After 16 years in Ballard, Best Regards at 2242 NW Market is closing.
We spoke with shop owner Mary Hurley who says that her building is under new ownership and she expects a rent increase when her lease is expires in the near future. She’s keeping a positive attitude and says this is a great opportunity for her to do something else. She hopes that people will help her recycle everything in the store. The liquidation sale for the public starts on Thursday, with 25 percent off everything except totes and t-shirts. Even the fixtures are on sale. She says she’ll make a deal on “everything that’s not nailed down and can be used by someone.” The closing date is not set in stone, but she says she’s hoping to close the doors sometime later next month. Best Regards is open Monday-Saturday 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Sunday 12 p.m. to 5 p.m.
Best Regards on Market is closing
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Oh, say it 'aint so! I love Best Regards! And the always sweet and kind Mary! This is truly a loss.
It's an amazing time to negotiate for lower rents in commercial/retail space. That her lease is expiring is a good thing as she can lock in '09 rates versus 07 rates. That the building sold is indicative of nothing as the previous owner could have been underwater.
Hopefully she isn't going to pull the woe is me card the old boat store did on 65th with the “will the last small business turn out the lights” routine (while they themselves sold their own lot).
I wonder what kind of a bar will go in there to replace it?
Who is the new owner anyway? Must have deep pockets since s/he raising rents to the point where the tenants are moving on and no one is moving in to replace them.
Since Annabelle's (almost right next door) closed for the same exact reason I don't think it's a 'woe is me' act. Rents are going up.
Correction: it was next door. Sorry, for some reason I thought the yoga place was on the other side.
So sorry to hear this – it's a cute little shop!
sounds like they are giving up and using this as an excuse….did they contact the new landlord to even ask what was to happen to their shop…when is the lease up?……..closing shop because she “expects” rent to go up ?
im not trying to be rude…does this sound like an excuse?
Has it ever occured to anyone that maybe she is using this as an opportunity to move on in her life? She has had this store for 16 years, maybe she wants to do something else. I doubt that it has 100% to do with the new owner and possible rent increase. I mean really, how many cards can you sell in an average day? I am sure that her business has been dropping off for some time now and the cost of operating a retail store no matter how small is not cheap. How many cards have you all bought from her latley?
A lot. That's where I buy cards. She has a great selection in there. And wrapping paper, gift bags, holiday decorations…..
You might have a point, though. From what I read in other posts, some are doing their shopping elsewhere. This could lead to other smaller shops closing.
Best of luck to her
This is sad news. Admitedly, I haven't spent a lot of money in Best Regards, as I don't have a lot to spend on cards at all, and even less since I've been unemployed. But when I did buy cards, gift wrap and calendars, it was always from this shop. Regardless of the pittance I spent, I've never passed her shop without getting a smile and wave from Mary through the window. We're losing far more than a card shop…we're losing one of the few remaining “Old Ballard” neighbors. We will miss her dearly.