We are in the proverbial dog days of summer. All of the other editors are away. They left me with the keys to the shop, thinking that it will be slow, and what harm could he possibly do? Well, it is slow here in the post-Seafair void. And it’s feeling like many of you are away on vacation too, maybe with the rest of the Wallyhood editors. So now I’m wondering: Gee, why didn’t I get invited?
But there does seem to be some simmering controversy related to the old Kids on 45th location, which we recently noted was being cleaned up after a long period of dormancy. It is about to open as (wait for it)…a smoke shop. On the face of it, that seems about as far removed from its previous incarnation as you can get while still remaining legal…and to some parents of kids at Hamilton and Lincoln from whom Wallyhood has heard, even this is questionable.
An odd twist to this story of a new business opening in our neighborhood popped up over on Facebook this week, where the folks at the existing tobacco shop on 45th, Best Cigar Tobacco—across the street!—posted in in the Wallingford group to let people know that they were in fact not closing, which is what the folks over in the new smoke shop were apparently saying. Their post:
Hey neighbors!!! I help run Best Cigar Tobacco store on 45th, across from QFC. I just wanted to let you all know WE ARE NOT CLOSING!!! This past week 20+ customers have come in asking when are last day is and why we’re closing..we are not. They are getting this information from the owner of the new Tobacco store going in across from us. They did not buy us out like they are claiming. We are proudly staying in Wallingford and have no intentions of leaving, despite what you might hear.
What is up with that? We try not to judge here at Wallyhood (publicly, anyway), but that does seem to be a strange way to introduce yourself to your new neighborhood.
I told the owners of existing store to write to yo, ( see — had things gone differently I would have been all over this story.) I hope someone investigates- the remarks from a new store dissing/closing a long established business in neighborhood is bad vibes and horrific intro of selves to the area.
I couldn’t agree more!
Though personally, I have no fondness for tobacco, I certainly have a sincere appreciation for small businesses! Competition is a given but this new business’ tactics are a very unwelcome addition to the neighborhood! This old hippie feels like picketing them until they cease and desist until a congenial, if complimentary arrangement is made!
Best wishes to the “Best Cigar Tobacco Store” of Wallingford!
The building where this new shop, so called, is at, is one of the first buildings in Wallingford. It is quite historically significant. I saw the shop guy, builder or whatever you might want to call it, him, just bashing the hell out of that store front one day a little while ago. Just smashing all the original glass and window frames. Take a look a the shape above the glass on all the other original shops there. You will see…a totally square weird shape. The owner of the building has an office behind it..on that tiny little inlet there. US Realestate or something like that, on a tiny office behind there. I thought he was an interesting owner. To allow that violent smashing, one hand holding glass, the other swinging a hammer just crashing all the original frames and glass to the ground..of a crappy step ladder. It was pathetic. Take a look and tell me I am wrong. Go look at all the offices the length of that building. It is ridiculous, and neanderthal. The inbuild..if you want to call it that, looks utterly foreign to Wallingford. I think it is stupid. Just sayin. Also..the SEDU units on Wallingford are equally worthless. A profoundly prostituted build. Will have nothing whatsoever to do with what one might call a “neighborhood” as it will be, like all of those, transient as hell.