Author: the grocery

Fireside chat with Greg Lundgren at The Sorrento

Demi and Janet will join Greg Lundgren in a chat at the Hotel Sorrento on Tuesday February 18, to talk about art spaces. Please join us!

6-8pm, Free
Hotel Sorrento
900 Madison Street
Seattle, WA 98104

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/fireside-chat-with-greg-lundgren-of-vitos-the-hideout-mom-registration-92810000209

“Fireside Chats are returning this Tuesday at 6pm with Greg Lundgren of Museum of Museums, Vito’s Seattle, and The Hideout!⁠⠀Greg will be joined in conversation to talk about new art spaces opening in Seattle will be Demi Raven and Janet Galore of North Beacon Hill’s The Grocery Studios.⁠

Expect to engage in conversation with artists, visionaries, community leaders, activists, and key players in Seattle’s arts, culture, social, and business scenes.”

Windows are in!

Things are really coming along–windows are in, new concrete step at the side entrance, and exterior lighting for sidewalk safety. Deeply grateful for Robb, Leo, Vero & crew, and Jim & crew at Mutuus Studio.

New exterior lighting with perspective view of the windows. White framing will be painted black.
Photo by Janet Galore.
Front view of windows before exterior lights were in. White framing will be painted black.
Photo by Robb Joyce.
Side view showing the exterior lights, and the cool new step at the door. We plan to spend many afternoons hanging out here. Photo by Robb Joyce.
Corner view, before concrete and exterior lighting were in. Photo by Robb Joyce.

Renovation update and new designs in the online shop

Since our last update in August, Robb and Leo (A.R. Joyce Remodel), Vero and crew (Sound Concrete), Tyler and crew (O’Neill Plumbing), Jim (Mutuus Studio), Demi, and others have been hard at work on the lower level interior. The concrete floor is in, the framing is done, earthquake retrofit is done, the main plumbing is in, stairs are roughed in, and electrical is in the works. Windows have been ordered and are being manufactured. Meanwhile, Demi and Veretta have been landscaping and building like crazy outside, shaping the back yard.

It’s looking like we will be able to start using the space a little again in the spring, but we’re not setting any dates just yet.

In the meantime, we’ve added a few new designs and colors to the online store — check it out!

"Make some art" T-rex t-shirt
Shop for t-shirts and hoodies at The Grocery Studios online store.

Photos by Robb Joyce and Janet Galore.

Art behind the walls

As the walls were waiting to get prepped for covering up, we realized that there was an opportunity to make a time capsule of sorts, to invite friends and supporters sign the old walls, make some drawings, offer messages to bring good energy into the new space that would form layers of history and encouragement.

When you’re in the renovated studio room, you’ll know that behind the walls are all the best wishes of the community. A few samples:

ellen forneys wall drawing

new online shop

Hi everyone,

While we are waiting for concrete contractors to become available, we finally got an online store up and running so you can order some of the classic t-shirts and hoodies we’ve had available during events.

Just click on the menu above, or go directly to:
https://the-grocery-studios.myshopify.com/

Grab your favorite, and let us know what you think of the quality. We’d love to hear of other things you’d like to see, too.

Back in renovation mode!

Hi everyone,

We are happy to announce that we are back in renovation mode again, after a long pause since mid-September 2018. We finally sold our other property at the end of February, and now have the funds to dive into re-making the studio space. This is a big project–much of the work (and money) is simply bringing the space up to current building and energy codes. That means demolishing the existing concrete floor and putting in a new one with insulation, rebuilding and insulating exterior walls, putting in new electrical and plumbing, and doing an earthquake retrofit. All that needs to happen before we get to the good stuff!

Demi preps the concrete wall.

Our plan this year is to get the lower studio space finished enough before we run out of money so that we can re-open the studio for our own work, and to share with community, by the end of 2019. We’re still figuring out what that means exactly, and will share details as they evolve.

What do we hope to complete this year?

Keep the main studio space about the same, but make it better:

  • power outlets in the floor, jacks for power, audio, and video in the walls and ceiling
  • sound treatment so it sounds really good in the space for live music and performance
  • real glass windows, with some that open
  • a new entrance with double doors to bring in big stuff
  • air conditioning/heating to keep the temperature hospitable in any season
  • better bathroom, ADA standards
  • real black-out shades for video installations and daytime movies
  • a kitchen for food prep and artist sustenance

That should get us up and running again as an art studio where we can host creative activities. Later, we plan to make a small artist residency apartment, so short-term guests and visiting artists have a place to sleep and do their own work.

Sign up for our mailing list to keep up with the latest developments:
https://tinyurl.com/grocerystudiosevents

Two people shoveling lots of dirt in the front of The Grocery.
Reshaping the landscape.

Renovation update

Hello!
We’ve been closed for renovation since August, and we hope to be open again for more art and events sometime in 2019.

The details: well, we have good news and not so good news. The good news is that after much effort in partnership with our architects Mutuus Studio, we received the building permit from the City of Seattle, and we started work in mid September. The exterior brickwork was re-pointed and cleaned (all new mortar between the bricks), a job that was about 50 years overdue. She’s looking really beautiful on the exterior. Inside, the demolition has been completed, and it’s all ready for new floors, walls, kitchen, studio bathroom, stairs, and an apartment for visiting artists.

The not so good news is that all the interior work is ON HOLD. The reason is because we are depending on the sale of another property (a flat that Janet has owned for 20 years) to fund the renovation work, and we thought it would get snatched up right away. We put the flat up for sale in early September, just as the housing market made a big shift and sales slowed tremendously. Though the property is lovely and in great shape, there’s a lot of competition and it is still available, waiting for a buyer in this buyer’s market.

As soon as the flat sells, we will be back in business and can get going on the renovation again! So if you know of anyone looking for a wonderful place to live, please pass along the info: http://seattledreamhomes.com/queen-anne-townhome-condo-for-sale/

Thank you for continuing to be an incredible community.