White Center Now: The blog about White Center

If fitness is in the plan for you for 2017, here’s an irresistible offer: FitBody Solutions in White Center (a new advertiser on our partner site West Seattle Blog) has free bootcamps coming up next week:

January 2nd, 4th, 6th, at 5 am, 6 am, 7 am, 45-minute classes. Call or e-mail to save a space – 253-642-7179, info@fitbody-solutions.com – FitBody Solutions is at 1521 SW 98th, next to Bok-a-Bok.

It’s opening day for a new White Center business – Lil’ Bug Studio, an “active learning play space.” A grand-opening celebration is set for 2-5 pm. Proprietor Kristi Keithly explains, “This is a free event for the community and will include cupcakes, apple cider and everyone in attendance can enter a drawing, to win a free kids’ birthday party package, valued at $225 – 1 entry per family.” Lil’ Bug Studio is at 10007 13th SW.

Demolition is well under way at the former White Center Chevron, which closed just two weeks ago to make way for a Starbucks coffee shop and Popeye’s fried-chicken restaurant (we had first word of the project back in June). Thanks to Gill for the tip on teardown starting earlier this week; we went by this afternoon to check on the progress.

Five months after the abrupt closure of the White Center Dairy Queen, the site appears to be on the verge of being sold. That’s according to the online listing for the building at 10256 16th SW, now marked “pending.” The third-of-an-acre site has been listed at $1,185,000, with this pitch:

Former Dairy Queen in Seattle’s next major development neighborhood. Large vacant restaurant building on corner lot accessible from three streets. Indoor/outdoor seating, drive-thru window, walk-in cooler and freezer, and a 28-space parking lot. Zoned CBSO with lots of possibilities.

A DQ spokesperson had told WCN in June that the formerly franchised location would not reopen as part of their chain.

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.

From the inbox, an event that might be of interest:

WHAT: DIVERSITY PANEL & RESOURCE EVENT FOR TECH INDUSTRY CAREER OPPORTUNITIES

WHEN: Thursday, October 13, 2016

TIME: Networking & Snacks @ 5:30 pm; Program @ 6 pm-8 pm

WHERE: The Evergreen Campus, 830 SW 116th Street

Space is Limited and Registration is Required at our event page

This event is a partnership between community, public, and private sector organizations to bring more job training and resources for Tech Industry Career Opportunities to diverse and underserved communities

Come to hear directly from tech industry professionals, employers and education/training providers about new and exciting opportunities and resources for more Low-Income People, Veterans, Women, and People of Color to enter our local technology workforce.

Technology Industry Employer Panelists:
~ Zillow
~ King County IT Department
~ More to Come!

Education, Training & Resource Providers:
~ WTIA Workforce Institute
~ Seattle Colleges
~ Code Fellows
~ Galvanize
~ Highline College
~ Year Up
~ Kal Academy
~ WorkSource/YWCA
~ More to Come!

Event Partners:
~ King County
~ Communities of Opportunity White Center
~ White Center Community Development Association
~ Workforce Development Council of Seattle-King County
~ City of Seattle Office of Economic Development
~ WorkSource Seattle-King County
~ Washington Technology Industry Association Workforce Institute
~ YWCA
~ Code Fellows
~ Evergreen Campus

Snacks & Refreshments will be served

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.

7:42 PM: Thanks for the tips and photos, starting with this one from Pam via Twitter:

From Jill, another view:

And here’s a look at the authorities on scene, who, Jill says, have to strategize how the vehicle will be towed:

Noble Barton next door is OK, we’re told, but you might recall a similar crash into its door last January.

8:43 PM: Another photo from Jill, showing the damage to The Locker Room’s facade after the car was pulled away:

White Center’s second recreational-marijuana store is open. It’s a franchised location of Uncle Ike’s Pot Shop, whose original location is in Seattle’s Central District. Proprietor Daniela Bernhard says the store soft-opened last week at 9822 15th SW “with little fanfare – we’ll plan on a grand opening of sorts at a later date.” They’re open noon-8 pm for starters, and Bernhard says the store “does have a medical marijuana endorsement and we will be serving patients as soon as there are medical products available on the market, and the kinks in the medical system have been worked out sufficiently. We do of course carry a number of recreational products that many patients are find helpful for their wellness needs. The shop has a great deal of parking, with exceptional ADA accessibility.” Her background includes four years of operating the dispensary Northwest Patient Resource Center at 35th/Roxbury.

The first recreational-marijuana store in White Center is Bud Nation at 9640 16th SW; to the east, the neighborhood of Top Hat has three, and to the north, West Seattle’s first licensed store, Origins, is at 15th/Roxbury, though it’s filed with the state to seek a move a few miles north into the West Seattle Junction area.

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.

In case you haven’t seen it … a travel feature published on the New York Times website, and set for next Sunday’s print edition, spotlights five White Center businesses. It’s by local writer Mike Seely, and you can see it here. The five are Proletariat Pizza, Big Al Brewing, The Locker Room, Noble Barton, and Southgate Roller Rink.

A new White Center business is having its grand opening this afternoon. Pacific Muay Thai (9654 16th SW) says it’s “one of the few schools in Seattle offering Authentic Muay Thai, (which) combines Muay Thai technique with a strength and conditioning program to help students achieve their goals and prepare them for competition.” Their classes all have multiple instructors, and “provide a comprehensive program that offers pad work, clinch work, heavy bag work, sparring sessions, and experience training in a ring.” Daily hours will be 5-9 pm; today’s grand opening starts at 1 pm, and, says proprietor Kim, “local grub is provided.”

The state Liquor and Cannabis Board has approved a license for Uncle Ike’s to open a retail marijuana store at 9822 15th SW in White Center, in the Asiana Square shopping center. We had received a tip about this and sent an inquiry to the company a few days ago, which was acknowledged, without a “yes” or “no” answer – now, the LCB website provides the confirmation. Uncle Ike’s first location is in Seattle’s Central District, where it’s sparked some controversy since opening in 2014.

Another followup in the saga of what had long been a Dairy Queen at 10256 16th SW in White Center: Gill sent the photo of equipment being carted off yesterday, about a month after it closed, with notes on the door blaming “register failure.” We reached a corporate spokesperson today, and he says this will NOT be reopening as a DQ. What WILL happen to it? Up to the building’s longtime owner, who records suggest is different from the “sublicensee” that ran the DQ. We also don’t know the fate of the employees who said they hadn’t been paid for their last two weeks of work. But, if you are looking for a Blizzard or Peanut Buster Parfait, your nearest stop will be in Burien, a few miles south (14310 Ambaum Boulevard).

Thanks to Gill for the photo and tip: He checked in on the new C & T Asian Market, on the 16th/17th/100th triangle site that formerly held Phnom Khiev Market, and tells WCN they’re expecting to open tomorrow (Saturday, April 23rd).

Thanks to Gill for the tip and photo: Less than two months after Phnom Khiev Market closed at 16th SW and SW 100th in downtown White Center, a new market is on the way. The big sign for C & T Asian Market is up, and small signs posted in the windows say it’s remodeling the space and will be open “soon.” State records say the company was launched in January, not long before Phnom Khiev closed, and list local ownership.

Another new White Center business – Cascade Heights Veterinary Center:

Cascade Heights Veterinary Center has officially opened its doors to the South Seattle community. The clinic is located next to the Hung Long Asian Market and across from Big Al Brewing. The owner and primary veterinarian, Dr. Kathleen Paulson, has been practicing medicine for almost ten years – the last four of which have been under the mentorship of Dr. Timothy Kraabel and Dr. Elizabeth Fritzler at Lien Animal Clinic in West Seattle.

Dr. Paulson says, “From the age of 8, my dream was to be a veterinarian. Now that I have achieved that goal, my dream is to help as many pet patients and their families as I can. Opening a practice in such a wonderfully diverse and growing community is an amazing opportunity and one I take great pride in.”

Cascade Heights Veterinary Center is open six days a week, and is equipped to provide high quality medicine to dogs, cats, and small furry mammals. Designated dog and cat waiting areas help ease stress for you and your four-legged family members.

The address is 9832 15th SW.

Sorry for the short notice, but this just came in this afternoon:

Open house at Sky’s Barber Shop in the business district. 9650 16th Ave SW, today, Thursday, January 28, 2016 – starts at 6 pm, ends around 10 pm.

Food, drinks, and getting to know each other.

The chamber has been inactive for some time and is revitalized and working diligently to reconnect with the community of White Center.

Phnom Khiev Market will soon shut its doors for a final time, ending a five-year run as one of the area’s most-diverse grocery stores. Known for carrying a wide selection of Mexican, Chinese, and southeast Asian grocery items, the market has been a reflection of the multicultural population that surrounds it.

Manager Cha Khiev told WCN that store leadership decided against renewing the store’s lease for the building at the corner of 16th Avenue SW and the SW White Center Cutoff when it ends in February. “It’s a lot of work and too much overhead,” says Khiev. “We decided it’s just not worth it.”

There had been outside speculation that a rent increase was forcing the market from its space. Khiev says no, that particular change was “normal.” A more-unwelcomed change cited by Khiev as a contributing factor was “too many problems around White Center.” Khiev says he has noticed a marked increase in the number of transients in the area, which has led to some general negative perception of the area surrounding the market.

When asked if he know whether the landlord had a new tenant for the space, Khiev said he didn’t know for certain.

As of our conversation with the manager, there was no set final day of business for Phnom Khiev; a customer tells us they were told this is the last week. Earlier in the month, management was allowing inventory to dwindle to the point where it no longer makes sense to open. In the meantime, only meat and vegetables were being restocked.

–Randall Hauk, reporting for White Center Now