By Joey Thompson – Reporter, Puget Sound Business Journal
Oct 16, 2024
The Puget Sound region’s most prolific restaurateur is shuttering one of his Seattle restaurants.
After nearly 10 years in business, James Beard-nominated chef Ethan Stowell and his restaurant group are closing the Ballard Pizza Co. location at 4010 Leary Way NW in Frelard, between Fremont and Ballard. Its last day in operation will be Saturday, he told the Business Journal Wednesday.
Stowell cited pervasive property crime issues and public safety concerns for the closure, as well as a decline in delivery orders.
“That neighborhood has really taken a beating since the pandemic came into play,” he said. “Now on the DoorDash piece, sales have dropped to a point where it’s not a viable program. A business has to be able to make some money in order to continue to thrive, reinvest and give people raises.”
At the same time, Stowell is moving the original Ballard Pizza Co. on Ballard Avenue Northwest to a bigger space about a block away. The pizzeria opened at 5107 Ballard Ave. NW in 2012. It will close Oct. 26 as the chain prepares to move to the former Pike Taproom space at 5205 Ballard Ave. NW.
The former taproom’s 2,500-square-foot space will be an upgrade for the pizzeria, with a full bar and TVs, Stowell said. It’s set to open Nov. 1.
“We want to consolidate two locations and have better service,” Stowell said. “Our specific message to the team is we’re doing this to make this program better.”
The taproom closed earlier this spring, about a year after it opened.
Seattle Hospitality Group, which owns a stake in Pike Brewing Co., is also a major investor in Ethan Stowell Restaurants. In Ballard, Stowell managed the taproom’s food operations.
The building in Frelard that Stowell is leaving is owned by Fremont Dock Co., a real estate company with dozens of retail properties around Fremont. The lot is also home to Turkish fine dining restaurant Hamdi.
The pizzeria’s closure highlights the challenging economic environment for restaurants in Seattle and across Washington, as both operating and non-operating costs soar and cautious consumers become more resistant to higher prices.
Ballard Pizza Co. opened in 2015. In the last five years, Stowell said the restaurant has been broken into 40 times, and the surrounding area has become a hazard for staff and guests.
The drop in delivery orders since January has been felt by restaurants across the city, after companies such as DoorDash and Uber Eats instituted new fees in the wake of Seattle’s new minimum wage law for gig drivers.
Ballard Pizza Co.’s other locations include Woodinville and South Lake Union.
Washington Retail (WR) emphasizes the urgent need for continued progress in addressing public safety and property crime in Seattle. The closure of Ballard Pizza Co., after facing numerous break-ins and growing safety concerns, highlights the significant challenges local businesses endure. WR remains committed to advocating for stronger public safety measures and fostering collaboration between the public and private sectors to ensure a safer environment where businesses can not only survive but thrive.
