White Center Now: The blog about White Center

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

For the second time this morning, a driver has hit a White Center storefront. Earlier, it was Noble Barton; then at mid-morning, the Smoke Shop on the other side of the 9600 block of 16th SW. No injuries this time, either; it was a case of mistaking the accelerator for the brake, we were told at the scene. No interruption in shop operations.

At auction, the two Burien Haggen grocery stores on 1st Avenue South that used to be Albertsons … have just been acquired by Albertsons. That’s according to UFCW Local 21. No timeline information yet but we’ll be checking back.

Rain or shine, storm or calm, it’s Halloween, and more than 20 White Center businesses promise to have candy for trick-or-treaters starting at noon. See the list here. And at 1 pm, Kimya Dawson performs at Full Tilt Ice Cream!

Tomorrow (Saturday, September 26th) is a milestone anniversary for Mac’s Triangle Pub – 10 years! You’re invited to come celebrate, all day and all night. They’ll be open 9 am-2 am, with the day playing out like this:

Breakfast special
Introduction of the new Triangle Burger
Huskies playing Cal Bears
Live music by Mercy Mercy
New limited edition 10th Anniversary T shirt
Karaoke
Community photo op!
2005 pricing!

Go see Mac and the team at Delridge/16th/Roxbury.

(WCN photos by Patrick Sand)
Another new business in downtown White Center: “Big Barber Bobby” just moved his Sky’s Barber Shop north to 9650 16th SW from an interim spot in Burien, but it was in Top Hat for half a century before then, a spot lost when the building was sold. He says it’s a “traditional barbershop,” and the decor underscores that

Bobby says, “We are technically the only barber shop left in White Center, and being on the strip is a dream come true.”

The chairs date back to the 1940s; the newest item he has on display, he told us, is a shaving set from the ’60s. He’s open Tuesdays-Saturdays, 10 am-7 pm.

If you hit “play” on the :15 Instagram clip above, you’ll get an idea of how contentious this morning’s cannabis-crackdown announcement in downtown White Center was. While there was a full turnout of regional media, there also was a notable turnout of people from medical-marijuana establishments, furious about what’s happening.

Speaking outside the King County Sheriff’s Office downtown WC storefront were Prosecuting Attorney Dan Satterberg, Sheriff John Urquhart, and Russ Hauge from (what’s about to be renamed) the state Liquor and Cannabis Board. Satterberg wrapped it up with a message to the marijuana establishments: “You might not consider yourself illegal – we do.” A copy was provided of the letter circulated to them (starting at least two days ago, according to what sources told us). While the officials gave conflicting answers as to what kind of “timeline” they expected for stores to shut down, the letter stated flatly in the sixth paragraph, “You will need to cease operations now, even if you plan on applying in the future for a state license …” and when asked, there was one suggestion that if stores aren’t closed within a month, they would “get a visit.” (added) Here’s part of Satterberg’s opening statement:

A printed list also provided to the news media included six White Center/Top Hat establishments:

Herbal Market, 10422 16th SW
White Center Alternative Care, 9839 17th SW
Pacific Coast Natural Medicine, 9817 16th SW
WCC, 9809 16th SW
Northwest Cannabis Market, 9640 16th SW
Herban Legends, 9619 16th SW
WPMC, 11009 1st Ave. S.

After the letter was circulated earlier this week, Herban Legends had this sign on its door:

The county officials referred to the newly opened Bud Nation, a state-licensed recreational-marijuana store in downtown White Center, as an example of what they support, and what they feel is threatened by the unlicensed establishments. They also made it clear that the state was there “in support” of what was their initiative. They pointed out they are doing this under civil measures, not criminal, but also reiterated that they are serious.

The medical-marijuana advocates, meantime, continued to protest that they are offering medicine and that they believe this is just a ploy by the state because of competition – what they make MMJ available for is lower than the state-set prices.

More to come…

Two downtown White Center biznotes, both from tweets by Caffe Delia – and the first is about their own business:

Hey everybody, we are going to be closed Wednesday June 3 through Saturday June 6. Our cousin Andrea has passed away and we’re going back east to be with our family. We hope to be back open Sunday.

They also sent word that the recreational-marijuana store we mentioned here recently is now open:

We reported here a month ago that Bud Nation’s license had been approved for 9640 16th SW.