Transworld Business has named Fremont-based evo Shop of the Year and Hardgoods Retailer of the Year. The results came from feedback from brands and reps in the outdoors goods industry.

They also spoke with President Atsuko Tamura to hear about the strategies and business philosophies that earned them these prestigious awards.

What’s really exciting to us is this national recognition.  Wow. Our whole team had a similar reaction: a humble but stoked “wow!”   This recognition means a ton to us – we’ve worked really hard to build our brand in a way that could have the broadest reach to action sports enthusiasts – everywhere.

Read the rest of the interview here.

The National Weather Service has issued a winter weather advisory until 4 a.m. Friday, calling for an ongoing mix of more sleet, freezing rain. Friday morning’s commute will be affected by the weather.

Took a stroll around Fremont today and grabbed a few photos for those who might not have been around town since the snow started falling…

Looking south from 41st & Fremont Ave:

Looking up 38th St. from Fremont Ave.

Go on, brush your shoulders off, Vlad.

You’ve got something on your face, bro. No not there, there.

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It looks like the snowfall is just about over. Forecasts call for slight snow overnight followed by freezing rain, which will lead into a very icy Thursday.

As such, SDOT is advising commuters to continue taking it easy. Consider public transportation or consider staggering your commute time. Also make sure you’re aware of any closed streets. (SDOT) crews will continue plowing and salting major arterials and transit routes in preparation for the morning commute.

King County Metro Transit will keep its buses chained up and on snow routing for a fifth straight day. Riders should sign up for Transit Alerts to receive notification of route cancellations, but also check the service status before traveling at  www.kingcounty.gov/metro/snow.

All Seattle schools and after-school activities have already been cancelled for Thursday.

Photos: Mark Ashmun

Someone is going to have to have a very awkward conversation with this snowgentleman standing on the corner of 42nd and Fremont very soon.

Seattle has woken up to a blanket of snow on the ground, although in less drastic amounts as first anticipated. However, roads are still slick and the snow is likely to come down most of the day.

The Seattle Department of Transportation says they plan to keep plows on the streets all day:

The Seattle Department of Transportation (SDOT) has trucks out working to keep major arterial streets clear. Crews are mostly spreading granular salt and monitoring snow routes for accumulating snow. Please consider transportation options for essential travel and avoid driving if possible. The City continues to urge that drivers use caution during their commute.

You’ll have to wait for another day to see some elephants. The Woodland Park Zoo is closed today due to the snow.

Heads up, SDOT has closed NW 65th Street up to Phinney Ridge is closed. Road closure is 3rd Ave NW to Phinney Ave N.

We’ll add some updates as they come in. Feel free to send your snowy pics as well. Enjoy the day, Fremont!

Updated 5 p.m. Seattle Public Schools are canceled for Wednesday. All activities canceled.

Metro buses remain on snow routes, and some routes will be canceled on Wednesday. Metro plans to cancel as many as 30 routes tomorrow morning, depending on how severe the storm is.

Original: I’m going to go out on a limb and say you already know that between 5 to 14 inches of snow could be on the way by this evening (though possibly less).

It doesn’t sound like it will be quite as much as was first predicted, but the “evolving” forecast still calls for a substantial snowfall.

As of this moment (Tuesday, 3pm), things look dry here in Fremont. However, according to meteorologist Dana Felton,”snow will start here in the metro area at 4 in the morning and taper off in the evening hours (Wednesday).”

In case we do get hit, Take Winter By Storm, a multi-media, public awareness and safety engagement program, has some tips for preparing for severe winter weather:

· If an inlet or street drain appears to be blocked by snow or debris, try to safely clear a channel to provide a path for the runoff. If the drain cannot be cleared, or if the cause of the blockage or flooding is uncertain, call Seattle Public Utilities at (206) 386-1800.

· Protect your water pipes from freezing. Shut off outside faucets, drain the water and protect them by insulating them with foam covers.

· If you’re going to be away, or if you have renters or own a vacant property, ask a friend or neighbor to check your house daily to make sure it’s warm enough to prevent freezing — or shut off and drain the water system. Be aware that if you have a fire protection sprinkler system in your house, it will be deactivated when you shut off the water.

· Drain and remove all outdoor hoses, and shut off and drain in-ground sprinkler systems.

· Pipes in exposed or unheated areas (attics, basements and garages) should be wrapped with tape and insulating materials, available at local hardware stores.

· Property owners should check for any exposed pipes in unheated areas. That includes basements, garages, attics and crawl spaces.

· Once it drops below freezing, protect indoor sink pipes that are against exterior walls by opening under-sink cabinet doors, allowing heat to circulate. During severe cold, allow the faucet farthest from your front door to slowly drip cold water. Set your thermostat no lower than 55 degrees Fahrenheit, day or night (even if you are away).

· Do not leave water running in unoccupied buildings. If the drain should plug, it could cause a flood.

· Please don’t use hair dryers to thaw frozen pipes — you face the risk of electrocution!

· If a water pipe breaks, immediately close the main shut-off valve to stop flooding. If you cannot turn off the main shut-off valve, Seattle residents can call 206-386-1800 and a crew will turn off the water at the meter for a standard service charge.

Via Seattle Met, a group that puts together food truck rodeos is currently looking for vendors to join them in a new “pod” at the Fremont Sunday Market.

Up to ten of them will park there from 11 to 4 starting February 19. For now it’s a monthly thing but “will become weekly as the weather improves,” according to event manager Danniel Linn.

The group is also looking to do more pod pop-ups at other Fremont locations and events, such as the Fremont Outdoor Movies.

The Sunday market currently has a good selection of food carts but is a little light on the food trucks, with Maximus-Minimus usually being the only one. Looks like it’s about to get a lot more crowded. And tasty.

Whenever I have friends or family in town and I’m giving them the Fremont tour, we always somehow end up in Frank & Dunya even though I had no plans to. It’s just that kind of place, beckoning to you with its vibrant colors, curious artwork and whimsical flair.

Unfortunately, the home for so much local, independent art will be closing its doors and become a strictly online venture as of January 28th.

The gallery will be hosting an event on the 28th to say goodbye and they’d like you to be there.

Please, set the date to attend our “Farewell Fremont-Hello On-line” appreciation party for all our loyal supporters, artists and citizens of Fremont. It’s been 23 fantastic years, we couldn’t do it without you all!

Thank you humbly, Fremont! Thank you all our friends!!!

Until then, the store is featuring a moving sale and there is a “retail space for rent” sign up in the window.

Whoever the next company in that space is, may they embody the Fremont spirit even half as much as Frank & Dunya has.

So I took some liberties with Shakespeare there. Still, I accomplished what I needed to, which is to introduce the Rogue & Peasant (3601 Fremont Ave. N, #207), which has been described as a coffee shop/music club opening in the space next door to the new Hunger location.

The new spot, described as “a place where all genres of people and music can be expressed,” opens its doors on January 27th.

According to their website, it will be open every day of the week, from 6am to 2am Monday through Saturday and 8am to 2am on Sundays.

Owners Jeremiah David Johnson, Amber Schein and Loren Schein has been hush-hush about details so you’ll just have to show up opening night to find out the specifics.

The band Sweet Secrets has a gig booked there on February 3rd.

In case you missed the first community workshop for the B.F. Day Playground Design Steering Committee, you’ve got a chance to make it to the second one.

Join the second of three Community Workshops to generate and share ideas for transforming B.F. Day’s outdoor spaces. Bring your own ideas and bring your children as their input is appreciate as well. Even if you don’t have children at B.F. Day, you’re input is important. After all, the school playground is open to the public any time school is not in session.

The meeting will be held Thursday, February 2 between 6:00-8:00pm in the B.F. Day library. The schedule looks like this:

6:00 pm Meet and greet
6:15 pm Presentation of preliminary concepts
6:45 pm Break into groups to discuss concepts
7:15 pm Groups present and share comments

Snacks will be provided. For project updates over the coming months, please check out
www.bfdayptsa.org

There are also two Facebook groups you can join to stay up to date with what’s going on at B.F. Day. Future Parents of B.F. Day Elementary and B.F. Day PTSA.

I always enjoy walking to the top of the walking bridge over Aurora Ave. on 41st St. and stopping right at the top of the Fremont-side stairs. You get a great little view of Seattle that includes Lake Union, downtown and the Queen Anne hill.

I imagine, however, it can be a bit of a pain for bicyclists to carry their bike up and down the bridge all the time. And apparently SDOT thought the same thing.

They’ve installed a runnel along the length of the bridge. Basically, a runnel is a track on a staircase that allows you to roll your bicycle with you as you walk up and down. It’s like a little ledge for your wheels to make life just a little easier.

The runnel is installed and now SDOT would like to know how it’s working for everyone. They’re asking for feedback and suggestions to be sent either by phone (206) 684-7583 or email (walkandbike@seattle.gov).

H/T: Bill

Seattle food and yard waste, garbage and recycling collections will be on its normal schedule for Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, Monday,  January 16th.

Seattle Public Utilities customers should place their containers out for collection by 7 a.m. to ensure collection as usual.

The City of Seattle’s North Recycling and Disposal Station in the Fremont/Wallingford area and the South Recycling and Disposal Station in the South Park area will be open during their regular business hours: 8 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.

Customers can report a missed garbage, recycling or food and yard waste collection by calling (206) 684-3000 during regular business hours on Tuesday, 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., or by visiting the Online Missed Collection form at: www.seattle.gov/util/Services/Garbage.

By CLAIR PHILLIPS
UW News Lab

I’ll bet when you think of book clubs, you imagine a group of middle aged Seattle women sitting around sipping tea, munching crackers and chit-chatting. You might be wrong – at least, about one group.

The Bushwick Book Club Seattle does things a bit differently, and their monthly meeting brought the community together in a big way last Friday (Jan. 6) at the Fremont Abbey Arts Center.

Lewis Carroll’s Alice in Wonderland was the inspiration for 11 book club member/musicians’ sets performed throughout the evening to a packed house.

Geoff Larsen, curator of the club and emcee for the evening, said members of the club simply “read a book and write a song inspired by the book.”

The Fremont Abbey offered a unique and casual setting in the upstairs of the venue complete with high ceilings and fold-out chairs. Many attendees took advantage of the elaborate baked good table and beverages offered downstairs.

After drawing names for the order of their appearance, musicians entered stage to describe the meaning or inspiration behind the original song they were to perform. Some performers took the various characters from Alice in Wonderland as inspiration, while others sang about their overall impression of the novel, and a few simply made up characters. Hey, it’s Wonderland, why not?

Acoustic guitars were the main accompaniment for most songs, but other instruments like the harmonica, bass, violin, drums and accordion made an appearance.

There were roughly 175 people in attendance and the performances hailed an intimate yet casual feel. Songs ranged in their genre throughout the evening from bluegrass to alternative.

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On Tuesday, Seattle Public Schools announced proposed changes to the boundaries of the John Stanford International School in Wallingford.

The changes were presented at a PTA meeting and will be voted on by the full School Board on Jan. 18. These boundary changes would also impact McDonald Elementary and Fremont’s B.F. Day Elementary School.

According to the release, the John Stanford International School is currently overcrowded and use exceeds the optimal use of the rooms. With no boundary change, the school will only continue to get more crowded based on projections.

The combined capacity for McDonald Elementary and Stanford can only support the population within the combined current boundary for two more years at most.

In order to keep siblings together and alleviate overcrowding, the school district is proposing a plan that will offer predictability to all families. Once approved, all those impacted by the boundary change will know where their student will attend school in September 2012.

The proposal for the 2012-13 school year is as follows:

• Ensures incoming kindergarten siblings of students attending John Stanford who live in Area # 1 or # 2 will be guaranteed assignment to John Stanford
• Students who live in Area #1 and who are not entering kindergarten siblings will be guaranteed assignment to McDonald
• Offers a plan to bring the number of JSIS homerooms back to a sustainable level.

The School Board will vote on this plan on Jan. 18.

The bad news? Hunger Restaurant will be leaving the space in Upper Fremont that it’s been since July 2010.

The good news? Hunger is moving right down Fremont Ave. to take over the space formerly occupied by Dad Watson’s (3601 Fremont Ave N).

Co-owner Brian Brooks says that while he and co-owner/wife Jaime Mullins-Brooks originally wanted to expand their current space, the new location was too good to pass up when it became available.

“We were going to build a speakeasy in the basement but then this space became available,” says Brooks. “So we decided to get closer to the heart of Fremont.”

Brooks is hopeful for the new space to be open in late February/early March as builders have gutted and reworked the entire building since Dad Watson’s left.

Fear not, Hunger’s regulars, you’ll still get the same Spanish/Mediterranean-influenced cuisine. You’ll just get a whole lot more of it.

Brooks says the new restaurant will expand the menu and the bar as well as offer “more space, more seating, a patio and we’re designing a chef’s counter where you get to be a part of the action, sitting next to the kitchen.”

As they get closer to the new opening, Hunger expects to hold events in both locations, as a thank you to their loyal customers in the current spot and as a welcome to the neighborhood in their new location.