Comments on: Market Street Traders to close

By: gary80

gary80 — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 23:03:19 +0000

The cafe had some of the best sandwiches and (homemade) soups in the area. It really was excelent food made with love. I'm gonna miss it!

By: Gene1

Gene1 — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 22:50:01 +0000

OK, folks, I know the weather's gross and it's probably bringing out the crabbiness more than usual here, but to complain about Tibetan prayer flags and selling "cheaply made crap to pseudo globalists"?!

I've bought beautifully made woolen scarves and hats there and, yes, walked out with a good feeling that some of the purchase price went to help talented artisans in far-off, but not well-off, locales. Call me a stupid pseudo globalist, but get your facts straight: Market Street Traders has its heart in the right place, sold unique, well-made gift items and its closing is yet another sad loss for the Ballard community.

Now, go kick a puppy.

By: Black_Sheep

Black_Sheep — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 22:27:06 +0000

Can I get some Tibetan prayer flags there? I've been looking for a way to keep away people who judge me for how I choose to decorate my home.

By: LauraBeeSeattle

LauraBeeSeattle — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 10:02:08 +0000

I'm so sad to see another Ballard business closing.

Good luck to the owners and employees – I hope they have a great final season, so they can close on a high note with lots of community support!

By: Jules

Jules — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 06:11:52 +0000

I'm sorry to see it go, because it's just one more local store closing. I got a few gifts there, but occasionally they would burn incense, which I hate, and it drove me out.

It's really odd…..The Scandinavian Gift store was there more than 25 years (they retired) and before that, Olympic Sports was there about the same number of years….

By: tarynshopping

tarynshopping — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 05:37:54 +0000

I love the girls in the store and cafe! BUMMMER! I will miss all of you. T

By: elena

elena — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 05:09:28 +0000

Aw, I like that little store. It's great for gifts.

…..hate to ask but – will they have a sale?

By: bscowler

bscowler — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 01:29:38 +0000

It's a crap shoot who stays in business and who doesn't. Who'd have thought that the flag shop would close, or Scream Haircutters, or the camera shop, or the book store?
I was happy when God-awful Via Verde closed, but it's sad when quaint shops like Market Street Traders fail, even though they replaced the Scandanavian shop that was there for so many years.
Hopefully the new strip club next to the library will do well.

By: pennysworld

pennysworld — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 00:49:50 +0000

This is a sad loss for Ballard. The people who run this store have a true heart and support many people worldwide. I loved not only their vision, enjoyed the welcome my family and I felt each time we visited their store and cafe. Best of Luck!!!!!

By: Ytoo

Ytoo — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 22:19:34 +0000

Yeah! I have been after St Al’s to get rid of that cross they display…the fad is like SOOOOO over.

By: angelatini

angelatini — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 22:16:58 +0000

Totally off topic…hello to Galen (Joe) from BTG! It's Angela Piacentini. :)

By: gurple

gurple — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 22:15:46 +0000

I really like that cafe. Their strada is excellent.

By: ballardrocksnow

ballardrocksnow — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 21:56:49 +0000

Sad for the owners, but I always stay away from stores (and homes) with those damn Tibetan prayer flags. I was able to get a neighbor of mine to take hers down after explaining to her the fad is over.

By: Mike Karikas

Mike Karikas — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 13:10:44 +0000

Sad here too. As I recall the owners ran Ye Olde Curiosity Shoppe and Ye Olde Curiosity Shoppe Too on the waterfront, but rents were hiked crazy high for “Too” and they decided to close that store and open Market Street Traders here. All the fudge that was made at the old store moved here too… only they had switched the chocolate to Theo chocolate in the process (yum!).

Really great people, great idea, great store if you ask me… but I know that for myself I only ordered from the cafe and sampled fudge. I once had their baristas try to make me an experimental yerba mate latte ala Tullys… the result was questionable but everyone had a good time trying to make it happen =)

By: Jennie

Jennie — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 12:38:17 +0000

Boo! I love their food and the products they sell. They will be dearly missed.

By: enatai70

enatai70 — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 10:45:02 +0000

oh no! where am I gonna go when I need to get a gourd and some fudge?!

By: hilda

hilda — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 05:27:18 +0000

It always looked kind of junky in the front window so I never went in there until about a month ago. Amazing variety of nice items. I bought a very nice scarf there that was priced $15 less than the same scarf at a Ballard Ave. boutique. The building has a for lease sign on it.

By: yayunicorns

yayunicorns — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 05:15:39 +0000

which is probably why they're closing.

By: Edog

Edog — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 04:34:47 +0000

Me either, but I hate the idea of another empty storefront.

By: msballard30

msballard30 — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 04:13:05 +0000

Yup, same family.

By: Galen Osier

Galen Osier — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 04:07:37 +0000

I never went in. Had no idea what they were about.

By: NoraBell

NoraBell — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 04:02:15 +0000

Oh, tragedy!!!!
I may be wrong about this but aren't they connected to Ye Old Curiosity Shop? Can't that tourist cash cow help to keep them here?

By: Theravadist

Theravadist — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 03:58:55 +0000

Random collection of cheaply made crap sold to pseudo-globalists.

By: bmvaughn

bmvaughn — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 03:49:40 +0000

Shoot… I have a Groupon there that I need to use before they close – or wonder if I get an automatic refund?

By: watergirl

watergirl — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 03:46:38 +0000

Bummer! Just discovered this place and love their merchandise!

By: msballard30

msballard30 — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 03:32:02 +0000

I'm sad to see them go as well. I really like the eclectic mix of world trade items, from wall hanging made with Indian wedding saris to African bags and Indonesian pillows. We have too many souless homogenous chains that sell a “random collection of crap,” but this store was clearly not one of those. They really add a spot of color and flavor to that section of Market Street. And they were / are good people. Their absence will add to the growing blight of empty storefronts that continue to populate Ballard.

By: Ballardite

Ballardite — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 03:20:56 +0000

Are you judging based on the facade? I went in for the first time recently (upon a rec from a friend) and was blown away by the fantastic, unique things.

They just needed better branding. Better store name/identity and better exterior and interior design.

Very sad to see them go. I will definitely go and purchase some holiday things from them.

By: Name

Name — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 03:03:44 +0000

That place always just struck me as a random collection of crap.

By: Edog

Edog — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 02:58:54 +0000

This makes me want to cry!

I'm sick and tired of this economy!

By: P. Scott Cummins

P. Scott Cummins — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 02:58:03 +0000

Its a sad day – Market Street Traders is a great store & cafe.