Rob Smith

Westfield Southcenter launches Restaurant Row
The mall is in the midst of a culinary upgrade
Get ready for Restaurant Row at Westfield Southcenter. The entire north side of the Tukwila shopping center has established a new dining district. Dubbed “Restaurant Row,” the emerging culinary hub is introducing several new concepts, beginning with Mr. Dim sum this winter. Gen Korean and another new concept will open later next year. Each restaurant…

This is a barrel of fun
What’s believed to be the world’s first international whiskey trail has been created right here in the Northwest. The new Northwest Whiskey Trail features seven distilleries in Washington, Oregon, and British Columbia. It has two Seattle stops: Copperworks Distilling Co. and Westland Distillery. Visitors pick up a passport at the first distillery they visit and…

Is Bartell Drugs in Trouble?
Rite Aid’s bankruptcy raises questions
Rite Aid’s bankruptcy was, seemingly, a foregone conclusion. To no one’s surprise, Rite Aid filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection over the weekend. Company stock had been trading well below a dollar for months, and rumors had circulated that it was heading toward insolvency. In 2020, Rite Aid acquired Seattle institution Bartell Drugs and its…

Leisure & Luxury
Seattle fine-dining destination Canlis named to exclusive culinary travel membership group
Acclaimed fine-dining establishment Canlis is among only a dozen restaurants across the country on a new, exclusive list aimed at high-end travelers who enjoy upscale dining experiences. The Seattle restaurant, led by executive chef Aisha Ibrahim, is part of Taste Club, a first-of-its-kind dining and global luxury travel club. Memberships provide access to dining experiences…

Just out of college? Spokane’s the place
Zillow ranks the city as a top market
Move over, Seattle. Spokane has your number. Seattle online real estate company Zillow ranks the midsize eastern Washington city, home to private Gonzaga University, as the second-best market in the country for recent college graduates. Zillow analyzed rent, income, job growth, and share of the population in its 20s. “Typical rent is $1,563 compared to…

The Great Washington ShakeOut is Next Week
Annual event comes on heels of Sunday’s minor quake
You may not have even noticed the earthquake that happened Sunday night. Many Seattleites had no idea. Even those who knew what was happening didn’t seem concerned. For most, it was a soft shaking that was over in about two seconds. While the 4.3 magnitude earthquake that originated about 40 miles southeast of British Columbia…

Grappling With Graffiti
Seattle seeks to create murals to combat vandalism
Tired of graffiti across our beautiful city? Help is here. The Seattle Office of Arts & Culture this week awarded $1.13 million to more than 75 artists and organizations to beautify neighborhoods and nurture the artistic aspirations of youth. One initiative, through the Downtown Seattle Mural Project, will create about 40 murals from Belltown south…

The Seattle Mag Interview: Sports Sage
Bob Whitsitt’s book tells the tales of a colorful career as a force in the front office
“Trader Bob.” The name conjures memories of the ’90s-era Sonics when the NBA club captured the heart of Seattle. It’s reminiscent of the controversial “Jail Blazers,” a term coined by Portland sportswriters to describe late ’90s and early 2000s Trail Blazers teams that enjoyed on-court success while suffering off-court misadventures. Bob Whitsitt’s ability to make…

Art for All
Cornish launches robust community school
Want to learn how to dance? Maybe welding is more your thing. Or drumming or playing the guitar. You can learn how to do all those things and much more through the Cornish+ program. The new community school within Seattle’s Cornish College of the Arts offers 60 studio-based classes in music, art, design, dance, theater,…

Costco Goes for the Gold
Have a sudden need for gold bars? Better act fast.
The warehouse retailer known for everything from its popular food court to organic maple syrup and bulk, well, everything, is now in the business of selling gold. That’s right. Costco is peddling one-ounce gold bars online. But you have to be a member to buy them. And they’re not cheap. Shoppers have two options: One…

Target Shuts Seattle Stores, Citing Theft
The two closures are part of nine nationwide announced by Target
Target will close its Ballard and University stores in response to Seattle’s ongoing retail-theft problem. The company announced Tuesday that it will close both stores Oct. 21. The retailer also said it would close seven other stores across the United States because of mounting losses from theft: three in Portland, three in the Bay Area,…

Sea-Tac drops in latest J.D. Power survey
Airport rankings fall from last year
A friend who recently flew out of Sea-Tac International Airport told tales of long lines, unhappy fellow passengers, and an unfortunate bag mix-up. He literally had to buy a new suit for a business meeting once he reached his destination. I heard a similar story from another friend whose family flew internationally on vacation this…

What a (Pickleball) Racket
Seattle pickleball fans, rejoice. New courts open.
I love pickleball. My mother-in-law plays five times a week. A work colleague has a court in his backyard. My neighbor even gave up tennis for the sport, which was founded in Washington state decades ago. Now, Seattle is serving up more options for the sport’s growing legion of fans. Two permanent, bright purple pickleball…
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