Popular boutique on Ballard Ave. closing

Posted by Geeky Swedes on July 5th, 2008

We received an email tip from My Ballard reader Gooner who had heard that Olivine on Ballard Ave. is closing. Sure enough, a phone call to the popular shop confirmed that it’s going out of business soon.

The clerk who answered the phone couldn’t give us any details, but did say she didn’t know the exact closing date. She asked us to call back and speak with the manager on Monday. Once we get details we’ll post them here.

Tags: Ballard Facebook

Pay Per Fax

I loved that store when I was visiting!

http://payperfax.com

Runway Atlanta

Sad to see them go!!

http://runwayatlanta.com

JamieKC

I never understood this place. Who are these people who can shop from 10am-6pm? Do people without jobs really buy designer stuff? I would have shopped there more if they were open until 8pm.

POB

As a young single man, i loved the clientele this store brought to my neighborhood! Bummer!

Kay

No! Olivine has been there for at least 8 years, and although I can't afford their regular prices, everything is marked down at least 50% twice a year. My best stuff came from Olivine sales. I'm so sad!

Brand New Dad

Stopped by at the farmer's market today and the owner told me that the business is being sold and will reopen under a different name. Olivine's owner will open a "small things" boutique in Fremont. Nice!

jasmine

Ballard ave is one of the best places in the city for boutique shopping (just behind Fremont). I always take my out of town friends there and frequent it myself quite a bit. It's sad to see Olivine close. I believe it's always a finalist on NW Source's "best of" list.

gooner

while i am not a boutique store frequenter, i think too many of them open up thinking that people will like their good tast in (shoes/clothes/etc)

i am not blaming olivine of this, but i am just saying, unless you are in a ridiculously wealthy or touristy area, which ballard is not either, it is hard to maintain a high price (albeit maybe high margin) boutique business.

John Eddy

When my wife read this post aloud earlier I asked "so, whats going to replace it?" and in true "Jinx, owe me a coke" fashion, we both said:

Shoe store.

I figured, we just got rid of the next to last wine bar to bring us back to a respectable one, now we need to start adding *more* shoe stores. No offense to Market Street Shoes, I love their stores, but, Ballard has about 3 too many shoe stores. =)