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Starbucks is leaving E Olive Way and there is a labor battle that continues to brew on Capitol HIll. Sunday, workers say they are striking at the company’s Melrose Starbucks Roastery.
There is also history to deal with. The building the coffee giant first moved into in 1999 and will now leave vacant has a long story of neighborhood hangouts and food and drink. Here is a re-post of pictures from a CHS classic from 2010 when Starbucks was completing renovations on the building that has stood at the curve in E Olive Way since 1937
It’s a good reminder that, while businesses come and go, there are certain constants in the Capitol Hill universe.
1938 — Whiting’s Sandwich Bar opens
1953 — Becomes the Plaid Piper — “a white tablecloth, filet mignon type restaurant with a cocktail lounge in the back called the Tartan Room.”
1980 — Red Robin opens
1995 — Boston Market opens
1999 — Starbucks opens
2010 — Renovated
2022 – Starbucks closure is planned by July 31st
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Subscribe to CHS to help us hire writers and photographers to cover the neighborhood. CHS is a pay what you can community news site with no required sign-in or paywall. To stay that way, we need you. Become a subscriber to help us cover the neighborhood for $5 a month -- or choose your level of support 🖤
Did you mean Sandwich Bar…or Sanwich Bar?
Thanks for asking about this. We had materials that indicated the alternative spelling — but I forgot local historian Rob Ketcherside provided better information: Whiting’s Sandwich Bar. Correcting the record!
Odd, cuz there’s no “D” in the photo with the sign. ;o)
Great retrospective. Thanks for putting it up!
Holy cow, there was a Red Robin on Capitol Hill.
Red Robin started in Seattle.
There was! Although I was much more of a Green Cat than Red Robin fan when both were open – never even made it into the Red Robin, despite my name.
The original Red Robin was technically on Capitol Hill – on the south side of the Montlake Bridge (where the Robin’s Nest Apartments are, hence the name)
you meant University Bridge
I’ll bet the neighbors just ~adored~ that Boston Market faux-balloon sign.
I lived at the Biltmore when it was a Boston Market. The worst thing was the scent of the chicken wafting into my apartment on weekend mornings that I was nursing a hangover.
I remember when it was Red Robin.
Good! I remember the Red Robin, Boston Market…glad to see anti union Star$ go! Provide their burnt tasting coffee to the Sonics where ever Howard left them.
Seattle is better than this!
Looking forward to a better replacement for our neighbourhood.
Overrated union-busting chain coffee leaves Capitol Hill, good riddance.