Pedestrians and passersby may have noticed some changes on Seward Street in downtown Juneau. Here’s a run-down of what’s changed and what’s to come.
Alaskan Dames Consignment Shop, a clothing and furniture store, is opening a new location on Seward Street as soon as this week.
“Before Friday is the goal,” said Madison Massey, manager at Alaskan Dames. “It happened faster than even we anticipated. We knocked out the walls, there’s painting being done.”
Alaskan Dames, owned by Lisa Ibias, has been located in the Airport Shopping Center on Glacier Highway for about 17 years. Massey said the store recently downsized. The furniture and household items have been integrated into the clothing side of the business.
In 2014, Alaskan Dames opened Lilette, an upscale consignment shop, on Dunn Street in the Mendenhall Valley.
“The downtown location will be a blend between Alaskan Dames and Lilette. There’ll be higher end items, new and used. There’ll be men’s wear as well, along with local art and boutique pieces of furniture,” Massey said.
The downtown shop — as yet to be named — will be open Monday through Saturday 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., and Sunday 12 p.m. to 5 p.m.
It’s located on 217 Seward Street, where Urban Eskimo was housed for 11 years. Owner John Delgado moved his shop across the street earlier this month to 220 Seward Street.
“It’s about a third bigger, and it connects to a workshop/framing studio that we always had but were disconnected from, so it just works out better,” Delgado said.
“Now, we’re going to take on framing a little more than we used to. We fix and restore old frames as well,” he added.
The shop features Pendleton Woolen Mills men’s products, accessories and blankets, along with Alaska Native art, vintage ivory, vintage baskets and Alaskana items.
With a customer base that’s half local, half tourist, Delgado said Seward Street offers a “nice historic feel” without the “mob scene” that occurs down the hill on South Franklin Street during cruise ship season.
Next door, between Urban Eskimo and Salt, will be Salt’s new private dining room, which will be able to seat up to 12 people.
“It’s going to be a self-sufficient room with its own music, its own server, and we’ll be offering personalized tasting menus with wine pairings,” said Kris Schwartz, general manager and part owner of Salt.
The other owners are Rob Hynes, Tracy LaBarge and Salt chef Lionel Uddipa.
Schwartz said the private dining room likely won’t be ready until the fall. He’s also part owner of McGivney’s Downtown Sports Bar & Grill, which just had its grand opening earlier this month.
Schwartz said Salt, which features Alaskan cuisine, often gets requests for a private dining space where people can’t be interrupted.
Schwartz said Uddipa will be able to provide chef tableside service.
“He likes to come out to tables and be interactive with guests, whether it’s pouring a sauce over a fish or whipping something up tableside,” Schwartz said.
Uddipa has been at Salt for two years. The restaurant did a tasting menu for Valentine’s Day, which featured Japanese Kunamoto oysters, Alaskan weathervane scallops, roasted sunchoke soup, Maple Valley Farms duck breast, braised oxtail and chocolate mousse.
Across the street on 209 Seward Street will be a new business, Zootz Alor.
“It’s going to sell tobacco, tobacco accessories, glassware, novelties, gifts. We have a line of e-liquids and vaporizers. We also will be doing graphics and decals. We’ll have some tourist items,” said co-owner Lynne Lee.
Lee said Zootz Alor will have a soft opening April 1 with a grand opening later in the month. The shop will open in the afternoon and evenings, seven days a week in the summer and between five and seven days in the winter depending on customer demand.
Another change in the area includes a new clothing store at 230 Seward Street called Pretty Please Juneau. (For more information on that store, see this story in the March 23 issue of Capital City Weekly, the Empire’s sister publication.) It’s in the same building where Panhandle Provisions used to be located. That space and another building storefront is available for lease or sale.
• Contact reporter Lisa Phu at 523-2246 or lisa.phu@juneauempire.com.
Seward Street in Downtown Juneau.
John Delgado goes through his Pendleton wool shirts Monday in his Urban Eskimo shop at its new location across Seward Street from his former location. Delgado has run his shop for 11 years.
