The Columbia City Business Association is seeking a merchandising consultant to assist neighborhood businesses with various aspects of their visual presence, including lighting, signage, and product display.
For more information on this paid opportunity, and for details on how to apply, see Columbia City Merchandising Consultant Job Post.
Artist proposals are now being accepted for the Columbia School Fence Beautification Project.
The Columbia City Business Association (“CCBA”) is seeking an artist to lead the design, installation, and overall management of a project to beautify the north-facing fence at the northeast corner of the Columbia School property, located on the 3500 block of S. Edmunds St. The CCBA’s goal is to transform as much as 430 feet of the existing rusted chain-link fence into an attractive backdrop for the enjoyment of the school’s students, Columbia City Farmers Market customers, and pedestrians walking to light rail. The CCBA is an organization of business owners, property owners, and residents dedicated to making Columbia City a “great place”. Funds available for this project are $3,800.
Proposals are due by 5pm on Monday, June 4, 2012. For more information on project details and how to submit a proposal, see the full Call for Artists:
Greetings from Paul Doyle –
When the City of Seattle closed Columbia City Cinema, they took away the popcorn everybody loved . Now it’s back—the popcorn not the cinema–and it’s for sale all day long at Columbia City Laundromat Cafe at 4903 Rainier Ave South and South Ferdinand, next to the new La Terenga. Formerly Columbia City Suds, the business is Rainier Valley’s liveliest neighborhood laundromat. Lea Tibebu recently bought the popular lavanderia and is featuring the famous popcorn as part of her extensive deli menu of soup, sandwiches and soft drinks. She is using the same closely guarded recipe the cinema used and a popcorn maker left over from the cinema. Fans need no introduction. Forget the movie, people used to come to the theater just for the popcorn. Bring a load of laundry and load up on popcorn. Or simply come down, have a taste and remind yourself how good it was. And spread the word. Now that we’ve got the popcorn back, the next step is to get the cinema reopened.
Afrikando Banadir now open at 5212 Rainier Ave. S.
At the south end of the neighborhood, Chef Jacques Saar recently opened Afrikando Banadir, offering a tantalizing array of Senegalese cuisine for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. The restaurant is located at 5212 Rainier Ave. S. and is open seven days a week. Check out the Slog’s recent coverage of Afrikando Banadir!
La Teranga now open in the heart of Columbia City
Only days since it opened, La Teranga, Columbia City’s new Senegalese restaurant, is already generating quite the buzz around town. Check out this glowing review of La Teranga on the Slog.
Try it out for yourself! La Teranga features an impressive menu of authentic Senegalese food – including salads, soups, sandwiches, and entrees – and is located at 4903-1/2 Rainier Ave. S.
Columbia City’s Island Soul Caribbean restaurant gets a mostly glowing review on the brand new dining show Check, Please! Check out the video. What a great celebration of Columbia City, its close-knit community, and its distinctive independent businesses.
It’s an exciting season in Columbia City with five new businesses getting ready to open. Stephanie can be seen stocking her Stash Fabrics, Notions and Yarn retail shop on South Edmunds next to Empire Espresso. Last week, Mamadou’s La Teranga Senegalese Restaurant interior was unveiled as the papered windows were opened and the signage installed. Linda is busy refreshing the former Chelsea Deli space for her Jus Bar, Mike continues to make slow but steady progress toward the opening of his family’s Paris Bakery, and the new Senegalese restaurant from Chef Jacque Sarr of Afrikando is taking shape at the southern end of the neighborhood.
Again this year, the CCBA has been awarded funds to advance the revitalization of the district and promote the vitality of the businesses. Funded projects for 2012 include the beautification of the Columbia School property chain-link fence along South Edmunds Street, conversion of the BeatWalk website to a more user-friendly platform, production of a “welcome package” introducing Columbia City businesses to new residents moving into the area, and merchandizing assistance for several main street business to help improve their “street appeal”. In addition, the city announced that it will provide financial help to three Columbia City facade improvement projects… a new storefront for the Esmay Building on South Hudson, a new storefront for the rest of the Royal Esquire Club building, and a large mural on the south face of the Wash Murakami building. In combination, these three projects are expected to help physically transform the block from Hudson to Dawson.
Seattle-based real estate development company Security Properties has briefed CCBA’s Business Development Committee and the local review committee of the Landmarks Preservation Board on Security’s proposed development for the Columbia Plaza site. The proposal is quite different from the previous plan put forward by HAL Real Estate. Security’s project would take up substantially less of the site, with substantial setbacks from both Columbia Park on the west and from the Hasegawa Dentistry property on the north. Security proposes pedestrian-friendly drive aisles on both the west and north sides. The biggest news is that, in addition to about 200 apartments on the upper floors, Security plans to provide space for a full-service grocery and three smaller retail spaces, providing new retail frontage on all four sides of the development. PCC is in discussions with Security to be the grocer.
The proposal was favorably reviewed by the Business Development Committee, which concluded:
1. the proposal effectively expands the business district by providing three new block faces of needed retail space;
2. it provides the key missing business… a grocery store. This will be our first retail “anchor” in the business district that should increase overall revenues across the business district by 10 to 20 percent;
3. it provides ample parking for both shoppers and residents;
4. it enhances public safety by activating Columbia Park and providing many additional “eyes on the street”;
5. it will make the South Edmunds pedestrian connector more pleasant, more interesting, and safer; and
6. the 200 apartments will provide an additional 300 or so new neighbors and customers for our Columbia City businesses.
The 2012 season for the Columbia City Farmers Market is fast approaching! As in previous years, the Farmers Market will provide a great opportunity for Columbia City businesses to engage with their neighbors.
Every year the Farmers Market reaches out to 20 businesses in the neighborhood to host the Kids Tent at the market for a few hours on a Wednesday afternoon during the season.
The major benefit to hosting is the chance to share info about your business and interact with potential new clients who already live and shop in the neighborhood! And, it’s free!
If you are interested, please contact Rachel Harrison at RachelEHarrison@gmail.com.
Sign up for your table today!