Grumpy D’s is staying put — for now

Great news for Ballard: the popular Grumpy D’s cafe on 15th Ave NW is likely to stick around until the middle of 2021.

Back in late 2018, we reported the sale of Grumpy D’s property (7001 15th Ave NW) to make way for a 5-story apartment building that would span the entire block, replacing the auto shop next door to Grumpy D’s, Creation Dentistry, Husky Home Care, a recording studio, and a daycare center.

Now, it seems those plans have been halted, according to Grumpy D’s owner Dan Kurtz. He says the company that bought most of the block, Kamin Built, tried to “give it all back.” Kamin, who has yet to return our call, still owns the cafe property, dentist office, and daycare, but they no longer own Husky Home Care or the recording studio, Kurtz tells My Ballard.

The future is still a bit foggy, but for now, the cafe will keep its spot on the corner of 70th and 15th.

“It makes the whole neighborhood happy,” Kurtz said.

Kurtz, who is dealing with health issues, says they’ll keep renewing on a six-month basis, with at least 18 months on the horizon.

“The community, neighborhood, musicians, poets — everybody is just ecstatic that we’re staying open,” he said.

They’ll continue to offer live music and their Wednesday open mics, which eventually will be listed on their website. For now, you can check out their offerings on their revamped Facebook page.

We’ve reached out to Kamin Built to learn more about the future of the property, and will update when we have more information.