After 20 years on Ballard Ave, Curtis Steiner will be closing his gallery.
Steiner made the announcement on Facebook, saying that after months of being closed, he’s had the opportunity to think about the future.
“This time of quarantine has gifted me the luxury to contemplate whether this work is still rewarding and whether I can even afford it,” Steiner writes. “I’ve realized that I feel like I’ve pretty well expressed everything I’ve wanted to in regards to retail. This combine this with the cost of having a space, the negative impact of changing shopping habits, the real danger of more break-ins and now the months of forced closure and I have to conclude it is time to close this chapter of my life.”
Steiner, an artist and curator, reflected on the day he opened his Ballard Ave gallery, saying his first window display was of a “curly paper banner proclaiming in calligraphic lettering ‘Not Afraid of Beauty!’ I haven’t done this work for the business, but for the beauty.”
As Steiner begins to close up shop, he says he has years of props, displays, and store fixtures that will be for sale. He’ll hold a “farewell sale” soon and will announce the details on social media.
“I’ve been very fortunate to be allowed to share my vision of retail re-imagined and manage to make a living along the way. Very few get to express themselves as loudly or for as long as I’ve been able to,” Steiner writes. “Thank you Ballard for giving me a venue to do this.”
![](https://www.myballard.com/wp-content/uploads/2024-My-Ballard-Tile-Ad-Troop-100.png")
” the real danger of more break-ins”
Abolish the police!
Oh wait……
Sorry to see Curtis go. A real touch of class on Ballard Ave.
oh no, what a loss. where will we purchase more overpriced, pretentious junk (excuse me – “art”) in ballard?
Sad to see this store go. I loved the art.
I called there once to ask if he made table place cards and his answer was very condescending: “I think you’ve dialed the wrong store.” Right…I need a handmade card and I called the handmade card store. It sounded like a well-rehearsed put-down, made to anyone who had the audacity not to know what he carried. I never shopped there again after that, upset because we supported him after his big robbery, buying cards and jewelry there.
Sorry to hear about this one. 20 years is a long time. Farewell and best to Curtis Steiner.
Curtis Steiner has announced that he will close the Ballard Ave gallery at the end of the year. In a post on his website, Steiner says that he is excited to see what is next for the gallery and its future. The gallery has been open since 2008 and has had many artists come and go. This is a very sad day for the Ballard Ave art community. Now you should also see this here that what educational benefits of video games have and why should play them everyday.