Engstrom's Pharmacy, 3067 Beacon Avenue, in 1959. Photo courtesy of Seattle Municipal Archives.The same location today. Hello Bicycle is in the old pharmacy location. Photo by Wendi Dunlap.
This is the intersection of Beacon Avenue South and South Hanford Street, looking north on the west side of the street. Beacon Hill is apparently much greener than it once was, at least as far as street trees are concerned. You can see that the 1959 view shows no trees at all.
Another notable difference between Beacon Hill then and now is the pharmacy. The Hill currently has no pharmacies, but in the past there were quite a few, including Engstrom’s where Hello Bicycle is now located. North Beacon residents could easily walk to their local drugstore for prescriptions or — as the sign on the front of the old pharmacy advertises — Carnation Ice Cream.
Nelson’s Gifts is also gone, unfortunately replaced by a completely blank storefront. (We’re told it’s an art/design studio.) On the other hand, the shop one door north of the pharmacy is now exactly what it was in 1959: a barber shop.
The Beacon Lights blog at the SeattlePI.com website has a new writer, Daniel Scheer. Scheer has kicked off his tenure on the blog with an excellent story about Tuesday night’s North Beacon Hill Council meeting, at which the topic of Seattle City Light’s possible sale of a plot of land on 14th Avenue South drew a big crowd:
“Vacant since 1993, the former substation at 2107 14th Ave S suffered lead exposure until City Light cleaned it up. The Debre Medhanit St. Emmanuel Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church, located next door, wants to buy the property to expand their already limited facilities. ‘We’re over full capacity and growing like crazy,’ said church member Maikele Mengesha. He added that the Church wants to build a big structure similar to the Greek Orthodox Church of the Assumption on Capitol Hill. ‘We want it to be a landmark,’ Mengesha added.”
The sale of the 14th Avenue South site would be part of a surplus property disposition pilot project for City Light, which has more than 40 surplus properties, most of which are former substations. As part of this project, City Light will be doing public outreach meetings and collecting comments on the fate of this property as well as several properties in Northeast Seattle. There will be a formal hearing on the sale at El Centro de la Raza next month; we will post the meeting info as soon as we have it.
Joel Lee, who took this photo and posted it in the Beacon Hill Blog photo pool on Flickr, writes:
“The owners of the building at 3210 Beacon Ave have been restoring their building and uncovered this AWESOME vintage mural, I hope they can figure out a way to keep it. I couldn’t get far enough back for a good photo so I collaged several together. You should go see it in person.”
You may notice a lot of new trees like this one on North Beacon Hill. These are two of the 300 or so trees that the Seattle Department of Transportation is planting along some of our neighborhood streets this month through the SDOT Community Tree program.
The trees pictured here, on 17th Avenue South, are Paperbark Maples, which are known for their decorative peeling red bark and for spectacular autumn colors. Other trees offered to the neighborhood included Serviceberry trees and American Hornbeams.
This site on Beacon Avenue is being remodeled into The Oak. Photo by Wendi Dunlap.The much-talked-about Oak restaurant, expected to open on Beacon Avenue this spring, has a problem. Owners Lisa Jack and Mat Brooke have received a letter from the state Liquor Control Board which states that they face possible denial of their liquor license because the Board has received 14 protest letters but only 5 letters of support for the business.
They must respond by March 26 with a statement outlining why the Oak should still be approved for a liquor license, and letters from the community will be considered as well.
Brooke and Jack attended the North Beacon Hill Council meeting last week and spoke about the project. They have taken steps to reduce neighborhood concerns, including locating the 21+ bar portion in the center of the building, to limit exterior noise; no door access to the alley, except for emergency exits; no smoking allowed in the back of the building; and no karaoke or live music. There will be all-ages kid-friendly dining space. The menu is planned to be “family-friendly” comfort food such as burgers,salads, macaroni and cheese, and sweet potato fries, with lunch and dinner seven days a week until 10 p.m. as well as weekend brunch. Ingredients will be locally-sourced.
Brooke and Jack will not be absentee owners; at the meeting, they explained that they will be living at the site themselves, and have a direct stake in the quality of the neighborhood.
After the NBHC discussion, several neighbors who live or work adjacent to the Oak site and had attended the meeting to express their concerns about a possible “tavern” moving in indicated that their concerns had been addressed and they seemed to have a much more positive feeling about the new restaurant.
It is unclear whether the protest letters the Liquor Board has received were sent before the NBHC meeting. When the news came out on the Beacon Hill mailing list last night about the Oak’s difficulty with the Board, the reaction on the list was one of surprise, with several subscribers expressing their intent to write in support of the business. In the previous discussion on the Beacon Hill Blog, the comments were overwhelmingly in favor of the Oak.
If you would like to express your opinion on the Oak, send a (snail mail) letter to the Liquor Control Board at:
Washington State Liquor Control Board
Licensing and Regulation
P.O. Box 43098
Olympia, WA 98504-3098
Here’s what has to go in the letter:
Referencing The Oak
License #408904
3019 Beacon Ave. S.
Seattle, WA 98144-5853
This building will become the Tippe and Drague Alehouse. Photo by Curtis Cronn in the Beacon Hill Blog photo pool on Flickr.With all of the discussion lately about The Oak, a few have been reminded of another drinking establishment expected to open soon on Beacon Avenue South, the Tippe and Drague Alehouse. The Tippe and Drague will be located in the former ROCKiT space building at 3315 Beacon Ave. S. It has been nearly a year since the news first broke about the alehouse (at the time, they said “anticipate suds flowing in June”), and there have been rumors going around the neighborhood that the Tippe and Drague might not open after all.
The Beacon Hill Blog contacted the alehouse’s owners, Melissa Cabal and Robert McConaughy, to find out what is happening. Here’s what they told us:
“There’ve been a few snags with the city and permitting but we’re moving forward and hope to open in May—alehouse with food, local beers and wines. One side of the space will allow minors to accommodate the high number of families with small children in the neighborhood.”
They say the liquor license is not an issue, and that they have been granted a provisional license already, with the permanent license to come shortly before the pub opens. It is possible, then, that both the Oak and the Tippe and Drague will open this spring. Big changes are on the way for Beacon Avenue nightlife.
This flyer recently appeared on doorsteps near the location of the planned new bar/restaurant, The Oak.[Editor’s note: Gwen Lewis’ letter has been edited on 2/22 to remove her address and phone number.]
Online reactions to The Oak, the new restaurant/bar planned to open soon on Beacon Avenue South, have generally been positive. However, not everyone is thrilled about the new business. Residents living in the area around the Oak, at 3019 Beacon Ave. S., recently found flyers on their doorsteps bearing the headline “Are You Aware?”
“Are you aware that there is a pending application with the Washington State Liquor Control Board for our new neighbor @ 3019 Beacon Ave. South to operate a TAVERN in our neighborhood? … This will definitely impact all of us (positive or otherwise) but the bottom line is that we should have a say about this matter. We are asking you to get involved!”
The flyer suggests sending objections to Alan Rathbun of the Liquor Control Board, as well as to James Kenny, the Assistant City Attorney, then ends with the appeal “Act Now … Participate … Beacon Hill is also yours!”
Redd Mateo is the contact person listed on the flyer. The Beacon Hill Blog asked Mateo how many people are involved in the group protesting The Oak, and he said “I can’t tell you that as of yet but from the initial input we gather, there is a good number of neighbors (mostly with children).” Asked about his group’s specific concerns with The Oak, he listed several potential issues: littering, noise, crowd control, and public urination. “The bar they operate in Capitol Hill opens from 4 p.m. to 2 a.m. Assuming that they close at 10 p.m., who will stop them from extending those hours to 2 a.m.?”
Mateo forwarded a letter written by another neighbor, Gwen Lewis, addressed to the Liquor Control Board and objecting to The Oak’s liquor license. (Read the letter here.) Lewis’ letter includes a concern that “…Beacon Baptist Church, Beacon Lutheran Church, and the Beacon Hill Library may be within 500 feet.” (According to Google Maps, the Oak would be roughly 630 feet from the front door of the Library, about 730 from the Baptist Church, and roughly 800 feet from the front door of the Lutheran Church. The Lutheran Church no longer operates but there is still a preschool on the site.)
The letter also alleges “chronic illegal activity (Per RCW 66.24.010) associated with the applicants operations of the premises proposed to be licensed AND the applicant’s operation of another licensed premise.” The letter then describes circumstances at the owners’ other establishment, The Redwood, back in 2006 when the bar had newly opened and had problems with some of its neighbors on Capitol Hill, who complained about noise and filed a zoning complaint with the Department of Planning and Development (DPD). However, The Redwood’s case with the DPD has been closed since 2007 and the business is still operating at the same location on Capitol Hill.
Other allegations in the letter include statements that the Oak’s owners have worked on the property without permits and were issued a violation, and that representatives of the Oak “informed neighbors that the applicant was opening up a coffee shop (but) on February 6 the applicant posted a liquor license application notice.” According to the DPD website, there was a complaint and violation last month, but the Oak’s owners have also received two permits since that date.
Lewis’ letter also brings up the 2008 shooting at the Beacon Pub, limited parking in the area, and a “known drug area at nearby Triangle Park” (Stevens Place Park) as additional reasons to object to the Oak’s liquor license application.
Lisa Jack, one of the co-owners of The Oak, was shocked to hear about the flyers and the opposition by these neighbors. She told the BHB, “When buying this building we were told that Beacon Hill would support this move wholeheartedly as they were looking for new fun businesses. The Redwood is an entirely different establishment in an entirely different neighborhood; it would be lovely if one of these disgruntled people would just come talk to us.”
She added, “We have been very honest with everyone, even in the early stages of not knowing what it would be… we have said ‘restaurant/lounge that will serve children as well in the dining area.’ We intend The Oak will be a neighborhood place for Beacon Hill residents and we hope to have weekend brunch too.”
Mateo and Lewis are concerned that The Oak, as a drinking establishment, won’t be a good fit for the location, which is a commercial building but has residences directly adjacent to the south and west. Mateo said, “Please don’t get me wrong. I really welcome new business in our neighborhood… just like that new pizza place. What a great place. But a tavern is totally different. This is something that will impact a lot of people in the neighborhood.”
Jack, who along with co-owner Mat Brooke is moving to the neighborhood herself, is disappointed at the turn of events. “It seems like the responses in your blog as well as passers-by have been very excited by what we are doing. It breaks my heart that we may have to struggle once again to make a good honest business.”
The Asian Express store on 14th Avenue South. Photo by Paul Sableman via Creative Commons/Flickr.Seattle Police report that the Asian Express convenience store at 2122 14th Avenue South was robbed on Monday night.
At approximately 9:30 p.m., four masked men in dark clothing entered the store. The thieves took money and other items, then fled on foot to car described as “an older grey sedan.”
Here is the official description of the robbers from the police blotter:
Four males, late teens-early 20s, wearing dark clothing, bandanas or something covering their faces. One suspect, a black male, was armed with a handgun.
Officers responded to the scene along with a K9 team, but were unable to find the suspects. The crime is still under investigation. If you have information about this case, please call 911.
Travelers Tea Company has added bright new color to the purple house on Beacon Avenue. Photo by Wendi.The new Travelers restaurant at 2524 Beacon Ave. S. has been open for a month or so now, serving Indian food and also selling Indian cooking supplies from a tiny store in the restaurant. However, opening the new restaurant along with their existing Capitol Hill location has apparently put the business into a financial crunch. Here’s a message posted today on their Facebook page:
Dear Fellow Travelers,
We’ve always been open with our customers, our community, when we’ve needed your help, and you have always come through for us. Thank you for your continuing support that has allowed us to survive 13 years, including some very hard times. Travelers is again at a difficult point, our survival depends upon your support.
We have been really excited about our new restaurant, and we were slammed with customers when we opened the doors. We hired more people, “real servers,†more kitchen support, a Nepali farm woman (seriously!). All great folks. But business has dropped off, and the bills kept coming. Payday is coming, and we need your help.
Here’s what we are doing to make us easy to support
Payroll Party! Thursday night September 22nd, come help us harvest enough bounty to compensate our wonderful staff and get us through our big crunch. To make it a real party we are offering a couple of super deals
Get an extra 20% with any $100 gift certificate
Take 20% off any sale totaling $100 or more
You can add up lots of little stuff and still get the 20% discount. With the certificates, the extra 20% can be a separate $20 certificate if you prefer. We’ll be open at both locations with tasty food and beverages. We have wine and beer too at the Beacon location (try a Taj from India, or a Kingfisher), delicious with pakoras.
Though we don’t like reviewing restaurants until they’ve been open for a few months, we’ve been to Travelers several times already and found the food to be tasty and inexpensive. We like it, and hope they will stay around.
“Just wanted to report some weird activity on Forest near the Red Apple. For the last two nights our car parked on the street, which doesn’t lock all the way, has been searched in the middle of the night. They opened the trunk, pulled everything out of the glove box and left it, but took nothing. There was some loose change and an iPod car converter that were not touched. Last night the same thing happened to our neighbor’s car, with the same result, nothing taken.
“Seems like whoever is doing it is looking for something specific, but not finding it on our street yet!”
Any ideas what might be happening here? And has anyone else in the area noticed similar activity?
