SEATTLE — Seattle's Lower Queen Anne area is going through a lot of change, with some residents calling it a neighborhood in transition. Some stores are closing, while others are moving in, and some buildings sit vacant, while new construction is also underway.
One of the most recent announcements is that the Bartell Drugs location on 1st Avenue North will close, with its last day open being September 10th. The corporate office for Bartell Drugs sent KING 5 and email saying stores can close for a variety of reasons, including business strategy, rent considerations, and store performance.
With the Bartell Drugs being the only 24-hour pharmacy in the neighborhood, and one of few left in the city, people said the closure will be a loss.
“That also hurts everybody because people are in different schedules, day and night, night and day,” said Mary Garrison, who gets her prescriptions from the store. “You know, it's better convenience. We need more convenience in the city.”
Another loss Lower Queen Anne residents are preparing for is the closure of Mud Bay. The pet store is set to close at the end of December.
According to a statement from Mud Bay, it will be the first closure in the company's 35-year history. The decision to not renew the lease for the location was due to the lack of foot traffic.
As these two stores close, signs of revitalization can be seen in the neighborhood, with several vacant buildings being renovated as some of them prepare for new occupants.
The empty Dandelion Café on Queen Anne Avenue North will soon have a new business that is expanding from another part of the city.
La Dive, a bar and eatery that specializes in natural wine, will be opening in the building around the end of the year. This will be their second location, with their first location in Capitol Hill having been in business since 2019.
Anais Custer said she and her business partner chose to expand in Lower Queen Anne due to the culture, arts, and events in the area. She also said she thinks there are a good group of local businesses already there that she hopes they can both build off of and add to.
“If I'm waiting at Toulouse, I can go across the street to the new La Dive and have a drink,” said Custer. “Or if you're waiting to have dinner at La Dive know that there's a great cocktail bar you can go to, or you can grab a beer at Queen Anne Beer Hall.”
She said she is aware that the neighborhood has its issues, being cautioned about possible crime and homelessness.
“There were people that had warned us, saying ‘Oh, the way this neighborhood is right now, is this where you would want to be?'” said Custer.
But she said Lower Queen Anne is exactly where they want to be and they are excited to be a part of the neighborhood. She hopes to give residents more walkable options and add to the overall community.
“I think one of the best ways to activate a neighborhood is to bring small local businesses in there that care and that want to be part of the community and really make it somewhere exciting and inclusive,” said Custer.
Custer said the new La Dive will open around the start of the new year.