(Image: Kamp Social House)
Business tends to work in increments of zeros and fives.
Sometimes there is a three.
Three years after it debuted and five years since a legendary Seattle restaurateur bid his home neighborhood goodbye, Kamp Social House is closing down in Madison Valley.
Its final day of business will be Wednesday.
“This decision comes after much reflection and is rooted in the need to take a personal pause. Kamp has always been more than just a restaurant, it’s been a community hub, a labor of love, and a place where countless memories were made,” the Kamp announcement reads. “We’re incredibly grateful to everyone who supported us along the way, whether you stopped by once or became a familiar face.”
CHS reported here on the 2022 debut of Kamp, a food, drink, and social project from partners in business and live Marceil Van Camp and Katy Knauf.
Kamp took over the space at the corner of Madison and 28th after a short-lived stay of cocktail confetti and decoration maker Snowy River in the former home of Thierry Rautureau’s longtime Madison Valley favorite Luc.
Rautureau passed away in 2023.
Capitol Hill design firm Awful Good helped design the overhaul and the first of what was hoped to be more Kamp venues. But the emphasis on also catering to the “sober curious” and a spin as Madison Valley’s lesbian bar did not play out as planned.
While Kamp held on for one last Pride and managed to outlast the years of construction required to get the RapidRide G bus line that terminates nearby up and running, another Madison Valley milestone is still down the road. Construction is finally moving into some advanced stages on the development of the Madison Valley PCC and a new six-story, 82-unit apartment building above a 140-vehicle parking lot on the land where City People’s once stood. Kamp won’t be around to greet those new neighbors when the building opens later this year or early next.
It’s not clear what is next for the Kamp space on a stretch of Madison that has managed to stay mostly busy with small businesses and now includes a location of the Fainting Goat family of gelato shops. New things are in the works. Permits indicate a new 24-hour pottery studio is making preparations to join the block. UPDATE: Sorry — We missed that Seatown Pottery has already opened its Madison Valley location.
Kamp Social House will mark its final day at 2800 E Madison on Wednesday, July 2nd.
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That stinks but glad they did exist for a spell at least.
Seatown pottery is already located next door to Kamp. I hope the mention of permitting for a 24-hour studio is for that spot, and not an additional studio to compete on the same block.
I think the 24 hour pottery studio is Sea Town and its already open though there is a waitlist to join and use it.
We are losing restaurants left and right after the wage law… And the price / quality ratio is incredibly low in Seattle.
I wonder what the rent is at Kamp.
prolly market rate zomg
A huge loss for the neighborhood:( but thanks for the time we had!
That 24 hour pottery studio you mention as coming soon has been open for a while now. Would love to know what’s coming to the space next – we were told yesterday that a new restaurant is opening in the space soon, so I suspect the paperwork has been filed.
Thanks! Will update
Hey question: How many lesbian bars would one expect in the sprawling metropolis of Madison Valley?
Living within walking distance I can say that the extremely limited meal selection probably kept most diners away, in an area that isn’t really a place where people come for the bar scene. Kamp had LOTS of tables, yet a very minimal menu.