The longstanding clothing and home decor store Jax Joon is closing up shop this Sunday, and Sweet Mickey’s Candy Shoppe will soon be taking its place at 5338 Ballard Ave.
Brittney Geleynse and her husband bought Jax Joon in 2015 from Jake and Jenny Monroe, who opened in the store 2008. Geleynse then bought Clover Toys (5333 Ballard Ave NW) last year, and have been managing both, which became too much. Their last day is on Sunday, September 16; all merchandise is 60 percent off from now until they close the doors.
“It’s a bittersweet thing,” Geleynse says. “We have been balancing both and it just came to a head. So, we decided to focus on Clover.”
Sweet Mickey’s owner Randy Brinker says he’s looking forward to opening a second location on Ballard Ave. The candy store at Ballard Commons Park has been open since 2012, but his lease ends next year, and he felt he had to jump on the opportunity to move to Ballard Ave.
The new location will be a little different: he says he’ll drop the ice cream (because he says there’s enough delicious ice cream on Ballard Ave already), and plans to add a gourmet nut roaster. He also wants to feature hard-to-find international candies, and extend his fudge offerings.
Brinker wants to transform the space by adding a birthday/events room, a place where people can meet for book clubs or senior events — anything to include the community, he says. With all the contractors lined up and his vision in place, he’s now just waiting for some permitting before he starts the buildout.
“I’m super excited,” Brinker tells My Ballard. “I’ve been wanting to be part of the Ballard Ave community for a long time.”
Once the new store opens, Brinker’s candy shop next to the park will still be open, but with limited hours until the lease ends in August. Right now, he’s aiming for a Dec. 1 opening on Ballard Ave.
Photo from Jax Joon’s Facebook page
A candy store NEXT TO A PARK would a prime location except in a city that allows CRIMINAL JUNKIES TO CAMP EVERYWHERE. How many times has Sweet Mickey’s been robbed?