Archie McPhee is moving to Wallingford

Posted by Geeky Swedes on September 30th, 2008

Exclusive: Archie McPhee’s is moving to the NE corner of Stone Way and 45th in Wallingford, says store spokesman David Wahl. A liquor store currently occupies the site. “We don’t have a solid date yet, (and) it depends on when we can get occupancy and finish painting and such,” Wahl explains to My Ballard, estimating it will be around the middle of next year. You may remember Archie McPhee’s original home was on Stone Way in Fremont, so it’s new location will be close by. Two weeks ago, the Ballard store said it was leaving the neighborhood after the land’s owner said he would not renew McPhee’s lease beyond a month-to-month agreement.

Fremont Universe: Technically Wallingford, but can we call it Fremont?

Tags: Ballard Facebook

Jay

I am also interested to know where the liquor store is going.

PIS

Exclusive? It was in the PI.

http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/business/381177_a...

alice

Exclusive? Hmmm... I'm positive I read this on the BNT site before yours.

Neighbor

@ Other T: Are you f'ing serious? That's 3 miles from the existing store and on the other side of town. I'm guessing you're a drunkard who wasted away your geographic brain cells. If I'm having a party in Fremont and we're out of likker, I sure as hell am not going to want to drive all the way to "Crown Heights" (?) for it.

Liberal facsism is what this is. Replacing our liquor stores with "toy stores." This nanny state has created a great town for 6-year-olds but a craphole for the rest of us.

Sara

Does this mean the Ballard gear at Archie's will go on sale?! (I have to find a bright side to this... otherwise I get too depressed.)

Other T

@Neighbor: Not sure where you're at, but the liquor store on 15th at 80th isn't far. People there have been nice and friendly.

kim

if the land is not "kept up" you can always call dclu (i can't remember their new acronym) and complain. it works for homes w/slum lords that don't take care. the abatement process is time consuming but it does work!

biff

umm Josh, if the land owner obtaned the property on a low basis (his father did) then none of what you said applies. And trust me the property is more valuable with either a m2m lease, or no tenant. Trust me. Also lookup what retail space is going /sf and you'll be amazed.

Joshua

The joke is going to be on the land-owner where Archie McPhee's used to be. That land is going to sit empty for at least the next two years. First the condos that have already been started have get completed, then they have to reach some bare minimum of occupancy before anyone will develop that land with a 10 foot pole. The property owners could have had a steady paying tennant if they were smart, now, nothing. And we all get to look at an unused building for the new two years.

Neighbor

Great. The traffic at that intersection isn't bad enough.

Anyone have the scoop on if another liquor store is opening in the area? My kids and I don't want to have to drudge all the way to 100000th and Greenwood or Northgate just to get my kahlua on.

lakreitz

I'd hoped that McPhee's would find a space in the village. What a loss, the place always makes me smile when I drive by. With the landlord's reluctance to offer a long term lease to other prospective tenants, I can't imagine it will be rented to any time soon. The space will probably sit empty until whatever renovations are going to be done commence. Oh well, we can look forward to another empty building that attracts grafitti, trash and loitering bands of drunks. Way to go Jacobsens!

Mary

The old liquor store [now More Archie McPhee] in Ballard left to occupy a brand new larger building down the road. Perhaps something similar will happen this time? I'm also really pleased to hear that Archie's isn't going far. Phew!

candice.

Now that I think about it... didn't there used to be a liquor store where the "More Archie McPhee" building is? What's with them and old liquor stores?!

pioggia

I havent been to that liquor store in quite a while, but this sounds to me like a significant decrease in floor space for them?

Glad to know they're not going too far.

Mary

I don't think the liquor stores actually own any of the buildings they occupy. Might be worth calling this one to see if they have plans to relocate and, if so, where.

Rudy

+1 on the parking lot being awful.

candice.

The people that work in that liquor store are terrible. They make you feel like you're bothering them by making them do something.

Also getting in and out of that parking lot sucks! Hopefully they'll get a lot of foot traffic.

Geeky Swedes

Technically, it's right smack on the border, and being on the NE side of the block would put it in Wallingford, according to the city...

http://clerk.ci.seattle.wa.us/~public/nmaps/htm...