Bottom Line Blog Office of Economic Development

Bottom Line

News from Seattle's Office of Economic Development

From Coffee to Arepas, Celebrate Latinx Heritage Month by Supporting Latinx-Owned Businesses

by

September 15 – October 15 is Latinx Heritage Month! This month recognizes the independence anniversaries of several Latin American nations and uplifts the cultural legacy of communities deeply-rooted in rich traditions.  

As Latinx Heritage Month comes to an end, the Seattle Office of Economic Development celebrates and honors the many Latinx communities throughout Seattle. To celebrate, we encourage the Seattle Community to support Latinx-owned businesses.  

Don’t see a Latinx-owned business you love? Let us know! 

Geo’s Cuban Bar & Grill  

Geo’s Cuban Bar & Grill (10515 Greenwood Ave N, Seattle, WA 98133) | Photo by Jacqueline Wu

Located in Greenwood, Geo’s Cuban Bar & Grill offers delicious Cuban and Creole food. Their Cubano sandwich is heaven, with slow roasted pork, hickory smoked ham, Swiss cheese, pickles, mustard, and mayo – pressed between traditional Cuban bread and served with yuca fries and garlic cilantro aioli. For those looking for a little heat, look no further than the Spicy Garlic Shrimp – Shrimp sauteed in a garlic-butter wine reduction, with chopped onion, Serrano peppers and bacon bits. Geo’s Cuban Bar and Grill open Monday through Sunday, 12:00PM – 9:00PM.  

  • Bistec de Palomilla (Top Left). Tostones (Bottom Center), and Cubano Sandwich con Yuca Frita
  • Sampler Plate with Fish Croquettes, Manduro Fritos, Tostones, and Yuca Frita
Photo by Jacqueline Wu

The Station  

The Station is not just a coffee shop—its community. Located in Beacon Hill, across the street from the light rail station, The Station is a Black and Latinx owned business run by husband and wife duo Luis Rodriguez and Leona Moore-Rodriguez. The Station is intentional about creating community space, providing a home for artists of all disciplines, youth workers, and activists; hosting the Annual Station Block Party. Even when COVID-19 affected Seattle, The Station continued to center community by operating a free food pantry in partnership with Cleveland High School, taking donations and providing food to neighborhoods who needed it. The Station is open Monday – Friday, 6:00AM – 8:00PM, and Saturday – Sunday, 8:00AM – 7:00PM. Like many small businesses, the pandemic has taken a toll on The Station, and they are accepting donations.   

Antojitos Lita Rosita, Sabor Delicioso, Outsider Pizza, and Shark Bite Ceviches  

Food carts in Plaza Roberto Maesta (2602 16th Ave S, Seattle, WA) | Photo by Jacqueline Wu

After grabbing a coffee at The Station, walk towards Plaza Roberto Maestas for a bite. Anitojitos Lita Rosita, Sabor Delicioso, Outsider Pizza, and Shark Bite Ceviches are part of El Centro de la Raza’s Food Cart program that supports incubating businesses. The goal of the Food Cart program is to give small business owners the tools, knowledge, and space to start or grow their businesses. Antojitos Lita Rosita serves Oaxacan food like a crispy tlayuda or flavorful tamal. Sabor Delicioso has tacos, tortas, huarche, gorditas, burrito, nachos, tamals, and thirst quenching agua frescas. For handmade New York style slices, look no further than Outsider Pizza. Shark Bite Ceviche offers up mouth water ceviche, with shrimp in every bite, mango, cucumber, red onion, and a little kick. These food carts are typically open Monday thru Friday, with festivals in the afternoon until evening.  

  • Antojitos Lita Rosita | Photo by Jacqueline Wu
  • Sabor Delicioso | Photo by Jacqueline Wu
  • Shark Bite Ceviches | Photo by Jacqueline Wu
  • Outsider Pizza | Photo by Jacqueline Wu

Valerie Madison Fine Jewelry 

A true Seattle gem is Valerie Madison Fine Jewelry – an Afro-Latina women-owned business in Madrona. With a background in Environmental science from UW, Madison had a vision to be a trusted designer of quality, aesthetically pleasing jewelry and combining her love for the natural world. A Valerie Madison piece features styles and stones not seen in traditional pieces, such as salt-and-pepper diamonds, rose-cut diamonds, uniquely shaped stones, vibrant hues, and more. Valerie Madison Fine Jewelry is open Tuesday – Friday, 11AM – 6PM and Saturday, 10AM – 4PM. Appointments are encouraged and virtual consultation is offered.  

Don Lucho’s  

Don Lucho’s (7919 Roosevelt Way NE, Seattle, WA 98115) serves up Peruvian food and Pisco cocktail, with a large heated outdoor seating patio | Photo by Jacqueline Wu

With a dream of sharing their Peruvian culture and cuisine in Seattle, Don Lucho’s rolled Seattle streets serving Peruvian sandwiches from their food truck. After six year, Don Lucho’s found a home in the Seattle’s Maple Leaf. With the adoption of their brick and mortar, also came the expansion of their menu to experience Peruvian staples like Polla a La Lena (Firewood Roasted Chicken), Arroz con Mariscos (Seafood Rice), plantains, empanadas, and cocktails made from Pisco—a Peruvian brandy. Don Lucho’s location is outfitted with a patio area for safe outdoor dining and are opened Tuesday – Saturday, 12:00PM – 9:00PM. Check their website for food truck locations.  

  • Pisco Cocktails | Photo by Jacqueline Wu
  • Empanada with Salad (lLeft and Right); Lucuma Pie (Top Right); and Lomo Saltado (Bottom Center) | Photo by Jacqueline Wu
  • Arroz con Mariscos | Photo by Jacqueline Wu
  • Don Lucho’s is located on the southwest corner of NE 80th St and Roosevelt Way NE | Photo by Jacqueline Wu

Arepa Venezuelan Kitchen  

Arepa Venexuelan Kitchen (1405 NE 50th St, Seattle, WA 98105) | Photo by Jacqueline Wu

If you haven’t had Arepas before, you need to head to Arepa Venezuelan Kitchen. Off the Ave, Arepa Venezuela Kitchen is serving hot arepas that are crispy on the outside, soft on the inside, bursting with flavor. The Pabellon Arepa, is filled with juicy shredded beef, savory black beans and a sweet plantain. The Reina Pepiada Arepa is loaded with shredded chicken and avocado drenched in a green sauce. Arepa Venezuelan Kitchen is open Monday – Saturday, 10:30AM – 8:00PM; Sunday, 11:00AM – 5:00PM.   

  • Mango Lemonade (Top); Arepas (Left); Tres Leches Cake (Right) | Photo by Jacqueline Wu
  • Pabellon Arepa (left) and Reina Pepiada Arepa (right) | Photo by Jacqueline Wu
  • Tres Leches Cake | Photo by Jacqueline Wu

Resistencia Coffee  

There is no better way to start your day than the Resistencia way, with locally made tamales and a delicious latte. This South Park neighborhood coffee shop is all about resisting gentrification and creating community for the Latinx community. In creating that community space, Resistencia Coffee hosts local events, supports local artists, and local food businesses!  Resistencia Coffee is open Monday – Saturday, 7:00AM – 5:00PM, and Sunday, 8:00AM – 5:00PM.  

Guanaco’s Tacos Pupuseria  

Guanaco’s Tacos Pupuseria (4106 Brooklyn Ave NE Seattle, WA 98105) | Photo by Jacqueline Wu

Two blocks west of the University of Washington (UW), Eduardo Revelo runs Guanaco’s Tacos Pupuseria, serving warm, fluffy pupusas. Pupusas are stuffed corn tortilla cakes with filling choices of chicharrón, chicken, nopal, loroco, ayote, cheese, beans, and more. They can be stuffed with three different fillings, eaten à la carte, or in a combination plate with a tamale, empanada, or beans and rice. And don’t skimp on the curtido, the pickle cabbage cleanses your pallet making every new bite the first. Guanaco’s Tacos Pupuseria is open Monday through Friday, 11:30AM – 8:30PM; Saturday, 12:00PM – 8:30PM; and 12:00PM – 7:30PM. 

Rice and Beans (Right) and Chicharrón, Bean, and Loroco with cutido and salsa | Photo by Jacqueline Wu

Nepantla Cultural Arts Gallery 

The Nepantla Cultural Arts Gallery is a multi-use accessible cultural arts space located in Delridge near the boarder of White Center. The Nepantla art exhibits focuses on marginalized communities and communities of color. They also serve as a community space for events such as arts related lectures and workshops, open mics, and community forums. Nepantla also houses a gift shop with unique collection of apparel, jewelry, handmade gifts, and amazing works of art by local and national artists. They’re open Wednesday – Sunday, 12:00PM – 6:00PM.  

Celebrate Indigenous Peoples’ Day by Supporting Native-Owned Businesses

by

In 2014, Seattle City Council voted to recognize Indigenous People’s Day on the second Monday in October to celebrate and honor Native American people—shifting the focus from Columbus to the resiliency, history and diverse cultures of Native communities.  Today, OED celebrates and honors the many Indigenous communities throughout the country—especially the Duwamish community whose land the City of Seattle now resides on. To celebrate, we encourage the Seattle community to support Native-owned businesses.  Don’t see a Native-owned business you love? Let us know! 

Duwamish Longhouse and Cultural Center  

Duwamish Longhouse and Cultural Center | Photo by Jacqueline Wu

The Duwamish Tribe are the first people of Seattle. Their Duwamish Longhouse and Cultural Center began in the 1990s, as a way for the Duwamish Tribe to reclaim land within their ancestral territory. Overlooking the Duwamish River, the Longhouse promotes the social, cultural, and economic survival of Seattle’s Duwamish Tribe – Seattle’s first people.  

Support the Duwamish Tribe by shopping their online store or paying Real Rent. All funds go directly to Duwamish Tribal Services to support the revival of Duwamish culture and the vitality of the Duwamish Tribe. In the upcoming months, the Longhouse will house a juice bar that will support the Duwamish Tribe. 

Inside the Duwamish Longhouse exhibit on the Duwamish and gift store.

Eight Generation  

Eight Generation is a Seattle based art and lifestyle brand. It was founded in 2008 when Louie Gong, an Nooksack artist, activist and educator began customizing Vans shoes with traditional Coast Salish art and influences. In 2016, Gong opened the flagship retail store in Pike Place Market.  

Eight Generation partners with community-based Native artists around the country to design and create wool blanket, gifts and art. Their Inspired Natives Project, anchored by the tagline “Inspired Natives, not Native-inspired,” builds business capacity among cultural artists while addressing the economic impact of cultural appropriation. Last year, the Snoqualmie Tribe acquired Eight Generation.  

Since the pandemic, the flagship store has temporarily closed. Customers are still able to make purchases online and support native artists.  In support of  the indigenous community, Eight Generation has donated over 10,000 masks to Seattle Indian Health Board.  

Plans for Eight Generation expansion to downtown Portland are delayed. 

Indian Candy  

Indian Candy  is a small, native-owned family run business that offers sustainably caught salmon and wild foods, such as wild huckleberry jam. They catch and process salmon using the same methods as their ancestors, with a mindfulness of the planet and local ecosystem.  

Indian Candy can be found at the University District (University WA NE between 50th and 52nd, Saturdays, 9AM – 2PM), West Seattle (West Seattle Junction, Sundays, 10AM – 2PM), and Capitol Hill (Broadway and Pine, Sundays, 11AM – 3PM) farmers markets, and seasonally at the Columbia City (37th Ave S and Edmunds St, Wednesdays, 3PM – 7PM) farmers markets.  

You can also order their products online for local pick up or delivery. 

Indian Summer  

Indian Summer is a Afro Native small business that buys, sells, and trades vintage clothes and accessories in Capitol Hill. They offer a wide range of styles and sizes. In addition, they host events and music in their boutique. 

Due to COVID-19, they temporarily closed their store front but have transition to an Instagram marketplace. 

Native Works by Chief Seattle Club 

Chief Seattle Club supports Seattle’s Native community members that are experiencing homelessness. Their Day Center located in Pioneer Square provides food, primary health care, housing assistance, an urban Indian legal clinic, and outings for members to cultural and community-build events.  

Chief Seattle Club also launched Native Works, a Native art job training program to give some Chief Seattle Club members a part-time job as apprentices that will lead to a gateway to full-time employment and housing. Each piece of jewelry is handmade by a local apprentice with all proceeds going directly to providing meals, mental healthcare, drug and alcohol counseling, housing referrals, legal consultation and more to those in need within Seattle’s Native community. Native Works has an online store. 

Off the Rez  

Off the Rez Cafe in the Burke Museum at the University of Washington | Photo by Jacqueline Wu

In 2011, Off the Rez started as a food truck running through the greater Seattle area offering Blackfeet frybread recipes and Indian tacos.  

Last year, Off the Rez opened their café  at the newly renovated Burke Museum at the University of Washington. In addition to frybread and Indian tacos, the café offers drip coffee, espresso drinks, cold brew and tea. The Café is open Tuesday – Sunday, 10AM – 5PM. Check out their Facebook to see the most up to date location of their food truck. 

Off the Rez also offers full catering and bartending services. 

Frybread with honey (l) and Indian Taco with Chicken Chili Verde (r) | Photo by Jacqueline Wu

OHM Electrical Contracting  

Alfred Paul Sim is owner and founder of OHM Electrical Contracting is a full-service electrical contracting firm, based in Seattle. Sim is a licensed 01-Master Electrician with experience in electrical construction, electrical business management and electrical engineering. Sim’s Native background has also influenced his work to incorporate environmental stewardism into his work so that technology can work in harmony with nature. For more information on OHM Electrical Contracting, click here.  

Sacred Circle Gift Shop and Gallery at Daybreak Star Center  

Sacred Circle Gift Shop and Gallery at Daybreak Star Indian Cultural Center | Photo by Jacqueline Wu

United Indian of All Tribes operates Daybreak Star Indian Cultural Center in Magnolia. Daybreak Star Indian Cultural Center is a land base and community center for Native Americans in the Seattle area. The Center emerged from Native American activists in 1970 who staged a non-violent takeover and occupation of the land, after Fort Lawton military base was declared surplus by the U.S. Department of Defense. This year UIAT is celebrating their 50th anniversary. 

At the Center, UIAT provides services to the indigenous community that includes early childhood development, employment support, homeless prevention, native elders support, and more. They also house the Sacred Circle Gallery & Gift Shop to exhibit Native American art, featuring contemporary and traditional Native American art by a wide range of internationally recognized and local artists. The Gallery and Gift Shop is open Monday – Friday, 10AM – 5PM; Saturday 10AM – 4PM. The Sacred Circle Gallery and Gift Shop also  has an online store. There is also a Sacred Circle Gift Shop At SeaTac Airport, near the A-gates.   

Various goods at the Sacred Circle Gallery | Photo by Jacqueline Wu

Seattle Office of Economic Development invests $288,000 in Seattle Youth Career Opportunities

by

Seattle youth gaining maritime and ocean sciences experience with Northwest Maritime Center. Photo courtesy of Northwest Maritime Center.

Seattle Office of Economic Development (OED) is awarding 10 organizations the 2020 Career Connected Learning grant. Career Connected Learning grants focus on ensuring local youth ages 14-24 have the skills, knowledge, and networks to connect to the region’s economy. Our Career Connected Learning programs are operating within the context of two economic forces that are exacerbating existing racial and economic disparities and further exposing the vulnerabilities of many of Seattle’s workers and businesses: COVID-19 and the rise of automation.  

This highly competitive grant was awarded to proposals that strongly linked career awareness, experiences and activities for youth with future careers.  Awardees demonstrated their ability to support Black, Indigenous, People of Color (BIPOC) youth who otherwise would not have the opportunities or networks to build connections to the labor markets, demonstrated their ability to mitigate the impacts of COVID-19 in their communities, demonstrated their ability to  build the capacity and infrastructure within their organizations to provide career connected learning experiences for youth ages 14-24 that create deeper connections to the workforce, and support youth to build social capital.

“At OED, we want Seattle youth to be able to see themselves working and thriving in our local economy.  This includes young people learning about our key sectors, understanding and building the skills that are needed, and making connections to supportive networks and businesses.” said Nancy Yamamoto, OED Director of Workforce Development.  “It is critically important to support these career connected learning opportunities because the pandemic severely impacted young people, including lost internships and job opportunities where they gain their first work experiences.”

By investing in learning opportunities for youth of color, the Career Connected Learning Grants aim to mitigate against the harms caused by historic and ongoing systematic racism that disproportionately affects communities of color. Awarded projects are aligned to build talent pipelines to OED’s key industries; Information Technology (IT), Creative, Maritime and Clean Technology. These industries provide pathways to middle wage jobs and career advancement.

Northwest Maritime Center youth learning maritime skills in a pool. Photo by Northwest Maritime.

Northwest Maritime Center (NWMC) is one of the ten 2020 Career Connected Learning Grant awardees. They are building bridges between the Duwamish Valley region and the maritime industry. The Career Connected Learning grant will allow them to develop community engagement and education experiences for the families and youth of the Duwamish Valley region. These experiences are designed to inspire interest, scaffold learning an connect the community to the maritime sector, ideally leading to living-wage jobs and careers in the maritime industry for Duwamish Valley youth. 

 “Youth of color and those with marginalized genders/identities have historically been denied access to maritime education and on the water experiences. But all youth deserve to engage equally with what we at the Northwest Maritime Center call the most powerful teacher we know – the sea. I couldn’t be more excited to collaborate with the Duwamish River Cleanup Coalition, Highline Public Schools and the Port of Seattle in launching a Maritime & Ocean Sciences High School in the Duwamish Valley – a community that intimately understands the value and significance of that watershed and our waterways ” said Stephanie Burns, Project Manager at the Northwest Maritime Center.  

Burns goes on to say, “The first people of this region were the Duwamish Tribe, who continue to fight for federal recognition and against the compounded legacies of environmental, economic, and social injustice. NWMC is honored to be part of this work in addressing institutionalized oppression, dismantling systemic inequities and removing barriers to maritime education so that youth of color who are furthest from opportunity have the same access to resources as their peers in order to thrive – academically, financially, and beyond.”

The Career Connected Learning Grant program is a part of OED’s Workforce Development strategy that focuses on growing the skills of our current and future workforce to be part of region’s world-class talent pool.  OED works to build career pathways to economic mobility by closing skills gaps in targeted growth industries.  With our education and employer partners, we are aligning education and training programs with industry needs to help individuals develop the skills they need to get in-demand jobs and advance in their careers, while helping employers access the skilled workers they need to compete. To learn more about OED’s Workforce Development programs visit the website.

2020 Career Learning Grants Awardees

Aerospace Joint Apprenticeship Committee and YouthForce

Aerospace Joint Apprenticeship Committee (AJAC) and YouthForce will expand the Advanced Manufacturing Academy (AMA) program to low-income youth 16-24 from South Seattle. The partnership combines high-quality career preparation training, paid internships at local manufacturing companies, and supportive case management and wrap around supports to ensure that young adults are prepared for success in an advance manufacturing setting.

Arts Corps

Arts Corps will offer Learning Immersive Technology (LIT) Program to middle and high school students. This program provides free access to arts-based STEM learning and forges more equitable career pathways for youth in the Seattle region. LIT aims to co-create the future with young people and to actively center their voices in all aspects of the program. Learning Immersive Technology (LIT) students receive intensive learning experiences based in game design and virtual reality filmmaking, while also gaining 21st Century skills, creative capacities, and professional skills. In addition to receiving high quality intensive learning experiences, LIT students also serve as paid mentors for up to 100 middle and high school students who participate in ‘STEAM hackathons’ held throughout the year.

Central Area Collaborative

Central Area Collaborative (CAC) will receive a planning grant to develop a clean technology training program in partnership with Sphere Solar. CAC is also a recipient of OED’s Only in Seattle grant, which established the Central Area Design Review Board to give community a voice in the development actions in their neighborhood.

Coyote Central

OED is funding the development Coyote Central’s Digital Marketing Boot Camp (DMBC). The Digital Marketing Boot Camp (DMBC), which will be designed to serve 10 BIPOC youth ages 14 to 17, will be an intensive 5-8-month program that will take its participants beyond career awareness and exploration and give them an opportunity to put their skills to work in a professional setting. The focus will be on the skills most valuable in the digital marketing profession, including Adobe Creative Cloud programs such as Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign and Aero, Ableton Live 10, 3-D printing technologies, and other digital fabrication tools and languages (Arduino, GRBL). The DMBC will also involve one-on-one mentoring for each participant and the potential for internships, job shadowing, or other connections with the professional world.

Juma and Computing for All

Juma and Computing for All will provide the remaining portion of Computing for All’s virtual IT Pre-apprenticeship program for 12 youth. As part of the program, youth will receive a stipend, career coaching and employment skills training from Juma and earn an internship stipend. Included in the curriculum: Basic Career and Job Readiness, Employer Interaction, Communication and Teamwork, and Technical Skills that includes: Introduction to computational thinking and algorithms using creative block coding through Scratch/MakeCode game building, basic JavaScript and how it ties in with HTML and CSS to create interactive websites and computer applications, and Visual Design and UX/UI (User experience) to design web pages and applications.

Multimedia Resources and Training Institute (MMRTI)

During this challenging time, MMRTI, SIXR, and ChickTech Seattle have identified an opportunity to train marginalized BIPOC young adults to not only participate, but also become future leaders in technology. The Future Founders Makers Fellowship is a paid 8-week training, networking and hands-on experience in product design, mentorship, and tech entrepreneurship. The inaugural cohort is open to all Central and South Seattle residents ages 18 to 24 years-old who have demonstrated interest in technology, and targets Black and Latinx women, as well as recent immigrants. The expected outcome is for youth to gain industry recognized certifications, to have digital 3D product design portfolios, and when time permits, to showcase physical floating prototypes of electric passenger water transportation at Seattle’s South Lake Union.

Northwest Maritime Center

In anticipation of the Maritime and Oceans Sciences High School that will launch by the fall of 2022, Northwest Maritime Center is developing community engagement and education experiences for the families and youth of the Duwamish Valley region. These experiences are designed to inspire interest, scaffold learning and connect the community to the maritime sector, ideally leading to living-wage jobs and careers in the maritime industry for Duwamish Valley youth.

SPS_VR

This project is a collaboration between Seattle Public Schools and SIXR, Simulated Immersive eXperimental Realities, a Seattle based 501(c)3 non-profit focused on community and collaborative productivity of VR/AR and 360 video experiences. The project will be expanded with high school programs to offer Intro to Immersive Media class and add a Launch206 experience that deepens relationship with Industry partners such as Unity Education, Microsoft and Oculus. The program will include a credit bearing summer experience , as well as student support so that they can engage in sufficient learning to earn the Unity Certified User certificate through an SPS supported exam opportunity. SIXR internships are based on student learners completing the Immersive Media curriculum. This will allow students to continue a career preparation and launch trajectory towards careers in the growing VR/AR/XR field.

The Vera Project and Northwest Arts Streaming Hub

The Career Connected Learning grant will support Equip the Kids, a virtual program that support digital equity in the arts by providing creative equipment, technical training, and creative workforce development opportunities for young people 14-24 and BIPOC organizations in Seattle. The program will be collaborative managed by the Vera Project, the Northwest Arts Streaming Hub (NASH) and a cohort of community partners including Sub Pop & KEXP.. A cohort of youth will participate in a 6-month, virtual learning program focused on inclusive creative fields viable both during and after COVID-19 restrictions. Throughout the course of the program, participants will have access to training sessions led by instructors and employers in creative fields. Program participants will receive a minimum of two paid opportunities each to produce streamable content.

Young Women Empowered

Young Women Empowered’s Y-WE Code enables underserved young women to develop college/career readiness through mentor-supported, project-based STEM learning using digital technology to explore coding and STEM careers. The program empowers young women to use technology tools for learning, career, financial success, self-expression and social change. Y-WE Code youth develop skills and knowledge through hands-on learning with developing apps, coding/software, studying robotics, technology workshops and panels with women STEM professionals. Y-WE Code will serve a total of 120 youth and 60 adults. Y-WE Code includes a STEM Exploration Day, Hackathon, Youth Leadership and Career Day. Youth each receive 100+ mentorship hours.

Resources Roundup

by

The City of Seattle’s Office of Economic Development (OED) is committed to keeping you updated about new developments in these quickly changing and challenging times. In this weekly blog, we’ll provide you with the latest information about new policies and resources available from the City of Seattle, King County, the State of Washington, the federal government, and our private and philanthropic partners. For an exhaustive list of resources visit OED’s Resource Page.

City of Seattle News and Resources

Public Health Requirements for Businesses

The Department of Finance and Administrative Services (FAS) is seeking input on a public health measure that’s been in effect since mid-July and requires businesses to follow state-mandated business requirements, including use of protective face coverings, social distancing and adhering to capacity limits.

FAS issued the temporary measure last month following a dramatic increase in COVID-19 cases. The measure was developed in partnership with King County and created through use of an Emergency Director’s Rule. Under Seattle Municipal Code, the Director of FAS is authorized to adopt, publish and enforce all rules necessary to implement, interpret, administer and enforce city code for the purpose of licensing and regulating businesses.

As COVID-19 cases continue to increase throughout the state, the department seeks to make the temporary measure a permanent rule through the duration of the pandemic. As part of this process, FAS is asking for input from businesses on how it can support them in implementing the rule requirements.

Members of the public can view the draft rule on the FAS website. Public comments should be provided by 5 p.m. on Friday, Aug. 28, and can be submitted by: 

  • Calling 206-386-1268 (interpretation services available upon request)
  • Emailing consumerprotection@seattle.gov
  • Sending mail to:

    City of Seattle
    Dept. of Finance and Administrative Services
    Attention: Consumer Protection Division
    P.O. Box 94785
    Seattle, WA 98124-7085

Productions Requiring Master Film Permits May Resume Under COVID-19 Adaptions

The City of Seattle has resumed issuing Master Film Permits for productions which meet Governor and public health requirements. Master Film Permit approval is on a temporary basis and may be suspended at any time if changes in COVID-19 conditions make it necessary. The Governor’s requirements detail site-specific preparedness, and require film production companies to adopt a written procedure for operations that are at least as strict as the L&I and DOH requirements, and comply with all safety and health requirements including those related to talent (actors), catering, hair/makeup, set construction, and back-office staff. Current and future permits may be revoked for productions not adhering to the plan submitted and approved through the Master Film Permit. Additionally, these productions cannot require uniformed police officers.

To apply or for more information visit: COVID-19 Film Guidance and Updates

Additional Citywide Testing Sites Expanded to South Seattle

A third citywide testing site is located at Rainier Beach High School. Rainier Beach has one of the highest density of BIPOC communities in Seattle, and citywide testing will increase the capacity for testing by up to 40,000 tests per week. The Rainier Beach walk-up testing site is open Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday, 9:30am – 5:30pm.

There are also two additional drive-thru COVID-19 sites in SODO and Aurora. 

Free testing is available to lessen the spread of COVID-19 throughout our region. Getting tested can help you protect your family, friends, and community should you contract the virus. 

Register online for a test. Language interpretation services are available at most location at no costs and are open to anyone regardless of immigration or insurance status. 

Order Your Small Business Safe Start Kit

Chambers and business organizations around the region have come together in partnership with King County to provide Safe Start Kits. These kits provide cloth face coverings, disposable masks, and hand sanitizer to businesses in King County to help keep employees healthy and safe.

To pick up or have your kit shipped (shipping fees apply), click here.

Pick up dates July 17 – Seattle (SODO) 10:15 – 2:15 p.m.

July 24 – Seattle (SODO) Time & Sign Up TBD

Expand Your Business Outdoors

The City’s is offering FREE permits for sidewalk cafes, curb spaces, and street closures for restaurants and businesses! These permit options  will give restaurants and retail stores more space to operate while providing their patrons and pedestrians more space to move following Governor Jay Inslee’s Safe Start plan.

To learn more about these permits, and decide if these options are right for your businesses, visit the permitting websites:

SDOT: Temporary Outdoor Café, Merchandise Display, Vending, and Street Closure Permits

SDCI: Property & Building Use

Toolkits for reopening

King County has entered Phase 2 of Washington’s Safe Start reopening plan. Phase 2 allows certain businesses and activities to resume under strict public health and safety guidance.

The City of Seattle developed toolkits to help businesses in various sectors reopen, based on Washington Department of Health and Public Health – Seattle & King County guidelines. The toolkits have guidance for restaurants and taverns, retail, professional services, personal services, fitness and training and domestic services.. Toolkits are available in Amharic, Traditional Chinese, Korean, Somali, Spanish, and Vietnamese. Businesses can also call OED for assistance at 206-684-8090 (interpretation available in Amharic, Cantonese, Mandarin, Korean, Somali, Spanish, Vietnamese).

Public Health Posters for Your Business

Public Health – Seattle & King County are providing posters for businesses to help inform staff and customers on the latest COVID-19 guidance .Learn more here. 

Posters are available Amharic, Chinese (Traditional and Simplified), Khmer, Korean, Marshallese, Russian, Samoan, Somali, Spanish, Thai, Tongan, and Vietnamese. 

Federal News and Resources

Need Working Capital? Apply for EIDL Loan

Businesses are encouraged to apply for an Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDL) while funding lasts. OED provides FREE technical assistance for businesses to:

  • Understand available financial resources, including loans and grants
  • Check eligibility for loans and other resources
  • Apply for SBA loans and complete the application, including EIDL and EIDL Advance, SBA Express Bridge Loans, and SBA Debt Relief
  • Interpretation is available in 8 languages: English, Amharic, Mandarin, Cantonese, Korean, Somali, Spanish, and Vietnamese

Please call the Seattle Office of Economic Development at 206-684-8090 from Monday to Friday 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. or email OED at oed@seattle.gov anytime to receive free assistance. You can ask for language assistance and receive interpretation over the phone.

Share Input on COVID-19 Public Health Requirements for Businesses

by

The Department of Finance and Administrative Services (FAS) is seeking input on a public health measure that’s been in effect since mid-July and requires businesses to follow state-mandated business requirements, including use of protective face coverings, social distancing and adhering to capacity limits.

FAS issued the temporary measure last month following a dramatic increase in COVID-19 cases. The measure was developed in partnership with King County and created through use of an Emergency Director’s Rule. Under Seattle Municipal Code, the Director of FAS is authorized to adopt, publish and enforce all rules necessary to implement, interpret, administer and enforce city code for the purpose of licensing and regulating businesses.

As COVID-19 cases continue to increase throughout the state, the department seeks to make the temporary measure a permanent rule through the duration of the pandemic. As part of this process, FAS is asking for input from businesses on how it can support them in implementing the rule requirements.

“This rule is about public health and protecting the health and safety of our community,” said Calvin W. Goings, Director of the Department of Finance and Administrative Services. “We view Seattle businesses as partners in this work and our focus has been and will remain on outreach and education to ensure patrons and employees stay safe and healthy.”

As part of its education and outreach efforts, the department has distributed one-page flyers in seven languages to businesses, launched a web page and partnered with the Office of Economic Development on an e-mail campaign to help reinforce the state-mandated business requirements created to help protect employees and business patrons. 

Businesses with repeated and/or egregious offenses face having their City of Seattle business license suspended and may be charged with a crime that carries a maximum penalty of up to 364 days in jail and a $5,000 fine.

Members of the public can view the draft rule on the FAS website. Public comments should be provided by 5 p.m. on Friday, Aug. 28, and can be submitted by: 

City of Seattle
Dept. of Finance and Administrative Services
Attention: Consumer Protection Division
P.O. Box 94785
Seattle, WA 98124-7085

Neighborhood Business Districts Webinar – Street Closure Permits

by

Gracia’s outdoor cafe expanded operations on the curbside and sidewalk in Ballard | SDOT Twitter

On Thursday, July 30, the Only in Seattle (OIS) team hosted a webinar with neighborhood business districts and partners to provide relevant and timely information for small businesses. This webinar focused on Seattle Department of Transportation’s (SDOT) Street Closure Permits. Street Closure Permits are free and are an expansion of SDOT’s Temporary Outdoor Café, Merchandise Display, and Vending Permits.

Casey Rogers and Alyse Nelson provided an overview of SDOT’s Street Closure Permits, the application process, and answer questions from neighborhood business district partners. SDOT encourages businesses and neighborhood business district partners to schedule a pre-application coaching session to understand proposals. To schedule a session, email publicspace@seattle.gov.

In response to COVID-19, the OIS team continues to work with business districts and community partners to provide resources and improve language access for small businesses. The OIS team coordinates with Seattle’s neighborhood business districts to provide resources for community stakeholders, businesses, property owners, and local organizations to achieve economic development outcomes determined by the community.

OIS conducts business district webinars every 2-3 weeks, answering questions and concerns businesses may have. Previous webinars include public safety, connecting businesses to resources, and King County Phase 2 reopening. If there’s a topic or a question that neighborhood business districts would like to cover in a future webinar, please email Heidi Hall, Heidi.Hall@seattle.gov.

Neighborhood Business Districts Webinar – Street Closure Permits Slide Deck

Resource Roundup

by

The City of Seattle’s Office of Economic Development (OED) is committed to keeping you updated about new developments in these quickly changing and challenging times. In this weekly blog, we’ll provide you with the latest news and information about new policies and resources available from the City of Seattle, King County, the State of Washington, the federal government, and our private and philanthropic partners. For a more detailed list of resources for businesses, workers, nonprofits and the arts, visit here.

City of Seattle News and Resources

Outreach, education, and new compliance enforcement measures for “Safe Start’ plan

Building off of the City’s recent announcement to increase education and outreach efforts, Mayor Jenny Durkan announced that the Department of Finance and Administrative Services (FAS) has issued a new public health and safety measure to enforce state-mandated business requirements, including protective face coverings, social distancing and capacity limitations. 

For customers, residents or employees who have concerns about non-compliance, FAS will conduct outreach, provide education, and help to enforce Governor Inslee’s Safe Start plan in non-food business establishments across the city. Public Health – Seattle & King County has expanded efforts to educate and enforce protections in food establishments, with FAS in a supporting role.

Effective immediately, FAS will begin implementing the new measure through the use of a Director’s Rule. Understanding the complexities of navigating the COVID-19 environment, the City’s focus is primarily to conduct outreach and education to help businesses comply with the new rule. With repeated and/or egregious offenses, businesses may have their City of Seattle business license suspended and may be charged with a crime that carries a maximum penalty of up to 364 days in jail and a $5,000 fine. Read more here.

Order your Small Business Safe Start Kit

Chambers and business organizations around the region have come together in partnership with King County to provide Safe Start Kits. These kits provide cloth face coverings, disposable masks, and hand sanitizer to businesses in King County to help keep employees healthy and safe.

To pick up or have your kit shipped (shipping fees apply), click here.

July 24 – Seattle (SODO) 10:15 – 2:15pm

July 28 – White Center, 10:00 – 12:00pm

Paid On-street parking resumes

With King County’s transition to Phase 2 of the Safe Start Plan, businesses are reopening. Reliable access at the curb for customers is critical for recovery. Seattle Department of Transportation has reinstated hourly time limited parking and paid parking enforcement.  Parking will be $0.50/hour in all paid areas; the minimum rate allowed according to the Seattle Municipal Code. 

  • Straight hourly time limits will also be enforced in unpaid neighborhood business districts. 
  • Time limits in RPZs will continue to be enforced so that people who live in these neighborhoods can still find parking in their neighborhoods. 
  • Loading zones up to 30-minutes, including new food pick-up zones, will continue to be enforced 
  • All Signs that indicate no parking, including no parking during a specified time, will still be enforced 

Read more here.

Free Sidewalk and Curb Space Permits

To support small businesses and ease reopening during Phase 2 of the Governor’s Safe Start plan, the Seattle Department of Transportation (SDOT) is accepting applications for sidewalk and curb space permits, which allow restaurants, retail stores, vending trucks and carts to operate in the sidewalk or curb space in front of their business. The free SDOT flexible temporary street use permit options are for sidewalk cafes, merchandise displays, and food and other vending. These temporary permits will be available for up to six months.

To learn more about these permits, and decide if these options are right for your businesses, visit the permitting site here.

SDOT: Business Enhancements

SDCI: Property & Building Use

Toolkits for reopening

King County has entered Phase 2 of Washington’s Safe Start reopening plan. Phase 2 allows certain businesses and activities to resume under strict public health and safety guidance.

The City of Seattle developed toolkits to help businesses in various sectors reopen, based on Washington Department of Health and Public Health – Seattle & King County guidelines. The toolkits have guidance for restaurants and taverns, retail, professional services, personal services, fitness and training and domestic services.. Toolkits are available in Amharic, Traditional Chinese, Korean, Somali, Spanish, and Vietnamese. Businesses can also call OED for assistance at 206-684-8090 (interpretation available in Amharic, Cantonese, Mandarin, Korean, Somali, Spanish, Vietnamese).

Informational Posters

Public Health – Seattle & King County can provide informational posters for businesses to help inform staff and customers on the latest COVID-19 guidance.

Posters are available Amharic, Chinese (Traditional and Simplified), Khmer, Korean, Marshallese, Russian, Samoan, Somali, Spanish, Thai, Tongan, and Vietnamese. Learn more here.

Lease Amendment Toolkit Available in Eight Languages

The City of Seattle’s Office of Economic Development (OED) partnered with Communities Rise and Perkins Coie to launch a toolkit to help small businesses and nonprofit organizations impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic explore options for their commercial leases with a goal of remaining in their spaces. The COVID-19 Lease Amendment Toolkit provides a suite of tools – including template lease amendment language – to assist small businesses and nonprofits who are navigating the negotiation of their commercial leases with their landlords. The toolkit is available in English, Chinese (Traditional and Simplified), Korean, Somali, Spanish, and Vietnamese. 

Small businesses and nonprofits that have 50 or fewer employees are also eligible for a free, 60-minute consultation with a legal professional to assist with any COVID-19 commercial lease-related questions.

Reconnect West Seattle Survey

Do you live in West Seattle? The Reconnect West Seattle Survey is a chance for you to let SDOT and its transit partners know what will help change the way you travel to and from the West Seattle peninsula. Please add your voice! Survey here: https://fal.cn/398oJ 

King County and Community News and Resources

Free COVID-19 Testing Available in King County

Free testing is available to lessen the spread of COVID-19 throughout our region. Getting tested can help you protect your family, friends, and community should you contract the virus

Click here for a list of FREE Open Access COVID-19 Testing Locations. Language interpretation services are available at most location at no costs and are open to anyone regardless of immigration or insurance status. 

GSBA & Ventures Small Business Incubator 

The application for the next quarter of the GSBA & Ventures Nonprofit Small Business Incubator is now open! 

Designed to empower trans and gender-diverse business owners, and LGBTQ BIPOC entrepreneurs, the Small Business Incubator takes students through an immersive, eight-week business learning experience. At a sliding-scale cost, incubatees attend Ventures’ Business Basics Course, receive a free one-year GSBA Membership, access to consultation with GSBA VP of Membership & Programs Ilona Lohrey (she/her), and more. 

The application closes on Sunday, August 9 with courses beginning in September. Apply here.

Washington State News and Resources

WSDOT’s Seeks Under-Represented Firms for Federally Funded Projects

WSDOT is inviting contractors, labor and trade organizations, small and disadvantaged businesses, and others interested in working with the agency to attend one of its upcoming informational meetings regarding the proposed Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE) goals. WSDOT is accepting written comments on the proposals through Friday, July 24. To learn more about DBE and the proposed goals visit here.

Federal News and Resources

Need Working Capital? Apply for PPP or EIDL Loan

Congress reopened applications for the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) and extended the deadline to August 8. Businesses are encouraged to apply for a PPP loan, and/or Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDL) while funding lasts. OED provides FREE technical assistance for businesses to:

  • Understand available financial resources, including loans and grants
  • Check eligibility for loans and other resources
  • Apply for SBA loans and complete the application, including EIDL and EIDL Advance, SBA Express Bridge Loans, and SBA Debt Relief
  • Interpretation is available in 8 languages: English, Amharic, Mandarin, Cantonese, Korean, Somali, Spanish, and Vietnamese

Learn more about these federal resources here, or call the Seattle Office of Economic Development at 206-684-8090 from Monday to Friday 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. or email OED at oed@seattle.gov anytime to receive free assistance. You can ask for language assistance and receive interpretation over the phone.

City of Seattle and Comcast Invest $100,000 to Address Digital Equity

by

The City of Seattle Office of Economic Development (OED) has launched the ‘Digital Bridge’ pilot program to equip low-income job seekers with free laptops and broadband connectivity. This pilot program is a partnership with Comcast, Seattle Jobs Initiative (SJI), Seattle Information Technology Department (Seattle IT), Technology and Social Change Group (TASCHA) at the University of Washington Information School, and InterConnection. ‘Digital Bridge’ is a part of the City’s commitment to achieve digital equity for residents who face barriers to accessing technology and are not connected to the internet. The ‘Digital Bridge’ program is designed to offer job seekers the digital tools and skills they need to access online job training and career pathways in growing local industry sectors.  

‘Digital Bridge’ was developed in response to the coronavirus recession, which has triggered job losses particularly impacting people of color, younger workers, refugees and immigrants, and the housing insecure. Through this pilot, participants of various workforce development programs provided by SJI will be equipped with computers and a connection to the internet to complete their training programs that are now offered remotely due to COVID-19, and apply for job opportunities. 

“Having a computer and internet is the vehicle for career progression, and connects individuals to resources, health care, and community.” said Bobby Lee, Seattle Office of Economic Development Director. ”Digital Bridge is prioritizing its resources for low-income earning individuals, and BIPOC individuals who lack an internet connection and access to the technology and digital skills necessary to obtain gainful employment in our economy.” 

Comcast has contributed $50,000 to purchase 200 refurbished laptops via InterConnection, a computer reuse and recycling nonprofit which is partnering with SJI to refurbish and distribute computers to job training participants. InterConnection will also provide ongoing technical support. 

“As technology continues to advance and become a daily part of so many industries, more people need the digital skills and connectivity to thrive in this employment environment. Now more than ever they need our support to cross the digital divide,” said Rodrigo Lopez, Regional Senior Vice President of the Comcast Washington region. “Our company plays an important role in helping people stay connected and we are pleased to do our part. We also know that internet service is essential to everyone and are working hard every day to ensure that our network is helping both businesses and residents across our community stay connected.” 

The first cohort of 20 program participants received  the first set of refurbished computers on July 6. These computers give participants access to the Virtual Healthcare Institute online learning platform to begin the Intro to Healthcare Apprenticeships (IHAP) program, a program offered by SJI. SJI partners with OED to offer technical and performance skill trainings that lead to careers in our economy’s growing sectors. Participants of this cohort are 100 percent POC—95 percent of which identify as Black/African American, 30 percent are refugees or resident immigrants, 30 percent are young adults between the ages of 18-24, and 25 percent are housing insecure.  

“Digital Bridge launched at a critical time as SJI’s workforce programs moved to virtual delivery during COVID-19 social distancing,” says Kathleen O’Leary, Interim Assistant Director of Programs. “With community centers and libraries closed to the public, our program participants were using mobile phones to try to participate in our programs. Providing computers, internet connectivity and basic computer skills will unlock opportunities and provide access to essential services that our participants would otherwise not be able to reach.” 

OED has modified its existing contract with SJI by investing an additional $50,000 to evaluate and track all operational steps and activities associated with providing digital resources to program participants  who lack the technology and a connection to the internet when public resources, such as libraries, are not available. This operational evaluation is in addition to the trainings and wrap around services SJI is offering. TASCHA has been awarded a research grant from the University of Washington Population Health Initiative to “investigate key questions related to the program design, implementation, and participant experience to increase the understanding of participants’ needs, implications for future program design, and the impact on those who received services.” At its conclusion, this project will not only support job training participants, but will  also demonstrate and evaluate effective methods for providing equitable IT access, to inform a much larger, scalable campaign to connect individuals to the internet in order to bridge the digital divide for thousands currently unemployed. 

“Everyone needs home broadband, a reliable device that meets their needs, and support to build digital skills,” says Stacey Wedlake, Research Analyst and Coordinator at TASCHA. “The Population Health Initiative grant allows us to investigate how a unique program like Digital Bridge can support individuals’ employment goals and offer insights for other groups wanting to offer similar services.”  

The ‘Digital Divide’ is the gulf between those who have ready access to computers and a connection to the internet, and those who do not. COVID-19 has exacerbated this disparity as a portion of the workforce has easily transitioned to working from home with access to the technology and internet necessary to perform their jobs, while others have been further disconnected. According to 2018 data, 25 percent of Seattle households making less than $50,000 in income do not have internet access in their place of residence. These households also represent the highest unemployment insurance claims to date. Workers who are now unemployed  due to COVID-19 and lack the  technology and an internet connection are experiencing the greatest impact of the ‘Digital Divide’ that predates our current crisis. 

Seattle IT manages the City’s Digital Equity Initiative, which includes the Technology Matching Fund – one of the longest local government-supported digital literacy initiatives in the nation – and other targeted grants to further digital equity. Seattle IT also promotes free and low-cost internet for individuals and organizations and free and discounted computers and other devices. 

“While a device alone will not solve the vast inequalities that affect people of color and underserved communities, a reliable internet connection, technology skills, and access to a computer are critical to economic opportunity,” said the City of Seattle’s Chief Technology Officer Saad Bashir, who leads Seattle IT. “The coronavirus crisis has emphasized how important it is that we invest in digital equity for all our communities. Seattle IT is pleased to serve as a partner and provide technical assistance to this pilot project with its strong focus on execution and outcomes.”  

As the City and economic development partners navigate the impacts of COVID-19, addressing the digital divide will continue to be a part of recovery strategies to help displaced workers reattach to the economy  in growing industry sectors, and help build a Seattle economy that is equitable and inclusive.  

### 

Carrying on a Community Legacy at the Barbeque Pit in Seattle’s Central District

by

Ed “Pookey” Whitfield in the restaurant he recently reopened | Photo by Kari Tupper

Ed “Pookey” Whitfield,” owner of the renowned Barbeque Pit restaurant in Seattle’s Central District (CD), is a contractor by trade who’s also a great cook. Resilient and determined, Pookey has continued to operate a successful business despite two relocations in the last four years. He’s combated the gentrification-related displacement impacting minority-owned businesses and residents throughout the CD, and is enjoying his new space while cooking up great food.

Community resources, including funds from the City of Seattle’s Office of Economic Development (OED) and support from students and faculty at Seattle University, have helped Pookey re-establish the Barbeque Pit as a popular staple in the CD. 

The historic location of the new restaurant at 1816 E. Yesler Way | Photo by Kari Tupper

Pookey recently reopened the Barbeque Pit in a new location at 1816 E. Yesler Way, just in time to provide barbeque for the Fourth of July.  He is especially thrilled that the new restaurant is located in a historic building that hosted a popular barbeque restaurant from the 1960’s to 2018.  “There’s a lot of people who appreciate the fact that this place is still surviving as a barbeque place,” Pookey says. “There are certain things people want to see not go away. They want it to continue — its comforting. It’ a landmark; me being inside this place is preserving the landmark.”

African American displacement and the struggle to preserve traditions

Seattle’s Central District has been a thriving cultural and business center for African Americans | Image credit: On the Brink

The space at 1816 Yesler was built by stone mason Robert Collins. In 1952, Robert and Louise Collins founded R&L Home of Good Bar-B-Que with Rev. Hasting Mitchell, and the family-owned restaurant operated on Yesler Way for over 66 years. R&L Home of Good Bar-B-Que flourished in the Central District and became a community gathering spot for locals and national leaders like Martin Luther King Jr, who visited in 1961.  

From the 1950s through the 1980s, Seattle’s Central District was home to more African Americans than any other enclave in the Pacific Northwest. Due to racially restrictive covenants in neighborhoods throughout Seattle, African Americans were excluded from purchasing and renting housing in most neighborhoods besides the Central District. As a result, they settled in the CD and built a thriving community with Black-owned businesses and a vibrant cultural environment that nurtured the development of musical icons like Jimi Hendrix, Quincy Jones, and Sir Mix-A-Lot (Anthony Ray). 

Seattle’s CD was a cornerstone of the region’s musical scene | Image credit: On the Brink

In 1970 Black community members made up 73% of the population in the CD. However, by 1980, the proportion of Black residents in the CD had slipped to 64%. Due to gentrification, increases in taxes and property values, and impacts of systemic racism, Black people and businesses have now been largely driven out of the neighborhood. Today, Black residents represent less than 18% of the CD population, and Black-owned businesses are rare. 

University of Washington Architecture Professor Donald King explains in the documentary On the Brink that the “dissolution of culture and community” associated with gentrification and displacement of Black people in the CD has “broken up the social fabric of the city.” With this loss of diversity, “everyone loses something.” Despite gentrification and changes over time, R&L Home of Good Bar-B-Que remained in the CD and was owned and operated by Collins family members until the founders’ daughter, Mary Davis, retired in 2018.

  • Mary Davis (L) and her daughter, Barbara Davis, owned R&L Home of Good Bar-B-Que until 2018 | Photo by Aaron Allen in Seattle Medium

Mary Davis (L) and her daughter, Barbara Davis, owned R&L Home of Good Bar-B-Que until 2018 | Photo by Aaron Allen in Seattle Medium

Davis still owns the 1816 Yesler Building, but now has a new tenant — the Barbeque Pit. According to Pookey, Davis hoped that a barbeque restaurant would follow hers in the building. She “checked out his food” before leasing to him; Pookey explains, “she’s sentimental to this place.” As the new tenant, he’s delighted to continue the tradition of barbeque for the community. The 1816 Yesler building is registered as a Seattle historic site, which provides greater stability for the Barbeque Pit than it has had in the past. 

Barbeque Pit history and gentrification impacts

The interior of the new Barbeque Pit | Photo by Kari Tupper

Pookey initially founded the Barbeque Pit at 2509 E. Cherry St. in 2010, during the global economic recession that hit building contractors hard. He planned to operate the business for three years “to have a bank track record.” Barbeque, he says, “is not what I intended to do” long term. “I’m a contractor,” he insists, but when people started liking the food, he couldn’t quit.

“I do know how to cook,” he acknowledges – an understatement for a man whose business has earned number one ratings on Yelp for years and has and been featured by Seattle Met Magazine and Seattle Eater as some of the best barbeque in Seattle.

Pookey displays the famous ribs he’s been cooking up since 2010 | Photo by Kari Tupper

The Barbeque Pit’s original location, on E. Cherry across the street from Garfield High School, made it a popular hangout for high school students. Every day, he would serve lunch to 50-75 kids. Pookey made sure his food was affordable for the students. “I didn’t have money when I was going to school,” he says. “We found each other with my hot links – I sold them for $1 for the kids.” Some of those students later told him, “you saved us. That’s how I ate.” He reflects that his restaurant was like the soda shops in the ‘50s for that cohort of students. Many of them have continued to stay in touch, coming back to the Barbeque Pit during college and some, with their own children. 

Garfield High School supplied regular customers for Pookey’s first restaurant | Photo by Kari Tupper

In 2016, Pookey returned to contracting and found himself doing two full-time jobs simultaneously: building a house and running a restaurant. Despite resistance and disappointed reactions, he closed the Barbeque Pit so he could pursue contracting full time. He’s a skilled craftsman who enjoys making furniture and managing building projects. He left the door open to future cooking, explaining on Facebook that if the Barbeque Pit reopened, it would be somewhere in the Central District.

In 2018, after finishing the house project, he decided to reopen the Barbeque Pit on 23rd and Rainier Ave S. in what he knew would be a temporary location. The space had been sold to a developer, and his lease expired in November 2019. Finding and building a new permanent location in the CD required substantial capital, given escalating property values and costs of construction. Pookey worked with Seattle University’s program RAMP-up  for support in securing funding and developing a business plan for an expanded restaurant in a new CD location.

Ramp-up partners students and coaches with local small businesses and microenterprises to help preserve the social, ethnic, and economic foundations of the Central District and surrounding neighborhoods. The program has helped support numerous minority proprietors in the Seattle community. 

RAMP-up, directed by Amelia Marckworth, is part of Seattle U’s Innovation and Entrepreneurship Center. She explains that MBA students who work in the program are paired with businesses to help provide “long-term wrap around services” that combat displacement, including help with standardizing financial records, developing business and marketing plans, providing loan application support, and negotiating leases. Students involved with RAMP-up helped Pookey assemble financial statements and write the application for a $100,000 City of Seattle Tenant Improvement Grant Award, which he received. 

In areas of the city undergoing rapid gentrification, longtime local businesses often cannot afford space in the new developments that have replaced older buildings.  They struggle to get financing to cover build-out costs and working capital, among other challenges. The Tenant Improvement grants—administered by OED –address these challenges and prioritize businesses in neighborhoods that are experiencing high displacement. 

The Tenant Improvement Grant provided construction funding for the beautiful new space |Photo by Kari Tupper

Tenant Improvement Grants typically are not the only source of funding business owners acquire for projects. Instead, the grants provide funds for the “last gap to be filled” in a project, according to OED staff member Ken Takahashi. They’re designed to provide funds for build-out, rather than operational costs.

In the case of the Barbeque Pit, the funds enabled Pookey to complete the renovation and modernization of the 1816 Yesler building. He purchased materials, hired others when needed, and did most of the finish work and carpentry himself. His artistry in woodworking is evident in the spectacular tables and custom-made wood frames that fill the new space.

Enjoying the present and looking to the Barbeque Pit’s future

Pookey’s artistry and skill with wood are evident in the finish work of the tables, interior trim, and custom photo frames | Photos by Kari Tupper

Due to COVID-19, Barbeque Pit’s grand opening was delayed, and the restaurant is currently open for takeout only. Nevertheless, Pookey is happy to be cooking and back in the restaurant business. He loves seeing old friends and was restless during the Stay Home order. He laughs, “It was time to let the master out of the damn cage!”  

Behind the scenes in the kitchen | Photo by Kari Tupper

From 12-7 p.m. customers can be seen lining the sidewalk in socially distanced formations to pick up their orders of Pookey’s famous ribs.  Pookey has done a great job in adjusting operations to maintain the safety of staff and customers.

As he cooks in the back, one employee takes orders and mans the point-of-sale system at the front door while another helps to package up orders. Credit cards are accepted for the first time, and he says they have the time between order and pickup “down to three to five minutes per order.” Since reopening, the Barbeque Pit has sold out of food before closing nearly every day. 

The ribs melt in your mouth and the sauce is spectacular | Photo by Kari Tupper

For now, Pookey’s working to “get the business running like a well-oiled machine” and looking forward to the day when he can open up completely for dine-in service. He wants the “ambiance and flavor” of community first established at R&L Home of Good Barbeque to carry on and envisions a gathering spot where “everyone is welcome and everybody is equal across the board. Anybody that comes in here,” he says, “I have one requirement: respect for the place. And that’s what they get from me.”  

Respect for customers underpins Pookey’s business philosophy | Photo by Kari Tupper

Looking farther down the road, Pookey hopes to eventually train someone he can pass on the business to.  “I’ve just got to find that one,” he explains. “My ideal is to put some young blood into this. This legacy is bigger than me and is something I should pass on.”

To read more about the history of the Central District, see historian Quintard Taylor’s book The Forging of a Black Community: Seattle Central District from 1870 through the Civil Rights Era. To learn more about how gentrification has impacted the Central District and the Black community, watch On the Brink or view this shorter KING5 report.

###

Michael Huang Adapts Milli Following COVID-19 and the Black Lives Matter Protests

by

Michael Huang with a stage he curated at Upstream Music Festival in 2018 | Photo courtesy of Michael Huang

Michael Huang is a Seattle native and founder of Milli—a creative agency that specializes in strategy, social media, and content creation. After the onset of COVID-19 and the economic fallout, recent protests, and growing awareness of racism, this Seattle based creative agency has further expanded its commitment to serving the community — both locally and nationally.

“We’ve always been community and purpose driven as a business,” says Michael. “But with everything going on, we’ve realized we need to trade in incremental measures for radical change.”

The 2020 Milli team celebrates the agency’s 5-year anniversary | Photo courtesy of Michael Huang

Michael founded Milli at age 27 in 2015, after leaving a lucrative job at a big New York advertising agency where he worked with clients like United Airlines. After returning to the West Coast, Michael began freelance work helping businesses with social media marketing, content creation, and digital marketing, and this work organically progressed into forming Milli. 

Michael explains, “The world doesn’t need another advertising agency. But it can always use more places that people love to work. For me, that means somewhere where young, diverse creatives can feel supported and empowered.” Milli is such a place. “We have carved out a place in Seattle that’s truly creative and not totally beholden to the tech industry,” he says. “We’re artistic and community oriented.”

Photos from the early days: Michael with his 2015 team (L) and preparing for a presentation at their WeWork South Lake Union office | Photos courtesy of Michael Huang

As a young entrepreneur and new business owner, Michael’s first three  years with Milli focused on building clientele and expanding the agency’s reach. Like any up and coming agency, Michael and his creative team’s goals were to land larger contracts and elevate their influence on a local and national scale. He notes that “Before COVID-19, we were coming out of our best year yet. We were landing consecutive contracts with Fortune 500’s and looking to expand to LA in 2020.”

Major events of 2020 have inspired Michael and his team to change the direction they were pursuing in order to better respond to what’s happening in the City and the world today. “I realized that the world of January 2020 is gone. We need to move on.” This “moving on” has stretched Michael and his team to rethink their business model and agency’s mission.

The current Milli studio | Photo courtesy of Michael Huang

Within the last four months, Michael and his staff –among other projects — have developed the SeattleTogether website, dedicated their time and resources to  community service and pro bono work, and supported national livestream efforts covering Juneteenth events via The Movement 4 Black Lives. Additionally, Michael personally helped local small business owners who were trying to apply for federal loans. 

Helping business owners navigate relief resources

Like other small businesses, Milli was impacted by COVID-19 and Governor Inslee’s Stay Home, Stay Safe order.  As soon as federal Economic Injury Disaster Loans and Paycheck Protection Program loans became available, Michael applied for them on behalf of Milli, and then began helping other small business owners apply. 

Through word of mouth connections with friends and members of the immigrant community, Michael learned that many business owners were struggling to complete the complicated federal loan applications. Michael, whose parents immigrated from Taiwan, speaks fluent Mandarin Chinese and some Japanese. He knew that immigrant business owners who were less fluent in English—and those without access to or knowledge of digital technology—would be significantly disadvantaged in the loan application process. “I could start to see how many people were left out,” he says.

Some business owners struggled to access federal loan opportunities | Photo credit: iStock

Michael attributes his ability to navigate the loan application processes to his detailed financial record-keeping and his ability to navigate the internet for the information needed to apply for federal funding. Michael realized that many people, especially those with the greatest needs, didn’t have the same capacity to navigate the technology and bureaucracy effectively.  He recognized this as a profound irony: the government was giving away “free money – forgivable loans with equal terms,” yet small business owners most in need were shut out because they couldn’t figure out how to apply. 

Michael describes this as an example of “how systemic discrimination works.” To help combat it, he responded to the “clear accessibility divide” by supporting businesses in Chinatown-International District (CID) and elsewhere that didn’t have the language, digital technology skills, or access to resources on the internet. 

Businesses in the CID experienced economic losses due to COVID-19 | Photo credit: Sharon H. Chang

“I felt a civic duty because I was able to successfully obtain support,” he says. “I needed to pay it forward. I got the money because I was good at the Internet. It was time to give back.”

Michael received a Paycheck Protection Plan loan quickly, which enabled him to pay his staff and continue Milli’s creative work. In addition to providing loan application support, he has worked alongside his staff to provide other forms of consulting and creative services to small businesses “for free, if anyone is failing due to COVID 19.”

Creating #SeattleTogether

SeattleTogether.org homepage

While some Seattleites felt bored and cooped up during the Stay Home order, Michael and his team were busier than ever tackling new projects. As Milli supported fellow small businesses , they also worked alongside City of Seattle staff from the Department of Neighborhoods (DON), Office of Film + Music (OFM), Arts and Culture, and other community stakeholders to build the SeattleTogether.org website in April and May. 

SeattleTogether, as the site explains, “is a citywide initiative to support, uplift, and celebrate the enormous goodwill, generosity, and empathy that has come from our Seattle community in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. It is also a platform for combating social isolation…providing ideas, resources, and tools for connecting neighbors to one another, to their communities, and to arts and culture.” #SeattleTogether Instagram and Twitter platforms amplify messaging that connects Seattleites with the arts community, businesses, local organizations, and one another. 

SeattleTogether

Staff from DON originally came up with the #SeattleTogether hashtag and name during discussions about how to “get something up there that brings together supportive and artistic resources and activities for the community into one place.” The group wanted to create solidarity and connection within the Seattle community, which was experiencing radically new economic challenges compounded by social isolation, in addition to other pandemic-related transformations. 

Although Milli spearheaded the website development and overall branding visuals, giving birth to #SeattleTogether was very much a “team effort in both concept and execution” and involved many diverse and energetic participants. Having so many “stakeholders and community leaders” made it slightly overwhelming, initially, to figure out what the platform would look like and how it could accommodate the variety of creative ideas in play. 

Images from the SeattleTogether Connect page

Priorities included realizing Seattle’s Office of Arts and Culture’s vision to host a site that would get artists online and streaming. Other participants wanted to create a “unified social feed” that would showcase diverse experiences and perspectives of the pandemic, including “long quotes and vulnerable experiences from people in community.”

Even as they were swimming in ideas about what the site could become, he says, there was a “collective moment of determinism to push forward. We condensed what should have been a six to eight-month process into one month!” This experience helped his team realize, in new and profound ways, what complex group collaboration could mean.

Milli’s new vision

Michael and the Milli team worked to support M4BL TV, which livestreamed footage from hundreds of Juneteenth events around the country | M4BL.org

Michael and the team at Milli continue to forge new creative connections, support local businesses, and give back to the community. The impetus to service that began with the COVID-19 crisis and the  #SeattleTogether initiative has been magnified by the recent protests and expanding awareness of systemic racism triggered by the killing of George Floyd.

“Things have shifted quite a bit with Black Lives Matter,” Michael notes. He says Milli is more than ever determined to “change ourselves by giving back.” They have pivoted yet again by expanding free services to “businesses engaged in advancing Black Lives Matter.” He says “we are in it right now. We’re constantly learning how to do better.”

Protesters filled Seattle streets following the killing of George Floyd | Photo via @seattledot

In addition to other pro bono projects that support racial justice, Milli was recently brought in to support a national livestream of Juneteenth activities and celebrations organized by M4BL or The Movement For Black Lives organization.  Michael reports, “we worked nearly 24 hours straight” behind the scenes, creating a channel that would stream performances and other Juneteenth-related content from cities across the country. He says the “broadcast looked like a TV channel. It was a major production.” This, he notes, was a “revelatory experience on my journey to realize what it means to serve my community … . It’s not about getting credit or getting paid. The impact is enough.”    

Michael and Milli supported M4BL endeavors pro bono | Image by M4BL

Recent work supporting the Black Lives Matter movement has made Michael and the Milli team revisit how they think about “ROI” — return on investment.

“We can’t tell people that we care about our community as an organization and not respond to this moment by continuing the work to change how we operate as a business – and hopefully, one day, our industry at large.

“The world is changing and so should our collective approach to really…everything. This reflects the reimagination of policing, for example. Capitalism and business practices also contribute to and uphold a racist and oppressive system. For us at Milli, we’re already community focused and purpose driven, so that means the change should already be happening with us regardless if the rest of the world is still trying to figure it out.”

Michael Huang
Milli is now offering free services to businesses in need | Poster image courtesy of Michael Huang

Thinking back over all the work he’s completed since January of 2020, Michael is “deeply  grateful” to have worked on #SeattleTogether, as well as the projects that followed it. Whether it’s a community/COVID-19 related initiative like #SeattleTogether, or dedicating their energies to urgent issues of racial inequality, Michael believes Milli — and all individuals and organizations — should continuously evaluate how they can better serve others. He says, “this is just the start. We’re doing what we were founded to do.” 

A poster from Milli’s documentary release | Behind-the-scenes photo from a production last week | Photos courtesy of Michael Huang

Michael appreciates the synergy and transformative impacts of their projects since January. “SeattleTogether illuminated what it meant: connection with community. It sounds like hokey B.S. when you talk about community unless you put your money where your mouth is.”

The convergence of recent unprecedented events has made him “rethink what social capital and service means. You don’t just give away stuff; doing good is an art. It’s as much a business model as working for gain. It’s shifted how I look at our agency’s mission.”

###