PORT TOWNSEND — The closing of the Undertown and the owner’s plans to open a new restaurant in property he owns has caused a domino effect in downtown businesses, which is becoming apparent this week.
Dave Peterson, who ran the Undertown at 211 Taylor St. for three years, closed the popular coffee and wine spot in December with the intention of opening a new restaurant in the same space but announced in March that he was abandoning plans to do so because of cost.
Instead, Peterson said in March that he planned to open a restaurant in a building he owns on Washington Street and served two businesses that occupied that building with eviction notices that become effective Friday.
Peterson was not available for comment Tuesday.
The Bazaar Girls at 919 Washington St., a yarn store, has closed but is moving this weekend to a new location at 126 Quincy St., which was formerly part of the Town Tavern and has been vacant for three years.
The Candle Store, 921 Washington St. — also now closed — was operated by Ruthy Marlow in the Washington Street location for 11 years.
It will move into the old Undertown space next month.
The former Undergound area has been subdivided into four retail spaces by Kyle Development Company, Inc., of Issaquah, which owns the Mount Baker Block Building.
The Red Raven Gallery, located at 922 Water St. for two years, will moved into another of the Undertown spaces, with plans to reopen in June.
Bazaar Girls co-owner Kerri Hartman said she is excited about the space and that Peterson essentially did the business a favor by forcing the move.
“It’s like moving into a penthouse from a cold-water flat,” Hartman said.
“I mean that literally because we didn’t have any hot water here.”
Hartman said the new store has increased accessibility and more space, about 2,000 square feet from 1,300 square feet.
The shop will serve the knitting community and, Hartman hopes, will help to turn Port Townsend into a “fiber destination.”
Hartman said that knitting has become a more popular pastime in recent years, with the shop receiving considerable local support.
“Our customers are a closely-knit group,” Hartman said, acknowledging the pun.
“They get together to tell their friends where they bought this and where to find that.”
Marlow, who said she has accumulated “thousands” of items, is optimistic, even though the move has caused a lot of stress.
“It’s been a long, hard experience but my customers responded with their support,” she said.
“I didn’t need to have a moving sale. They just came in and bought things.
Marlow said she was happy with the design and layout of the new space, which gives her about the same space—700 square feet— as her current digs.
“I have an idea how it will look but that will get tweaked along the way,” she said.
“It’s a unique space, with the original ballast from ships on the walls.”
Marlow’s shop is full of candles, soaps and other small items and she doesn’t have a plan how it will all fit.
“I have that all in my head,” she said.
“It’s sad to leave here, but I know the new place will be a success.”
Marlow and the Red Raven Gallery, operated by Laurie McClave, will occupy the two bays closest to Water Street and will connect to share the customers and atmosphere, McClave said.
The stores will be accessible through the subway-style entrance on Taylor Street with a second door into the alley adjacent to Tyler Street.
While the parking lot out back will remain as gravel the entrances will be paved to become compatible with the Americans with Disabilities Act, McClave said.
Of the three relocated businesses, Red Raven is getting the biggest boost in space in terms of percentage — doubling its area from a narrow 225 square feet to a rectangular 580 square feet.
McClave said she plans to offer jewelry and other items that would not fit into her old space.
“This will be good for us,” McClave said.
“A lot of people say how cute and unique our store is now but we don’t have any room to expand, and we can’t sell jewelry because our landlord is [jeweler] Lila Drake and they didn’t want any competition,” she added.
”Undertown is well known by the locals so we will draw them, and we will have no problem getting tourists to come down; underground staircases make people curious,” McClave said.
“This moving around is like musical chairs — or dominos if we win in the end,” she said.
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Jefferson County Editor Charlie Bermant can be reached at 360-385-2335 or at cbermant@peninsuladailynews.com.
