Sponsored Post It’s not easy to buy a home in Ballard. Tomo wants to fix that. First, you have to understand what you want in a home, then you need to prioritize the home features that matter most to you and figure out whether you can check all the boxes within your budget. Then you have to find a realtor and prepare an offer you feel confident about. With all the information to sort through on top of the complexity of the homebuying process, it’s no wonder why three out of four home buyers are unsure about thier decision. They feel like they spent too much or acted too quickly, and the realit ..read more

Loyal customers and friends of Take 5 Urban Market have banded together to raise over $30,000 to support the owners after a natural gas explosion severely damaged the local market. The explosion and subsequent fire broke out early Thursday morning before the store opened. Owners Bryan Vietmeier and Rebecca Rouleau said no one was at Take 5 when the explosion happened. After the news broke, a customer and friend of the owners Timothy Lee launched a GoFundMe fundraiser. Lee was also Rebecca’s son’s childhood baseball coach. “Rebecca and Bryan have been basically family to me since I’ve watc ..read more

St. Luke’s Episcopal Church’s project to build affordable housing is breaking ground later this month. The project to transform St. Luke’s property into affordable housing has been in the works for a couple of years. The project plan includes 84 affordable family apartments (studios, one-, two-, and three-bedroom units) in an 8-story building. The affordable housing will be made available for households earning 60% area median income (AMI) and below for the City of Seattle. For a family of four, that would be $77,650. The project plans include a community room, bike storage, residential servic ..read more

Update May 3: Take 5 co-owners Bryan Vietmeier and Rebecca Rouleau posted in the My Ballard Group saying they’re going to rebuild their beloved cafe and market. “I can’t say enough about the tremendous out pouring of love & kindness we received from all of you on this most difficult day of our lives,” they wrote. “We are so very thankful that nobody was hurt! Frankly, it’s a miracle. We can replace, rebuild and make Take 5 even better.” 3:30 p.m.: SFD investigators determined the fire was caused by an accidental natural gas explosion. 9:30 a.m.: Seattle Fire tells My Ballard that they’re i ..read more

There’s a new physical therapy clinic in Ballard, located on Leary Way above Maria Luisa Empanadas (928 Leary Way NW). Owner Anna Friedman grew up in Ballard, and says she got her business chops early on. “I had an entrepreneurial spirit from the beginning, as anyone who would pass by my weekly lemonade stands at Sunset Hill Park would know!” Friedman told My Ballard in an email. “My goal was always to make enough for my cousin and I to be able to rent a movie from Rain City Video (plus snacks of course!).” After completing her physical therapy degree in Colorado, Friedman returned to Se ..read more

Sponsored post As one of Seattle’s most eco-conscious neighborhoods, many Ballard residents look for ways to make cleaning routines more sustainable and environmentally friendly. Luckily, greening your cleaning is easier than you might think: Here are some simple tips to get you started on your green cleaning journey. Swap out harsh chemicals for natural alternatives Many conventional cleaning products contain harsh chemicals that can be harmful to your health and the environment. Instead, opt for natural, non-toxic alternatives such as: White vinegar – Disinfects, deodorizes, and cuts throug ..read more

There are brand new stop signs at several intersections on 14th Ave NW south of NW Market St. The Seattle Department of Transportation installed all-way stop signs at all six intersections along 14th Ave NW between Leary Ave NW and NW Market St (at NW 49th St, NW 50th St, NW 51st St, NW 52nd St, NW 53rd St and NW 54th St). SDOT representative Ethan Bergerson tells My Ballard that the department installed the stop signs to “enhance safety for people walking and rolling”. “These stop signs were a community priority and part of our ongoing efforts to make the streets in this neighborhood work bet ..read more

Ballard Coffee Works (2200 NW Market St) is closed today, Friday, April 26 after a customer passed away inside the cafe this morning. Dan Ollis, who owns Ballard Coffee Works‘ parent company Vibe Coffee Group, says the incident happened just after 9 a.m. this morning when a customer experienced a medical emergency. The Ballard Coffee Works staff responded with CRP until medics arrived, but the person did not survive. “The team did all they could to help the individual and are heroes in my book,” Ollis told My Ballard. The cafe will be closed today and will reopen tomorrow at 7 a.m ..read more

There’s a new taco truck in the neighborhood called Bautista Food Truck. Bautista is located at 7706 15th Ave NW outside of the Budget Truck Rental. The menu includes burritos, tacos, quesadillas, and tortas with beef, chicken, or pork. They also have Mexican sodas for sale. There’s a small covered seating area nearby in the parking lot. We contacted Bautista to find out their hours, but couldn’t reach anyone by phone. Thanks Cesar for the photos and tip ..read more

The Seattle City Council has unanimously passed the Seattle Transportation Plan which has several project ideas for Ballard. Seattle Transportation Plan is a 20-year vision for the future of Seattle’s streets, sidewalks, and public spaces. Councilmember Rob Saka (District 1), Chair of the Transportation Committee sponsored the legislation, which is a culmination of a two-year collaborative process between the Seattle Department of Transportation (SDOT), the Mayor’s Office, and the city council. There are 81 total projects in the plan, with the following ideas for Ballard: 14th Ave N ..read more