Koots first casualty in Vulcan project
Seattle’s year-old “2200″ Westlake Avenue development, one of the first finished pieces in Paul Allen’s vision for South Lake Union, sustains its first retail casualty today with the closing of Koots Green Tea.
The store didn’t get enough foot traffic for such a new concept, said R.J. Selfridge, who headed Koots USA until May and is helping to close the store.
Koots’ only other U.S. store, at Lincoln Square in Bellevue, will stay open. The company operates about 10 tea stores in Japan and is sending a new executive from Japan to work on the concept in Bellevue before the chain tries to expand again, Selfridge said.
Koots is a green-tea version of Starbucks, with made-to-order drinks and a pastry case with sweets to match.
It is owned by Kouta Matsuda, who made a success of Tully’s 300-some stores in Japan and in 2005 paid $17.5 million for the trademarks and intellectual-property rights of Tully’s Japan.
“It’s a shame Koots couldn’t hold on a bit longer,” said Lori Mason Curran, a spokeswoman for Allen’s Vulcan Real Estate, which developed 2200.
“They were in 2200 on the early end and were a little pioneering.”
Koots opened in February, a few months after Whole Foods made its downtown Seattle debut in the same development. Since then, more retailers have arrived, including Starbucks, the gift boutique Clover House, and - with a soft opening this week - Tutta Bella Neapolitan Pizzeria.
The South Lake Union streetcar, which begins service in mid-December, is expected to bring more shoppers with a stop at 2200.
“This place is going to be like the epicenter of Seattle,” said Dave Figueroa, co-owner of Scraps Dog Bakery, which is next door to Koots.
He said the store has done well selling natural dog food and canine accessories to locals and to guests of the Pan Pacific hotel across a small parking lot.
Curran confirms the hotel has done well, with more than 70 percent occupancy over the summer and in October.
Only four owners backed out of agreements to buy all 261 condominiums at 2200, she said; those condos are on the market.
The development’s retail space is 90 percent leased, she said, although not every store has opened.
Vulcan is working to find a retailer to fill the 1,364 square feet Koots is vacating.
Melissa Allison: 206-464-3312