Overnight power outages on NW Market St to affect businesses and residents

Meghan Walker Ballard

The city will be turning off power to several blocks of NW Market St a few nights this week and next to replace transformers and conductors in the area.

The planned outages are for October 22, 23, and 28. Seattle City Light says it’s part of a larger project to replace transformers and conductors between along much of NW Market St, between 15th Ave NW and 36th Ave NW. However, the work this week and next will only impact west NW Market St, between 26th and 30th Avenues NW.

The outages will be from 8 p.m. to 6 a.m. (10 hours) each night.

There are several businesses that will be closing early due to the outages—KISS Cafe, Sloop Tavern, and El Taco Loco. Each business will close at 7:30 p.m. on the 22nd, 23rd, and 28th due to the outages.

“For a small community business like KISS Cafe, it’s a hit for both our great employees and our customers, who expect us to be open,” KISS Cafe owner Paul Ingham told My Ballard in a message.

Ballard Clay Studio shared the closure schedule on Instagram. “This equals massive losses in revenue, staff wages, and additional costs trying to keep their refrigeration running overnight. Please show these businesses and their staff some extra love over the next week. Outages will run Oct 21-23 and again on the 28th,” they wrote.

“Help mitigate losses to their staff, their food, and these single owned small businesses,” they wrote. “Grab lunch or an early bird dinner and show them that Ballard loves them!”

Photo: Google Maps Image Capture: July 2023