At 15th Avenue East and East Harrison, the windows of the old Piggly Wiggly grocery building have been dark since late September. The patio that Bar Vacilando spent ten years filling is empty. Above it, the empress tree that shaded those tables has dropped its leaves for the season, and nobody can yet say whether it will flower there in spring.
Two blocks south, the old QFC block won approval for a six-story redevelopment in May 2025 and is still waiting for construction to start. In the meantime, its former grocery space at 416 15th Ave E has a swap meet, a holiday market and a three-day flea market on the calendar before the end of December, which makes it the reason 15th Avenue East will be busy this winter.
Three Closings in One Week at 15th and Harrison
CHS Capitol Hill Seattle reported on September 23 that Rione XIII and Rubinstein Bagels had closed immediately and that Bar Vacilando would follow that weekend. The three businesses shared the old Piggly Wiggly building at the corner. One House Hospitality, the restaurant group behind Rione XIII and the bagel shop, said that "ongoing issues with the building have made it so we can no longer continue operating in this space." Vacilando served its last night on Saturday, September 26.
Those closings took a lot of history with them. Rione XIII had served its Roman trattoria menu on the corner for 14 years, and its 2012 opening helped turn the building from retail into food and drink. Rubinstein Bagels arrived in 2021 in the former Wandering Goose space. Its other locations in Eastlake, Redmond and South Lake Union are still open.
Crumbling brick on the building's East Harrison side had been reported in August. On September 29, three days after Vacilando's last night, the Seattle Department of Construction and Inspections told CHS that the façade "appears stable" and that no Hazard Correction Order would be issued. Because the city found no hazard, CHS noted, the next step is an open question: the spaces could be rehabilitated for new tenants, they could need major structural work before anyone reopens, or the building could eventually be redeveloped.
The same owners hold the neighboring buildings, and those businesses stayed open. Both Grandad's Barber Shop and Rainbow Natural Remedies told CHS in September that they were open for business.
The Tree That Belongs to the Building Next Door
The empress tree is a 20-foot Paulownia tomentosa. As The Stranger explained, it grows from the brick foundation of the building next door and forms a leafy canopy over Vacilando's old patio. In late spring it blooms in fragrant purple trumpets. Taha Ebrahimi, author of Trees of Seattle: An Illustrated Walking Guide, told The Stranger she estimates there are only about 30 empress trees in the city.
The tree's roots sit in the Grandad's building, which The Stranger reported was not slated for demolition. Work on the building to the south could still harm it. Moving it is also a poor option. The Stranger reported that empress trees do not tolerate disturbed roots and outgrow a container within weeks. For now, the corner's best-known landmark depends on decisions about a building it does not grow in.
The Block Approved for Redevelopment in 2025
Two blocks south, the QFC that parent company Kroger closed nearly six years ago still stands. Its replacement, a six-story project, received the city's Director's Decision approval in May 2025. Construction still depended on financing, economic conditions and contractor availability. As of CHS's November 5 report, the project was on hold. Local developer Hunters Capital is keeping the stretch busy with pop-up businesses until conditions improve.
Those pop-ups have given the buildings a second life. Haunted Burrow Books occupied 430 15th Ave E until June. Sweet Mary's Cherries then moved in and sold seasonal fruit and farm goods through the summer. LoveCityLove is listed by the 15th Avenue East business association as a temporary tenant in the building next to the old grocery. The busiest address on the block this winter is the Quality Flea Center at 416 15th Ave E.
The Calendar at 416 15th Ave E
The block has a full schedule between now and the end of the year:
| Date | Event | Hours | Admission |
|---|---|---|---|
| Saturday, Nov. 21 | CHASM: Capitol Hill Swap Meet | 12–6 pm | $1 |
| Saturday, Nov. 28 | Big Fat Holiday Market | 10 am–4 pm | $5 |
| Friday–Sunday, Dec. 11–13 | Punk Rock Flea Market | Fri 2–8 pm, Sat noon–8 pm, Sun noon–6 pm | $1 |
| Saturday, Dec. 19 | CHASM: Capitol Hill Swap Meet | 12–6 pm | $1 |
| Tuesday, Dec. 29 | Quality Film Club: Dune double feature | 7–11:30 pm | $5–$15 |
The Big Fat Holiday Market is in its second year. Organizers list more than 65 artists, makers and small businesses, along with a gift exchange, free winter crafts made from recycled materials, and live performances. The Punk Rock Flea Market started in a Belltown basement in September 2006 and still charges one dollar at the door. Its December weekend supports the Low Income Housing Institute, and the market is funded in part by 4Culture and by Hunters Capital. The developer waiting to redevelop the block is also a sponsor of the biggest event planned inside it.
The Quality Film Club has published a November and December 2026 screening calendar for the same room.
New Leases on a Street With Empty Storefronts
New businesses have opened on 15th this fall despite the vacancies. RUAM – Thai Bowls and Noodles is now open at 340 15th Ave E, in the former Bites of Bangkok space, which before that was home to Bagel Deli. The menu has noodle soups, dry noodles and rice bowls, and no pad thai. Owner Thisun Polasub told CHS why:
"In Thailand, we have a big noodle culture, and I want to highlight that."
Polasub's first restaurant is Thai Rhapsody in Mill Creek. He told CHS that 15th Ave E is "totally different water" from Mill Creek and that opening here is "quite a big bet." Club Comedy Seattle, the street-level space below RUAM, closed after failing to find a buyer.
Other changes on the street:
- Ha Ha Coffee and Tea, 324 15th Ave E, opened this fall in a former bookshop space. The menu centers on milk teas, fruit smoothies and coffee. Posted hours are 11 am–9 pm Sunday through Thursday and 11 am–10 pm Friday and Saturday.
- Bar Cantinetta, 555 15th Ave E, moved up from Madison Valley in fall 2025 into the Capitol Hilltop building. It is open 5–10 pm Monday through Thursday and 5–11 pm Friday and Saturday, and closed Sunday.
- Fire Tacos & Cantina plans to open at 427 15th Ave E in the old Coastal Kitchen building. In August, its owners told CHS that remaining permit approvals were holding up the opening.
- MOOV, a movement and fitness studio, has been preparing a space at 534 15th Ave E in the Fredonia building, at the corner long home to the Canterbury Tavern.
The Pine Street End Loses a Longtime Tenant
At the south end of 15th, Kedai Makan set Sunday, November 15 as its final day of service at 1449 E Pine because its lease is ending. Its owners said they are exploring another Capitol Hill location, and the Belltown restaurant remains open. CHS traced its history back 15 years to a stand at the Broadway farmers market, followed by a counter and then a dining room on E Olive Way, and finally the 15th and Pine corner in 2023.
The rest of that intersection's food cluster is still in place. Plenty of Clouds, the Sichuan restaurant on the corner since 2018, is joined by Bar Cotto for pizza and salumi, Sakana Sushi, and the dessert shop Coché Valley.
Volunteer Park at the North End
At the north end of the street, Volunteer Park has a seasonal schedule of its own. The Volunteer Park Conservatory holds its free Annual Open House on Friday, November 20, from 5 to 7 pm. The evening opens the winter display, with DJ Andrew Corse and the start of a Lego Conservatory raffle. On Thanksgiving, November 26, the Conservatory is open 10 am to 3 pm.
Holiday in the Park follows on the evening of Thursday, December 3, and runs until 7:30 pm. Admission is free, and the evening includes live music, children's activities, singer Ben Johnson and holiday treats. On Saturdays, December 5 and 12, the Conservatory offers "Photos with Shanta Claus!" from 10:30 am to 2:30 pm, at $10 plus admission.
The Punk Rock Flea Market closes its December weekend at 6 pm on Sunday, December 13, at 416 15th Ave E.
Patricia Wallace keeps up with how the commercial blocks along 15th Avenue East open, close and change hands. If you would like to talk about what these changes could mean for a property near the street, contact Patricia directly for a private consultation.
