Ohh, the books, the books

Owner Dacia Hanson, with her current read " Your Vigor for Life Appalls Me - Robert Crumb Letters" by R.Crumb

The return of the independent bookstore to Renton is finally here - and the wait was well worth it. 11 year veteran of McDonald's Book Exchange in Redmond, Dacia Hanson opened her doors this week in the Louisa Building on Wells Ave. S. in a lovely space and shelves that are filling rapidly.

With an emphasis on reasonable prices and customers bringing in books for exchange and credit in the store, now is a great time to spring clean at home. A cool bonus is that your credit will be honored at the sister store in Redmond, owned by Dacia's friend and previous employer, Ann St.Germaine. Though two separate businesses, the idea for this Renton store began when Ann and Dacia noted that McDonald's Book Exchange had enough books coming through the door to fill another shop. Customers from as far away as Olympia and Chehalis were coming to exchange their books on the store's generous terms, so obviously there was a large market that was still yet to be tapped.

All genres are represented at the shop, though a steady overturn in the Romance section is to be expected. Already boasting a good selection of Philip Roth books, a couple of vintage editions of Black Beauty and volume one and two of Art Speigelman's Maus, Dacia is pleased with the growth her new shop has already seen.

If you don't see her as often as you would like this week - it's because she had a car accident recently and is working on getting a new set of wheels. I can already tell that it will not be long before both Dacia and her shop feel like old friends in the DTR.

Old Renton Book Exchange
227 Wells Ave. South
425.430.BOOK / 425.430.2665

Across the street from the bookstore, Dawn Finn has opened the doors of her thrift and swap shop and is now accepting donations and has stall space up for rent for interested parties. This street in Renton has got so many new moves, it is hard to fathom.

Remember the metal detector store? Seems like the empty store front has finally been rented and that a beauty salon will open soon. Yep, right there on Wells Ave.S.

What did I tell ya - this block is the current bomb of activity.

Common Ground has party plans

It's been a quick three years since Common Ground Coffee and Cupcakes joined our downtown community, and they have become a beloved member of the local family. Many have welcomed their presence in Renton's downtown corridor, and owner Hang and Lenge have felt the community's appreciation in a couple of larger than life moments.


Crystal and Brandie

Months after the opening of the shop in 2007, a car ran through the window of the store in the middle of the night, and neighbors helped stand guard over the premises and board up the windows with plywood without batting an eye. It was the first time Lenge, husband of the couple team that owns and helps operate the coffee shop, felt such kinship in a place they lived and worked in.

Then there was the five alarm fire that struck the building adjacent to their shop's in the summer of last year. The smoke and water damage had them closed for days, but an order of wedding cupcakes got made and decorated with the assistance of local shop owners.

However, Common Ground has given back a lot to Renton and I am so happy that misfortune did not discourage them from continuing to be a member of our downtown crew. The cupcake shop is a spot where all ages can gather to eat, drink and make merry.

Pot O' Gold Cupcake and artwork by Melanie Hall

To celebrate the three year anniversary this Saturday, March 13th, there will be

*free mini cupcakes with coffee drink purchase
*face painting from 11- 2pm
*music by Paco Jones
*local art show/balloons
*raffle featuring local businesses
*double stamp coffee cards

The Cupcake Fairy Artist, Melanie Hall, will also be on hand along with her artwork, to meet with all of you. That is her work above with the special Pot O' Gold Cupcake, a new creation for this month of March, which is a chocolate Guinness cake with Irish Cream buttercream frosting made with Jameson Irish whiskey - oh my!

Hang, owner and lovely lady
Downtown Renton this weekend is the place to be! I have more to report on that score tomorrow, but set your compass for the DTR and come hang out with all of us local Rentonites.

Common Ground Cupcakes and Coffee
900 South Third St.(425) 235 - 1717
www.commongroundcupcakes.com

The Sub that was hit but didn't sink

Sub Shop #8 - with an unpretentious name like that, you know it has got to be good. It has been a staple sandwich stop spot for many walking the Cedar River Trail or seeking a good and quick sandwich (like nearby Boeing workers) on the go for years. Then a car ran into the building in the Fall of last year, and everyone wondered if the owners would rebuild again.

This isn't the first time that an automobile making the corner at Airport Way S. and Logan Ave. has come barreling through the Sub Shop's window. From what I hear, it has happened once or twice before. So it brings me great pleasure to say that once the molding has been put in and a little further rebuild on the kitchen, the place should be open within a month.

From what I can ascertain, it will be the same owners (see link below to their website) and a sub shop once again. Kudos for having the balls to rebuild one more time. Hey, City Council, can we help them out with some guard rails or something? It looks so good - I would hate to see a car meet that pretty new wall.

Sub Shop #8
30 Logan Ave S.
Renton, WA 98055
directions

Frustration and a fight

The City of Renton Facebook page warned us that Monday, March 1, was our day to be over the loss of our independent library service and accept the KCLS annexation that Renton recently voted upon and lost, by a mere 53 votes, in an expensive special election. The Seattle Times finally got wind of the fight and wrote about it on that very same deadline day, and Celeste Gracy at The Renton Reporter followed suit the next day, catching up on the now presented legal case that the opposition to Prop 1 have put forward. The Save our Renton Library folk want you, the Renton citizenry, to weigh in and fight. It just isn't over.

It could be that the loss of the library to an organization that only shares a name with King County, but is in no way affiliated, will cost us more money than we were lead to believe. It could be that Renton City Council seems to underestimate our need for due process and correct facts and questions why they can so easily decide to spend $130,000 on a special election, not send out the voter pamphlets until the populace was already receiving their voter pamphlet, include a biased flyer in with our utility bills and call this fair play. It could be that this is just part and parcel of a direction that our fair city is just not willing to continue to take when it comes to deciding issues of community interest, and that our city leaders may not in fact be the embodiment of the "Live, Work, Play" motto of Renton that they purport to uphold.

Loss of the library downtown branch- under KCLS seems inevitable. Renton hopes to annex Fairwood (already a member of KCLS), move the present library in it's site over the river at the edge of Liberty Park and use this building for some fish hatcheries project (wow! hey they already have something like that 20 minutes away in Issaquah!) Oh, and then maybe our downtown library branch moves to Fairwood or elsewhere, living our Downtown Renton community without one more important and viable service. You know, the type that defines and fleshes out an active downtown. I am soooo tired of our DTR being shafted at the expense of The Landing or the suburban sprawl.

You can still be heard: The City Council members are here to be spokespeople for our city. An agenda that is responsive to all of our needs.

Public Disclosure Commission - Doug Ellis ellis@pdc.wa.gov 360-664-2735
Don Persson, City Council President Dpersson@rentonwa.gov 425-430-6501
Terri Briere, City Council Tbriere@rentonwa.gov 425-430-6501
King Parker, City Council Kparker@rentonwa.gov 425-430-6501
Greg Taylor, City Council Gtaylor@rentonwa.gov 425-430-6501
Rich Zwicker, City Council Rzwicker@rentonwa.gov 425-430-6501
Randy Corman, City Council rcorman@rentonwa.gov 425-430-6501

3/4 UPDATE: Now even The Renton Reporter wants to tell us to "get over it". Sorry, Dean - just like yourself, we are ALL entitled to out own opinion.

A man and his dog

When a door closes, a window opens somewhere. Last year, on the hottest day our community has known, Phil Johnson lost his best buddy - his dog. Me Oh My had been given to him some years before, and was Phil's constant companion. The heat and strife ended up putting Phil in doctor's care as well.

But, as you might remember from this blog posting, the community rallied and got a sweet bundle of white fur to act as a new lifeline and friend for Phil. Lucky Johnson 13 is a breed of dog known as a "Coton Du Tulear". He was a rescue dog and is an example of true happiness and joy. Lucky brings a smile to anyone's face - he is just happy to see you everyday. He brought Phil even closer to a local, downtown community that didn't know him enough, and would have been heartily sad if they hadn't been given the chance.

Phil and Lucky became instant friends, and the bond has just grown. Phil has medical conditions that necessitate he use a motorized wheelchair more often than not, and Lucky loves a good ride. Having a dog brings Phil outside, helps with the exercise that he can do and brings him into the fold of the friends that frequent the area of South Third Street.

Many of you had asked for a follow-up story on Phil and Lucky from this posting last year. Here is your answer - neither of them could have gotten any luckier. Well matched, they are a team that spreads camaraderie and smiles. Together, they make the days worth living. As a team, they have become special friends to many.

These are the kind of stories that you want to hear about.