Does anyone know if there's a sale listing for this property anywhere yet? Or is that going to wait til after the cleanup.

Back on topic - I looked up the permit records on Nicks and it jived with what the owner told you. We should keep a close eye on this project though, with no pedestrian overlay in our area, I don't think there is anything preventing it from reverting to another gas station or other pedestrian unfriendly development.

I've heard that the mystery gym is a private gym for retired police officers. Not too customer friendly.

I meant the building to the West of that, mid block. With the construction paper in the windows.

One of those places across the street appears to be a Nautilus gym for white guys aged 57-63 years.

Awesome conversation - I'm glad that someone else was as offended as I was by Nick's bitter window writing. Will the last random boat store in what is otherwise an up and coming pedestrian neighborhood corridor please turn out the lights!

Now we have to work on getting rid of that home inspection place and getting some tenants in the mystery building across the street. Anyone know about that?

I'm fine with my neighborhood, Suthii, but I do shop at Goodwill to offset the cost of my mortgage (and I paid much closer to $250k than $500k for my house.) We teachers really have to sink low to stay in the neighborhood.

"Goodwill is just another way to recycle."

What, they sell mid-century Danish? Better hold my nose and go take a looksy.

"Nick owns all his parcels including the parking parcels for his shop."

S2 he'll take his $1/2 - 1 mill and get a 5000 square foot ranch house in Kent. Now, can they move the Goodwill down there too, it seems to be a bit of a bum magnet.

I say if you don't like the way Ballard is going, don't sell your homes for $500k a pop, sell 'em for $250K and that way you'll keep the 'yuppies' away! Hell, let the homeless set up a camp in your yard, get a rabid mangy dog and two beat up pick up trucks in the street and you might be bale to drive your house value down to $125K and live happily ever after.

It's kind of awesome how many of you have expressed my own thoughts.

I just looked it up. Nick owns all his parcels including the parking parcels for his shop. In psychology it's called an AGM (Attention Getting Mechanism) -which is what Nick is doing. He's looking to get pity while selling his property. If truth in advertising was enforced, the note in his window should read "Will the last small business that knows how to run a business teach us how?" When the property is sold we can all blame developers for running him out of business despite the truth.

Ha, we call the corner store the "Murder Mart"! That said, despite it's sketchy appearance, we stop there often, as they actually have stuff that some of the other corner stores do not, certain brands of wine and whatnot.

Goodwill is just another way to recycle. I would think that Ballardites hold that concept near-and-dear! Come on guys!

I love having goodwill right there. The paperback selection alone is worth it.

We call the market "Sketchy Deli Mart". Every neighborhood needs one for beer after the cute little markets close.

Ah, the Goodwill must stay!

The "Choice" Market and the Remnant King, on the other hand, need to meet their makers.

We need a lil Phinney Market-type thing on that corner, no?

What's so wrong with the Goodwill? Forget about the fact that it encourages re-use of items that would otherwise just be filling landfills, get rid of it just because the building is "ugly"?

Yes I think its great if you don't just want to make a buck, so buy your facility so rents can't be raised or redevelopment that kicks you out can be avoided. But, even if you don't make a buck still develop some of these business to be more dense (maybe with low cost apartments or condos on top). It needs to happen and, if you are not concerned with profits, you could make some really nice buildings that complement the community.

I am soo thrilled by this line of conversation!

"we build community out of more than just making a buck"

And how does having an ugly engine shop in my neighborhood help build my community? I only hope the Goodwill goes next.

" there are alot of small businesses thriving in Ballard"

Yes, but they don't cater to the working class so they don't count! You see, in the People Republic of Ballard, only businesses that belch out smoke, raise a stink or serve transfats are 'independent', everything else is owned by 'The Man'.

And there is the crux of the problem - ownership. If the property owners aren't invested, both financially and personally, in our neighborhood then it is all about the highest bidder. Yes, its Capitalism 101, but we build community out of more than just making a buck.

Yes there are legal requirements, but the new owners would have to do it otherwise, it makes the property less valuable. Small business owners who can afford it should buy their buildings so that they can take advantage of the market and stay in the neighborhood.

Worth cleaning up? Aren't there legal requirements to remove the underground gasoline storage tanks?

I managed to get some photos during the demolition.

Dennis Nick, the owner & former proprietor, was there and taking photos as well. He said that the property has not yet been sold, that since it was on the site of a former gas station that it would be worth cleaning up pre-sale.

It's true and there are many small businesses thriving right across the street from this one.
I don't know what to say about this, because I'll bet they got the shaft somehow. Maybe they rented their space and huge increases in rent forced them out of business. Or the mere fact that the buildings owner probably wanted to sell it to a developer for a huge profit. Hopefully, the none of those things will happen to any of the thriving small businesses left on that block.

This was a bit self-centric - there are alot of small businesses thriving in Ballard. Look at Old Ballard Avenue - lots of small businesses and most of those business owners live in Ballard. Take a drive up 24th - more small businesses. Very few chains within the neighborhood.