(Image: KJ’s)
As CHS tabulates the annual count of happy hellos and sad goodbyes in Capitol Hill food and drink, there are always situations like KJ’s.
The E Olive Way watering hole that was pretty much a perfect, dark space to nurse a 1st quarter bloody mary and destroy a mountain of nachos around halftime closed to end 2024. KJ’s is gone. But the bar will live on.
“We’ve sold the bar to a loyal patron and great friend,” KJ’s ownership said about the closure.
CHS touched base with the newest entrepreneur to join E Olive Way’s nightlife scene but the industry veteran said he’s not quite ready to talk about his plans. Expect a re-opening by spring — and most of the KJ’s vibe to continue.
The transition, by the way, will carry on a sequence of regulars becoming owners of the joint that includes KJ’s birth in 2021. KJ Dykema was a customer and occasional bartender at the bar’s previous incarnation as Kessler’s. CHS looks forward to whatever “K” name will come next.
New ownership at neighborhood bars and restaurants is a common occurrence but the transactions to begin 2025 on Capitol Hill might warrant a little extra attention. Worries about a major wave of closures around the end of Seattle’s tip credit for small businesses have not materialized despite a few shutdowns here and there like the Jilted Siren and Plum.
CHS tallied 18 closures among Capitol Hill-area food and drink venues in 2024 — some of those owners may have been watching the tip credit debate but none said so publicly if that was part of their decision.
Meanwhile, new projects — hi, Laurel — are opening in the new year — and new spirits are stepping in to take on much-loved neighborhood venues like The Shop Agora where manager Katlynn Roumeliotis is now the owner.
So, yes, KJ’s makes it 19 sad goodbyes for Capitol HIll in 2024. But what comes next will be one of the happy hellos in 2025.
$5 A MONTH TO HELP KEEP CHS PAYWALL-FREE
🌈🐣🌼🌷🌱🌳🌾🍀🍃🦔🐇🐝🐑🌞🌻
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 👍
I feel bad for that spot because it’s a nice little nook and I have gone to every iteration of bar that’s been in there since 2008, but I’m still gonna choose Captain Black’s or The Stumbling Monk 9/10 times, because they each to themselves are the best at what they do that close to the apartment.
What exactly is Captain Black’s good at, other than having a great view from that porch? The few times I’ve been there, the drinks have been uninspiring and the service bordering on hostile.
View used to be good. Isn’t it all blocked now?
I found everyone there to be pleasant.
I’ve routinely enjoyed anything that pops up in the kitchen for barfood, and somehow I have a good rapport with the bartenders over time – just over christmas there was a batch of homemade nog that was so goddamn good but you had to go in and get it. Totally a personal experience thing and why I wind up there and not other places.