On the day of the Olde Burien Block Party – Saturday, July 21 – longtime Burien business Poggi Bonsi announced the following on its Facebook page:
Thanks for 10 years in Olde Burien!
Today is the 1st day of our MOVING SALE at our Olde Burien location! French tablecloths, pots and pans, gifts for the home and more! Stop in for 25% off the entire store and 50% off holiday! (or stop by to say hi)
Burien Location only. No holds or returns.
After 10 years in its location at 907 SW 152nd Street, the kitchen and gift store will close soon – we’re not sure when – but we have a call into co-owner Michelle Codd, and will update this post when we learn more.]]>
I’m sorry to hear this. I’m a fan of this place and of its owners. Always found something high quality and unexpected for gifts, hostess thank yous, door prizes for events, etc…and sent my family here when I put this sort of thing on my own wish list to keep them from going to the mall or online for it. I actually used to make sure the people I gave stuff to from here knew where I’d gotten it–PB was one place I was using to change minds about what is and isn’t available in Burien. I have been wondering if they’d be moving over to bigger digs in Town Square but the KOMO story suggests they’re looking for a more vibrant business environment…ie, doesn’t sound like they’re staying in Burien. A big loss for us.
Isn’t Goody Gumdrops shutting down too?
Yes, GGG is closing – I think by the 31st. Currently 50 percent off all remaining merchandise. This is what happens when we don’t shop local folks.
But Amazon is so much cheaper, and since its based in Seattle even without amazon prime just the normal free shipping usually comes next day. Kind of hard to shop local when shopping local means you get ripped off.
That’s been the hardest thing for me— the huge selection, lower prices, and free (often overnight) shipping… it came down, in my household, to deciding to stick to a mindset of shopping local for philosophical/qualitative reasons having to do with a sense of connection, community, etc. and for self-serving reasons having to do with supporting the business tax base of the community we live in and take services from (and considering Normandy Park’s recent concerns about business revenue, it seems relevant). I don’t have any trouble going to local small businesses instead of malls– it’s the big online behemoths that lure me and it’s just been a commitment to a different mindset and set of choices…but when household budgets are tight, it’s a tough one to stick to (especially when I’m buying gifts to mail to friends and relatives elsewhere– buying online and having them ship it–for free–is tough to say no to). This might be of interest– was in the NY Times early this year.
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/01/16/business/some-shoppers-rebel-against-giant-web-retailers.html?pagewanted=all
If Amazon killed this business maybe we’re moving into an era where bookstores, Kitchen shops, and “small towns” are becoming obsolete? Could “Olde Burien” now only be good for Coffee shops, Bars, Restaurants and social businesses?
It’s an interesting–and sort of ominous–question. But some of the small cities stuff happening in other places in the country suggests it might not have to come to that (though the social businesses do seem to serve as a kind of destination magnet and anchor for a broader business portfolio in a small city in some of the examples). The Roanoke model, CityWorks Xpo, etc seem to be making a lot of headway in other places in the country. Not sure if Burien suits that model or if there are the kind of investors/developers necessary to make it work (deep pockets, big vision, passionate commitment to transforming Burien vs. just turning a buck here,etc).