White Center Now: The blog about White Center

Two events happening today/tonight in White Center: I Care Vision Center is having an open house, 1-6 pm, 9650 15th SW, with new fall frame styles to try on, and free single-vision lenses with all frame purchases. Tonight, Café Rozella will host a pumpkin-carving party, 6:30 pm, 9434 Delridge Way SW.

From Proletariat Pizza‘s Facebook page:

Starting tomorrow- White Center Mondays!!! Bring in your receipt from ANY White Center business from the last week, and receive FIVE DOLLARS OFF your Proletariat purchase of twenty five dollars or more! This includes 3.14 Bakery, Full Tilt, Stan’s Adult Superstore, Taboo Video, Restaurant 88, and all of your other favorite White Center businesses!

Caught that photo on our way to another story in White Center this morning – apparently job applications are being taken at the site of the new Dollar Tree.

2 notes discovered while wandering online tonight: First, Dubsea Coffee is inviting babies – and parents – to a baby meetup tomorrow (Sunday) morning, 10 am, hoping it’ll be a regular feature on the 2nd Sunday of each month. Details on Facebook. Second, 3.14 Bakery is seeking artists and musicians to show/perform their work at the new bakery/coffeehouse. More here.

Story and photos by Deanie Schwarz
Reporting for White Center Now

Jessica Haury offhandedly mentioned to a family gathering last Thanksgiving that she might like to have a bakery “someday,” she had no idea that “someday” would arrive soon, well before the family’s next Thanksgiving holiday.

She and her family have been diligently converting favorite recipes for commercial applications for months as they prepared for 3.14 Bakery & Coffee’s debut on Saturday morning, Grand Opening Day for her shop at 9602 16th SW in the core business district of White Center.

Opening right on schedule at 9:00 AM Saturday morning with son Aden at foot, Jessica had her first customers five minutes later, perusing the fruit breads, bagels, pound cakes and, yes, the pies. The number in the name of the bakery is a mathematical constant, a symbol of a “never-ending number” which is spelled “pi” and pronounced “pie”. So, the play on words announces just one of the specialties of the house she has been developing for her menu, the two-crusted pies. Today’s pie choices were apple and peach, each sparkling with a dusting of sugar on top.

Three types of cinnamon rolls appeared, of which Jessica says the strawberry is the most decadent. Fruit loaves (raspberry or banana), cookies (chocolate chip and peanut butter), and buttons (her version of muffin tops with seasonal fruits) arrived in the display case with the help of her sole full-time employee, an experienced culinary worker. “We call them buttons because muffin tops have a different meaning these days. Buttons are cuter.”

Employed full-time as a fifth and sixth-grade teacher at Fairwood Elementary in the Kent School District. Jessica now thinks that opening this bakery and coffee shop (serving Caffé Umbria coffee) with her husband/partner David, a Safeway employee, is largely because of her mom and dad. She learned how to bake in childhood, at her mother’s side. Buying this business from the retiring previous owner, Sokha, and re-opening the coffee shop in the very neighborhood she has lived in since she was four years old, now seems to her to have been a little inevitable.

“I had talked to other people, in particular a cake decorator I know who has always wanted to do something like this,” she said. “But her parents would tell her things like ‘Why would you give up a good job to do all that? ‘ And my parents [said] ‘go for it’. So, I feel really blessed and lucky that I have parents that were supportive, emotionally and financially and in all ways, really.”

Both her mother and father have been operating businesses in White Center for the better part of Jessica’s life, and are her entrepreneurial role models. Her mother, Jeri Finch has worked as a real-estate broker for S&L Realty as well as owner/operator of an early education school, “Learning Way School and Day Care” while her father, Brian Finch, operates his own contractor/handyman business called Good & Handy.

She’s made some changes to the large, airy ex-Sokha space. Tables are set to honor her connection to her family. The field of cheery, mismatched vintage tablecloths belonged to her grandmother; Jessica is glad to be able to display them and put them to good use. Her sister replaced artificial flowers in each of the green glass vases with live, long-stemmed ivory roses in honor of the opening day. The south wall of the high-ceiling space is covered with full wall mirrors reflecting daylight — they were installed in the ’80s, when the space was a kickboxing studio.

Her father, the handyman, says he’s the “slave labor” and lovingly built office space into the back of the store. The office wall is adjacent to an area set aside for kids, with scores of toys, art supplies and educational materials gleaned with the well-informed eye of an experienced educator. A huge round table is set up to accommodate the future Picassos and Kahlos, who are as welcome at 3.14 as their coffee-drinking adult chaperones.

“In college, I started to figure out how I really enjoyed ‘my baking therapy’,” she says. “Then I was dating my now-husband, David. When we would go to potlucks and dinner parties, I would always bring desserts. One time I was invited to bring dessert before my husband was invited to the party.” So that experience gave her a vote of confidence to pursue her therapeutic passion.

Jessica recalls saying something else offhandedly to friends at some point in the not-too-distant past, while mulling other careers after a lousy day of teaching. She thought maybe being a barista might be a decent career alternative if she ever needed it. Fast-forward to the present, with her perspective as new baker and barista on opening day, and Jessica says, “Maybe, be careful what you put out into the universe, because here I am.”

Story and photos by Deanie Schwarz
Reporting for White Center Now

Noelle and Alejandro (“Al”) Brown of Renton arrived in White Center in August of 2008 with such a crystal-clear vision of what they wanted to do, how they wanted to do it and over what period of time it was to be done, that it is little wonder that on this second anniversary of their Big Al Brewing (9832 14th SW), the entrepreneurs have not only met their own expectations but exceeded those of the most discerning regional connoisseurs of adeptly crafted microbrews.

As if successfully executing their business plan were not reason enough for celebratory events this past weekend, they also learned this past week that Seattle Weekly named Big Al Brewing as the Staff Pick for Best Microbrewery in Seattle 2010 and Staff Pick for Best Guide to Home Brewing in Seattle 2010.

So, the raising of glasses and some special events were scheduled this weekend to honor the customer and the crafter both. Home-brewing devotees, the brewery’s team of employees, loyal and newly converted customers, and a few collaborating close-by White Center businesses arrived for some fun in a steady stream all weekend.

Saturday features included Dante’s Hot Dog Stand (one of his six carts serving the famous cream cheese injected hot dog) and Full Tilt Ice Cream was scheduled to pay a visit.

A Rat City Brass performance in the rentable upstairs “living room” was a highlight of Saturday’s evening events, as the unseasonal rain kept some of the crowd indoors but with little complaint. A beer tour van shuttled in aficionados visiting from regions unknown to sample some of the ten items on Al and Noelle’s current lineup.

Sunday continued the weekend-long celebration with a very family-friendly day delivered as promised, with the hugely popular Caspar Babypants (aka West Seattleite Chris Ballew from Presidents of the United States of America) mesmerizing dozens of enthralled kids on the floor.

Neighboring family-friendly eatery Proletariat Pizza served up pizza-by-the-slice.

The absence of food service in this production brewery allows for a unique opportunity for folks to bring their food to Al’s to throw on the grills provided on their patio. Customers also bring local take-out to Al’s from other eateries in White Center as well as from Zippy’s Giant Burgers in Highland Park.

It wouldn’t make much sense to celebrate Big Al’s two years of achievements without mentioning an additional landmark accolade received in 2009. A national nod at the North American Beer Awards conferred the Bronze medal on Al’s Smoky Porter. Big Al’s didn’t enter this well-regarded and important national competition this year. But the recognition of one of their most popular year-round beers has been an important stepping stone on their path, as Al and Noelle continue to pursue their business plan, which includes visions of filling a gap in a niche national market.

They came to White Center with strong business backgrounds and passion for a craft and have, in part, successfully positioned themselves because of the even application of each of their unique strengths and talents. Al provides a wellspring of creative and technical crafting of beer, while Noelle navigates the business side. For six years prior to opening the brewery, Al was a fiendishly enthusiastic home brewer who had already developed a solid knowledge base and authoritative brewing skills prior to ever turning on a tap for the public at large. Noelle’s business degree and marketing background informs the execution of their original goals they set out as well as their evolution as they find themselves at the forefront of the competitive Seattle microbrewery culture. They have accumulated 100+ commercial accounts already.

The economic downturn and any risk of fluctuations in materials cost such as hops seems to have done little to hinder the Browns’ original goal of producing 3,000 barrels of beer in three years. In 2009, 1,200 barrels were produced, and the estimate for 2010 is between 1,800-2,000 barrels.

In the closely aligned home brewing market, which is estimated to include several hundred brewers in Seattle, the brewery is something of a magnet of inspiration and experimentation. As well as being congenial, most of the employees are somehow affiliated with home brewing. Collaborating with the Local Hero program, a competition is held four times a year for home brewing customers. The winner is given the chance to produce their beer using Big Al’s production tanks. The opportunity to show off their recipes to a wider audience is a once in a lifetime opportunity for some and is highly sought after.

In honor of the celebration, Al tapped just one keg of a young Kriek and will allow the rest to age. Two of their flagship beers, the Abbey Wheat and the Irish Red, were available to honor their beginnings, but there are also seasonal offerings currently up on the menu including Tripel, Summer Lager and Brougham Bitter. The Regular Lineup includes the Irish, Smoked Porter, Papa Charlie’s Pale Ale, India Pale Ale and Tutta Bella Amber Ale . The listing of some of the one-ups Big Al’s has offered is fascinating and, according to Noelle, the true craft of brewing goes well beyond the classic IPAs, pales and ambers.

Watermelon sour and jalapeno spice beer are just a couple the brewery has put up. But for this weekend, the shining stars were the flagships and the Kriek – a cherry sour. Down the road, they say, if and when the day for expansion comes, they would like to develop a line of sours for national distribution. This wouldn’t happen until a second brewery location is established to house the stainless tanks they currently use. The vision is that the 3,800 sq. ft., golden-green White Center warehouse would be used strictly for production of sour beers, a niche market in beer brewing, which would be stored in wood casks there. This line of beer would be the only type they want to take nationally. Though they have not yet even begun to look or pursue second properties, they are keeping in mind the dream’s evolution.

The ripples of Big Al’s success are felt throughout the White Center business district, since the first day they opened up shop and became what is now recognized as one of the anchors in the new wave of entrepreneurial energy that’s been sweeping the area.

We’ve covered its trials and tribulations in recent weeks and now there’s one final note from the proprietors of the Hang Around, at the spot of the former Wall, left as a comment on an earlier story:

The Hang Around is not Around no more!

As of this Sunday, the doors of The Hang Around Bar & Grill will be closed forever! The owners want to express their thanks to everyone for their help in this situation with the landlord and now we are in the process of moving things out. Unfortunately we can’t find another rental property around the area, If anyone knows of one where we can reopen, please let us know through our e-mail or phone at Joeglennis@gmail.com and/or 206-571-7006 /206-571-7003
Thank you all and God Bless!

While in White Center at lunchtime today, we walked by the Hang Around Bar and Grill and noticed two copies of a letter taped to its door, informing the occupants they are to be out by April 30th. This was foreshadowed in the court hearing we covered two weeks ago. But Hang Around proprietor Joe has left a comment on another WCN story saying the notices went up today and that this is happening despite their investment of $50,000 in the premises and so he feels, “WE GOT RIPPED OFF!!. Now we are asking EVERYONE for help to do something … we are begging for help, either to have us stay here or to have this state take over posession of this building for illegal activities or something. We have had it and we are so hurt we cannot believe this. How dare they!”

(National Development Council’s Michelle Morlan with White Center Square developer Con Vong)
By Tracy Record
White Center Now

Con Vong says his family hasn’t chosen the date yet for the anticipated July grand opening of White Center Square, but the choice will be a big one: “You’ve got to pick a good day.”

The date was strategically chosen, after all, for last May’s groundbreaking (WCN coverage here) at the site along 100th between 14th and 15th SW (map), and the ceremony featured prayers and blessings as well as shovels.

Now, 10 months later, the buildings are up, though the future 68-space parking lot is still rocks, dirt and heavy equipment. We took a hard=hat tour of the site this week at the invitation of local reps from the National Development Council, a nonprofit agency that helped arrange the financing for the $11 million project, including the use of New Markets Tax Credits – a federal program whose future is by no means guaranteed, which is why those involved with it are working to get the word out about what it’s helped achieve.

Read the rest of this entry »

White Center Now got a great behind-the-scenes tour this afternoon at White Center Square, where construction’s been under way for 10 months (here’s our coverage of the groundbreaking last May). We’re told the construction is back on schedule, after a little difficulty during the soggiest heart of winter, and that means a July grand opening is still planned. In addition to the new 11,000-square-foot Vong’s market (beneath the sign that’s being framed in the photo you see above), several of the storefronts are now leased. We’ll have full details, and the story behind the programs that made the dream reality, in a story you’ll see here tomorrow.

ORIGINAL 7:31 PM REPORT: That’s the scene a short time ago inside the Triangle Pub (owner Geoffrey “Mac” McElroy at left, White Center Chamber of Commerce president Mark Ufkes at right) as a White Center Business Forum event was convened to deal with “chronic, homeless alcoholics” in the area. Along with about a dozen business and community participants, there are reps from King County Sheriff’s Office and Seattle Police (including Southwest Precinct Operations Lt. Norm James, as well as three state Liquor Control Board agents. We’ll have details soon on what was discussed and what happens next.

ADDED 1:26 AM: Here’s the rest of the story, with more photos: Read the rest of this entry »

Geoffrey “Mac” McElroy, one of five candidates so far for State House Position 2 in the 34th District, is planning to kick off a “West Seattle Listening Tour” – first stop, though, is in White Center, not far from his Triangle Pub. He’ll be at Full Tilt Ice Cream, 9629 16th SW, 7-9 pm, on Tuesday, April 6.

Just listened in on the King County Courthouse hearing in which the Hang Around Bar and Grill operators (see earlier coverage) challenged the property owner’s attempt to evict them immediately. They won a bit of a victory – while the owner and her lawyer contended that they had no landlord-tenant relationship with the Hang Around, court commissioner Carlos Velategui said the fact that the landlord had taken a rent check from operators Joe and Glennis proved otherwise. However, he found no evidence that they had a lease – just a month-to-month relationship – which means, as he vigorously noted several times, they can be given a 20-day notice to get out, provided they pay the March rent; if they don’t pay that rent, they can be given a 3-day notice to vacate. Given the owner’s repeated insistence that she wants them out, Velategui said, he wasn’t quite sure why the case had come before him, but the couple contended they were hopeful that community support might convince the landlord to let them stay. The landlord’s lawyer told the couple’s lawyer, standing before the judge, he didn’t care what the community thought, his client wants them out. We’ll be checking to see what happens next.

ADDED SATURDAY: Joe posted this today in the comment section following our original story:

THANK YOU !!! Everyone for your support and your Friendship that i never expected from such a great community. SPECIAL THANKS TO… Traci, Heidi, Bob,Richard (Papa’s Pub),Mac (Triangle Pub), Liz (CDA) and especially Gerald Robison (our Gracious and most professional attorney). WE hope and pray that this comes to a good resolution and we continue to stay in White Center. I know this is just the first step, but i was told by Glennis for me to step back as SHE will now handle this (with the women in the community). when i saw them gathering last night at the Hang Around in the Dart room, i was even afraid to go in there as they were meeting about the court and landlord situation. So, again, Thank you, Heidi, Liz and Glennis. (The Women took over and im not gonna go near that! Just to show that the Women in the community is not to be recon with. (smiles and grins). Thank you everyone for your help and friendship.

Joe & Glennis

We brought you the story Wednesday of the Hang Around Bar and Grill‘s owner Joe saying he’s getting the boot after just a few months. He’s going to court to challenge it, and is requesting support:

My lawyer asked me to ask our friends and public to appear in court for us Tomorrow [Friday] at 3 pm to tell the judge and her lawyer that what you feel about us there. The court proceeding is to STOP the eviction process and have the Attorney, landlord and the Judge [know] that we are NOT bad people and the public opinion is very important.

EXPARTE / King County Court WEST COURT ROOM 3rd Floor at 3 pm tomorrow (FRIDAY) please attend.
THANK YOU ALL SO VERY MUCH!!!

Just got word from Joe, owner of the Hang Around Bar and Grill in the former home of The Wall in the heart of downtown White Center: He says their landlord has told us they have to get out by Friday, because the building will be closed. They say they got what they call “eviction papers” yesterday. It’s only been a few months since they opened, and Joe says they are in shock. He wrote in part:

We just totally established the place, put our hearts and love into it, and been tossed out like garbage. YES, the rent was paid every month. Im asking the community for help now. We always have had support from the community, the local shops welcomed us and we felt like part of the Family in White Center. Now we have to pack up and leave. What kind of people are they to do this? A lot of you people know us and i hope you can make a difference for us to stay here. all we did was love the community and love our business.This has saddened us and we did not see this coming. now 7 people have to be laid off who served the community with love and respect and helped kept the area clean of the Riff Raff.I hope and pray that someone can help us. PLEASE!

We’re working to find out more about what kind of help he’s looking for, among other aspects of the story, and will update when we get more information.

These are excerpts from this week’s e-newsletter from the City of Burien:

City Census Under Way in N. Highline Annexation Area
The City currently is conducting a house-to-house census in the North Highline annexation area. Households are being visited by a census worker wearing a City of Burien identification badge between March 12 and April 25. Information from the special census will ensure that the City receives a full share of state funds for essential public services. Households are only asked to provide the number of people living there and their names. The southern segment of North Highline officially becomes part of the City of Burien on April 1. This special annexation census is in addition to the U.S. Census being conducted by the federal Census Bureau this spring.

…City Reaches Out to North Highline Businesses
The City recently sent a letter to approximately 1,250 business entities located or working in the North Highline annexation area to provide the newly annexed businesses with an overview of some of the opportunities available in Burien, such as the Taking Aim at Graffiti (TAG) program or the “pre-submittal meetings” offered by Community Development. The letter also provided businesses with notice of some of their responsibilities, such as getting a business license and updating their tax code on Department of Revenue forms.

NOTE: Comcast subscribers in the annexation area should be able to view Burien Channel 21 and Puget Sound Access on Channel 77.

Not on the city e-newsletter list, but want to be? Sign up here.

Just checked back on the King County Public Health Food Establishment Closures website, and it looks like Del Rio in White Center was cleared to reopen as of Monday afternoon. As we first reported here last Friday, inspectors closed them for a variety of issues, but the clearance to reopen is confirmation those issues have been resolved.

Thanks to Heidi for forwarding word that the former Brewsky’s is now under new management as Papa’s Pub. The announcement says, “The pub is going through renovations in stages. Our number one priority is commitment to providing a safe and fun environment for patriots in our community. TK’s kitchen is now open too and provides appetizers and meals inside Papa’s Pub. We look forward to hosting live music venues with local artist in the near future as we are currently working on our stage area, please contact us if you would like to perform at Papa’s Pub. We will start booking in the first week of May 2010.”

By Randall G. Hauk
Reporting for White Center Now

Change and transition were the dominant themes of last night’s meeting of the White Center/South Delridge Community Safey Coalition as the group discussed ideas for how they can continue to foster improvements in the safety of the area though activities targeting community building.

The main thing accomplished in that direction was agreeing to feature a local business on a monthly basis, with the thought being that local business owners and residents will each benefit greatly from improving the overall safety of the community by curbing crime and providing the sort of environment families feel safe visiting.

“We’re transitioning from doing a lot of weeding,” said coalition chair Sean Healy. “Things feel safer. Now we are trying to build on that.”

Coalition members were encouraged to keep track of their positive experiences with local businesses and share them with Healy via e-mail. The group’s goal is to then select a business to be featured and invited to speak to the group in beginning to build a bridge between community leaders and business owners.

The group also discussed hopes to build a website, which would then have a ‘spotlight’ area to help promote the selected establishment, while also hopefully
helping to change the image of White Center to that of a place to shop and dine. Speaking of which:

New Restaurant and Bar coming to White Center:

One of last night’s attendees, Jesse Lovell, hopes to help contribute to the continued growth of the dining scene in the White Center area, having secured a lease at 9608 16th Avenue, where he is working hard to open a new restaurant and bar called “Company.” Although renovation of the space is in extremely preliminary stages, Lovell did say he hopes to focus on locally sourced meat and produce and to provide a safe place that will “bring a different demographic to the area to show what White Center can have to offer.”

(click lower left of image to play slideshow, which includes audio)
By NICK FELDMAN
UW News Lab

“It’s a picture of my son,” the man in the chair said in Spanish. “Enrique is his name. When I came to the United States, I left him when he was 2 months old. It’s to have him with me all the time, to have a memory of him, because I don’t know if I’ll be able to see him again.”

Francisco Antonio Flores-Renteria came to the U.S. three years ago. When looking for a place to have the portrait done — his second tattoo — he looked no further than Dzul Studio — a place that was clean, where he trusted the quality of the art, and where he was able to converse in his own language.

The studio, run by brothers Alejandro (“Alex”) and Jacob (“Smiley”) as well as piercing-artist sisters Catalina and Elizabeth, takes the family name to heart: Dzul is a Mayan word meaning master or leader, one who stands above others in character or reputation. And that reputation has been built up over the last decade.

“I started to draw at an early age,” said Smiley, “and my friends from my neighborhood knew that I knew how to draw, so they were the ones who actually got me into it.” He sports seven tattoos himself: on his legs, right arm, collarbone, each shoulder, and his mother’s name on his back — his first, at age 16. “That’s how I started, just doing names for (friends) and their mom’s names and initials.”

After four years of doing airbrush art at weekend swap meets and homemade tattoos for friends on the side — and discovering fairs like Bite of Seattle, Bumbershoot, Hempfest and Portland’s Cinco de Mayo celebration — the brothers had amassed enough capital to open a studio.

“When we first moved out to the Northwest, there wasn’t a lot of art put out with our perspective or flavor,” said Alex. “We’re from the Southwest, and when we came in there were a lot of people who wanted art but they weren’t getting it. That’s one of the places where we come in and really shine, because we have a very unique style.”

Smiley, the studio’s resident tattoo expert, is a master of the more urban black-and-gray tattoo style, but is also a talented tribal and color artist. About 80 percent of the art done at Dzul is original, and while the brothers have “flash” designs premade — reusable and template art — they’ve found that people are more interested in art that speaks directly to them, and that both parties are often more excited to do unique work.

While the Dzuls cater to their culture, only 30 percent to 40 percent of their clientele is Hispanic. Instead, they draw on the many ethnic and age demographics that tattoo culture has infiltrated, as well as their clients from places as far away as Everett and Vancouver, B.C., who travel specifically to visit the White Center studio.

“A lot of people who speak Spanish feel good to be understood, but the population in Seattle is not heavily Hispanic,” said Alex. “We’re really pretty diverse when it comes to who walks through our doors. “

The siblings, all Queen Anne residents, are currently looking to either move or expand to a location somewhere closer to the center of Seattle. One of their main reasons for originally choosing the shop’s location was its affordability for young artist-entrepreneurs.

In addition to massive updates to the studio’s Web site — including an education-focused FAQ section — within the next year, Dzul also plans to launch a clothing line and sponsor an art exhibition with a Day of the Dead theme featuring original art, tattooing and photography.

“People come through, they get their work, it’s original,” said Alex. “They have a perspective and we just help them to make it look good. I thought it would be good to do portraits of them and their tattoos to tell their stories.”

In the words of Alex, who studied graphic design at the Art Institute of Seattle, artists always need a community of other people who share their passion. And, luckily for these four siblings, that artistic community is also blood.

“If there’s anyone you can trust the most,” Smiley said, “it’s your family.”

——————————————————————————————–
(NICK FELDMAN is a student in the University of Washington Department of Communication News Laboratory.)