The local cable program “Neighborhoods” dropped in on Hillman City earlier this year and spent some time with a few of the Rainier Ave businesses that are anchoring economic development in our community, including Tim Umbrella Coffee, the Collaboratory, Spinnaker Bay, Jacob Willard Home, and Big Chickie.
It’s a family operation at Jacob Willard Home — dad Karl named the used furniture shop after his son — and the Rainier Ave. storefront is virtually overflowing stylish vintage and mid-century furniture. Occasionally on a summer evening, the store does actually spill onto the sidewalk — providing furniture for a community pop-up “Hillman City Living Room (pictured above)!” Karl also stocks mid-century collectibles and LPs, and offers upholstery and refinishing services, extending the life of older tables, chairs and other furniture.
Jacob Willard Home was in business online for three years before Karl decided it was time to open a showroom. He considered downtown locations before zeroing in on Hillman City, a neighborhood he describes as “up and coming.” Stop by to browse, to chat with Karl about interior design, or to hear what he’s got playing on the turntable!
Jacob Willard Home
5600-D Rainier Ave S Seattle 98118 206.290.8619 Email: karl@vintagevaultseattle.com Facebook page
Taking a walk? Why not sit down and read a book afterwards? Tiny, front-yard libraries are popping up in neighborhoods around Seattle and across the country. Many builders of these birdhouse-sized units are inspired by the Little Free Library movement launched by a carpenter and a community educator in Madison, Wisconsin. The boxes–some basic, some quite elaborate–invite passers by to stop, browse, chat, and to borrow (or leave) a good read or two.
Hillman City and Columbia City are becoming a little epicenter for these libraries in the Seattle area, as shown by Howard Gutknecht’s video tour above. Interested in creating your own little free library? Check out these photos for further inspiration!
Hillman City has a very active crossfit gym. Throughout the day, it’s not unusual to spot crossfitters taking laps around the block. People of all fitness levels are encouraged to visit Rocket Crossfit and learn more about this challenging and results-driven workout.
Wednesday through Saturday evenings, a rotating food truck parks next door offering post-workout meals.
5720 Rainier Ave S.
tel. 206.725.0278 www.rocketcrossfit.com facebook: facebook.com/pages/Rocket-CrossFit/184676051607209
The Tenants Union works statewide on affordable, decent housing for all — through education, organizing and advocacy. Started by volunteers in 1977, the Tenants Union has a long history of victories for housing justice and remains the go-to organization for tenants’ rights questions and concerns.
Hotline assistance and walk-in services are available via the contact info below.
5425 Rainier Ave S, Suite B
tel. 206.723.0500 www.tenantsunion.org twitter: @TenantsUnionWA facebook: facebook.com/TenantsUnion
Located in the heart of Hillman City at Orcas and Rainier, the Afrique Service Center is a community-funded cultural education center and social service organization focusing on the needs of South Seattle’s East African immigrant communities. Afrique’s direct services include family advocacy, domestic violence prevention, after-school programs for children, and Arabic reading classes, among other programs.
Afrique’s first floor houses the Masjid-Al-Karim, a Sufi mosque which provides a place of worship and a source for cultural education for East African Muslim families.
5700 Rainier Ave S., Suite A
tel. 206.380.8826 www.afrsc.org
A progressive congregation (Valley and Mountain Fellowship) and a grassroots arts organization (Community Arts Create) have collaborated to launch a dynamic new community space: the Hillman City Collaboratory.
The prominent storefront is in a beautiful historical building anchoring the neighborhood’s central intersection of Orcas and Rainier. The Collaboratory, or “co-lab,” includes a multipurpose meeting room, a kitchen, offices, and work-share space for artists and activists.
5623 Rainier Ave S
206-799-8428 hillmancitycollaboratory.org
Hillman City’s local, reliable pizza take-out joint, Eyman’s provides the basics at an affordable price — and may be Seattle’s only Halal pizza establishment.
Listed open hours are Monday 4pm-9:30 pm, and Tues-Sun 2pm-9:30pm.
5607 Rainier Ave S.
tel. 206.420.1349
With its giant willow tree, and rows of raised planting beds, Hillman City P-Patch is one of the Seattle P-Patch Community Gardens administered by the Department of Neighborhoods. Garden plots are tended by gardeners who rent the space from the P-Patch Program for an annual fee.
Visitors are welcome to stroll through the garden, but veggies and flowers belong to the gardeners that tend each individual plot. P-Patch gardeners regularly contribute surplus produce to the Food Bank.
tel. 206.684.0264