Souvenir Has Closed

Photo & Text © 2011 Kim- Seattle Daily Photo. All rights reserved; no use, alteration, reproduction or republishing in any media.

Over the years my favorite shopfront on historic Ballard Ave has been the unmarked entryway to Curtis Steiner's "Souvenir" shop. Steiner is a local artist who has not only sold his one of a kind cards from this location for a decade but delighted the neighborhood with his interesting window displays featuring some of the unique art objects he has collected and sells. Take this Schroeder-like "baby grand" piano with a carved and painted bust of. . . well, it's not Beethoven with those glassy eyes. Yesterday when I walked by their were pieces of not-so-artfully arranged furniture in the windows. Sigh. I hope Steiner opens another venue for his delights. And what made me even sadder was another favorite store I loved to browse, the Guitar Emporium, has also recently closed. A sign in the window says the high-end and custom acoustic instrument business is going on line. I will try to post a photo I took there tomorrow. Things are always changing for businesses, especially in this economy and in that neighborhood which, over the past ten years, has seen a lot of retail change and rising rents and condo conversions. Farewell fave, wonderful shops, and good luck in whatever new incarnation and location you may find yourselves.

This part (hopefully) won't change. This terrazzo and tile entryway with "Frank's" written in the stone will remain as a reminder of the creative charm that can live through decades of changes.