for finding cute pieces at reasonable pricing.
Meh, hipsters or Hummer-drivin’ Bellevueites. Which is worse? Is there a worse one of the two?
Either way, I did spend much time as a youngin’ perusing the racks at the Broadway location.
Things change, I suppose. The Hill isn’t getting less cool. It’s just getting more Belltown. So, not less cool, more lame. (Minus Mama’s and Shorty’s of course. I cannot hate burritos or pinball.)
Hipsters are far worse. At least the hummer people from Bellevue aren’t trying to be anything but themselves.
And the people from Bellevue shower regularly.
Watching non-business owners speculate on how businesses are run/why they’re closing is pretty funny.
Yes, because listening to customers concerns is just a one-way ticket to brokesville.
Never mind that maybe the customer wants a business to succeed and is trying to give constructive criticism that might help the owner with the business.
The owner is like an artist- it’s their vision, and any outside critiques are just jealous of their style.
A business owner,
I now know why most businesses fail.
“Hipsters are far worse. At least the hummer people from Bellevue aren’t trying to be anything but themselves.”
And theirselves are terrible, let alone terribly boring.
I’ll take someone in a funny outfit over bridge & tunnelers anyday.
It’s more amusing to read Hoffman’s comments on why he thinks the store is closing. There is more development, but there is still the young, trendy, “hipster” crowd that would shop there, if they didn’t have somewhere better to go. He didn’t do a good job on making his store better to go to than another store and that’s why my business went to other stores on the hill.
Foot traffic was probably a big reason. But if your store is good and people know it, they will go off the main drags.
The customer is always wrong and usually an idiot.
A business owner,
There is no better way to know your customer then to walk in their shoes.
A Business Owner. I hope you aren’t really a business owner because good luck with that attitude. Yes, sometimes a costumer IS wrong and an idiot. But most times, a costumer just wants good service and a helpful attitude. If a business has that, costumers will remember. If they don’t, the business will probably fail/move/try to blame their lack of business on other reasons.
I’m eclectic. I shop at thrift stores, consignment/trade retailers, and the occasional boutique. I adore pieces from the 40’s and 50’s – the tailoring, the muted tones, and the understated sexual appeal of a modest fit. True, I lack the balls to go full-on vintage in everyday life, but on occasion my inner siren demands front stage and I must have that perfect dress to make her swoon.
Atlas proved to be quite the suitor. A slim fitting black dress dappled with black rhinestones that glisten like raindrops under a winter moon. The only hitch was a misaligned zipper seam. After a few twirls in the dressing room I brought the dress to the counter and stated my hesitation. Without a worry the lovely lady offered to mend the zipper at no cost and would have it ready for pick-up the very next day!
You just can’t find service like that anymore. I am sad to see Atlas go. Finding affordable vintage clothing is difficult and no matter how hard Urban Outfitters or Forever 21 try to revive the trends of yesteryear, I just simply can’t buy into it!! The quality is awful and the prices are ridiculous. Vintage is not just about revival it is about quality and craftsmanship. Not to be slight, but many of the hipter trends seem so mercurial, cheap and misunderstood. More reminders of this throw-away culture that lacks charm and reverence.
I suppose it’s not important now but I felt like there wasn’t very much press about Atlas moving to the 10th Ave location. Yes, there was alot of press about the allages venue and the possibility of Atlas closing, but there wasn’t much mentioned of the actual MOVE. But maybe that was me. I happen to stumble across the 10th Ave location maybe 9 months after it moved…