White Center Now: The blog about White Center

(L-R, Michale Farrar and Nathan Adams, in front of the bar mural)

By Linda Ball
Reporting for White Center Now

Nathan Adams and Michale Farrar love to host parties and to entertain. It’s not unusual for them to have 100 to 150 friends over to their home for events such as their annual chicken and brisket feed in the summer. So, their friends suggested, why not make some money out of all this great talent?

The wheels started turning for the partners when Adams left his “day” job a year and one-half ago. Now, they are close to opening The Lumber Yard Bar in downtown White Center.

Though The Lumber Yard is intended to be an LGBTQ bar, Adams and Farrar plan to welcome everyone. They live just nine blocks away, but had looked everywhere for a place to build out their vision. They realized their own neighborhood was just the place, as more of the gay community is moving south due to high housing prices in Capitol Hill and elsewhere in the city.

It’s been in the works a while. “It took six months to get our building permit,” Farrar said. He said they’ve had the lease for 9616 16th Ave. SW since last December. The Lumber Yard Bar will have a full
liquor license in addition to beer and wine, plus upscale bar food created in the downstairs kitchen, by Adams and Farrar and one other cook. The menu will include Cuban pulled-pork sliders, brisket sliders, brisket chili, pork-belly mac-and-cheese, baked olive bites, and a mashed-potato bar, to name a few items. They plan to have better-than-typical bar wine, with bottle service to drink at The Lumber Yard or take home.

Adams and Farrar have done much of the interior buildout themselves, along with a small crew from Treiber Building.

The interior plays up on the name with attractive wood-looking flooring (that’s really luxury vinyl), a 24-foot-long wooden bar, old cedar fencing (above) on some of the interior walls which they’ve painted, reclaimed wood, some of the old chairs from the Fremont Theatre, and a large mirror framed in timbers. Farrar said working with the old building has been challenging.

Local artist David Johansson created a forest mural, which hangs behind the bar (top photo). A long communal table will seat 12 to 14 people in the upstairs area, with more seating in half-booths and ottomans downstairs. The downstairs area will be what the partners call more of a “speakeasy” with an edgy feel, harkening back to the days when gay bars had to “hide out.”

Total capacity inside is 96, but in the summer they will be able to seat 40 to 50 more in a fenced outdoor patio. Plans are to have “Yappy Hours” when you can bring your best four-legged friend – only on the patio. There are restrooms on both levels, and a changing room for entertainers. Upstairs there is a small area for live entertainment and the sound system. With four big-screen televisions upstairs and two downstairs, they will screen Seahawks and Sounders games, playing music videos on non-game days.

Once open, they will have a total of 12 staff – Farrar still works as a systems analyst for Starbucks, a career he’s had for 18 years, but both he and Adams will be very involved day by day. Hours will be 4 p.m. to midnight Monday – Thursday, 2 p.m. to 2 a.m. Friday, noon to 2 a.m. Saturday and noon to midnight on Sunday unless there is a game, when they will open earlier and serve brunch. They also will have a teachers’ happy hour from 2-6 p.m. on Friday.

The folks who are turning the ex-Big Al Brewing site into Unified Brewing are inviting you to their big sale today – noon-5 pm, benefiting WestSide Baby.

We’re encouraging people to come by and say hi even if they’re not in the market for anything, but are curious about our project.

Some of things we’re selling are:

Patio Furniture
Speakers
Glassware
Shelves
Filing Cabinets
Bistro Tables
Couches
Chairs
Mirrors
Lamps
Coat rack
Cash Register
Chalkboard
Brewery Memorabilia
ETC.

Unified Brewing is at 9832 14th SW.

By Tracy Record
White Center Now editor

A few hours from now, the new White Center Starbucks coffee shop at 16th/100th will start its second day of business.

We were first to bring you word it was on the way, a year ago, and first to report its opening date. Now it’s here, and the company has gone to great lengths to try to ensure that this doesn’t play out as a case of a corporate marauder moving into a fiercely independent community, albeit one that’s not far from its corporate HQ in SODO.

Before the opening-day bustle, we were invited to visit earlier this week, to hear about the store’s unique features.

What you see atop this story is one of them – a mural near the entrance, painted by an employee – “partner” in Starbucks’ parlance – Victor Melendez. And the people are what the Starbucks reps most wanted to talk about. We sat down for a few moments with Nicole Lopez, district manager (West Seattle, White Center, SODO, Georgetown), and Rodney Hines, director of U.S. social impact.

We photographed them in the “training center” area of the White Center store, which will be used for vocational training that could lead to jobs at Starbucks or elsewhere. The company had announced in September of last year that it would partner with a local nonprofit, in a model it’s already used in a handful of other stores around the country, and the one chosen here is the YWCA (which has a nearby base at Greenbridge). They’ll also work with Highline Community College. The curriculum for the training center will teach customer service. The training-center space also potentially will be available as a community hub for meetings and gatherings.

Meantime, they tout the fact that the White Center opening means some Starbucks workers who live nearby could transfer to the new store – workers who, Nicole explained, were taking multiple buses to their jobs at stores farther away. The new store has a staff of 22, five part-time and the rest full time (at least 32 hours). Nine were new hires, the rest transfers.

The staff, as a result, Rodney added, reflects the community. And they’re proud to say the store – one of two new buildings constructed where the old White Center Chevron was razed – was built by a woman-owned business, Saybr Contractors, the firm’s first project for Starbucks.

As of our pre-opening visit, Starbucks was still seeking one more component to their local economic-development program – a local maker – woman or person-of-color-owned business – with whom to partner, creating consumable products that could be sold in the store, and perhaps beyond.

Speaking of consumable – something unique to this location, Nitro cold brew on tap – so they’re expecting to be offering “lots of samples.” Also , this is one of a few Starbucks stores selling Mercato food, made fresh daily and donated (if there is unsold food) nightly to food-security programs.

The new store is open 5 am to 9 pm.

Thanks to Gill for first word on this – he said Starbucks team members in their Jubilee Days booth told him the new drive-thru at 16th/100th would open on Friday, August 4th, and we have confirmed that with a company spokesperson. (For our most-recent update a month ago, Starbucks had said “August,” without specifying a date.) The opening will be 14 months after we broke the news that Starbucks and Popeyes (which opened two weeks ago) would open at what was the White Center Chevron site. When Starbucks finally confirmed it four months after that, they explained it’s part of a plan to open stores in “at least 15 diverse, low-to-medium-income communities” around the U.S. by next year, and that it would include a job-training program.

(Photo courtesy Unified Brewing)

Just in – the announcement that the former Big Al Brewing location at 9832 14th SW in White Center has a new brewery moving in:

After nearly two years of searching for a location, and trying to keep our plans under wraps, we are excited to introduce to the world, Unified Brewing Company. We recently signed a long-term lease to move into the old Pacific Rim Brewing / Big Al Brewing location in White Center. There has been a brewery in that building for nearly twenty years and we’re happy that we can continue that tradition of being White Center’s Brewery.

We’ll be doing a little more than putting on a fresh coat of paint. We recently put down our deposit on a new 20bbl Brewhouse from JVNW out of Canby Oregon, a manufacturer we feel is at the top of their game for brewing equipment. We’ll brew a wide variety of styles to be served in our brewpub as well as some limited distribution.

Our team collectively has over 50 years experience in the beer world in all facets from Production, Importing, Distribution, and Publican:

Our partner and Brewer, Kevin Watson, has brewed for over 18 years for the likes of Hales, Allagash, and most recently Elysian Brewing. Having grown up in White Center, he is pleased to be making beer just down the street from where he played little league and mere blocks from where he first homebrewed in his parents kitchen.

Mike Baker, former founder and owner of Baron Brewing Company in South Park, Seattle, is also responsible for bringing delicious German beers to the U.S. through his import company NW Beverage Group.

Dean Hudgins and Ian Roberts are the owners of The Pine Box, a successful craft beer bar on Capitol Hill.

New to the beer biz is Larry Solomon, a friend from across the bar top with a wealth of business knowledge.

Mike Baker and Ian Roberts are also two of the founders and organizers of Seattle Beer Week, a ten-day celebration of all things beer across the city, now going on its 10th year.

With all of our renovations, licensing, and equipment on order, we plan to be open to the public early 2018.

A building with quite a past has just stepped into its future. It’s opening night for Beer Star, on the southwest corner of SW 98th and 16th SW in downtown White Center. 700 bottled and canned beers…

48 on tap …

Even a kids’ play area.

The building’s past identities include the Epicure Restaurant and, more recently, The Wall, The Hang-Around, a medical-marijuana lounge, and the Rose Petals restaurant. The team behind Beer Star, per Eater, is headed by James Weimann and Deming Maclise, who have venues elsewhere in the city, and the space will soon include a Li’l Woody’s burger joint – you’ve probably seen the sign on the east side of the building; Li’l Woody’s already has a WC tie, making its shakes with Full Tilt Ice Cream.

Meantime, if you want to be part of Beer Star’s first night, it’s expected to be open until 10 pm.

You’ve probably seen the sign, if you haven’t been in already. Now we have confirmation that Zanzibar has opened at 9609 1/2 16th SW. From Sarah Friesema:

New bar with food has opened in White Center – Zanzibar features local craft beer on tap, wine, full liquor license, and food including panini sandwiches and some street food favorites. Live music, no TVs, and a friendly, relaxed atmosphere.

Open 3 pm to 11 pm on Wednesdays, Thursdays and Sundays, midnight Fridays and Saturdays. Closed Mondays and Tuesdays.

Coffee fans are reminded that My Choice Espresso has reopened. It was closed for three months before new owner Andre Johnson took over, we’re told, but now it’s back in business and ready to serve you. The stand is at 10439 16th SW and open 5 am-5 pm Mondays-Fridays, 6 am-5 pm Saturdays, 7 am-3 pm Sundays.

(WCN photo: Big Al on opening day in 2008)

Back in August, the New York Times spotlighted five White Center establishments.

Among them: Big Al Brewing, which had opened at 9832 14th SW on an August day, eight years earlier – one of the first stories covered here on WCN.

Today, in the mid-January chill, “Big Al” himself, Alejandro Brown, announced he’s closing. From his announcement:

Every time I sit down to write this I have to stop because it’s too damn hard. But some things have to be said. Saturday, January 14th will be the last day of Big Al Brewing as we know it. We are closing our doors. Phew, hard part over. There are many contributing factors that led to this decision but at the end of the day it doesn’t matter. I’d rather focus on the positive. What an amazing 8 years it has been!! I lived my dream and experienced things I could have never thought of in my wildest dreams!

Big Al Brewing’s award-winning brews include the Chile IPA that won a silver medal in the Washington Beer Awards last year.

Thanks to ex-Caffé Delia co-proprietor Matt for the update – their former space in downtown White Center has soft-opened today as Moonshot Coffee. As noted previously, the new owners are also proprietors of Burien Press. Here’s their announcement today:

Thanks to the amazing and talented people at Synesso, our new machine was installed last night. Because of that we’ve made the choice to go ahead and open for a few hours today for a “Please Excuse the Dust Pre Soft Opening” until 1 pm Saturday and from 9 am to 1 pm on Sunday. Additionally, we’re going to donate $1 from every drink sold to the good folks over at the Yes Foundation of White Center. We have a limited menu of coffee from Olympia Coffee Roasting Co. and Velton’s Coffee Roasting Company and some legendary Caffe Delia scones that we’ll serve until they are gone. We’re looking forward to making you coffee and meeting you.

Moonshot is at 9622 16th SW, next to Proletariat Pizza.

Almost three months ago, we told you that what had been Company would become The Company Store. And the opening date has finally been announced:

Take a look at what’s happening inside The Co. Store! Don’t worry, we’re opening this SATURDAY THE 22ND @ 5 PM.

In the heart of downtown White Center.

Thank you kindly for your patience!

We cannot wait to welcome you.

Come eat, drink delicious cocktails, and sip ice-cold beer.

Thank you amazing Crystal Barbre for your incredible art that we are so lucky to share with White Center.

We cannot wait to meet you!

The Co. Store
9608 16th Ave. SW
206-257-1162

Company Store’s proprietors also note that it’s a 21+ establishment.

Thanks to Gill for the photo and update – RNR Espresso is open at its new location just west of White Center’s Chase Bank. RNR is the stand that had to move because its previous site, the former White Center Chevron at 15th/100th, is being redeveloped for Starbucks and Popeye’s; after we reported on Monday that the site had been fenced off, a commenter pointed out RNR had been “forklifted” to its new site, just about a block west.

Work is starting on the 15th SW/SW 100th site that was White Center Chevron and will become home to coffee and chicken chain outlets (Starbucks and Popeye’s), as first reported here in June. We noticed this morning that the pumps had been cordoned off and a truck full of fencing had arrived; went back this afternoon, and the site was fenced off. We also noticed the coffee stand that has long been on the southwest corner of the lot was gone; thanks to a WCN commenter, we found it one block west, just west of the White Center Chase Bank branch:

The commenter says the stand will reopen there “in a few days.” As for what’s happening on the ex-Chevron site, we’ll just have to keep watching – it’s not clear from the permit files exactly what will happen first – the existing buildings will all be demolished, and the underground tanks will be removed. Starbucks just finally publicly confirmed its plans last week but still refused to say whether this location will be a drive-thru or not. And we have yet to hear back from Popeye’s.

8:42 AM: Four months ago, we reported first word of the permit application for White Center’s first Starbucks store, at the current Chevron site at 16th/100th. Starbucks, at the time, refused to confirm it. Now, the Seattle Times says they’re talking about it, and a job-training program that will be involved. We’re re-contacting Starbucks to seek details.

10:41 AM: Starbucks points out to us that the White Center plan is mentioned – though fleetingly – in a news release they published online very early today. It’s mostly about a new store opening in a Chicago neighborhood, but goes on to explain:

… The store is part of Starbucks nationwide initiative to support local economic development in at least 15 diverse, low- to- medium-income communities by 2018. Three such locations have already opened in Ferguson, Phoenix and the Jamaica neighborhood of Queens, NY. Similar to those stores, the new location in Englewood will support efforts to revitalize the community by creating meaningful local jobs, providing a unique in-store job skills training program for youth, and investing in local minority-owned contractors and suppliers. Starbucks also announced plans to expand the national initiative to five new communities in 2017, including neighborhoods in the Baltimore, Birmingham, Long Beach, CA, Miami, and Seattle areas.

The “Seattle area” mention is a reference to White Center, which is not mentioned by name until later in the news release. We have requested a chance to talk with Starbucks’ point people on the WC project, to find out who they are partnering with here, and what the store’s construction/opening timeline is.

12:11 PM: They’re looking to open in mid-2017, Starbucks tells us:

As you can imagine, we are still working through a number of pieces, particularly on construction timelines, store design and agreements with local contractors, vendors and suppliers.

In terms of the youth job training program, we are currently considering local nonprofits to partner with and have not finalized an agreement yet. Our goal is to find a partner that knows the White Center community and what young people, particularly those who are not in school or employed, need in terms of connecting to jobs. The program is typically an 8-10 week training program that focusses on customer service and retail skills, based on Starbucks own industry-leading Barista Basics curriculum, which all our new store partners (employees) take when they start with the company. After completing the program, participating youth will have the opportunity to interview with Starbucks, or any other employer of their choice. [We’ve been testing the program here in Seattle for some time, and you can read more about that here. Lots of great learnings from this which we are applying to the trainings hosted in our stores through this initiative)

We are also simultaneously looking at local women- and minority-owned suppliers to feature a local product in the White Center store. We don’t have that finalized yet either, so it would be premature to announce any details. For e.g. in Englewood, we are working with a local bakery called Laine’s Bake Shop, to feature her Red Velvet Cheesecake Brownie in the store. In Ferguson, MO, we worked with Natalie’s Cakes and More, a local business whose storefront was vandalized during the riots. Her Caramel Cake Chunks are now in our stores. In fact, Natalie’s cakes are doing so well that we’ve since expanded our order and now feature the cake in 32 St. Louis area stores. She has grown her business and her staff from two employees initially to more than 22. That’s the kind of success we hope to replicate in White Center next year.

As for construction and design, we will have more to share in the coming months. We are looking to open around mid-2017.

With a two-phase announcement this week, Caffé Delia in downtown White Center is changing hands after 5 years. First its owners Delia and Matt announced that they had sold the shop – then a few days later, Burien Press announced itself as the new owner, saying a new name and other details are forthcoming. The shop will close for at least some part of September, the new owners say, as they create its future, adding in their announcement: “Our intention is to create something that is both honoring to the people and history of White Center and part of wherever White Center chooses to go in the future.” If you want to wish Delia and Matt well before they move on, they say this Monday (August 29th) will be the shop’s final day as Caffé Delia.

When Company Bar closed in downtown White Center earlier this year, its owner voiced hopes that it would be bought and reopened. That’s exactly what’s happening. We heard overnight from Zoe Mandels, who says she and partner Joseph Northrup are reopening it as The Company Store. Zoe is a Boulevard Park resident who grew up in West Seattle and has history in its hospitality scene, having worked at JaK’s Grill for six years. She invited us to share this information on what they plan to offer when they open, which they’re hoping to do in a little more than a month:

Here is a sneak peek of what you can expect:

The Company Store, 21+, set to open at the beginning of September 2016:
9608 16th Avenue SW

First:

~We want our LGBT friends to know that we always stand behind their community as an ally. We certainly stand behind respect being given to each and every person within our business here in White Center.
~Our restrooms will be GENDER NEUTRAL.
~We are a fun-loving, quality, neighborhood joint. We can’t wait to meet you!

HOURS
• We will be open from 4 PM-2 AM EVERY DAY of the week
• We will be open from 9 AM-2 PM for BRUNCH Saturday & Sunday
• We will have happy hour from 4 PM-6 PM
• Late night happy hour from 10-2

Weekday Specials:
~Migas MONDAY
~Puffy Taco TUESDAY
~Memphis Dry Rib WEDNESDAY
~Karaoke (or a Drag Show) will be performed every FRIDAY
~Your “Week-in-Review” will be featured at SATURDAY & SUNDAY BRUNCH

Brunch will feature:
~$4 Bloody Mary’s
~$14 Bottomless Mimosas
~Best Benedict in town
~Hand-pressed fresh juices
~Brunch cocktails
~Champagne TO-GO
~”Your Week-in-Review” Brunch Special
Each week at brunch, one dish with a paired brunch cocktail will be dedicated to the previous week and its political scene, celebrity gossip circuit, world news or other noted event. Think John Oliver in food form.

Our PRIMARY MENU will feature rustic and bold Southwest flavors using our family favorite recipes while refining them with innovative Northwest touches.

~Highlights will include our:
Chili
Memphis Dry ribs
Puffy Tacos
Cream of Spinach Hush Puppies

Our COCKTAIL LIST is all about having fun. We never compromise quality and we deliver cocktails that mean something!

~Highlights will include our:
“Cracker Jack Old Fashioned” – Infused Rye, Disappointing Toy Prize
“Roller Girl” – Vodka, Fresh Basil, Raspberries, St. Germaine
“Fantasy Shop Next Door” – Tequila, Habanero Cubes, Lime, Sugar

They’re also planning to sell wine and beer to go, including growler fills. Stay tuned for updates!

Thanks to the texter (we’re at 206-293-6302 any time) who tipped us to this tonight:

A brand-new land-use sign is up on the periphery of the White Center Chevron at 15th/16th/100th, for a project titled Starbucks of South Seattle. The notice also mentions a separate permit application forthcoming for Popeye’s Fried Chicken.

We won’t be able to reach the respective chains for comment until next week, but county records show the site – long listed for sale – was sold two months ago to Madison, a well-known Seattle developer, for $2,250,000.

Right now, the standalone Starbucks nearest White Center – which of course has excellent independent coffeehouses including Caffé Delia and Dubsea Coffee – is in West Seattle’s Westwood Village shopping center. The nearest Popeye’s is in Renton.

The infosheet that we found posted on the south side of the lot says a public comment period is open until June 27th, and describes the first part of the project as involving “development of a 2,475-square-foot shell building for a future coffee shop, demolition of existing convenience store, gasoline filling station, removal of two underground storage tanks, and car wash.” While the notice says the application was filed with the county May 9th, it lists the “date of mailing” as today (June 3rd).

After five years, Company Bar in downtown White Center will close in two weeks, its proprietor Jesse Lovell just announced via this Facebook post:

Ok folks. Here goes. It has been an amazing five years serving this community, being a part of this community and growing with this community and I am endlessly grateful to all of you who have been a part of my life here at Company Bar in beautiful downtown White Center. I’m guessing you know where this is going, if you don’t know already, but it’s true, Company Bar is closing.

This has been an extremely difficult and painful decision for me to make, but it is the right choice for me and my daughter. Anyone who knows me understands that I have given this bar everything I have and more, but the circumstances of my life are such that I can’t give it everything it needs and it is time for me to step away. I am so proud of what we as a community have built here: our softball team, Rat City Recon, Rat City Royals, the concerts, the fundraisers, the art shows, the friendships formed, the eating and drinking and good times and all of the rock and roll. So much rock and roll. It has been a wild ride, to say the least, and it hurts my heart to walk away, but please trust that this is the right thing for me and the right thing for the bar.

I am currently considering some attractive offers and I’m confident that the right person or people will take the reins. February 29th will be our last day and I will do everything I can to facilitate a smooth transition for the bar to reopen quickly under new ownership. Until then, it will be business as usual. A huge thanks goes out to my fiercely loyal crew and together we are going to pack as much fun as we can into these next two weeks and we hope you join us in closing this chapter with a bang.

Love always,
Jesse

Company opened to much acclaim in January 2011.

Three notes from the White Center food and drink world, all along 16th SW:

NEW RESTAURANT AT 16TH/ROXBURY: The former TJ’s Soul Food and Pho Lynna storefront on the southeast corner, long vacant, now sports a new sign, for Taqueria Los Potrillos, “coming soon”:

Thanks to Gill for first word of the sighting. Looks like there are other restaurants by this name around the region, including one in Renton.

LUSO FOOD AND WINE FAREWELL: While looking around 16th/Roxbury for any more info about the new restaurant, we noticed that what had been Luso Food and Wine was empty. Checking online, looks like it’s been a few weeks since Luso closed.

BYE-BYE, BEIGNETS: Mardi Gras Donuts‘ run in WC is over. One month after cutting back to weekends only, they announced on New Year’s Day – no surprise if you’d noticed the covered-over windows – that they’re closed forever.

Story and photos by Tracy Record and Patrick Sand
White Center Now co-publishers

“Welcome to Taradise.”

That’s the greeting you’ll see when entering White Center’s newest restaurant/bar.

“Tara” is for proprietor Tara Scott, who’s celebrating the grand opening tonight for her Taradise Café in what used to be Marv’s Broiler at 9808 16th SW in downtown White Center.

The restaurant will serve breakfast all day as well as a full lunch menu and rotating dinner menu.

While Taradise Café has a bar – and two pool tables! as well as darts and TVs for sports-viewing – the restaurant is open to all ages. The hours for starters will be 6 am to midnight Sundays through Wednesdays, then 6 am to 2 am Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays. Including tonight.

Taradise Café is expected to draw from West Seattle as well as WC because of its proprietor’s background with the legendary Charlestown Café, which closed 4 1/2 years ago in WS. She’s also hired some former co-workers, and has permission to use some of the Charlestown’s recipes. Her permanent menu is still being finalized, so we don’t have the full lineup, but she mentioned the curried chicken salad, the pancakes, and the clam chowder.

Tara told us that she has long wanted to open her own restaurant but needed to wait until she could devote more time and attention to it – one key factor, her youngest child is now at an age where some self-sufficiency is starting to emerge.

So if you’re still looking for some place to welcome 2016, the grand-opening/NYE Party is on until 2 am at Taradise. This date holds significance for the location, the proprietor adds, because Marv’s Broiler opened on New Year’s Day in 1976.