The second annual “Tuesdays in Ballard” campaign kicks off today with the goal of drawing people to eat, drink, shop and play in downtown Ballard.
The Ballard Community Center (6020 28th Ave NW) offers “Paint by Music” from 6-8 p.m. Music by Max Perry and painting by Ryan “Henry” Ward and Andrew Miller. Photo of previous “Paint by Music” event.
Today, many of the 80 plus merchants will have specials, activities or freebies to kick off the summer-long campaign. Some of the offerings today include: “Kittens in a Tent” at All the Best Petcare (1909 NW Market St) from 5 to 7 p.m., roll the discount dice at Laura Bee Designs (6418 20th Ave NW) to receive a percentage off your entire Tuesday purchase, Ballard Loft (5105 Ballard Ave NW) will offer free sliders when you mention you’re there for In Ballard and free trivia Tuesday from 8 to 10 p.m. At Ray’s Boathouse and Cafe (6049 Seaview Ave NW), just mention “It’s Tuesday in Ballard” and your name will jump to the top of the wait list. The entire list of specials and events can be found here. You can pick up a walking guide/map at many of the participating businesses.
The In Ballard Merchants Association formed last year and launched the campaign to positive reviews. In the Best of 2009 issue of Seattle Magazine, Tuesdays in Ballard was named “best effort to shop locally.” This year’s campaign features a “Treasure Hunt Tuesdays” scavenger hunt and the lucky winner will walk away with a $1000 Ballard shopping spree. On July 27th there will be a “Grub and Pub Crawl” with 39 participating merchants. Grab a passport card and get stamps from at least four places and you could win food and drink prizes. (Disclosure: MyBallard is a member of the In Ballard Merchants Association; the In Ballard Merchants Association is a sponsor of MyBallard.)
Thank you for the disclosure. I certainly would not want to inadvertently support the Ballard Chamber of Commerce – directly or indirectly. I do not want one penny of my hard-earned money to be wasted on these frivolous lawsuits against bicyclists in our community. Wake up, BCoC!
The In Ballard Merchants Association is not the same as teh BCC.
HOORAY FOR IN BALLARD!!
Way to show everybody what a Chamber of Commerce SHOULD be doing.
Our Chamber of Commerce files lawsuits against bike trails.
Thank God groups like In Ballard are there to show them what they SHOULD be doing instead.
The Chamber should be embarassed by In Ballard. They made some lame attempt to “join” and “sponsor” In Ballard because more than anything it shows lack of priorities at the Chamber.
The Chamber would rather file lawsuits at the behest of Ballard Oil.
The Chamber doesn’t care about small businesses and thank you In Ballard for demonstrating that better than anybody.
Wow, what a fantastic idea to support our local businesses In Ballard (very catchy name). As a resident and worker in Ballard, I hope folks will realize the benefits of shopping local. I mean Ballard is cool, so use it or lose it, right? Great job In Ballard Merchant Association!!!
There are many of us who own small businesses who don’t join the Chamber of Commerce but see the value of In Ballard and join that instead!
I’d like to think it is embarrassing for the Chamber to see so many local business reject them only to join a much more effective and creative organization. But I am sure they don’t care.
I think the Chamber is basically a front for a few very wealthy industrial owners who use it as a PR and lobby group on the trail issue and others.
Churchill once said “A fanatic is one who can’t change his mind and won’t change the subject.”
For the love of Christ, unless there’s a story specifically about the damned bike trail, keep your comments to the matter at hand.
I’m sorry, now I realize the connection.
Ahem, but a lot of members of the In Ballard Merchants Association are also members of the Chamber of Commerce. In fact, the COC and In Ballard are members of one another’s organizations.
Doug/Ballardite, it’s a tremendous suprise to see you here! Welcome back!
I’m making the point that In Ballard is much more responsive to the needs of small business owners in Ballard than the Chamber.
The Chamber couldn’t care less about promoting shopping downtown. It is not where they spend their time and money.
Thankfully groups like In Ballard are able to step in.
It’s a tangential connection to the story at best, a footnote.
And if you’re going to astroturf, at least have the courage to use your own fake name instead of hijacking mine.
I’ve got the violin out….bunch of babies on this site!
babies?
find your car yet, loser?
Pro bike trail posts are the vuvuzalas of myballard. Constant and annoying.
On the dog walk, we passed a recent paint by music event. It must have inspired doggo cause she took a great big dump that stunk much worse than normal! Don’t worry we picked it up and walked on.
Olde Shoppe Owner, I find your comment odd. I am a big supporter of In Ballard and promote everything they are doing. Your perceptions of the Chamber, however, are flawed.
It’s the Chamber that produces the monthly Art Walk for the specific purpose of promoting local businesses, restaurants and bars on Saturday evenings.
It’s the Chamber that brought the Sunday Farmer’s Market to Ballard to increase foot traffic on Sundays in the business core.
It’s the Chamber that produces the Annual Sidewalk Sale (and worked this year with many local businesses to plan the event) for the sole purpose of bringing business to Ballard. The Chamber receives not one dime for this effort and pays for all of the street permits so that the event can happen.
It’s the Chamber that applied for and just received with a handful of other local communities a Buy Local Grant from the Office of Economic Development to work with a marketing consultant to create a promotional campaign for the specific purpose of enhancing “buy local” efforts in the Ballard business community.
Frankly, this community is fortunate to have both an active Ballard Chamber of Commerce and the In Ballard Merchants Association to promote Ballard in so many ways.
+1 msballard30
-100 msballard30
The Chamber taking credit for the Farmer’s Market is laughable.
If the Chamber is so great, why aren’t most of the In Ballard members also members of the Chamber?
In Ballard has many merchants that want nothing to do with the Chamber. I guess that less than half of the In Ballard members are also in the Chamber.
To me that settles it. The small business owners know who is on their side and who isn’t.
Chamber supporters taking credit for the Farmer’s Market is just so typical.
I just checked.
There is no mention of the Ballard Farmer’s Market on the Chamber of Commerce site, and no mention of the Chamber of Commerce on the Ballard Farmer’s Market site.
msballard30 what do these two have to do with each other?? It’s news to me.
Are you sure you’re not just making that up? Seems it would be on the sites that’s all.
Another Chamber supporter twisting the facts.
BCoC has nothing to do with the Farmer’s Market.
They are, however, suing to stop the bike trail.
I was wondering how long it would take the trail trolls to overtake another thread.
Note to bikers: WE GET IT! There is no need to repeat yourselves multiple times in every freakin’ thread related to any possible connection to Ballard businesses.
What possible purpose are you trying to achieve by your non-stop ranting obsession on this board?
The reference to the Farmer’s Market is historic – my comment above noted that the Chamber helped bring it to Ballard (it does not run it and never has).
About 2001, the Chamber was looking to start a Sunday Farmer’s Market to bring business to the local community. The Seattle Neighborhood Farmer’s Market Association, however, wanted to hold it on Friday afternoons and to limit it to produce, whereas the Chamber wanted the market to include arts vendors, music and the ability for local community organizations to have tables there if they wanted.
The Chamber went to Jon Hageman in Fremont and worked with him and the local community to hold the first Farmer’s Markets in the U.S. Bank parking lot (where the library is now). It moved to Ballard Ave. after construction began at the U.S. Bank location, where it’s been ever since.
The Chamber never ran the Market, but as my comment noted above, it helped bring it to Ballard. If what I wrote was unclear, my apologies.
Pro trail folks: I’m trying to see your point of view, really I am…I just can’t get my head that far up my ass!
@Yep: ‘yep’ loser, we did. want me to pick you up for a ride so mom and dad can have a break? Sersiously, please grow up. This forum should be a place where folks are discussing topics and points of view, not bash people, as some folks seem to enjoy to do. Folks can disagree, but acting like children w/name calling is just plain silly.
Idea of this site was nice to start.
+1 msballard30 as always broke it down. Not to mention the Chamber putting on SeafoodFest and Burp. I spoke to the manager at Kavu and she said that SeafoodFest was by far their busiest weekend year in and year out.
I’m curious to what “In Ballard Merchants Association” has done (besides “Tuesday in Ballard” and “Grub and Pub crawl”)? I’m not trying to prefer one over the other since both are good for business (and thats their missions.. to promote and protect business) but the Chamber list of for retail businesses is impressive. Can someone from IBMA comment? Thanks-
Hooray for the Ballard Merchants assn., they are really promoting the Ballard economy. The BCC on the other hand has prevented/delayed 14 million dollars being spent in Ballard at a time when jobs are scarce. According to the last article in the Times, the city has the money ready and waiting and would have begun by now if it were not for the BCC and others. 14 million would produce a few family wage jobs for our community.
So ten years ago the Chamber helped decide what day the farmer’s market should be.
And they are still bragging about it and telling us to focus on that instead of the lawsuit!
LOLZ.
+1 Pho
hey bity–
you did lose your car, no? that makes you a loser.
and you calling those with legitimate complaints against the BCofC “crybabies” isn’t name calling?
the internet works both ways, honey.
The 14 million won’t be spent in Ballard. With the exception of workers buying an occasional lunch or a beer after work all the money will go to a big construction company based somewhere other than Ballard. The exception would be SBSG would get the concrete bid due to their location. Ironic isn’t it.
Small merchants use In Ballard because it’s cheaper than the BCC and is a direct advertising tool. Internet advertising is hit or miss, the events BCC organizes gets people on the streets. I prefer having potential customers walk by my shop than reading about it on an obscure website.
More irony, the creator of inBallard.com is a member of BCC he say’s ‘ As a new business owner in 1998, becoming a part of the Ballard Chamber was invaluable. I was immediately able to meet and network with countless other business owners in the area through the various Chamber lunches and after hour events. This networking allowed me to secure new clients and gain valuable knowledge from old pros in the Ballard business industry.’ What’s more valuable.
In any political campaign you have committed voters on each side. On the missing link bike trail you probably have a vast number of potential voters in the middle. Support it generally. Not sure its worth all the money.
I would like to recognize the Righteous Bike Types for demonstrating exceptional douchebaggery and eroding support for bike commuters and recreational riders.
Thanks for dragging the wheezy, battered carcass of Critical Mass-style activism to MyBallard. Take over the venue. Keep flouting civic manners. You guys are awesome. Awesome.
Zoka is right. Righteous Bike Types, I just want to say, you know, can we all get along? Can we get along? Can we stop making it, making it horrible for the industrial lobbyists and the high priced lawyers?…It’s just not right. It’s not right. It’s not right, it’s exceptional douchbaggery and it’s not going to change anything. The industrialists are still going to spend and sue and spend and sue and call you a whiner and call you entitled and call you a douchbag….Please, we can get along here. We all can get along. I mean, how dare you question business owners who sue the city and cost taxpayers money and don’t you know how hard it is to park down there and don’t you know how much they love being able to park on city property for free and don’t you know how rich these business owners are and don’t you know how much they are willing to spend to stop this trail? They are so awesome and you suck for speaking out because if we could all just get along I am sure they would drop the lawsuit. I am sure of it. I’m a dumb sheep blind as a bat dumb as a nail. My name is ZOKA. Awesome.
Well, I suppose the back of the bus is pretty nice…
The Ballard Chamber of Commerce… has led us into the stupidest and cruelest lawsuit in all Ballard history. That lawsuit is a moral and political disaster – a terrible cancer eating away at the soul of our neighborhood.
And btw Zoka, you lack imagination. You are boring.
The future of Ballard will be shaped not by you, or the ones we “upset.” It will be shaped by us. The ones who care enough to stand up and say We’re Not Going to Take it Anymore.
Just call us, The Awesome.
If the Ballard Chamber of Commerce had been around when the Creator was putting His hand to this great nation, Ballard wouldn’t be here. It’d still be waiting for an environmental impact statement.
I did not give free parking on city owned property to that woman, Ms. Ballard30.
Bicyclists must not ignore the threat gathering against us. Facing clear evidence of peril, we cannot wait for the final proof, the smoking gun that could come in the form of a mushroom cloud.
Zoka, bicyclists will never seek a permission slip to defend the security of our people.
Every resident in every neighborhood now has a decision to make. Either you are with us, or you are with the terrorists.
Some have argued that confronting the threat from the Ballard Chamber could detract from the war against terror. To the contrary, confronting the threat posed by the Ballard Chamber is crucial to winning the war on terror.
The course of this conflict is not known, yet its outcome is certain. Freedom and fear, justice and cruelty, have always been at war, and we know that God is not neutral between them.
The Bikers of America will never be intimidated by thugs and assassins. The killers will fail, and the Ballard people will live in freedom.
No offense… but I feel that my real world I.Q. dropped about 150 points reading the last 8 comments by people that have not contributed to the the community…… ever. and if you did let us know how so we can learn what you have done.
I find it weird that 10 hours after I made the request that IBMA make a comment on what they have done for the communtity that their has been silence… yet the Chamber has spelled it out to me perfectly. Makes me wonder who is really paying attention.
Eleven posts in a row, somebody had a few too many last night.
You are right we are all now dumber for reading them.
I’m as guilty of this as anybody, but perhaps it’s time we stopped feeding the trolls, which means any time anybody posts anything about the bike trail (for or against), we simply ignore it. Eventually they’ll wear themselves out and go away.
Those were hilarious. You anti trail people are such petty whiners all the time.
Who is being “entitled” here? A bunch of bikers having fun on a blog, or the business owners who are so upset about not getting their way that they keep suing and appealing?
Tyler how is it weird that IBMA doesn’t respond to YOUR questions left in comments on a blog within ten hours?
What they have done is very clear and its on their website.
At least they are not on here like the Chamber people, making things up and taking credit for things like the Farmers Market where they actually have no involvement.
And what’s with the Chamber people saying shut down comments? You can’t handle opinions other than your own?
Ballard is embarrassing itself over this trail. Build and move on. I’m sure all the trail haters will love it and use it once they understand how little harm it does and how nice it will be.
If the trail were complete, we would walk into Ballard many times a week and spend our money. We go out to eat 4 times a week, and since there isn’t a safe, convenient and direct trail to walk to downtown Ballard from our east Ballard locale, we pop in the car pretty often and drive, often to other neighborhoods. Not saying our $75 a dinner four times a week would keep Ballard afloat, but I’m sure the business owners would like to see us there. Plus we shop when we are tipsy and full, so that’s another $100 a pop.
It’s not just cyclists who want the trail completed, pedestrians do too. This lawsuit is so short sighted, it’s just sad.
As for Tuesday’s in Ballard, we’ll do our best to drive in, but it sure would be nice to walk on a safe pedestrian path to get there.
It’s not odd that IBMA doesn’t monitor this blog, and neither does the Chamber – neither has ever come on here and taken an official stand on issues and neither should anyone expect them too (despite attempts by certain posters in the past to goad them into doing so).
At the same time, I find it interesting that Judy and others seem to think that ANY comments made in support of the Chamber must be contrived or rigged since no one could possibly find any redeeming value in the organization.
I’m checking out.
Speaking as someone who is not a member of BCC (full disclosure I have volunteered at Chamber functions like Seafood Fest and attended Chamber events like to golf tournament, they are fun, offer great networking opportunities and give you a chance to meet people) I would say I have no dog in this fight other than being a Ballard resident who doesn’t think the trail along Seaview is a good idea.
I do support the In Ballard programs to get people to buy in Ballard. At Christmas my family and I made a commitment to buy our gifts only in Ballard and we’ll do it again this year.
I like having a vibrant community I think part of that community is the industrial businesses as well as the retail ones. I don’t hate the bike riders or not care about safety I think that the bike trail along Seaview isn’t a good idea when there are other routes available.
30
Zippy –
There’s not a safe, convenient, direct way to walk to downtown Ballard from the east? Are you serious? Would you like a moving walkway like they have at airports?
The bike zealots are losing support with each and every thread they hijack. But they are too stupid to realize it.
Pathetic, really.
This buy local dogma confuses me. Almost all the owners and employees of most of the businesses in Ballard take their money and spend it somewhere else. In the neighborhood THEY LIVE or on the interwebs. How does it make a difference if I shop in ballard supporting people that live and spend elsewhere?
wow. did you all know that there were ‘deals and activities’ this past tuesday in ballard?
joeballard: i like your style.
george w bush: you’re scary as all hell.
someone please call 911, as i believe i must be a terrorist, killer, thug and assassin.
edog: one of the ‘paint by music’ artists is a friend of mine who has worked in and contributed to this community for years.
hypocracy sucks.
oops…forgot about ‘yep’:
karma, is a beautiful thing, baby.
I’m glad there’s more music coming to Ballard. Nice indeed.
To quote msbalard…
“It’s not odd that IBMA doesn’t monitor this blog, and neither does the Chamber…”
I believe the chamber, or board members do monitor this blog. Darrell McManus (or someone claiming to be him) attempted to defend the position of the chamber in a previous post related to seafoodfest. He is a chamber board member and chairman of sefoodfest. By the way, Darrell is NOT a Ballard resident and does NOT have an office in Ballard according to his website – look it up.
mr. mcmanus is one of the few ‘seasoned’ ballardites that still resides nearby AND contributes to this community. 40+ year ‘veteran’, and still around… really no argument here.
Well Joey, finishing the missing link would be mighty safe and convenient for me and a lot of people. That’s why there is a plan to build it. That must be hard for you to understand. Life must be very difficult for you indeed. I feel sorry for you.
Because of technical issues on our end, Laura Buzard with the In Ballard Merchants Association is having troubles posting a comment. She sent this to us to post:
“Thanks to everyone who came out for the first night of our second Tuesdays in Ballard campaign. It was a busy day for our small businesses. Our organization is just over a year old and we’re working hard to add to our repertoire of ways to encourage people to support businesses in our neighborhood.
The In Ballard Merchants Association is a non-political, all-volunteer organization. We are individuals with diverse opinions about Ballard issues, but we’ve come together to work to bring more business to our favorite neighborhood. You can learn more about our mission here: http://inballard.com/ibma.php
This year we’re especially proud of the new map we’ve just released. You can find it in participating businesses. We’re also sending it to concierges in the region and distributing it around Puget Sound to help spread the word about what Ballard businesses have to offer.
Laura Buzard
Secretary
In Ballard Merchants Association”
Zip – I do have a hard time understanding why you can’t walk on sidewalks from your home to downtown Ballard, and choose to get in your car and drive somewhere else to eat, drink, and shop drunk instead.
JB-
Tipsy, not drunk. Two people on a bottle of wine is mearly tipsy. And we don’t drive those nights.
There aren’t sidewalks on the route that the trail will be on and that is the most direct from my end of town. When it is done, we’ll be strolling on it often.
Ballard isn’t the only game in town, and they know it, hence Tuesdays in Ballard. I spend plenty of $$ in Ballard but would spend more if there was a better route (BG) from east Ballard/Fred meyer. If I have to get in my car to go out at night it is likely I will point it any number of places, sometimes that includes Ballard, others not. I don’t feel beholden to exclusively spending $$ in Ballard but if Ballard made it easier I would.
You aren’t interested in giving credence to opinions different than yours. At least not in the anonymous world of the interwebs. Your mind has on the topic has calcified. Best of luck to you….Z
Thanks Laura-
Good to see your stuff here!
Z, walk Leary they have sidewalks. If you walk Shilshole you would have to walk a block up to Ballard Ave. From Leary you would walk a block down.
I can’t believe you wouldn’t walk to Ballard without a trail.
So go to Fremont or wherever instead and we will have one less couple waiting for a table.
AAAAAANNNNNYYY-WAY, Back to Ballard and the awesome merchants. Great Job, loved the festive baloons and had a fantastic meal at La Isla (followed the map to get to them).
Oh, and to the bicyclist that almost killed me while riding on the sidewalk (while I was walking)…are you the one bitching here? If so, I see why you need that trail!
Cheers eveyone, let’s keep Ballard fun!
I applaud what the In Ballard Merchants Association is doing – it’s great for the community and promotes local businesses. Bravo!
Z – Shilshole *does* have sidewalks on the north side, west of the intersection w/NW 46th St. Eastward from that point, NW 46th has sidewalks/paved walking areas all the way to Leary at least. If you really like the B-G, just take it to the end at Fred Meyer, then walk north one block (on the sidewalk!) to NW46th and keep going west.
I usually go north one block at the trail end, then head west on the south side of NW46th to the Ballard Blocks and cross to the north side of the street there. From the BB, you’ve got paved walking all the way to Market St!.
msballard30 you were clearly trying to misrepresent the Chamber’s involvement in the Farmer’s Market.
Mondoman, better than nothing (for walkers) but a trail would be much nice and it’s badly needed.
Pity the Ballard Chamber of Commerce answers only to a handful of industrial businesses at the expense of residents, neighboring residents, and small retailers.