My Ballard

Here’s an update on our earlier posts about two new businesses moving into the Old Ballard area just a block apart from each other.

First, Monster Art and Clothing has now opened at Ballard Ave. and 20th Ave. The boutique featuring handmade products by “young upcoming artists.”

And Source Salon and Spa has opened in the prominent curved retail space at Leary and 20th Ave. It describes itself as a “modern boutique and gallery with a relaxing down to earth environment.” Their number is 789-4500.

A new skater boutique called Trickwood will throw its grand opening celebration tonight. It’s upstairs from King’s Hardware next door to Triple.

Trickwood has been open for a few weeks, and the shop features hard-to-find skater shoes, skateboards, t-shirts and vintage magazines.

Now, before you wonder why Ballard is getting another shoe store, owner Steven Baldwin explains that his limited-edition Nike and Vans shoes are really hard to find. Baldwin’s other shop, over in Kirkland, has seen long lines out the door as skaters try to get their hands on new arrivals. Sound familiar?

Yep, just like that Entourage episode when Turtle tried to cut in that long line outside a LA shoe store for a pair of limited edition Nike Fukijamas.

Baldwin says he also sells Manik and Krooked skateboards, T-shirts and vintage Thrasher skateboard mags from the late 80s and 90s. “The whole store is sort of a continuation of 1994, when I was 14,” he says with a big smile on his face. “I don’t have to fully grow up.” We’re jealous. Tonight’s grand opening begins at 6 p.m. and will feature custom Vans shoes painted by local artist Actual Pain.

Local artist Holly Gummelt will open a new shop with a focus on sustainability called Monster Art and Clothing. The store will “offer quality handmade products by young upcoming artists at affordable prices.”

It will be located at 20th Ave. and Ballard Ave. — the space formerly occupied by the boutique Merge before it moved to Fremont in December. Monster is slated to open on September 1st.

A new boutique called Asher Anson is moving into the empty space on Market St. near Ballard Ave. left by the departing Ben & Jerry’s. “Asher Anson provides well-constructed, premium men’s and women’s clothing,” explains their just-launched website. “(We’re) very much looking forward to our opening in August (no solid date yet) and sharing our brands with you!”

News from the neighborhoods next door, Phinney Ridge and Greenwood…

• Photos from last night’s Greenwood Seafair parade
• Zak & Zoe dog boutique moving into Phinney
• Old graffiti-covered McDonald’s looks new again

Last week we wrote about the fact that the popular boutique Olivine is closing. We spoke with the manager today who confirms the store will close in September — it has sold and will re-open as another boutique under a different name. We’re told that the annual sale starts on Friday and will continue until everything is gone. By everything they mean the clothing, the racks, the lights, the fixtures… everything. Local shopping blog SeattleChic also spoke with the owner who has details on where the owner is headed (to Fremont).

“Birth and Beyond” has a store in Madison Park, and now they’re expanding to Fremont. We noticed these posters in the windows on Evanston, just off 36th.

“Our Madison Park location will remain mostly focused on Mom, while the Fremont store will give us the freedom to expand our line of products for baby!” reads the website. Birth and Beyond hopes to open in July.

Fremont’s Destee Nation has been around since 2004 — perhaps you’re even wearing one of their “real shirts from real places,” like this one of the Tractor Tavern — but things have been a little busy for the company lately. First, they landed a profile in NY Times Magazine. Then a distribution deal at Nordstrom. And now they’re selling 10,000 T-shirts a month. Wow. Some of their coolest local shirts are Sunset Bowl, Sunset Tavern, High Dive and the 74th Street Alehouse.

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.

Back in March we wrote about Nau, a socially-conscious boutique going into the old Sonic Boom location in Fremont. Well, Nau has ceased operations due to a lack of funding and sold to another clothing retailer.

Instead, Mooberry will go into the south half of the old Sonic Boom space — to the right of the photo above — and the north half is still available. (Thanks Patricia for letting us know about Nau!)

There’s a new shoe store on the Greenwood/Phinney line.

Strut just celebrated its one-month-anniversary, and it’s not your trendy, high-fashion, puttin’ on the ritz kind of boutique. This one focuses on comfort and style. That’s right - comfort and style. Two words that generally don’t go in the same sentence. When we were there, we saw sandals, flats and pumps for women, shoes for men and even kiddo shoes. The owner said that she was slowly building up the men’s selection and should have more in soon.

The folks who own Market Street Shoes opened another shoe store in Ballard a few weeks ago. Called Triple, it’s located above King’s Hardware and Rudy’s on Ballard Ave. in a very cool, artsy loft.

Described as a “new concept sneaker boutique,” Triple features some hard-to-find hipster shoes that won’t break the bank, with many more on the way. They also feature local artwork and photography. Snazzy, huh?