I love that Stoke is choosing to keep the old Bob's sign. I don't want all the kitsch and humor in the neighborhood replaced with overly polished corporate signage. Thx !!

yeah, what a novel idea. keeping something from the old building that adds character and a sense of 'what once was.' well done Stoke.

There has been an architect/design business in that location for several years, not necessarily Stoke though.

Somehow this makes me more sad than happy.

"Somehow this makes me more sad than happy."

Yes, god forbid, a new business with good paying jobs comes to town. Guess some people are never happy.

Nice to see new businesses coming to Ballard, especially in the creative fields. Welcome.

I believe the reference was to the sign, not to a new business. Guess some people just have to be knee-jerk reactionaries.

"I believe the reference was to the sign"

Why is he sad then? Because they saved it?

I'm sure the Stoke people are decent enough folks, but could anything possibly be more worthless than "brand strategy and design?" Isn't this another way of saying: PR? Geez...

" more worthless than “brand strategy and design?”

Would 'tires and brakes' be more to your understanding?

Bill,

Maybe they could use your thick knuckle head to knock down to Denny's. (It might be the closest thing you'll find to employment.)

Welcome to Ballard - Stoke. Seems like you do some interesting work. Thanks for being considerate of our history. (If the 1950's counts as "history").

Sorry, guys, if I think that tangible work that, y'know, benefits people in some way is more worthwhile than institutionalized professional fakery (i.e., PR).

Like I said - these Spoke people are probably OK, for what it's worth. It's probably interesting, fun work they do. Perhaps they're "really" musicians, artists, writers, or whatever. It's just too bad that our economy channels creative people--the successful ones, even--in the service corporate America. (To paraphrase the mighty Killdozer: Intellectuals, the shoeshine boys of the ruling elite.)

ps, This 'Suthii ' person keeps speculating about me, and has been wrong every time. Keep up the good work, buddy.

"too bad that our economy channels creative people–the successful ones, even–in the service corporate America. "

Yes, too bad, I'm sure they're laughing all the way to the bank.

Bill, you know Cobain blew his brains out right?

I'm sure all of the world appreciates you Bill, for your role of arbiter in deciding the worth of an individual's creative pursuits.

Apparently in Bill's World, bad cafe guitar performed live is more valuable to mankind than good retail and product design like Apple.

Has it ever occurred to you that creative people, like graphic designers, industrial designers and architects actually do good in corporate America, by sensitizing businesspeople to customer needs and making products and services more enjoyable to use?

(Keep that in mind while you type on this Web page, the tools for which some "corporate" interaction designer is responsible.)

No, by all means let's fill Ballard with art school posers, Pollock rip-offs, Chihuly wannabe's, loud spoken word and terrible, terrible mime.

It's pretty clear that you didn't get picked for kickball, and are still pissed off about it. Now, if you could only sell some of your crappy art you could pack-up your mix tapes and move to a failing community where your attitude prevails.

"Keep that in mind while you type on this Web page, the tools for which some “corporate” interaction designer is responsible."

Not so sure, rumor has it it posts via smoke signal, freeing himself of the corporate slavery the rest of us have to endure. It's the only way to be truly free of The Man..... until the fire marshal shows up that is.

I think this type of business coming to my neighborhood is pretty cool. It definitely increases chance of finding a great job walking distance from home.

Zack, I'm impressed by your knowledge of today's art scene. ("Pollock rip-offs, Chihuly wannabe’s, loud spoken word and terrible, terrible mime.")

I will concede the point about "graphic designers, industrial designers and architects ." I think these type of people may even be underutilized. My beef is more with the use of "hip" or savvy hired-guns for marketing by companies that may be, in truth, something completely different from the image. (Examples: Coors beer marketing to gays and McDonald's presenting itself as some kind font of youth, health, and vitality.) This is where the "shoeshine boy" metaphor fits well.

ps, Zack, lay off the personal attacks, ok? You and Suthii are now, what, 0 for 10 in your assessments of me?

Bill, you say "lay off the personal attacks?" Scroll up and you recall it was YOU who started to stomp on people in a seemingly authentic, productive and creative business ("worthtless.." and "fakery...") in our community.

I don't think "Zack's" assessment sounds too far off. You sound bitter that other people are enjoying some success and enjoyment.

I've lived in Ballard since '72, and unless you were here when there weren't many good jobs, occupied retail storefronts, safe streets, tidy yards, young families, independent restaurants, local bakeries....then shut up and be happy that yet another clean-industry business has come here.

Ballard doesn't need your over-educated, under-employed dirt bag sentimentalism telling us to "preserve" a once decaying community. We will preserve our unique culture just fine. The signs and tenants may change a little, but the people will still make Ballard special.

Go get a life. Preferably somewhere that sucks.

You guys are totally mis-reading my critique. As someone who grew up in the squalid hellhole that was 1970s Cleveland, I'm all for progress. In fact, Ballard is so great largely because of its progress. I wouldn't live here if it weren't for the young, creative types who've helped make Ballard what is is today.

I just think the PR industry is crap.

And, incidentally, I think that we shouldn't throw out the proverbial baby with the bathwater. Ballard because so 'hot' and hyped when young, broke artsy types moved in. If Ballard becomes too expensive for these folks, we may find ourselves in a bland, boring place.

(...Not that I think we're particularly at risk for this right now, with the new apartment developments popping up.)

Devin-

There's a difference between criticizing a field of work and attacking someone personally.

There's an old saying: "When you're deep in a hole....stop digging."

Hint: Stop criticizing an entire field of work as "crap." It is de facto defamation of people who have chosen PR as a career. (Most of them highly ethical professionals with liberal arts degrees in Literature, English and Journalism, by the way.) It is apparent that you don't even understand the role of PR in communications and media, so give it a rest or move back to Redneck Ohio.

Ballard didn't become "hot" when broke artists moved-in, you tool. The idea of artistic groovesters "discovering" Ballard is a bunch of crap. They don't have enough income to drive any market in this area, from services, hospitality or housing.

It became "hot" when young families with growing incomes started bailing out on the idea of living on Queen Anne and Magnolia, and began looking here. Development followed.

Being a burned-out curmudgeon doesn't cut it Bill. Ballard is moving forward. Without you.

Please. MikeyG, tell me, when did the "young families with growing incomes start bailing out on the idea of living on Queen Anne and Magnolia?"

I'll answer the question: After the "artistic groovesters" made Ballard desirable.

If I'm wrong, then why is Ballard not, as it turns out, Magnolia?

And you PR people shouldn't have such a thin skin. You're well-compensated, right? Sorry if your career will never be considered as ethically sounds as teachers, doctors, landscape architects, civil servants, fishermen, programmers, epidemiologists, baristas...

No... the groovesters got pushed out of Wallingford and Fremont by income-earning people. So they came to Ballard. Now they're getting the shove from Ballard and going to Greenwood. They'll get pushed out of there soon. No rest for the under-employed. Next Stop Blaine!

For the record, I'm not a PR guy. I own a restaurant and fishing boats. And the fact that you think civil servants are regarded by the community as "ethically sound" shows the depth of your delusions. There's nothing inherently noble about pulling espresso shots skippy. It a job, not a sacred vocation. Only in the fantasy you live in, with its potluck dinners and drumming circles, does one's career precisely correlate with personal worth.

Dipstick.

Why is everyone so angry?

Leaving aside the question as to whether convincing people to buy more stuff (whether it be a cool product like an Apple computer, or a comfy mattress from Sleep Country) is a noble or worthwhile occupation, people got to work.

It seems that Bill, a fellow Clevelander, has angered a lot of posters because he lumped 'brand strategy and design' under the rubric of PR--again, I suppose someone has to do it, but I'm glad it's not me.

Maybe this thread could stop the ad hominem and get into a little discussion of the role of marketing and PR in the decisions and choices that we make every day.

Hello.

Thought I would jump in here.

I'm one of the founders of Stoke. I lived in Ballard in the 90's, when it was among the cheapest places in the North End. My business partner lives here now. So hopefully we have some Ballard street cred ;)

To add some clarity to what we do at Stoke. We help businesses understand how the design of products and services helps satisfy different customers. And, we help companies communicate more effectively to customers that want and prefer what they make or deliver.

Simple. Not sorcery. Small carbon footprint. It seems to be helpful.

If anyone has questions about what we do, please feel free to stop-in and see us. Seriously. We're all neighbors. Happy to have a conversation.

Have a good week.

Dave

Sounds great Dave, welcome! Love the sign!

'I lived in Ballard in the 90’s, when it was among the cheapest places in the North End'

Sadly, some folks around here (the ones who haven't figured out that Cobain blew his brains out) want that old trashy, seedy Ballard back. Great to see new businesses, new ideas, new growth, new opportunities and new jobs coming to Ballard.

FYI, marketing and design are NOT the same as PR. Only someone who knows nothing about either would think they are. Good marketing and design plans are exactly what SMALL businesses need to stay ahead. Think Verite and its cup cakes.

We were in that space before Stoke. The great thing about that sign was that every once in a while some old Ballard native would shuffle in and want to drop off a TV. Then we'd have to explain the situation and chuckle about it later. It's sad really, 'cause as time went on it happened less often. And what a great window into the generational gaps of our city's people. I mean, who fixes a TV anymore? We just throw away and buy new.

Incedently, Bob (of Ballard TV) just passed away a short while ago. Kudos to Stoke for leaving the sign in place.