Ballard Blossom finds a new home on NW 85th St

Meghan Walker Ballard

The beloved florist on NW Market St, Ballard Blossom, has found a new home.

The news that they’d be leaving their 35-year home came as a shock to many earlier this year when it was confirmed that the flower shop will be torn down to make way for a 7-story hotel.

Owner Rachel Martin tells My Ballard that they’ll be moving to 1111 NW 85th St. They’re working on remodeling and renovations, but expect to be moving at the end of October.

The building, previously occupied by Home & Garden Art, will be fully kitted out by the time Ballard Blossom moves in.

They’re getting new coolers, a new sign, new lights, new plumbing and HVAC — “basically the whole space is being redone and designed for better design flow, efficiency and safety.”

“We are so excited to have a new, fresh space!” Martin says.

They’ll be posting updates on their progress — follow along on Instagram and Facebook for details as they make their move.

16 thoughts to “Ballard Blossom finds a new home on NW 85th St”

  1. Not the best traffic location for retail businesses on that stretch of 85th between 8th and 15th. Hopefully their name recognition gets people in there!

    1. Compared to what? This is WAY better than giving up and or going out of business. Are you a consultant? Realtor? Money lender? Land developer? Or just another “expert” in Ballard.

  2. Saw this when I got off the bus today and am really dishearten by the news. The building is going to be demolished for a 120 unit hotel with 32 spaces of parking. In the past five months the parking and traffic in the area has been ridiculous. I am disgusted the city is allowing these developers to build these units with no parking as well as tear down the history of our city in replace with cheap looking box buildings.

    I think what makes me feel the saddest is I care so much for these old buildings in Ballard and a lot of people in this city seem to not care what is going on. I wish more people in our neighborhood stood up against the city and developers to put standards into place instead of watch as they destroy this neighborhood.

    1. dude bro, EVERYONE takes the bus or rides an e-scooter!!! or totes uses uber at no effect on local traffic!!! these wonderful developers are the heart and soul of the city!!! yay!

    2. The owners of Ballard Blossom owned the building too and willingly chose to sell to a developer for a lot of money.

      They also nominated their building for landmark status, knowing it wouldn’t pass.

      So if you want to get mad, get mad at the owners of Ballard Blossom. I, however, congratulate them on their newfound chunk of money and wish them continued success in their new location.

      1. Who said I was mad at the owners of Ballard Blossom? I never said that at all… I didn’t even mention them if they want to sell it so be it that is their own choice.

        I said I was disappointed in the city for allowing developers to tear down buildings to rebuild buildings that do not match to the prior buildings aesthetic or give the structure enough parking. Did you even read what they are building in replace of Ballard Blossom? Did you know multiple apartment buildings are being built in Ballard right now 100+ units with no parking? Yet you want to get mad at me for something I didn’t even say. You sounds like a typical Seattlite.

        2. Did you know multiple apartment buildings are being built in Ballard right now 100+ units with no parking?

          And those units will fill up instantly. There’s plenty of buildings with parking available if that is what you desire. Why should people be forced to purchase/rent a parking spot if they don’t need one?

          I said I was disappointed in the city for allowing developers to tear down buildings to rebuild buildings that do not match to the prior buildings aesthetic or give the structure enough parking.

          So what time period are we shooting for? 1890? 1920? 1950? 1980? 2010? All of those time periods are well represented in and around downtown Ballard. We cannot have a entire City that is stuck in time, that is how you stagnate, like San Francisco.

          And you do know that the Ballard Avenue Historic District exists, right? That preserves a good chunk of historical buildings to allow for society to progress around it.

          1. I appreciate you giving me your thought.

            The historic building part is the least of my concern. This city is growing and I understand it needs apartments etc.. My biggest concern is the parking issue. Yes people have the right to park on the street and so be it if that’s what they want. But why should an apartment complex be allowed to build units without having sustainable parking for their residents? I really don’t understand these apodments/hotels/apartments building these 200+ units and only having 30 parking spots. As you said residents should have a choice to park on the street or pay for parking but most won’t even have a choice to pay for parking if they only have 30 spaces available? Would love to hear your thought on this

          2. Not everyone needs a car. If you need to store it then find a spot on the street, a building that offers parking or a lot. You can even buy a house with a driveway and/or garage. There are options. Of course, not everyone needs a car these days.I’d suspect that the majority of people moving here don’t need or want one.

            I suggest getting a bike. That’s what I do. I have plenty of parking in my driveway + garage but find that my bike is more convenient when I need to shop in old Ballard, go to the post office or visit the eye doctor. Heck, I even ride it to other places around Ballard.

            Yes, I do ride up the hills and in the rain. I’m also not what most people would characterize as a typical bike rider; not a white young male in spandex.

          3. As you said residents should have a choice to park on the street or pay for parking but most won’t even have a choice to pay for parking if they only have 30 spaces available?

            The streets are full. They were full before the apartment boom, when the Ballard core was mostly single family homes, they’re full now and they will continue to be full until personal cars are obsolete (anywhere from 10 – 1,000+ years). That’s the same in and around basically all Seattle urban core areas.

            If somebody owns or needs a car, but doesn’t buy or rent a place with a spot, then they get to spend time searching for spots every evening.

            Building parking for buildings is nearing $100,000 per stall, especially in the multi-level, underground parking garages. The demand is not there for stall that expensive. Seattle has become a City where it’s mostly possible to not own a car and still get around. People that can are taking advantage of that and saving a good chunk of money on buying or renting, plus cost of car ownership

            Again, there are plenty of parking options available for people that want it.

  3. Congrats to Ballard Blossom on the sale of their building and securing a new location! A hotel and more housing on Market Street is fantastic news and I’m happy that the flower shop will continue doing business as usual.

  4. Awesome! I’ll be glad to welcome them to the local neighborhood Business. Good Company with JRA across the street, and a few of us down the road on 8th.

  5. I wish Ballard Blossom well in their new neighborhood, but I will sadly miss them & walkability to their shop in downtown Ballard.

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