Please read the following letter from TAPS and consider making a donation to this fantastic organization. They have done and will do more for the neighborhood than many of us will ever know, and any donation will go directly towards helping make Pioneer Square a better place:
Dear Friends,
You can help The Alliance for Pioneer Square in its effort to revitalize Pioneer Square! Today you have an opportunity to amplify the impact of a gift to The Alliance for Pioneer Square. We’re participating in GiveBIG, a community-wide giving challenge created by The Seattle Foundation that’s expected to be one of the biggest charitable giving days in King County history.
Here’s how you can help us out:
Grow your gift! The Seattle Foundation and local businesses will match a share of every contribution made through our page on The Seattle Foundation’s online Giving Center between 7 a.m. and midnight on today, June 23. There is a $500,000 matching pool available! (Read more about the event and challenge here.)
Win a Golden Ticket! Every hour between 7 a.m. and midnight today on June 23, The Seattle Foundation will randomly pick one person’s donation from all donations made during the previous one-hour time frame, and an additional $1,000 will be given to the nonprofit that received the Golden Ticket donation.
Learn more about the work of the Alliance and help now by donating to The Alliance for Pioneer Square.
Click the button below to GiveBIG today!
You can start by liking us on Facebook. Spread the word!
Thank you for your continued support and generosity!
-The Alliance for Pioneer Square
Great news for our neighborhood as Jones Soda has just announced its move from South Lake Union to Pioneer Square. They are leaving their 9500 sq ft location to occupy the entire first floor of the Palmer Court Building (1000 1st Ave S).
What is bringing them to Pioneer Square? (also the home of Dry Soda, by the way). According to the PSBJ, “Jones said the new location will make it easier to offer free samples to fans attending games at the stadium.”
Congrats to Brian, Mike and team at Tat’s for their recent (ish) feature on Food Network’s Meat on the Go. Ever since it aired, business has been booming, even during their “non-work crowd hours.”
You can check out the episode here. Tat’s is featured around 6 – 7 minutes in.
p.s. did you know you can check out how long the wait is with their new (ish) line cam?
Since opening in Nov. 2010 to rave reviews in downtown Seattle, BuiltBurger has quickly established a loyal following by captivating burger lovers’ hearts with signature handmade “flavored” burgers. Builts are big, bold and fearless with a global assortment of iconic flavors known for their fresh ingredients built into 100% natural patties made of beef, pork, chicken, lamb and more. BuiltBurger’s team of burger geeks is proud to announce 3 new innovations true to the brand’s vision of being a game-changer in the premium burger category.
Breakfast Builts: Believed to be the first breakfast-inspired burgers, BuiltBurger has invented 4 new flavors perfect for Blunch (breakfast and/or lunch). The open-faced Beloved Benedict and Biscuits&Gravy burgers are joined by Mile High Denver and Sunshine Glory. These 4 unique patties borrow from and innovate time-honored breakfast traditions. BuiltBurger is now open on Sundays for Blunch to feature these big, bold breakfast-inspired flavors.
All Day – Sliders & Sides Tasting Plates: Building on the success of its revolutionary “Built Tasting Plate” (3 LittleBuilt sliders of your choice), customers can now pair 1 slider with two sides or 2 sliders with one side. With 9 distinct flavors and 6 fresh sides such as potato beignets, hand cut fries, rotating sautéed vegetables and bread pudding offered daily, BuiltBurger is giving customers the unique opportunity to customize their meal right down to the flavor and food group they are in the mood for. BuiltBurger is now open Thursday nights for Slider Suppers, where customers can customize a 3 course tasting plate for only $15.
“21 Gleason” BuiltBurger: In an exclusive partnership, BuiltBurger is proud to partner with The Gleason Ranch in Brady, WA to launch a 21-day aged, 100% grass fed and finished BuiltBurger. The “21 Gleason” 7 oz. hand-crafted patty, served on an organic brioche bun, re-defines the premium purist burger. “21 Gleason” BuiltBurger is made of a proprietary blend of muscle meats hand-cut by nationally acclaimed butcher, Tracy Smaciarz of Heritage Meats in Olympia, WA. This new Built flavor will debut in late April.
“The last three months have been terrific for BuiltBurger,” says founder David Makuen. “We have tested these new concepts with customers and the response far exceeded our expectations. I’m so excited to push the BuiltBurger brand forward thanks to our chef Robert Joice, who continues to amaze customers with craveable, memorable flavor profiles.”
BuzzBee, a strategic marketing and consulting leader in Seattle, is pleased to announce an employee donation of $1,000 and team participation in the Pioneer Square Spring Clean on April 16, 2011. The company is eager to join efforts with The Alliance of Pioneer Square and the City of Seattle to beautify the historic neighborhood, and welcomes the chance to work side-by-side with other local companies to revitalize the area.
“Our team is fortunate to work in the historic Mottman Building in Pioneer Square,” said Michele Keeffe, CEO. “The history and vibe of our community is an integral part of our culture at BuzzBee. We realize the value of our financial support, but also want to be a part of the revitalization efforts of the square as it has a direct impact on our ability to recruit and retain innovative talent.”
For this event, employees from BuzzBee will join as many as 200 other anticipated volunteers in projects such as litter pick-up, painting over graffiti, mulching tree wells, planting flowers, clean-up for Fortson Square, and weeding.
The event will take place on April 16, 2011, from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. in Occidental Park, located at Occidental Ave S and S Main St., in Pioneer Square. The Alliance is optimistic that the clean-up effort will make the area more inviting and that it will show other businesses, like BuzzBee, that Pioneer Square is a great area to set up shop and be successful.
“BuzzBee’s young, innovative, free-thinking culture fits perfectly with the culture of the neighborhood,” said Leslie Smith, Director of the Alliance of Pioneer Square. “Companies like BuzzBee rejuvenate the area and have a positive economic impact in a down economy. We strive to attract more companies like BuzzBee.”
For more information about this event, please contact 206.667.0687.
Click here to see pics from the event last year.
Storefronts Seattle is launching nine new site-specific projects in storefront spaces in downtown Seattle this week.
The project debuted in late 2010 as an experiment in activating vacant spaces with art, creative enterprise, and performance. Since that time, this incredibly successful program has presented over 25 artists and groups in short-term residencies in Chinatown / International District and Pioneer Square.
Storefronts is dedicated to providing exposure and support to Seattle area artists, and to revitalizing our urban core. They use the arts and creative enterprise to help protect neighborhoods from high vacancy rates, reduced street traffic, and a disengaged streetscape. They activate the neighborhood and help to bring vibrancy to the urban environment.
They are hosting an Opening Reception this Thursday, April 7, for the Spring 2011 round of installations, starting at the xom fine woodworking gallery.
For more information, and to download a map of all of the locations, click here.
Zulily is hosting their first-ever sample sale this Friday, March 25 from 8am – 1pm at 155 Main St. They are moving into the space where the Pratt had their holiday sale (next to the former BofA) for one day only.
They have a huge selection of items from their warehouse and photo studios – goodies for women and kids, strollers, toys and lots more.
Prices start at $2, cash only, and proceeds from the sale are being donated to earthquake disaster relief efforts.
It is free to attend the sale, but they are asking people to RSVP just so that they have an idea of how many to expect.
RSVP here: http://zulilysamplesale.eventbrite.com/
Join fellow business owners / employees at a mixer later today:
What: Socializing + Happy Hour
Where: FX McRory’s Steak Chop + Oyster House
When: Monday, March 21, 4pm – 6pm
RSVP: lisa@pioneersquare.org
Background on the cafe:
Built in 1890, The Merchant’s Café has been in continuous operation ever since, making it Seattle’s oldest restaurant. In the 1920s and ’30s, the upstairs functioned as a hotel, the Merchant’s Hotel.
Lately, I’ve been seeing a lot of all day / late night construction going on at Merchant’s Café, and the rumor mill is buzzing that a previous manager from Last Supper Club has purchased the cafe and is changing it to be more neighborhood and family friendly — including better food, outdoor seating (nice outdoor seating — no smoking out front), and better hours.
Stay tuned for more details — (or if you have some — please share! I’m having trouble tracking down the new owner).
Sustainable Seattle thinks so. In association with Take Back Your Time and the Compassionate Action Network, it is releasing the first comprehensive survey of happiness in this region, as part of the Seattle Area Happiness Initiative (SAHI). The survey is now online at: www.sustainableseattle.org for anyone to take.
“You get what you measure,” says Seattle City Councilmember Mike O’Brien. “For too long we’ve measured the wrong things—Gross Domestic Product doesn’t tell us whether we have a good quality of life or a sustainable society. This survey, which includes nine domains of well-being, not just income, is a good way to start measuring the important things we care about, so we can actually achieve them.”
Anyone who takes the survey will receive an immediate evaluation of personal well-being for each of the nine domains of happiness identified by international researchers:
- psychological well-being
- physical health
- time balance
- education
- cultural vitality and access
- social connection
- good government
- environmental quality and access to nature
- and material well-being.
- [Editor's sarcastic add-in: parking rates and availability, perhaps?]
The survey takes a holistic approach to well-being and asks poignant questions that allow reflection and insight. “It takes a while to complete (20-30 minutes) because it’s comprehensive,” says John de Graaf, Executive Director of Take Back Your Time (www.timeday.org). “But you’ll find it’s worth the time because it really makes you think about your life and how to improve it. ”
More information on the entire project, which will provide a model for other cities around the country and the world, can be found at www.sustainableseattle.org/sahi.
Email: happy@sustainableseattle.org
Twitter: twitter.com/sustainseattle
Newsletter at www.sustainableseattle.org