The public café and showroom is a worldwide first for La Marzocco

If you've ever had an espresso, there's a good chance your barista poured it from a La Marzocco machine. The 89-year-old manufacturer was once the primary supplier for local giant Starbucks; thanks to that former relationship, Seattle became a home away from home for the Italian company, which has its North American headquarters in Ballard.

Now La Marzocco is cutting out the middleman at its first ever public café and showroom in global radio sensation KEXP's new home in the Seattle Center.

In part devoted to La Marzocco’s long history in Seattle, the showroom will be home to an astounding collection of vintage espresso machines and coffee gear. 

A main attraction of the industrial-chic space, inspired by La Marzocco's factory in Florence as well as Italian coffee bars the company helped design in the 1960s, 70s, and 80s, will be the "Roasters in Residence" program. Coffee companies from around the globe will have an opportunity to participate in one-month residencies, brewing their beverages, and selling their beans.

Western Neon did the signage in the cafe, including the thick dimensional letters on the shelves, the illuminated logo window sign, Founder, Piero Bambi's quote on the wall and the brass lion inlaid in the floor. Statues of lions with a raised paw holding a shield with the lily flower, are a symbol of Florence, Italy. 

Rose Theatre's old neon sign gets a makeover

The Rose opened as a vaudeville house in 1907. The transition from live theatre to silent film, to talkies, to Technicolor, and now to digital projection across three unique screens. They offer the people of the Olympic Peninsula not only world-class film, but also high-definition ballet, opera, classical music and theatre from across the globe. 

Experience a film at the Rose or the Starlight Room, where the popcorn is fresh, the butter is real, the sound is superb, and every show is personally introduced by the host/owner, Rocky Friedman.

The old neon sign was faded and some of the neon not working, so Western Neon removed the sign and brought it into our shop for a makeover.   The cabinet was sandblasted, then repainted with Matthews Chocolate Thunder, with opaque antique white and light gold vinyl lettering. The clear red neon was reprocessed and pumped, our glass bender bent new CL4500 warm white neon for a vintage look.   We replaced the old guywires that were stabilizing the sign, since we could not change the original sign to eliminate the wires.

The sign is back up on the Rose Theatre and should shine brightly for another 25 years.   

The Italian Riviera Comes to Amazonia

Cinque Terre (five lands) is a beautiful area of the Italian Riviera which comprises five villages. 

Cinque Terre promises to bring the seafood-focused cuisine of the Italian Rivera, courtesy of brothers Leo, Salvio, and Roberto Varchetta. They'll blend the influences of the picturesque Cinque Terre villages with Pacific Northwest products. Expect oysters, branzino, and octopus along with grass-fed beef and plenty of pasta made in-house. The restaurant also sports a custom Neapolitan gas-fired pizza oven.

For the past 20 years, brothers Leo, Salvio and Roberto Varchetta along with their parents, Melina and Pasquale Varchetta have owned and operated some of Seattle’s most beloved Italian restaurants. Serving the role of the quintessential perfect hosts, the Varchetta’s share their Italian warmth. From the time you walk in the door until the time you leave, you’ll sense that you are a part of the family.

Western Neon fabricated three beautiful signs designed by Graham Baba Architects.  The curved sign that drapes over the railing, the vestibule sign inset into the concrete wall both have push-thru custom colored resin letters internally illuminated with LED's.  There is also an unlit under awning sign. 

Cinque Terre Ristorante now open in the Amazon Doppler building

2001 Westlake Avenue, (206) 456-6300

http://www.cinqueterreseattle.com/modernitalian/

Remodeled Nike Store in Seattle - Now Open

 

Don't forget to look up when you visit Nike's redesigned Seattle store. A custom neon sculpture hangs from the ceiling of the second floor mezzanine.  

At the direction of Guild in LA and Nike, Western Neon fabricated and installed the 12 x 18 foot ceiling of Seattle icons at the totally remodeled store on 6th Avenue in downtown Seattle.  There is over 700 feet of neon and fifteen transformers in the sculpture, which can be seen from the street.  It is spectacular!!

It's one of several unique touches for the downtown store, which also features an art installation that honors the city's rabid football fans, known as the 12th man.

Old Fords and Neon Signs . . .

 The Michael Dingman Collection - NEON SIGNS AND OLD FORDS      

     
This was really interesting for me and a bit sad too when you consider people like this gentleman 

are regrettably becoming a thing of the past.  Dingman must have had a lot of loose change to get 

his collection together. He put his Ford and Neon Sign Collection up for auction in June 2013.

Click Here

Parfait Ice Cream Celebrates One-year Anniversary

Parfait opened its brick-and-mortar shop in Ballard's Greenfire building one year ago last month. Owner Adria Shimada started the business started as a food truck in 2009, building capital and a following. The trained pastry chef quietly worked towards her goal of opening a permanent location that would showcase her love of all things sweet and incorporate her farm-to-table ethos. 

Parfait ice cream is really different from the inside out. It's not industrial or made from an ice cream base and Adria has more control over the quality of the ingredients used, because she sources it all. She uses fresh cream and eggs and every single flavor is built from the ground up, working with farmers in the community and everything is sourced seasonally. 

Café Solstice Capitol Hill

The Cafe Solstice owners opened a second location on the corner of 10th Avenue and East Thomas Street on Capitol Hill this summer.  Their original location is in the University District.

Café Solstice is at it's root a coffee shop, but they are so much more than that. They use locally-sourced providers for both of their cafes.  

They pull espresso shots made with Lighthouse Roasters coffee, and their pastries and baked goods are made right in the café. They also serve some fantastic beer from Elysian Brewing Company.  Their beautiful new sign with rusted routed faces, back lit with red neon was designed and fabricated by Western Neon Custom Sign.  

Stop in and say hi to Doug & Joel; check out the amazing buffalo head on the wall, sample one of their hot Panini sandwiches or house-made soups, and a cold brew.

Makers of fine art objects and conceptual innovation - Electric Coffin

Western Neon just completed adding neon to another creative endeavor from the guys at Electric Coffin.  Each time we work on one of their projects, it's a blast.  Each project is very different and absolutely out-of-the-box.  

Justin Kane Elder, Stefan Hofmann and Patrick “Duffy” De Armas

This dynamic trio was featured in the September 2014 issue of Seattle Magazine, link attached for more info on their artistic installations at new restaurants in Seattle.  

Keep up the good work, guys!!

http://www.seattlemag.com/article/creative-trio-takes-interior-design-arty-level

Shipwrecked in Wallingford

“The Sea, once it casts its spell, holds one in its net forever.”
                                                                           - Jacques Cousteau

A Seattle neighborhood "dive" bar watched over by a boozy Octopus.   You can't miss this new hangout, just watch for the beautiful neon sign with the octopus tentacle wrapped around an anchor!!

The Octopus Bar is on a mission to enhance Seattle's identity and become a treasured landmark! 

Owner/bartender Liza Danger, can transform your worst day into a day worth living with a simple smile and a few kind words.  Trevor, another owner, is a friendly spirit both in the bar and around town – wink, wink! 

Stop in and set sail for parts unknown.  http://theoctopusbar.com/  

Stand Up For Better Health

We just finished a window sign for a company that makes treadmill work stations.  Work While Walking in Bellevue, WA, wanted to grab the attention of people passing by, so we designed an animated sign using their logo.  

So, if you think you can walk and type at the same time, this is the work station for you!!