Tag Archives: Local Business

by Jas Keimig

If you’ve made it through the genuinely chaotic Black Friday and Cyber Monday season with your bank account balance in check, congratulations. As corporations are trying to extract every last cent out of you to spend on unethically manufactured stuff you don’t need, it can be deeply dispiriting to shop during the holiday season. That’s why it’s important to funnel your attention and hard-earned cash to local BIPOC artisans and makers this season as a way to support your local Communities of Color while finding cool, bespoke gifts for loved ones in your life. I’ve assembled a BIPOC (and mostly South End) gifting guide to inspire you this month as you hunt and gather cool wares for your friends, parents, siblings, lovers, and neighbors during the holidays. Most of these items you can either buy IRL or online. And if you’re looking to send a bit of Seattle to friends and family outside the city, ship your package from The Postman in the Central District!

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Community

Filipino Restaurant CheBogz Rallies Support for Beacon Hill Grand Opening

November 25, 2023 Editor

by Ronnie Estoque

This article was originally published on April 27, 2023. In the spirit of Giving Tuesday, we are republishing a series of inspiring articles and op-eds that highlight the incredible ways in which community giving, generosity, and compassion have transformed lives. These stories are not just narratives; they are testaments to the strength and compassion that flourish in our community when we support each other.

A longtime favorite for Filipino cuisine in Beacon Hill, Kusina Filipina was forced to close in 2017 due to a rent hike. The Paraiso family had run Kusina Filipina since 2010, making it a destination for authentic classics like lumpia, pancit, and adobo, all in a warm, welcoming atmosphere. Now, almost six years after leaving Beacon Hill, the Paraiso family is coming back. CheBogz, the family’s food truck, will open a brick-and-mortar restaurant right next to the Beacon Hill light rail station at the Colina Apartments. Currently, they have an active Kickstarter campaign to help secure funds to finalize their return to the local community.

Community

Growlerz Dog Day Care and Play Park Offers a Hangout for Dogs, and Humans Too

November 13, 2023 Editor

by Alex Garland

In the heart of Columbia City, Growlerz Seattle has been bringing tail-wagging joy to dogs and beer-fueled relief to their human counterparts since March 2020. With a focus on building community and canine camaraderie, dogs and their owners find a haven of fun, socialization, and supervised play in the form of dog day care and a play park.

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Arts & Culture

mam’s books Is the Chinatown-International District’s First Asian American-Owned Bookstore

October 24, 2023 Editor

by Jenn Ngeth

Seattle’s first independent Asian American bookstore has arrived in the Chinatown-International District (CID). At mam’s books, the focus is to provide written works by Asian American authors and writers to the Seattle community — uplifting voices that are historically underrepresented.

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Community

The Emerald’s Guide to South End Coffee Shops

October 11, 2023 Editor

We’re biased, but we think the best coffee is south of downtown.

by Jenn Ngeth

Seattle is known worldwide for coffee (no shocker there) and is almost synonymous with Starbucks. But in the last decade, we’ve seen an increase in BIPOC-owned specialty cafes proudly reclaiming their unique, intimate ties to the beverage. Coffee culture isn’t just the stereotypical “tattooed hipster white guy who drinks a breve” anymore.

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Community

End of an Era: MacPherson’s Fruit & Produce to Close After Nearly Four Decades of Service

September 28, 2023 Editor

by Alex Garland

MacPherson’s Fruit & Produce, a beloved neighborhood produce stand that has been a staple since its move from Pike Place Market to the South End in 1984, recently announced their closing via a handwritten sign in front of their parking lot. The store is set to sell its last plum, pepper, and plantain on Oct. 8, 2023. The news has left loyal patrons, employees, and community members “bummed,” marking the end of an era for a business that has been a cherished part of the neighborhood for nearly four decades.

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Community

Filipino Restaurant Archipelago Brings Identity, Culture, and Empowerment to the Center Stage of Fine Dining

September 16, 2023 Editor

“Something that always makes me feel like we did something right is when people say, ‘I feel like I’m just eating in your home.’”

by Amanda Ong

“The three pillars of our restaurant are first, our personal identities, and then that identity as it relates to our second pillar, which is culture. Our third pillar is empowerment, which is a really important aspect of what we do,” chef Aaron Verzosa, cofounder of Archipelago, said in an interview with the South Seattle Emerald.

Identity, culture, and empowerment. It’s not what you would expect from a fine dining establishment — most of which might, at a guess, say something about quality, innovation, and service.

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Features

From City Hall to Clean Energy: Mike O’Brien’s Journey From Climate Legislator to Clean Energy Installer

August 3, 2023 Editor

by Alex Garland

It wasn’t an extremely hot day, but Mike O’Brien was sweating as he climbed up a ladder at a home in Georgetown, carrying hoses for heat pump installation. Trading bow ties and button-ups for faded flannel and Blundstones.

O’Brien is still the affable, friendly, and chatty guy from City Hall. At 55, and four years retired from politics, O’Brien’s youthful enthusiasm carries him through a job requiring more manual labor than his role on the Seattle City Council. “Yeah, it’s hard work. It’s exhausting, but good exhausting.”

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Community

Black Coffee Northwest Comes to the Central District

June 5, 2023 Editor

The Black-owned coffee shop will take over the old Starbucks space later this fall.

by Jas Keimig

After almost a year without the comforting smell of coffee and buzzing community connections, the corner of South Jackson Street and 23rd Avenue will finally be home to a coffee spot once again. Last week, Shoreline’s Black Coffee Northwest (BCNW) announced that it would be expanding to the Central District in fall, into the Vulcan Real Estate building formerly occupied by Starbucks. For the Black family-owned coffee shop, which has been slinging espresso on Aurora Avenue since 2020, this acquisition is a major step forward.

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Community

Beloved Coffee Shop The Station Expands to Columbia City Location

January 18, 2023 Editor

by Alex Garland

In 2010, Jose Luis Rodriguez and Leona Moore-Rodriguez opened The Station, the couple’s first business venture, in a small storefront in Beacon Hill. After seven years of serving coffee and offering community space in that tiny location, they were able to relocate across the street to a retail space at El Centro de la Raza that was nearly double the size of their original spot and right by the Beacon Hill light rail station. Now, they’re again doubling their size by opening a second location near the Columbia City light rail station.

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