The history of the restaurant stretches back 50 years. In 1975, Morales’s father opened a diner called Eggs Cetera in Madison Park, and eventually expanded to several other locations (he also owned Sweetwater in Redmond). He bought the Blue Star in the mid ‘90s and retained it as his other restaurants closed; when he retired in 2009, Morales took over the business, and when he died in 2016 the family celebrated his life at the restaurant.
On Facebook, Morales blamed “rising operating costs (labor, food, taxes, utilities, etc)” and “fewer people dining out” for forcing the closure. “The economic squeeze ultimately hits us, the sole proprietor, and years of this pressure without relief in sight makes closing the only viable option,” she wrote.
Bush Gardens is (finally) coming back soon
In happier news, the Seattle Times reports that beloved Chinatown–International District karaoke haunt Bush Gardens is on the verge of reopening. Owner Karen Sakata has planned to revive the business, which closed in 2020 during the pandemic lockdown era, for two years. She told the Times that things have been delayed due to difficulties “on the contracting side” and getting funding, among other things. There’s no exact reopening date set.
Capitol Hill gets another intriguing coffee shop
According to Capitol Hill Seattle Blog, Yemeni chain Haraz Coffee House, founded in Dearborn, Michigan, is coming soon to the corner of Boylston and Pike. Capitol Hill has become a hub for new cafes that eschew the European-centric vibes of old-school Seattle coffee shops: In the last two years Bonito has brought some Latinx flair to the neighborhood, Palestinian-American cafe Mintish opened this year, and Open Space serves Persian teas and snacks in addition to coffee.
Washington goes crazy for its first El Pollo Loco
Finally, Puget Sound Business Journal reports on the first Washington state location of El Pollo Loco, a grilled chicken–centric chain with a passionate fan base. How passionate? There was a two-and-a-half-hour wait at the Kent restaurant on its opening day in December, reports the Journal, with “cars and trucks lined up for over the equivalent of a city block.” Hopefully things have calmed down a little bit now and you can get your hands on this chicken more easily.