Western Washington peeps

[BelleBoo&AmisMum]

I don't ever remember it being a bank. We moved to that area when I was 12. It was January, 1985. So it's possible that I just didn't pay attention back then! My dad still lives there. Take 24th towards the lake to the bottom of Bennet hill and there you are. I know before it was the sleep country is was a record store. Before that it was a sporting goods store. I clearly remember all their ski's were upstairs.

I remember when that Fred Meyer used to be more like a mini strip Mall. You had the grocery store, the department store area and then you had a Hallmark, a cafe, and a few other small stores in there that I can't recall anymore. It was really quite odd.

I also remember Crossroads before they remodeled. It was not a place you really wanted to be after dark!

The record store is still a record store, it's a FYE now, it's in the parking lot to the north of the Fred Meyer between the Denny's and the Chuck E. Cheese. The Sleep Country is in it's own little building right at the corner of 148th and 24th, that's what used to be the bank.

 

[Nicolepa]

The record store is still a record store, it's a FYE now, it's in the parking lot to the north of the Fred Meyer between the Denny's and the Chuck E. Cheese. The Sleep Country is in it's own little building right at the corner of 148th and 24th, that's what used to be the bank.

You're right. Hmmm, all this snow must be shorting out my brain!

Every time I go or pass that Chuck E. Cheese I have to laugh though. From Strip club/bar to Chuck E. Cheese.

 

[BelleBoo&AmisMum]

You're right. Hmmm, all this snow must be shorting out my brain!

Every time I go or pass that Chuck E. Cheese I have to laugh though. From Strip club/bar to Chuck E. Cheese.

Same clientele and possibly employees

 

[Nicolepa]

Same clientele and possibly employees

I'd never thought about it that way. Thanks, now every time I take my kids there I'll have to wonder...

 

[BelleBoo&AmisMum]

I'd never thought about it that way. Thanks, now every time I take my kids there I'll have to wonder...

Sorry, I hate that place with a passion! My kids have had more problems there than any other place, not to mention that the big rat taught my oldest the f-bomb.

 

[Michelle67]

You're right. Hmmm, all this snow must be shorting out my brain!

Every time I go or pass that Chuck E. Cheese I have to laugh though. From Strip club/bar to Chuck E. Cheese.

Same clientele and possibly employees

And I hate Chuck E. Cheese too. My kids have never been there.

 

[Nicolepa]

And I hate Chuck E. Cheese too. My kids have never been there.

I try my hardest not to go there either. That place sets me into full blow panic attacks. I will only go if it's first thing when they open and only if I have to (ie birthday party).

 

[Vexorg]

I don't ever remember it being a bank. We moved to that area when I was 12. It was January, 1985. So it's possible that I just didn't pay attention back then! My dad still lives there. Take 24th towards the lake to the bottom of Bennet hill and there you are. I know before it was the sleep country is was a record store. Before that it was a sporting goods store. I clearly remember all their ski's were upstairs.

I remember when that Fred Meyer used to be more like a mini strip Mall. You had the grocery store, the department store area and then you had a Hallmark, a cafe, and a few other small stores in there that I can't recall anymore. It was really quite odd.

I also remember Crossroads before they remodeled. It was not a place you really wanted to be after dark!

I believe you're thinking of a different building in the same block, which is in fact still a record (well, movie and music) store, and does have a second floor loft in it. It used to be a Wherehouse, now it's FYE. The Sleep Country (which would be the one that is the former bank) is on the corner, and there's a Denny's next to it,, and in between those two and a little back from 148th is the store you're thinking of. Behind those, there's a little "mall" (it hardly warrants the term though) with a couple of ethnic restaurants and businesses (one is a Chinese buffet I've been to a couple of times) and a Chuck E Cheese. When I moved here in 1994, that place was a nightclub, that then got turned into a strip club that only lasted a few months before they got run out of town, and eventually became a Chuck E Cheese. here is an aerial view that shows the area, and the Fred Meyer is just to the left of the picture here.

As for the Fred Meyer, a number of the other Fred Meyers in the area (Kirkland and Issaquah, for example) still have the strip mall style busineses integrated into the front of their buildings. I think most of these in the Overlake location were actually inside the building and in the back. A few of these spaces were still around until about 2003 or so when they did the last major remodel of the store and (which badly needed it at the time) and took over those spaces themselves. The most recent Fred Meyer built around here (in Redmond) at the end of 520) doesn't have any of these though, except for the Fred Meyer Jewelers.

I apologize for the topic drift here, but this is actually useful info for me, and should give me a few things to look at the next time I hit the newspaper archives.

 

[Nicolepa]

That is correct on the bank/music store. I have always seen them as the same building. I have no idea why. I lived off of 24th for 18+ years. Only moving to Sammamish in the last 5.

The Fred Meyer was like a very mini mall in the fact that all the stores were inside. The odd part was that the Fred Meyer part was open, but once you went thru the registers you were in the "Mall" All the stores were in the back area of the current store. If you go in the back entrance there was a hair salon on your right (might still be there?) on the left were all the stores. Then on the right you had the department store part and the grocery store is still where it is today. The two areas were seperated. I can't remember if you could go back and forth between the two like you can now. I don't think so. The Totem Lake FM was similar but never quite as mallish. They just had a couple of stores. I try not to go to either of these ones anymore. So I can't say what is still there. The Redmond one is much nicer (and closer) to my house and Issaquah is second on my list.

Issaquah has the strip mall in the sense that the electronics and jewlery etc are seperate. The difference is, with exception to the bank & Starbucks those stores are still owned by FM. Back in the 80's it was totally 3rd party business, not affiliated at all with FM.

 

[disykat]

After reading a newspaper article I finally figured out why I don't remember the 1996 storm - it was Dec. 27th and we were out of town. Now that my memory has been jogged I do remember the roofs that collapsed etc. but we missed seeing all that snow. It must of snowed several times that year since my fall leaves pictures were obviously of a different snowfall.

We always visit family right after Christmas and are planning on leaving the 27th so we'll see... Right now it looks like it would be slow going with chains required at several points.

We have chains on now and are getting around fine, but I don't think we could make it out of the neighborhood without them. It's going to be an interesting year. It seems like we've been doing lots of calling and emailing regarding canceling or keeping events. So far everything's just been cancelled. It feels kind of sad to miss these events but it could be so much worse!

 

[Vexorg]

The Fred Meyer was like a very mini mall in the fact that all the stores were inside. The odd part was that the Fred Meyer part was open, but once you went thru the registers you were in the "Mall" All the stores were in the back area of the current store. If you go in the back entrance there was a hair salon on your right (might still be there?) on the left were all the stores. Then on the right you had the department store part and the grocery store is still where it is today. The two areas were seperated. I can't remember if you could go back and forth between the two like you can now. I don't think so. The Totem Lake FM was similar but never quite as mallish. They just had a couple of stores. I try not to go to either of these ones anymore. So I can't say what is still there. The Redmond one is much nicer (and closer) to my house and Issaquah is second on my list.

Yes, this is how the store was up until the previously mentioned 2003 remodel. There was a HairMasters and a space that was last occupied by Vetco Electronics (a place that sells used electronic stuff and components, which still has a store on Northup Way) back there, although both of those spaces got removed at that point. There's still an AlaskaUSA Credit Union branch back there, but I'm not sure if it was there before the remodel. I think they used the Vetco space partially to expand the electronics department and partially for storage (all Fred Meyers have their home electronics department in a separate, semi-enclosed space.) Most Fred Meyers here have WaMu branches in the store, but that's typical for supermarkets here too.

The Totem Lake store has a number of various businesses (including a hair salon, a barber shop, a teriyaki place and a Papa Murphy's) in separate spaces at the front of the store with no connection to the store interior, as does the Issaquah store. Was this done differently in the Totem Lake store before? The Issaquah store is a fairly recent one, so I know it was originally built that way.

 

[Michelle67]

I apologize for the topic drift here, but this is actually useful info for me, and should give me a few things to look at the next time I hit the newspaper archives.

It's not bothering me. I'm just happy to see the thread still going. I hadn't noticed so many of us western Washingtonians were here. I'm not very familiar with the areas you guys are talking about, but it's still kinda interesting.

 

[Nicolepa]

The Totem Lake Store was always that way. And yes, the Issaquah store was always the way it was. The only exception is about 3 years ago or so they added the Starbucks.

I think the electronics store in Belleve was the combination of a couple of store spaces. All the shops in the old FM were very small.

Back on topic, everyone ready if we get more snow tonight?

I'm supposed to go to the Pro Club and get my hair cut. I hope I can get out of my neighborhood! I will run to the grocery store and grab a few things because Amazon says they can't deliver my groceries until maybe tomorrow.

 

[BelleBoo&AmisMum]

Yes, this is how the store was up until the previously mentioned 2003 remodel. There was a HairMasters and a space that was last occupied by Vetco Electronics (a place that sells used electronic stuff and components, which still has a store on Northup Way) back there, although both of those spaces got removed at that point. There's still an AlaskaUSA Credit Union branch back there, but I'm not sure if it was there before the remodel. I think they used the Vetco space partially to expand the electronics department and partially for storage (all Fred Meyers have their home electronics department in a separate, semi-enclosed space.) Most Fred Meyers here have WaMu branches in the store, but that's typical for supermarkets here too.

The Totem Lake store has a number of various businesses (including a hair salon, a barber shop, a teriyaki place and a Papa Murphy's) in separate spaces at the front of the store with no connection to the store interior, as does the Issaquah store. Was this done differently in the Totem Lake store before? The Issaquah store is a fairly recent one, so I know it was originally built that way.

The Monroe one is the same way, fewer stores attached but same thing. I'm originally from Portland though and we used to shop at the first Fred Meyer in the Hollywood District all the time.

 

[Vexorg]

Well, the roads seem to be (sort of) improving now, and have gone from being a horrendous mess to being only a terrible mess. 520 is just fine though, and some of the major roads are getting better. Of course, all this comes just in time for the next storm to come in and dump another 2" (or more) of snow on everything, but at least the forecast is calling for things to warm up by this weekend and start getting rid of all this crud.

 

[BelleBoo&AmisMum]

Did you guys see this on Kiro?? DH and I were rolling, in a we've been under too much snow for too long kind of way! http://www.kirotv.com/news/18346903/detail.html

It looks like we're snow bound for Christmas, I'm really sad about it. This is the first time we've missed out on Santa pictures with the kids and we won't be at my moms with family.

 

[Cindyluwho]

Did you guys see this on Kiro?? DH and I were rolling, in a we've been under too much snow for too long kind of way! http://www.kirotv.com/news/18346903/detail.html

I read that in the Times this morning. But it also said that the roads that the State DOT had salted, sanded and de-iced weren't that much better

 

[Caropooh]

Well, the roads seem to be (sort of) improving now, and have gone from being a horrendous mess to being only a terrible mess. 520 is just fine though, and some of the major roads are getting better. Of course, all this comes just in time for the next storm to come in and dump another 2" (or more) of snow on everything, but at least the forecast is calling for things to warm up by this weekend and start getting rid of all this crud.

South end roads are hit and miss on condition. Some are clear, some are packed snow/ice and some are a combo. What's weird is the same road can have multiple conditions depending on where you are. Pacific Highway (99) in Kent/Federal Way is a mess depending on where you are. Couple blocks clear, then you get a couple blocks of patches of slush and patches of packed snow/ice. Makes it real fun.

 

[disykat]

Three more inches this morning and still falling! This is nuts. We've got power, we've got food, I can't complain, but I sure wonder if we'll be able to get to church and our company will be able to come!

I have a feeling we'll be shoveling over at church this afternoon. We've been having a heck of a time trying to keep the parking lot ready for tonight.

 

[Cindyluwho]

It's raining, it's raining!! Good thing we shoveled off the roof last night.