Urban Safari: Shabby Chic
| By Colleen Laing |
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Once known as strictly an industrial, manufacturing and transportation hub, Seattle’s SoDo neighborhood has been quietly transforming itself into a retail destination, center for green building and design, and wine aficionado’s playground. SoDo has also become a magnet for high-quality patio and garden gear and offbeat home accessories. A visit to the sprawling neighborhood (encompassing the area from S King Street to S Dawson Street and from Elliott Bay to I-5) finds trendy interior shops successfully vying for space alongside diesel filling stations and transit yards.
Shop
Begin your outing with a wine tasting. Former sommelier and Seattle Wine School founder Richard Kinssies’ Wine Outlet (1701 First Ave. S; 206.652.1311; seattlewineoutlet.com) offers high-quality wines at 30 percent to 60 percent off retail and ongoing tastings. Leave some room in your trunk for a trip to Home Basics (1940 First Ave. S; 206.405.4663; homebasicsseattle.com) for affordable, stylish home accessories such as couches from Kirkwood. Representative of the neighborhood’s rapid growth in home-finishing retailers, Pius Kitchen and Bath (2462 First Ave. S; 206.382.6638)—which took over the old Earthwise barn—has a showroom of glass bowl sinks and luscious granite countertops. Rejuvenation Seattle (2910 First Ave. S; 206.382.1901; rejuvenation.com) presents light fixtures and lamps in museumlike period rooms. Across the street, importer Year of the Monkey (2915 First Ave. S; 206.382.1575; monkeyseattle.com) houses antique and reproduction Chinese furniture, stoneware and home accessories—everything from terra cotta warriors and Chinese garden stools to celadon vases. Tropical-themed kitsch will draw you next door to Island Life (2909 First Ave. S; 206.340.1212; island-life.com). At Herban Pottery and Patio (3200 First Ave. S; 206.749.5112; herbanpatio.com), you can furnish any outdoor room in style with functional garden art in teak, iron, aluminum, wicker and weatherproof fabric. Awe-inspiring stone arches, waterfalls and sculpture will wow you right next door at Marenakos Rock Center (3220 First Ave. S; 206.340.0081; marenakos.com). Shoppers can stock up on green building and decorating materials and ideas at the Environmental Home Center’s (4121 First Ave. S; 800.281.9785; environmentalhomecenter.com) new, expanded store. Continue your green day a few blocks south and west at Urban Hardwoods (4755 Colorado Ave. S; 206.766.8199; urbanhardwoods.com), where salvaged trees are transformed into unique art furniture. Around the corner, Bamboo Hardwoods (4100 Fourth Ave. S; 206.264.2414; bamboohardwoods.com) is also focused on sustainability with beautiful, affordable flooring in diverse finishes. Make your way north on Fourth Avenue S to Earthwise next (3447 Fourth Ave. S, Suite E; 206.624.4510; earthwise-salvage.com), where a piece of Seattle’s architectural history can be yours. Pottery Time (2700 Fourth Ave. S; 206.224.9815; potterytime.com) offers handmade, high-fired Vietnamese pots in many shapes, styles and sizes. Finish as you began with a wine tasting at Esquin Wine Merchants (2700 Fourth Ave. S; 206.682.7374; esquin.com), which has the Northwest’s largest wine selection.
Begin your outing with a wine tasting. Former sommelier and Seattle Wine School founder Richard Kinssies’ Wine Outlet (1701 First Ave. S; 206.652.1311; seattlewineoutlet.com) offers high-quality wines at 30 percent to 60 percent off retail and ongoing tastings. Leave some room in your trunk for a trip to Home Basics (1940 First Ave. S; 206.405.4663; homebasicsseattle.com) for affordable, stylish home accessories such as couches from Kirkwood. Representative of the neighborhood’s rapid growth in home-finishing retailers, Pius Kitchen and Bath (2462 First Ave. S; 206.382.6638)—which took over the old Earthwise barn—has a showroom of glass bowl sinks and luscious granite countertops. Rejuvenation Seattle (2910 First Ave. S; 206.382.1901; rejuvenation.com) presents light fixtures and lamps in museumlike period rooms. Across the street, importer Year of the Monkey (2915 First Ave. S; 206.382.1575; monkeyseattle.com) houses antique and reproduction Chinese furniture, stoneware and home accessories—everything from terra cotta warriors and Chinese garden stools to celadon vases. Tropical-themed kitsch will draw you next door to Island Life (2909 First Ave. S; 206.340.1212; island-life.com). At Herban Pottery and Patio (3200 First Ave. S; 206.749.5112; herbanpatio.com), you can furnish any outdoor room in style with functional garden art in teak, iron, aluminum, wicker and weatherproof fabric. Awe-inspiring stone arches, waterfalls and sculpture will wow you right next door at Marenakos Rock Center (3220 First Ave. S; 206.340.0081; marenakos.com). Shoppers can stock up on green building and decorating materials and ideas at the Environmental Home Center’s (4121 First Ave. S; 800.281.9785; environmentalhomecenter.com) new, expanded store. Continue your green day a few blocks south and west at Urban Hardwoods (4755 Colorado Ave. S; 206.766.8199; urbanhardwoods.com), where salvaged trees are transformed into unique art furniture. Around the corner, Bamboo Hardwoods (4100 Fourth Ave. S; 206.264.2414; bamboohardwoods.com) is also focused on sustainability with beautiful, affordable flooring in diverse finishes. Make your way north on Fourth Avenue S to Earthwise next (3447 Fourth Ave. S, Suite E; 206.624.4510; earthwise-salvage.com), where a piece of Seattle’s architectural history can be yours. Pottery Time (2700 Fourth Ave. S; 206.224.9815; potterytime.com) offers handmade, high-fired Vietnamese pots in many shapes, styles and sizes. Finish as you began with a wine tasting at Esquin Wine Merchants (2700 Fourth Ave. S; 206.682.7374; esquin.com), which has the Northwest’s largest wine selection.
Dine
A glazed ring of perfection from Krispy Kreme (1900 First Ave. S; 206.625.1554; krispykreme.com) is a decadent start to your day. For lunch you can find more nutritional fare and bright flavors at light-filled Phò Cyclo Café (2414 First Ave. S; 206.382.9256; phocyclocafe.com). Cross the street to the Starbucks headquarters’ third floor for a fresh salad at the Mezza Café (2401 Utah Ave. S; 206.343.0552; mezzacafe.com) or get hold of an Italian meatball sandwich on foccacia ($6.50) at Cucina De Santis (1759 First Ave. S; 206.587.4222). Fantastic fast food can be had at By’s Drive-In (2901 Fourth Ave. S; 206.622.9901), including outstanding onion rings and specials like the double bacon cheeseburger ($5.99). Extraordinary milkshake flavors include peanut butter, Almond Roca and Creamsicle ($2.89). For dinner, take a step up from the usual hot-dog-stand, stadium-area fare at the Fenix Cafe (1700 First Ave. S; 206.382.7877).
A glazed ring of perfection from Krispy Kreme (1900 First Ave. S; 206.625.1554; krispykreme.com) is a decadent start to your day. For lunch you can find more nutritional fare and bright flavors at light-filled Phò Cyclo Café (2414 First Ave. S; 206.382.9256; phocyclocafe.com). Cross the street to the Starbucks headquarters’ third floor for a fresh salad at the Mezza Café (2401 Utah Ave. S; 206.343.0552; mezzacafe.com) or get hold of an Italian meatball sandwich on foccacia ($6.50) at Cucina De Santis (1759 First Ave. S; 206.587.4222). Fantastic fast food can be had at By’s Drive-In (2901 Fourth Ave. S; 206.622.9901), including outstanding onion rings and specials like the double bacon cheeseburger ($5.99). Extraordinary milkshake flavors include peanut butter, Almond Roca and Creamsicle ($2.89). For dinner, take a step up from the usual hot-dog-stand, stadium-area fare at the Fenix Cafe (1700 First Ave. S; 206.382.7877).
Play
View contemporary multimedia art at the free Western Bridge gallery (3412 Fourth Ave. S; 206.838.7444; westernbridge.com; Thurs.–Sat., noon–6 p.m.). If you’re not too weary from your day of browsing, catch live music at one of SoDo’s rock clubs. The Fenix features local and national acts (1700 First Ave. S; fenixunderground.com). Seattle’s premier heavy metal club, Studio Seven (110 S Horton St.; 206.286.1312; studioseven.us), hosts all-ages shows. The Premier (1700 First Ave. S; 206.382.7877) features touring bands and DJs for Seattle audiophiles.
Photo by Matt Larson
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