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The Twilight Exit plan: Open the new Neighbor Lady, hang out on E Cherry for a few more years, then reopen in the new building set to demolish its Central District home

(Image: Twilight Exit)

(Image: Dunn and Hobbes)

Neighborhood dive bar the Twilight Exit is still thriving on E Cherry despite living under an everlasting Seattle cloud layer of development and change. As the next mixed-use project that will displace it moves slowly forward in the development process, the bar’s owner tells CHS the Twilight plans to return to be part of the new four-story building when it opens and has a new deal in place for another year — at least — waiting for demolition of the 1950s era building it has called home since its move from E Madison 15 years ago.

“I’ve been running from the wrecking ball for a long time,” Stephan Mollmann says.

The wrecking ball and new development that has followed will also help the Twilight family add a new space in the Central District as The Neighbor Lady is finally nearing a reopening as part of the mix of neighborhood and BIPOC-owned businesses in the Midtown Square development at 23rd and Union including the new pub, Boujie Bar, Ms. Helen’s Soul Bistro, and a new Jerk Shack location.

Mollmann says the timing pretty much couldn’t be worse to open new projects in Seattle with pandemic delays and contractor back-ups but the new home of the Neighbor Lady should finally open by March. CHS reported on the alleged political feud, non-disparagement agreement, and lost lease behind the bar’s move here in 2020. No word on whether the new location will debut with its infamous urinal cakes.

Dunn is also making the case for a setup that would echo the Twilight’s alley entrance and mural wall (Image: Dunn and Hobbes)

At the Twilight Exit, the Seattle process is also, apparently, speaking up for the little guy. In the “Application Form for Administrative Conditional Use in Commercial Zones,” developer Liz Dunn includes public comment in defense of including a new patio space as part of the new building’s plan so that Twilight Exit’s popular outdoor hangout scene can continue into another era. Today’s Twilight and the development to come back up against a block of single family-style homes. “In particular, there is an open air area at Twilight Exit that looks to be removed and not replaced,” writes one public commenter. “Go there on any weekend evening even during covid and you can see the value of the building to be replaced.” Of course, the same writer also argues that the building plan should include motor vehicle parking, an issue the Dunne and Hobbes development company doesn’t champion in the application. The new Twilight will be smaller, they say, so should fit into the neighborhood just fine.

(Image: The Neighbor Lady)

CHS first reported on the early plans for the redevelopment in late 2018. After pandemic delays, 2021 brought the start of an administrative design review process by city staff. The plan calls for a four-story, 30-unit building with street-level commercial space and no parking to rise on the property long home to the Twilight and neighbor Tana Market.

Tana has since closed and the space is currently being used as a temporary home for an all-ages music venue, The Cherry Pit.

Meanwhile, another Dunn development opened last year as Métier’s new 2,000-square-foot taproom gave one of the few black-owned breweries in the nation a presence in the Central District and co-founder and CEO Rodney Hines, a joint in his home neighborhood.

Despite the rumbling change, Mollman says the Twilight block probably has some time to wait before that wrecking ball shows up. The same delays slowing down small projects like The Neighbor Lady also make developments like Dunn’s a challenge. Add in the risks of finance and interest rates, and this limbo period could last for a few more years.

But Twilight does have a plan for when it comes.

Mollmann says the bar will likely shut down during the construction as the Twilight family continues on at its South Seattle location and in Midtown Square at The Neighbor Lady. He’ll never say never if the right interim location popped up but the focus is on getting a new lease in place for the new building and being part of the new growth on E Cherry.

The Twilight Exit is located at 2514 E Cherry. Learn more @twilightexit.

 

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7 Comments
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Derek
Derek
1 year ago

OOh my god this is upsetting. They’re building this GARBAGE and getting rid of a great old neighborhood joint? WOW. So upsetting….

neighbor
neighbor
1 year ago
Reply to  Derek

the Twilight is going back into the new building – the current building has a rotten substandard foundation – its so bad that the market was unsafe/unsanitary.

Derek
Derek
1 year ago

Two Words: UG-LY

d.c.
d.c.
1 year ago

Dang. Just as the new new twilight became the new old twilight, they’re gonna knock it down and we get a NEW new new twilight? Someone pass a hat around for this poor itinerant bar to buy their own building somewhere!

SeattleProcess
SeattleProcess
1 year ago
Reply to  d.c.

I think it’s silly to think that the new Twilight didn’t know this was the case when they signed their lease. And I don’t lose sleep at night that the landlord and tenant in this situation aren’t in positive, open communication about the situation. But as a very close neighbor, I’m thrilled that of all the devleopers who could redevelop that lot, we have Liz Dunn investing her time on Cherry. She is more invested in quality, meaningful development projects that almost all other developers in Seattle. Density is coming, this happening. Just be grateful she is at the helm. You only have to look so far as MBC for validation.

dan
dan
1 year ago

Looks just like the building on SE corner of 19th and Mercer.

19th & mercer.jpeg
Glenn
Glenn
1 year ago
Reply to  dan

Well, different windows, different exterior materials, and less commercial space. But it is four stories tall and square.