SEATTLE – Fish Ladder Lounge, a minority-owned business in Ballard, will close its doors for the final time at the end of August.

The co-owners said they were shocked when the business owner gave them notice to vacate the apartment.

The co-owners say the block was recently rezoned to allow for multi-story buildings. While they don’t know what will happen next with the property, they say it’s a sign of the times for struggling small businesses in Seattle.

“We put a lot of time and energy into the space to transform it into something we are proud of,” said Alison Soike, co-owner of Fish Ladder Lounge in Ballard.

“We just got an email saying the owners want to claim the space,” said Ryan Faniel, co-owner of Fish Ladder Lounge.

The co-owners say it is the end of a dream for both of them.

“I am really sad and angry,” Soike said.

Since taking over the lease on the shelter in early 2023, the partners have worked to make it a welcoming place for Black, Indigenous and People of Color, as well as LGBTQ+ guests.

“Ryan and I are committed to the community and want to create space for people who don’t always feel like they have space,” Soike said.

Everything was running smoothly at Fish Ladder Lounge until a few weeks ago when they opened their email inbox and found a notice telling them their lease was being terminated and they had to move out. They say it wasn’t explained why the business was being kicked out.

“We probably got the tip over nine months ago that they were seeking rezoning,” Soike said.

The two wonder if this prompted the owner to take a different direction.

“Right now, we and Shibuya are the only ones still operating. Everything else is empty,” Soike said. “So you can make assumptions from there. That’s where it’s going, and that’s sad.”

“Construction is now in the planning stages, so I imagine they’ll tear it down and build some monster on top of it,” Faniel said.

The Fish Ladder Lounge’s locally made neon sign will be stored for now. The pair say they will sell the glassware from the bar and restaurant at a public sale around closing time.

However, they say much of the time and resources they have invested in the business will be lost.

“We may be able to recoup some of it by selling equipment, but the money is lost. It’s gone,” Faniel said.

Soike says over the past 20 years, many small businesses like the Fish Ladder Lounge have disappeared from the community.

“Many of them were demolished and these multi-story high-rise buildings were built in their place,” Soike said.

There are currently no plans for a new location for the Fish Ladder Lounge, but the co-owners believe that this could happen over time.

You can support the team at the Fish Ladder Lounge near NW Leary Way and NW 49th St. through August 27th.

The two business partners also own the Lockspot Cafe in Ballard, where most of the staff will be moving to, where people can support the crew after the Fish Ladder Lounge closes at the end of August.

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