University Book Store
The University Bookstore, located on the main drag on the Ave, has a nice selection of art supplies, gifts, UW merchandise, and, of course, books. Ive always headed here to find high quality books on various subjects that would normally need to be special ordered by other mainstream chain bookstores. Since theyre not a chain, they will also often have books in stock that have sold out elsewhere in the city. They carry books by professors at UW, many of whom are experts in their fields. You can usually find a nice gift here for the academic-type in your family.
Daniel Smith Fine Art Supplies
For all your artistic needs, head to Daniel Smith. Their original store is located in Seattle, and their Eastside branch is in Redmond, but both offer art classes. I needed some Koh-I-Noor drawing pens, and they had the best selection and price of anywhere I searched in the Seattle area. Students can get a 10% discount off their purchases. They carry high quality artistic supplies and even do a very good mail-order business nationwide, so were lucky to be able to shop with them directly here in Seattle.
A-1 & J & J Piano Movers
These are by far the best piano movers Ive ever seen anywhere. As a student, Id wanted to rent a piano, so I found their sister business, A1 Piano Sales and Rentals, in the yellow pages. I rented a Yamaha upright, a huge heavy instrument, and they moved the whole thing into the second story of my rented house after negotiating a short driveway that opened right onto busy 15th Ave and wooden stairs that curved around 180 degrees. Nothing got dinged not the piano, not the doorjamb, nothing. When it came time to return the piano, they did the whole thing again, even faster. They have my highest recommendation!
Danielson Jewelers
This is a family-run jewelry shop, with all repairs done on the premises. They can fix anything from a replacing a dead battery to making heirlooms work again. Though they specialize in very high-end watches, Ive brought in no-name brands (with sentimental value) that I needed repairing. Their fees are reasonable, and theyre so well trained in Swiss watch repair that they do their all repairs themselves, a real rarity these days since this work is usually outsourced (physically mailed!) elsewhere. This gives me a lot of confidence in their work and I would highly recommend them for any repair you need!
American Eagles Hobby Shop
Located up north in Lake City, this shop has over $2M in inventory, and it shows. Anything you need for your model you can find here, not to mention all kinds of models, from complex wooden ships, to standard airplanes, cars, and remote-controlled vehicles. Some friends and I did a tour of all the hobby shops in the area (including an obscure one in Fife), and this was by far the most impressive. Parking is a little tough since American Eagles is located right on 522, but at least you can rest assured that you can get anything you need for your hobby locally!
Antiques At Pike Place
The next time youre in Pike Place Market, swing by this antique mall. Its huge and chock full of vendors selling vintage and antique clothing, jewelry, and even furniture. Ive found many unique gifts here (such as an old Japanese inlaid box with a hidden spring switch for opening), and its a great place to go to find an old alligator handbag or recently come- back- into-vogue item without worrying about having to pay a fortune or doing harm to more animals.
Juanita Creek Apartments
This small complex of apartments are owned and operated by an older couple from Idaho. Almost all the apartments, though small and a little noisy (I was told the area below the ground floor is hollow for fire safety), have a view of a creek that flows through the complex that attracts herons and ducks on a regular basis. Try getting an upper floor apartment to keep the noise down and for better views. You do have to walk a bit to catch the bus into downtown, but I did it for a year with no problem, and new shops have sprung up around the area, making meeting day-to-day needs very convenient.
Riverdog Canine Coaching
Riverdog was apparently featured in Bravos Showdog Moms and Dads show. However, when we went there to check out their facilities and classes, we were shocked to see their prices. They tried to sell us their C.A.M.P. program, where you bring your dog for daycare and training for 3-4 weeks on weekdays, at more than $400 a week. (You would then show up on Saturday to learn what theyd taught your dog so that your dog would obey you as well.) Their classes run close to $200 per series, higher than any other training program Ive found in the area. To enroll your dog into an advanced class, you have to either have taken a basic class at Riverdog or schedule an evaluation session for approval. In the end, the pricing and complications made us decide this place was just not right for us.
A Positive Dog Training School
We went to sit in on a training class to decide whether or not this was a good place for our puppy. I admit I am no expert at dog training, but despite emphasizing their approach and calling themselves positive dog trainers, they employed squeezing lemon juice in dogs mouths to get them to stop barking and throwing soda cans filled with rocks on the ground to scare dogs from nipping at your feet. They also seemed to be concerned about liability issues in that dogs were not allowed to socialize with each other during the session and were spaced fairly far apart as well. One trainer in particular seemed very domineering. We decided this place was not for us.
Yakima Fruit Market & Nursery
Located right off of 522 is a produce stand that operates from spring to October. In general, their prices tend to be lower than grocery chains, and they sell local berries, apples and peaches during season, but you have to beware of fruit fly infestation. Ive bought fruit here several times only to find them infested with fruit flies within a few days, whereas produce from Uwajimaya or other grocers dont seem to have this problem. Herbs here also tend to be very pricey, so buy here selectively for only certain seasonal local items.