November 25, 2022

Giving Thanks

If you know us, you know it’s no secret that we believe wholeheartedly in supporting all things local and encouraging that everyone put their love, time – and money – into their community. So many small businesses are taking hit after hit with covid followed by rising costs and they need your support more than ever. There are real people with real dreams behind each and every business, and every time you make a purchase you are supporting that dream and helping to strengthen your local economy.

Imagine not having your favorite local bar where the atmosphere is just right and the person behind the bar knows exactly how to make your favorite drink. Or ponder the thought of no longer having the ability to meet a friend at your favorite café or coffee shop…

Team happy hour at Flatstick Pub

If you’re like us, and so many others – you don’t have to ponder. Closures of our favorite businesses have been happening more often than we’d like. And with the recent news of Pioneer Square mainstay London Plane closing its doors at the end of the year, we’re completely saddened.

Our office is in the historic and art-filled neighborhood of Pioneer Square in downtown Seattle, an area that has been particularly hit hard over the past few years. It’s also a neighborhood we love, and it breaks our hearts to see doors close – favorite coffeeshops, beloved restaurants, frequented bars and retail shops where we buy gifts for clients and friends. For so long, London Plane kept their doors open, one of a few bright lights in a neighborhood hit particularly hard by covid, the housing crisis, and work from home. We want to thank London Plane not only for their fantastic shop and café, but for their effort and success in making our corner of Seattle just a little bit sunnier. If you’ve never been, please make the effort to visit before their closure. And if you have been, make sure you go back and say thanks.

And remember – our local businesses deserve our support all year round. Don’t wait until it is too late, and your favorite shop is closing! Our neighborhoods are more vibrant and exciting when they are here. So, while we believe that every day should be Small Business Day, as we approach Small Business Saturday, we want to take this opportunity to put out a reminder to shop small, support local, and show your love for those that make your community a special place.

We’d love to share a few words from some of our neighborhood businesses here in Pioneer Square that also believe in the importance of community. In their words, they’ll tell you just what community means to them and how we can support them during the holiday season as well as all year round:

Coffee run in Occidental Park

Alliance for Pioneer Square

“The Alliance for Pioneer Square team believes community is all about the people- business owners, residents, and visitors alike. Pioneer Square is home to some of the most creative, resilient businesses and people in Seattle.

This holiday season, as well as year round, Pioneer Square businesses need the support of the community as the neighborhood continues to recover from the ongoing impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. Folks can support businesses in big and small ways, such as patronizing an establishment to leaving a positive review online. Together, we can ensure our communities are thriving places to live, work and play.”

105 SOUTH MAIN STREET, Seattle, WA 98104, Ste 201

(206) 667-0687

WEBSITE: WWW,ALLIANCEFORPIONEERSQUARE.ORG

-CHRIS WOODWARD, ALLIANCE FOR PIONEER SQUARE

Intrigue Chocolate Co.

"Businesses do not make a community, they serve a community. People spending time with one another, serving one another, make up a community. When the people of a neighborhood don't actively tend to their space, and who they share that space with, businesses leave. So when you ask a business what community means or how to strengthen it, the answer is to simply be a community member yourself. Earn the businesses that serve you by serving each other.

If you live here, did you know there is a resident's council that meets quarterly? Attend and make your ideas known, or support other ideas you agree with.

If you work here, did you know there is a Business Improvement Association? They are responsible for the flower baskets and the music in the park. Show gratitude for this expense smalls businesses take on to beautify your neighborhood.

Did you know there is a Historic South Downtown board which distributes grant money for safety, equitable representation, and public improvement? Have a say in where this money goes. Help raise more money.

Did you know there is an Alliance for Pioneer Square board, which represents us at City Hall, markets the neighborhood, and coordinates volunteer community service? Tell them your ideas. Show up to help plant flowers in the park or repair the median along 1st Ave, or participate in the spring clean.

Did you know there is a Historic Preservation Board that reviews signage, facade improvements, and new construction? Follow the rules and keep to these aesthetic guidelines if you want to protect the integrity of our neighborhood charm.

Businesses seek communities of people to serve. Without the active office spaces we had in 2019, it's up to the residents to decide what kind of neighborhood they want for this historic district in the world of tomorrow."

157 South jackson street, seattle, wa 98194

(206) 829-8810

WEBSITE: WWW.INTRIGUECHOCOLATE.COM

- KARL MUELLER, INTRIGUE CHOCOLATE

The Pastry Project

"Community to us means encouraging, supporting, giving to, buying from, and spreading the word about our fellow neighbors, business owners and community members. We have felt so supported by our Pioneer Square community, particularly by businesses like The London Plane, and we are so sad to see them go. We are hopeful about incoming businesses like Ohsun Banchan and others that will open this year.

We do our best to offer them love and support in the ways that we can - whether it's pop-up space, borrowing the kitchen for a few hours, or just buying their food and products. We also started an instagram series called The Cake Stand to call out our fellow Seattle bakeries and shops and what they are doing or selling!

Community means being there for one another and sharing in one another's challenges and successes."

165 south main street, seattle, wa 98104

hello@thepastryproject.co

WEBSITE: WWW.thepastryproject.co

-emily kim, the pastry project

Pioneer Square D&E

"I remember back to when LP was just Little London Plane, across from where I worked, at Bar Sajor. Between the two places, the excitement was remarkable.

Libby & I found our first apartment together in Pioneer Square. We had this magical loft butted up against the viaduct with a view through the two levels of highway. Our loft was going to be even more amazing once the tunnel was complete, but Big Bertha became stuck underground, directly in front of our building.

When we decided to open our own restaurant, Pioneer Square was the top location on our list. From our house near Columbia City, we missed our old haunts and the rich personality of the neighborhood with its blend of old and new.

Community is one of those words with varying uses depending on the speaker. As restaurant owners, we've been thankful for everyone who's supported us through thick & thin. Sometimes that means we're thankful for my wife's cousin & his family for coming in for a family lunch. Other times our thanks are due to a stranger who's chosen to support our business over another that likely needed the support as much as we have. That being said, we've always wished for D&E to be a as much as a respite from the rain as it is a destination for a celebration with family and friends. We love that people in the neighborhood have gotten to know us and our kids and in some cases the other way around.

Small business Saturday holds much more significance to us now as owners of D&E. We look forward to seeing everyone around the Square this weekend and throughout the holidays."

-Jonathan, pioneer square d&e

314 2nd Ave S, Seattle, WA 98104

(206) 445-7472

WEBSITE: WWW.pioneersquarede.com

Peter Miller Books

"Shops are the measure of a town. In your mind, you have a careful track of your best and favorite shops. You judge a city by them. When you are in the city and when you think of the city. You expect them to be there, you expect them to be good at what they do."

-PETER MILLER, PETER MILLER BOOKS

304 ALASKAN WAY SOUTH, POST ALLEY, Seattle, WA 98104

(206) 441-4114

WEBSITE: WWW.pETERMILLER.COM

Tag us while you're making a purchase in Pioneer Square between now and Dec 5th, and we'll donate $5 to the Seattle Good Business Network.