Ah, summer. You can smell the smoke from ten thousand backyard barbecues (wait, unless those are the BC wildfires), so why would you even think of going inside? Wrong answer. There are more new restaurants this summer than in the past two years, so what are you waiting for? A fatter wallet? Fat chance. Here's a (partial) survey of what's new...and what's closed. more ›

After 61 years of business, Ballard Camera officially closed their doors on Tuesday. This is just days after other Ballard shops have announced their pending closed-for-good signs. Sadly, we say goodbye to the camera shop, who was a victim not only of the economy but also our impatient obsession with digital photography. more ›

Ballard's Epilogue Books is creating their very own epilogue--and their ending is a sad one for the community and book lovers. Bookstore owner Nathan Heath wrote in a tearjerker e-mail, "So with great regret and heavy hearts Epilogue Books will be closing." Apparently, the beloved book store had been having problems solving (and settling on) lease agreements with the landlord and didn't have enough time to find a suitable new storefront. Now they have 70,000 books, new and old to pull from their shelves. Starting July 5 at 11 a.m., all items will be marked down 20-70 percent off and will continue until the store's anticipated closure in August. more ›

• The train tracks near Carkeek Park on were shut down for nearly four hour Saturday evening, after a California-bound train struck and killed a 25-year-old Seattle man.
• It will be tough to finding your favorite Scandinavian treats of pickled herring, lutefisk and svinneribbe. After 49 years of business, Ballard's Olsen’s Scandinavian Foods announced over the weekend that they will have to close their door. Sales have already begun.
• Fremont was certainly the "Center of the Universe" for everyone painted head-to-toe in body paint this weekend. Once again, the annual Fremont Fair and the Solstice--naked people--Parade did not disappoint.

It's a dark day for Seattle jokesters, as the iconic Archie McPhee close their Ballard storefront door after ten years of selling fake poop and punching nuns. more ›