After 90 Years in Business, 50th St. Market Closes

50th Street Market.jpg It is our sad duty to report that the 50th St. Market, a Wallingford fixture since the Woodrow Wilson administration, has closed.

Most of Seattle's small groceries have long since disappeared--our great-grandfather's went bust in the 1960s--but 50th St. hung around, bolstered by the relative density of the neighborhood.

"Your Neighborhood Market Est. 1919," says the awning. The building itself dates to 1905, according to the county.

But the business didn't survive a new 7-11, which went in across the street a couple of years ago. That store has parking in front, and dispenses gas, two things that a flush-to-the-sidewalk storefront like 50th St. Market couldn't provide.

We attended nearby Keystone Church as a child, and so would sneak in for soda and candy whenever we could. In the 1980s the store started offering video rentals, which may have provided a little revenue. The last time we stopped in, a few months ago, it was pretty run-down, looking more like the type of convenience store you'd see a lower-class neighborhood than in upscale Wallingford. They were pushing fried chicken and jo-jos, not artisan bread and organic wine.

According to the very nice cashier at the 7-11, 50th St. Market closed about a month ago. Looks like they left in a hurry, with the "Going Out of Business" sign still on the door.

Several small neighborhood groceries still survive in the city--they either cater to low-income people without cars or high-income people who prefer to walk.

Some of these more upscale groceries include: Leschi Market on Lake Washington, which has a tremendous meat and wine selection; Ken's Market in Greenwood, which has a walk-in cooler full of imported and craft beer; Boulevard Grocery in Ravenna, which specializes in pastries and sandwiches.

50th St. Market never made this transition, and 7-11 probably outdid them in the cheap food and girly mags department, so they are gone. Perhaps a more upscale grocer will take the spot?

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By Seth in News on May 5, 2009 2:00 PM

Comments [rss]

Tom

Ah, that sucks... I liked the place what with its run-down charm.

mosaicman

My memory is from highschool, wherein a buddy and I tried to get some mullet dude out front of the market to purchase a half rack for us. He walked in and purchased the right beer, but he came out and casually placed the beer in the back of his truck, the change in his pocket, and pulled out a shovel and threatened us back into our car.

The incident motivated us down to 1st Ave, next to Warshall's, to purchase a fake ID. Turned out the fake ID was a much better method to get beer at the 50th in 1983. I was recently still buying wine there every other week.

caroline

Just wanted to point out that the 7-11 didn't go in just a few years ago, it's been there for over 20 years. When I moved to Seattle in 1991, I lived in the house (now gone) right next to the 50th Street Deli and the 7-11 was across the street. I even asked my sister, who had lived in both that house and the one on the other side of the deli on 1st NE (at the time both owned by Ken, who was the previous 50th Street owner) and she says that the 7-11 was there when she moved into the neighborhood in 1986.

I don't think the 7-11 had anything to do with the demise of the 50th Street Deli.

Interesting about the building is that it was built around the original house, that house was built in 1905 with the store being built in 1919.

Troy Morris

Also, they totally outdid 7-11. I'm sorry, but an 18-pack of Rainer for 14 dollars? Holy crumbum.

Troy Morris

That was my place. The lady that worked most often with her son was always super nice. Her son and I would toss football in the aisles. I cried when i saw the signs on Easter. Not boo-hoo crying, but a very moving action film cry.

I went to the 7-11 once during the snow storm until I decided to brave the parking lot to make sure 50th was closed. It wasn't, much to my elated surprise. So I went there for my wine and asked why there were open. "Business" was the reply, apparently there just wasn't enough.

Oh, and the Meridian Market up the street is horrible. With the exception of their "Mystery Six-er" has a terrible selection at terrible prices and most of the employees are not that great at customer service.