used to live by that store so that is a bummer. not the best corner market, but not too bad either. it had potential if they just put a little bit more effort into the quality of the product. but it just sold the same ol stuff you would find in any corner market.

it isn't a big place, any restaurant is going to be tiny.

totally agree gooner - we live around the corner, and although it is medicre - the folks that work there were always nice. What would be great to get rid of is the sketchy-mart on 65th and 8th. bleech!

Wow, that's a bummer. I guess maybe the days of the neighborhood grocery really are coming to an end. It does seem like the few that are still around are a little on the crummy side.

What, you don't like the Murder Mart?

It's a shame these guys can't keep it together. Corner martkets, no matter how seedy, provide a huge level of convenience. I don't know what I'd do if Saleh's were to shut down.

Horay for another stupid restaurant.

Sounds like boardbroom needs to get out more... I think having the Barking Dog foot traffic nearby cuts down alot on our parked car crime.

whats wrong with the choice mart? its not a boutique or a fine dining establishment.. just a shitty market... what do you expect? one day everyone complains everything is getting too fancy in ballard and the next they want to tear down a corner market. i dont think ballard can win....

I'd never tear that place down. It's been there as long as I can remember. It used to be a 7-11, I think. And it is DAMN surprising what you can buy in there sometimes.

"I guess maybe the days of the neighborhood grocery really are coming to an end"

Well, if your groceries included a 6 pack of Coors light, a bag of Doritos, some Red Bull. 2 packs of smokes and a lottery ticket, then the Wicker Basket was your place. Only processed junk on sale last time I checked.

hahah - that is hilarious suthii

such a shame to see this place go. this was the holy grail of summertime refreshment as a kid. nothing helped to beat the heat more than a popsicle from the wicker basket

LOL at suthii

Suthii - awesome. LOL. Ballardites need to stop memorializing every scrap of old ballard! Lets just focus on keeping the good stuff!

Oh, and Elle - appreciate the comment - but the problem is we're not all the same anymore in Ballard. So you're right we can't "win". We should focus on what we can come together on.

Choice mart used to be Hoagys Corner, remember the cheesy british--oh yeah!!

Does anyone remember Hansons corner store that was next door to the barking dog---they had the soda fountain and the bottle soda was in a watercooler..that was a cool store.

What about the green market http://www.greenmarketseattle.com/ ? Corner markets will survive in Ballard just fine, as long as they put in effort and quality products (as Gooner said up there.)

What the hell's wrong with Red Bull? And I'll memorialize what I damn well please, thank you! LOL And I don't think you'll find anybody here focusing more on the good stuff than your truly. Sheesh. And as far as coming together on stuff, it's Suthii that continually ignores my invitations for him to buy me an akvavit at the Copper Gate. Geez, way to hurt a Ballard dude's feelings guys. :-)

Bob, I don't remember Hanson's, but I do remember Finnick's, Paul's, and the Beach Pharmacy. And Foodtown. Linkus. Nicon's. I remember a soda fountain up at the place on 85th and 32nd.....but my memory is fuzzy.

Alright, there's more nostalgia fella- have at me!

Joel - you're totally right - everyone certainly has the right to their own nostalgia. Sorry for coming on so strong... It would probably do some of us newcomers some good to spend more time chatting about what what made Ballard great then (and now).

We threw a neighborhood BBQ last week and got to talking to some folks that had lived on our street for 50 years, and they mentioned that soda fountain (Hansons?) at 7th and 70th next to the barking dog too.

I do hope it's a good restaurant though...

>>It would probably do some of us newcomers some good to spend more time chatting about what what made Ballard great then (and now).<<

Meh, I don't know that I'd expect you to care!! :-) Ballard is what it is now, and it's still great (which is something even Suthii and I can agree on). It is fun to talk about the past just because of the nostalgia element.

One thing that is certainly true (and you can see me state similar sentiments elsewhere on the internet) is that there are the haters/whiners/whackos that want NOTHING to change, and assume all "newcomers" are bad. Too bad, because all the ones I have come to know, continue to come to know, and have become friends with, are totally cool. There's just a difference between those folks and those like me who, while they may miss some elements of the past (14th ave not being one of them ), also enjoy some if not most of the changes.

But there I go rambling again! And I hope it's a good restaurant too, just like in the old Manning's spot!

I hope a deli replaces the Wicker Basket. We need someplace that makes good sandwiches and just good sandwiches.

The Wicker Basket was more of a beer store than anything. And I will be sad to see that beer go. But I guess we have about 10 other places to walk and get beer around here.

I agree w/Suthii and MaLora - I hate to see corner groceries go, but Wicker Basket was a corner smokes and beer store, not a grocery store. Look, I know that margins are in the liquor and ciggies, but that doesn't mean I have to mourn the loss of the liquor and ciggie purveyor.

Driving by today, I notice the sign says "closed for remodel." I wonder if it's just coming back as a remodeled Wicker Basket, not actually closing permanently....

"remodeled Wicker Basket"

Better displays for the lottery tickets, ciggies and Bud Lite?

"Wicker Basket - now with Poptarts!"

My lifetime landmarks just keep slipping away. It is these landmarks, not the road signs, that guide me around town. The Wicker Basket's sign has always helped me figure out how much more I have to walk in order to get home. I don't mind that it is closing and becoming a cafe, but couldn't they call the cafe "the Wicker Basket Cafe" and retain said sign?

Is the sign going up for auction?