Capitol Hill Will Get Its New H Mart ‘Sometime This Fall,’ Says a Company Rep

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New H Mart at Capitol Hill Station Likely to Open This Fall

Capitol Hill Station’s new retail and residential development has been in the works for years, but its most anticipated commercial tenant, H Mart, has remained relatively mum about plans. Now, a rep for the grocer’s Pacific Northwest headquarters says the 16,000 square foot store will probably open “sometime this fall.” Capitol Hill Seattle was the first to report about the possibility of H Mart’s presence at the major neighborhood project back in 2018, and has been tracking the progress ever since, as pandemic-related delays pushed back various stages. Initial plans showed more than 11,000 square feet on the ground level for the store, plus another 5,000 square feet in a mezzanine space, making it the biggest retail operation at the mixed-use buildings. Whenever it opens, this will be the third H Mart location in Seattle, including outposts in the U District and Downtown. There’s also the Korean-American chain’s more upscale market District H in South Lake Union, as well as H Mart stores in Lynnwood, Bellevue, Federal Way, and Tacoma.

The Doctor’s Office to Require Vaccination Proof or COVID-Free Test

Capitol Hill bar the Doctor’s Office announced on Instagram that, effective August 1, it will require proof of full vaccination or a negative test within 48 hours for all guests. The small rare spirits-focused lounge is co-owned by an actual medical professional named Dr. Matthew Powell, whom the social media post notes has “run out of fucks to give,” and adds that “anyone giving our staff the slightest bit of pushback on this matter will be barred for life, along with everyone in their party.” The Doctor’s Office is not alone. Fellow Capitol Hill drinks destination CC Attle’s announced on Facebook in May that it would require proof of COVID vaccination for guests to enter, and high-end restaurants, including Philippine tasting menu spot Archipelago in Hillman City and Addo in Ballard, have instituted similar requirements for in-person dining.

Health Department Shuts Down Five Food Vendors at Alki Beach

On Saturday, July 24, Public Health Seattle and King County (PHSKC) discovered five food vendors operating without a license at Alki beach and shut them down. The department said that Botanas Locas, Chopped N Skewed, Marco Morales Stand, Nieves De Garrafa, and Ivonne Pineda’s Stand were ordered to stop serving food and drinks, but will be allowed to reopen once business owners complete the proper process to obtain a mobile food services permit applicable to food carts and stands. This shutdown follows seven other similar closures to non-licensed food businesses in Woodinville, Auburn, and Federal Way earlier this year, but was the largest PHSKC action taken in one day thus far in 2021.