A week ago, we posted on the retirement of A&J Meats owner Rick Friar. With his retirement comes the closing of A&J after 63 years. When I stopped by this week, I asked about the future of the A&J building, owned by Rick, at the corner of Queen Anne Ave N and McGraw St.
According to Rick, they’re currently looking for a butcher to take over the business or move into the space. Ideally, they’d like to keep the space an operating butcher shop. No confirmation yet on possible tenants for the butcher portion of the spot, so stay tuned.
As for Wild Salmon Seafood, they have a lease that runs through the end of December, so they’ll be selling fresh seafood at the location until then – or perhaps beyond.
McCarthy & Schiering Wine Merchants have a 2 year lease on their space in the A&J Building, so they’ll be around for the near future.
The good news is that we may get a butcher, and in the meantime, you can still get seafood and wine without leaving the neighborhood. Plus, a reminder – A&J Meats will be open through November 29th, so get your Thanksgiving orders in asap via phone (206-284-3885) or stop by in-person.
Local businesses thrive due to loyal neighborhood support, let’s keep them on Queen Anne for the long haul!