You’re likely not hearing it here first, but this news bears repeating: There’s a very good chance that Wallingford icon, Murphy’s Pub, could soon close.

The property at 45th and Meridian containing Murphy’s, Kostas Opa, Rugs of the World, and the old Fat Cat Records building will soon be put up for sale. A new developer would likely demolish the existing structures and build up to 150 residential units.

Prior to listing the entire property, the owners of Murphy’s came to an agreement with their landlord—they could buy the portion of the property their pub sits on for the low, …

An “early design guidance meeting” for the building proposed on the former site of the Guild 45th Theater has been scheduled for February 26. To hear a presentation on building design from the developer and comment on the proposal, go to this link or call 206.207.1700 on Monday at 5pm. The access code is 2494 358 9014.

You can also go here to make public comments on the design until Friday, February 23.

The project developer, Seattle architecture firm Clark Barnes, has provided a comprehensive document outlining the three design proposals. They describe the project as a five-story mixed use …

Since the company was purchased by Rite Aid in October 2020, the demise of Bartell Drugs locations in our region has been well documented. As dozens of stores closed (including “Store #1” in downtown Seattle in December) various locations seemed to be hanging on, and I’m sure I wasn’t alone in hoping that the Wallingford Bartell’s would avoid the hit. Alas, it is not so. In the last week of January, “STORE CLOSING” and “ENTIRE STORE ON SALE!” signs appeared on the store’s facade and interior, their garish all-caps urgency a further kick to the gut.

On a recent visit, …

If you’ve walked, biked, or (hopefully rarely) driven along N 43rd and N 44th Streets between Stone Way and Latona Avenue in the past several weeks you may have noticed the “Wallingford Healthy Street Improvements Coming!” announcement signage.

Healthy Streets were one of the few positive things to result from the COVID-19 pandemic (others being takeaway booze and daytime pajamas). Keeping six feet from other people often meant giving wide berth on sidewalks and zig-zagging through the neighborhood like a drunken squirrel. More walking space was needed.

Far be it from car-dependent Seattle to actually pedestrianize some roadways, “Stay Healthy …

Coming a bit later than their expected “mid to late March” opening, Big Mario’s newest location on Northlake Way had its grand opening on August 30. With a nod to the previous occupant, who’d been serving loaded pies for 65 years, the pizza joint’s signage officially reads “Big Mario’s Northlake Tavern.” Nice.

On a recent Thursday evening, which coincided with the opening game of the NFL season, my dining companion and I walked into a surrounding that felt very familiar. The general layout and much of the decor is the same (or very similar) to that of the Northlake Tavern, …

Sometime this fall, hopefully in October, Figurehead Brewing will be opening a new location (their second) at 3513 Stone Way, a few doors up from the Pacific Inn. I recently met with Bob Monroe, head brewer and owner of Figurehead at the new location, which is in the very early stages of a significant build-out.

The space was formerly used as a woodworking shop and more recently for storage, but has fallen into a state of disrepair that will require extensive work to get it up-and-running as a taproom. Figurehead is currently waiting on permits from the city to start …

As astute readers of local and social media have probably discovered by now, The Northlake Tavern & Pizza House will close its doors on January 31, after 65 years of serving their unique style of pizza, overloaded with toppings, to UW students, alumni, and the neighborhood at large. In a January 7 Facebook post, the Northlake’s chef and owner, Abdoullah (who has been with the establishment for 42 years), stated that he is retiring “to focus on [his] current health issues.”

Wallingford pizza lovers need not despair, however, for after a brief closure for “clean-up, equipment replacement, and furnishing updates” …