Author Archives: AGPhoto

Seattle Black Firefighters fight to protect historic Central District property from controversial sale

Posted on by
11

A fight is underway in the Central District to save a home that a group of Black first responders say has long been a cornerstone in their community.

Members of the Seattle Black Firefighters Association are locked in a legal battle to reclaim the property, which was sold last year under controversial circumstances. Saturday, a community rally was held at 23rd and Pike to show support for saving the property.

“It’s just really very disappointing that we cannot, as Black men and women, sit down and talk about the property, and the only solution that the current regime has come up with is to sell it,” said retired Deputy Chief Charles Gill of the Seattle Fire Department. Gill, alongside other retired and active members, has been leading the charge to preserve the house, which has been central to the group’s identity for over four decades.

The house’s sale has ignited outrage not just because of its history but also due to what some say was a lack of transparency and a disregard for the organization’s bylaws. A court ruling in 2024 affirmed that retired members of the SBFFA retain voting rights, yet the sale went ahead anyway. The double-lot property, located in one of Seattle’s most rapidly gentrifying neighborhoods, was sold for $680,000 — far below its market value, the group says.

The corner marks the latest fight in what is becoming sometimes a house by house effort to hold onto remaining roots of the Central District. Continue reading →

The Wildrose, a safe space, a survivor, and a good place to grab a drink, celebrates 40 years on Capitol Hill

Posted on by
2

The Wildrose, Capitol Hill’s iconic lesbian bar, is celebrating an incredible milestone: 40 years as a cornerstone of Seattle’s LGBTQ+ community. With a claim as the longest-running lesbian bars in the nation, the Wildrose has weathered decades of change, remaining steadfast in its mission to provide a safe, inclusive space.

“The original owner was incredible,” recalls co-owner Martha Manning. “She was a civil rights attorney who created a safe space for women because there was a need for it.”

From its founding as a cooperative in 1984, the Wildrose was politically significant, establishing itself as more than a bar — it was a sanctuary.

Fast forward to today, and the Wildrose’s impact continues. Manning reflects on moments when the team felt defeated or jaded, only to be reminded of the bar’s vital role in the community on Capitol Hill — and beyond. “Sometimes you lose sight of what it means to people, but the community’s support has always shown us how much they want this space to exist.” Continue reading →

How SAM’s security guards won their first union contract

Posted on by
2

SAAM

After a 12-day strike, the 60 or so guards at the Seattle Art Museum and Capitol Hill’s Seattle Asian Art Museum have secured a contract agreement. The deal, finalized last week, delivers a wage boost from $21.68 to $23.25 per hour and guarantees 4% annual raises from 2025 through 2027 — a hard-fought victory for workers determined to improve their livelihoods while safeguarding some of the city’s premier cultural institutions.

It is a small victory but an important win for a small group left out of protections for their peers that was able to organize — and win — at a smaller scale.

To get there, the security workers had to overcome reluctance from museum leadership — and decades-old labor law.

“There is a law that the union believes the museum exploited to avoid recognizing us under that umbrella union,” Tahlia Segura, a part-time Visitor Service Officer and teaching artist in the museum’s education department who serves as the union representative, said. Continue reading →

Pasta, Grana Padano, and Parmesan — A visit to Capitol Hill’s Cheese Room

Posted on by
1

It is not easy to replace a Capitol Hill food and drink legend but the restaurant at the corner of Melrose and Pine is hoping to build its own reputation blending Italian comfort food with a subtle Korean influence. So, what the heck is Cheese Room?

“Cheese and wine is something that we love, so why not — we go with cheese,” co-owner Scott Han tells CHS.

Cheese Room is a pasta-forward restaurant where every dish centers around the cheese. Continue reading →

‘Summit Life’ — Capitol Hill’s Summit Pub turns 20

Posted on by
3

Jay Janicek and his business partner Sam Munguia have been the owners of the Summit Public House, a local gem of the Capitol Hill community, for the past 20 years. Their climb, marked by perseverance and a deep love for their neighborhood, started before they became owners. “We took it over in 2004, on St Patrick’s Day they handed us the keys,” Janicek recalls. Over the years, the neighborhood has transformed dramatically, but Summit Pub has remained the local watering hole.

In 2004, Summit Avenue was a different place. “There were no other bars here at all, just Top Pot Donuts, a pizza place next door, and a bookstore,” Janicek reminisces. Today, Summit Pub is surrounded by a variety of establishments, making it a bustling hub of activity. Despite the changes, Summit Pub has thrived, with Janicek attributing their success to consistency and careful management.

“We’re pretty consistent. We have really good local beers and things on tap, and we don’t run out of anything.” Continue reading →

On Capitol Hill’s 15th Ave E, a community mural is restored as a new work rises above

Posted on by
16

Billy Davis

 

HELP KEEP CHS PAYWALL-FREE
Subscribe to CHS to help us hire writers and photographers to cover the neighborhood. CHS is a pay what you can community news site with no required sign-in or paywall. To stay that way, we need you.

Become a subscriber to help us cover the neighborhood for as little as $5 a month. 

 
Amid a wave of 2020s change, 15th Ave E is getting some artistic touch-ups with an effort to restore a 2000s-era community mural and a massive new mural from an artist synonymous with the 2008 presidential election victory of Barack Obama.

Shepard Fairey is at work this week above 15th Ave E.

Artist Billy Davis just spent the past weeks here after a bout of graffiti vandalism inspired a clean-up of an old project.

The Sanctuary mural was created by Davis on the building constructed in 2000 for the neighborhood’s new Walgreens. The painting’s origin traces to another time of change for Capitol Hill. When the beloved local business City People’s closed and its owners sold the land to Walgreens, many neighbors pushed back on the development. One of the concessions was Sanctuary. Davis was selected to bring it to life.

“There was an outcry in the neighborhood,” Davis recalls, reflecting on the community’s reaction to the changes. “But Walgreens donated a wall to the community.”

The resulting mural was intended to reflect the sense of refuge and belonging that residents associate with their neighborhood, Davis said.

“The name ‘Sanctuary’ is a shout-out to the community,” Davis said this week as he completed word on an extensive restoration of the painting. “The tree in the mural is a kind of totem for the community and a reflection of dream time.” Continue reading →

Cutie Foundation: spreading art and creativity from Cal Anderson to parks across Seattle

Posted on by
5

Cal Anderson hosted a Cutie Party in Cal Anderson in May.

Kaitlin Fritz, founder and executive director of Cutie Fest and the Cutie Foundation, has turned a grassroots art initiative into a bustling celebration of creativity and community.

Fritz’s journey, which began as a burst in art creation during the pandemic, is now ready to grow and spread out from its Capitol Hill roots with new events and campaigns including a partnership with the Downtown Seattle Association, promising a bright future for local artists and vendors.

Fritz started Cutie Fest in 2022 after finding traditional art markets and fairs around Seattle prohibitively expensive.

“I wanted to sell my art but I couldn’t afford to do markets,” Fritz said. Her solution was simple yet bold: set up a free market in a park. The initial turnout was modest, with just a handful of vendors but word quickly spread. By the following year, Cutie Fest had grown to host more than 550 creators.

Fritz envisions Seattle’s parks like Cal Anderson becoming hubs for local artists and vendors, much like Pike Place Market. “Public spaces should be used by public people,” she says. This philosophy is a foundation for her efforts to encourage spontaneous vendor markets and community gatherings, ensuring that public spaces serve the people who fund them. Continue reading →

With Southwest vibes, The Wash begins its desert road trip on E Olive Way

Posted on by
3

For Capitol Hill neighborhood bars, mergers and acquisitions tend to be friendly takeovers. Changes at Rose Temple won’t mean the end of community and opportunities like food and drink pop-ups on E Olive Way.

Southwest-themed bar The Wash is opening in the former Rose Temple space this week. The owners Emilio Esparza and Nick Fizer have brought a new look to the space with a blend of Route 66 nostalgia and Yuma flair. The first-time owners also brought support from Seattle’s food and drink community to the mix.

“We’ve been in the Seattle bar scene for over a decade and have built strong connections,” Esparza said. “We’ve received mentorship and support from other local bar owners, which has been invaluable.”

The Wash aims to contribute to that community. “We want this to be the kind of space that it was at Rose Temple, welcoming, safe, comfortable, inclusive,” Esparza said. Continue reading →

Bad Chancla, good talk: Chef José Garzón brings Latin flavor and ‘stories through food’ to E Olive Way

Posted on by
2

Chef José Garzón is more than just a culinary master; he’s a storyteller whose dishes weave tales of culture, tradition, and personal history. As the concept generator of Garzon, Chifa Baby, Lola Supperclub, and, now, Bad Chancla on E Olive Way below The Reef pot shop, Garzón’s journey from musician to well loved chef is a testament to his passion for food and community.

Having played in bands from Sunset Lily to MxPx, Garzón has traveled around the world playing music and eating street food. Each of Chef Garzón’s culinary ventures offers a unique dining experience that reflects his diverse background and culinary influences. From his celebration of Latin American street food to Lola Supperclub’s homage to his beloved caretaker in Ecuador, Garzón’s menus are a fusion of flavors and narratives.
Joining with other local chefs, Garzon is hoping to be a part of the change in Seattle’s kitchen culture “the kitchen scene or whatever you want to call it. It’s so different these days. And a lot of people will tell you, it’s bad, but I think it’s great. It’s growing and it’s healthier. You know, chefs and management now care about days off. We care about your well being.” Continue reading →

In a 15-minute city, why not have a Mt. Bagel on every block?

Posted on by

Not every culinary success story begins at age 7, but for Roan Hartzog, his story does. Hartzog has been “bread adjacent” for most of his life.

Mt. Bagel, surprisingly located amid the homes of Madison Valley on 26th Ave E, is the current iteration of Hartzog’s baking.

In 2019, Roan took a trip to the “bagel homeland” of New York City. Wanting to start his own project, but unsure of what that was, he let his travel be his inspiration. After returning home, he worked his bread bakery job and on his off time, experimented with bagels.

It took a year of playing with dough to get the recipe right, but after an instagram account became his storefront, and family and friends got their share, more than just friends got to sample his rounded carbs.

“Soon it became friends of friends, then people I didn’t know started DMing me for bagels and I was like. oh, this is becoming something a little bigger than expected.” Working out of a friend’s commercial bakery, he eventually quit his bread job and focused on his bagel empire. When his friend moved to Edmonds in 2023, Hartzog took over the space. Continue reading →