Exclusive: Ballard’s beloved toy and gadget shop Archie McPhee will be moving out of the neighborhood in the next several months. “The (land) owner decided not to renew our lease,” explains McPhee’s David Wahl. “We have a couple options (to move), but unfortunately none are in Ballard.” Wahl says the lease expires early next year. “We’re sad, because we don’t want to leave Ballard,” he said, emphasizing that they don’t plan to close. “We’re 100 percent committed to having a store in Seattle,” he said.
Wahl said he doesn’t know the plans for the property, which sits in a premium location along Market St. between 24th and 26th Ave. While McPhee’s is a relatively recent addition to Ballard — the quirky shop moved here from Fremont in 1999 — many consider it Ballard institution.
