It’s not quite the vision of a people-oriented superblock some champion for the heart of Pike/Pine, but with the opening of Macklemore’s golf apparel shop Bogey Boys and its underground Goose Magees Vintage Mall, 10th Ave right now is, well… something else.
“With so many new buildings and people moving into town, I think it’s really important to still create that space where artists and creatives and people that make Seattle culture what it is have a place that’s theirs,” the Capitol Hill-born, raised, and resident rapper said opening the new store Saturday in the space next door to Elliott Bay Book Co. left empty by the pandemic closure of a high-end luxury fashion shop.
CHS reported here on the plans for the 10th Ave retail pop-up, a first for Macklemore’s new line of golf apparel and fashion. The company is touting the new Bogey Boys shop as “an amazing flagship pop up experience” but current plans call for the location and a vintage retail component to be open only through the end of the year. The shop was recently hiring, on the look for candidates “who love engaging with new people, enjoy collaboration, and who want to create a space for community,” plus, “bonus points if you love golf!”
Downstairs, the temporary project includes a Goose Magees Vintage Mall that will “bring the vintage mall experience back to Capitol Hill, giving a new generation a glimpse into the past.”
You hit the fourth stair on the way down to the mall and it “smells like old stuff,” Macklemore said on the grand opening tour with media. “Feels like the Capitol Hill I grew up in,” he said.
Saturday, the platinum record artist was left in awe of opening his own store on his own turf.
“So much of what I love about Capitol Hill and Seattle still exists,” he said.
“This is my birthplace. It’s where I was born and raised. This is my favorite neighborhood in the world. I never left actually.”
The space is former home of high end retailer Totokaelo where the fashion shop folded in the summer of 2020 amid COVID-19 restrictions. The two-level store neighbors popular Capitol Hill bookstore Elliott Bay and equally popular Linda Derschang joint Oddfellows. The street patios of Oddfellows and Lost Lake only add to the pandemic-era carnival feel on 10th Ave.
Across the street, Glossier’s revived global retail ambitions got a new Pike/Pine start in August as the beauty brand opened its first store following a wave of pandemic closures. Small ventures are also afoot with adaptogenic mushroom coffee startup Wunderground Cafe set to replace the neighborhood’s cupcake shop.
Meanwhile, around the corner on 11th Ave, virtual golf bar Five Iron Golf says it is swinging into Seattle with a 12,000 square-foot venue set to open by the end of the year on Capitol Hill.
And there are more sports in the neighborhood. Ox Billiards is now open underground at Broadway and Pike.
As for longterm plans, a person familiar with the shop said this is an opportunity for Macklemore and his new company to experiment and see how things play out. There’s a likelihood a Bogey Boys shop will continue, maybe on Capitol Hill, maybe in the 10th Ave space.
As he showed off the store, Macklemore Saturday sounded like he’d be happy to stay.
“We don’t know how long we are going to be in this space for,” he said, showing off the shop’s 9-hole putting course.
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We need a gentrification early warning system that comes with economic aid for those that cannot afford to flee.
So you’re moving soon? Bye!
Macklemore is from Capitol Hill. How is it gentrification if he opens a business here?
“Outsiders coming in and developing a neighborhood is gentrification! Local businesses are gentrification! Everything I don’t like is gentrification!”
You sure have been moving soon for quite some time. Have any timeline?
My current rental will be torn down for condos but there’s been a hold up from the pandemic which has helped as I cannot afford to move anywhere in the city or outskirts really at this time. Might be a year or 2. Hopefully I will be able to save enough in that time to be able to rent a different place but I fear my income is so low I won’t be rented to even if I have saved enough for move in costs. I’m just trying to be patient.
I love the fact he became famous. And brought it back home. Thank you for that.
Have you seen the prices in his vintage/ thrift store? Idk if you know anything about vintage clothing but for example he’s selling a 5 year old Carhartt shirt for 85 dollars. Originally the shirt costs 20 bucks, his stores aren’t exactly aimed at the people that made him famous or for the” thrift shop” culture he says he loved
Capitol Hill used to be seedy. I miss those days.
still salty that this guy was awarded the grammy over Kendrick Lamar’s album, but at least he’s paying it forward I guess?
Golf… Really?! This “pop-up” store will be gone after the holidays, and never to be heard from again. He holds no real fashion sway or influencer power. Going, going, gone.
Waaay too much Sodium
I love that Macklemore stays true to his roots and interests. The guy loves golf and vintage and he’s sharing it with his hometown. Basically, he gives a shit, something that is increasingly rare to see on the Hill. It’s a refreshing change from so much do-nothing complaining and cynicism.
Who knew that Macklemore would be at the forefront of 100% effective birth control for men?
I used to love Macklemore. I understood where he came from, his fight, recovery, as well as getting thrifting on the map of “cool” things to do, not to mention helping to break and erase stigmatisms over gender. My daughter loved Macklemore and looked up to this homegrown compassionate creative sensation. We would both scream sing his thrift shop song in the car.
Fast forward to her high school years, and my daughter chose veganism, anti-consumerism, as well as compassion, equity and environmental activism to light her future and path through life. In her own way and at her own time, she gravitated to what was important and real… fighting for equity and our planet in crisis.
Now, skip forward to 2020, when Macklemore’s new addiction became golf… the one thing DEEPLY rooted with an ugly history of both racisms and killing our resources/environment, for a bunch of one-percenters. Regardless of the music he’s produced and what he’s done in the PAST, at present, he’s a white 1% male bringing his environmentally unfriendly exclusive golf culture to the part of the hill where punks and anarchists used to thrive! This is why i unfollowed him AND one of the MANY reasons i left Seattle.
If Macklemore wants to give back to the community, why not invest in BIPOC businesses and culture, as well as helping the 99%’ers with their mental health and homeless situations.
Sorry, not sorry. I’m sure you all will have loads of fun ripping this post apart, but i had to speak to what is really happening.