Sandra White: Washington: Port Townsend: Downtown Port Townsend

Our city council is discussing banning sandwich board signs in town.  I wonder, how will I do an open house without them?  I was taking a walk downtown yesterday morning before the stores were open and I took a look at the sandwich board signs and was a bit surprised. 

There were more, but you get the idea.  They are spread out on various corners, and all are wonderful locally owned business who have to attract the foot traffic from the ferries, but when you really start thinking about how many there are, it begins to look a bit tacky. 

Most of our store owners are really hurting, and we have a Downtown organization that is very active in promoting the area.  We even have a small cruise ship that stops one week-end a month in the summer. It is full of very interesting and innovative shops, great restaurants and good entertainment.  It is totally dependent on visitors to survive.  We are beginning to see more and more vacancies, but also there are still new businesses popping up.  More on that later.

We have at least 5 large commericial/mixed used buildings for sale on our main street.  Grand old buildings dating back to the late 1800's, with water views, 3 and 4 floors with retail and residential suites.

It seems the ordinance will go into effect in the fall.  What's going on in your town?

DOGS-A-FOOT         One of the most popular lunch sites in Port Townsend, Dogs A Foot has been going strong for 22 years, most of it at current location on Water Street near city hall.    It is the harbinger of spring in PT when it opens and the beginning of our winter when it closes. 

This winter we all said goodbye to the owners, John and Sai Sheehan who were leaving for Thailand for the winter.  All hot dogs were free that last closing day.  John and his wife had sold the business and planned to retire.  They had been putting the trailer which houses the stand into storage and spending their winters in Thailand. 

I had heard the sale fell through, and this morning on my walk I saw John outside, setting up and getting ready for business.  I asked him if the business was for sale again and if I could take his picture.  He said yes, and yes.

Sorry for John that his deal fell through, but so glad to see it open again and look like it always has for the 10 years I have been eating his hot dogs.  My favorite is the veggie dog, with sauerkraut piled high.  My dogs Teddy and Lulu like the big water pan he keeps filled in front of the stand.