Capitol Hill: 15th Ave E (500-699)

500 15th Ave E - Big Bear Market - City People's Mercantile - Walgreens

Built in 1938, very little of this building remains today, but it's still interesting to note the progress. The 1939 and 1958 photos show it as the Big Bear Market. The building was almost completely torn down in 2006 (only token parts of a couple walls remained) when City People's Mercantile (1984-2001) was replaced by a Walgreens drugstore, as seen in the 2009 photo.

507-517 15th Ave E - Hopvine, Jamjuree

This building (built in 1929) appears as the Best Foods Cafe and the Mt. Rainier Dairy and Delicatessen in the 1937 photo, and as Hopvine Pub and Jamjuree Thai restaurant in 2009. Previous occupants include the Five-O Tavern and Matzoh Momma's.

514-520 15th Ave E

Built in 1936 and 1932, these buildings were fairly new in the 1937 photo. It shows most of the storefronts vacant, except for a grocery store. The 1958 photo shows Clean Well Cleaners, Carolyn's Cakes (1930s-1990s), and the U-Wash laundry. In 2009, a cleaners (Alterations Plus Dry Cleaning) and a bakery (North Hill Bakery ) remain. Also shown are a Wine Shop (European Vine Selections , since 1972), and Olympia Pizza & Spaghetti House III .

519-523 15th Ave E - Museum Quality Framing, Integra Hair, Wax On Spa

Built in 1929, this building was serving in 1937 as The Little Book Shop, the Dairy Store, a Barber Shop, and Mee Wa Hand Laundry. In 2009 the residents were Museum Quality Framing , Integra Hair, and Wax on Spa .

523-533 15th Ave E - Richfield Oil Gas Station - Hilltop Service Station

The 1966 photo shows this gas station when it was new, after the Richfield Oil Corporation moved south across Mercer Street. This location was Bergie's Arco in the 1970s & 1980s. The 2009 photo shows this gas station still in use, as Hilltop Service Station (since 1991).

524 15th Ave E - Samui

The last remaining house on the 500 block of 15th was built in 1905. The 2009 photo shows it largely unchanged, serving as Samui Thai restaurant. Previous occupants include Crystal Cablevision , Cause Celebre Cafe (1970s & 1980s), and Red & Black Books.

15th & Mercer - Fredonia Apartments - Capitol Hill Food Shop - Canterbury

Built in 1907, the Fredonia Apartments building still existed in 2009 but had lost much of its ornamentation over the years. In the 1937 photo, the Capitol Hill Food Shop and Swift Cleaners are visible residents. The 1955 and 1957 photos show the Capitol Hill Food Shop remaining, along with Harry Houston's Upholstery, a laundrette, and another cafe. In the 1968 photo, the restaurant on the corner has become the Gaslight Tavern (1960s-1970s). Federal Industries General Contractors is also visible. By the 1970s, the Fredonia apartments upstairs had fallen into disrepair, and were unoccupied. These were rennovated in 1988 by the Capitol Hill Housing Improvement Program . The last resident, Canterbury Ale & Eats (1976-2013), occupied the whole streetfront for 37 years. Early corner residents include the East Mercer Grocery & Pharmacy (1910s-1920s) and the Bee Hive Marketeria store (1930s).

chutneys

605 15th Ave E - Richfield Gasoline - Chutneys

The Chutneys restaurant building (built 1941) originally served as a gas station. The 1942 and 1966 photos show it occupied by the Richfield gas station. In 1967, when Richfield moved across the street, the building was modifed to be Prim Cleaners, which enclosed part of the filling station's canopy. Later residents included Bloch's restaurant (1970s-1987), Marrakesh Moroccan Restaurant (1987-1991), Capons Rotisserie Chicken (1991-1996), and finally Chutneys Grille on the Hill (1996-2013). The 2009 photo shows the canopy completely enclosed — with Chutneys' diners eating where there used to be gas pumps. Chutneys closed in 2013, but as a last hurrah, it was customized as part of the Storefronts Seattle project "Boxed Up" by Greg Lewis .

[Source: The historical images on this page were derived from the King County Tax Assessor photos at the Puget Sound Regional Archives , and also Seattle Municipal Archives photos. (Details...)]