Wallingford Business Spotlight: Tweedy and Popp Hardware

As many residents already know, Wallingford has a distinct family feel with its tree-lined streets, both cozy bungalows as well as grand homes both more than 100 years old, and an ever-changing commercial landscape along North 45th Street.   One of the remaining historic and iconic buildings in Wallingford is the Wallingford Center.

The Wallingford Center was a pioneering effort of the City of Seattle and the Seattle School District working with developer Lorig Associates to adaptively re-use the original Interlake Public School.   Today, the Wallingford Center is a Seattle Historic Landmark listed on the National Register of Historic Places.  The three-story, wood-framed structure in the heart of the Wallingford business district is a private development converting the 53,000 square foot former elementary school into a mixed-use complex.  One of the remaining anchor tenants of the Wallingford Center is the Tweedy and Popp Hardware Store which can’t be missed if you are walking along 45^th Street.

One of the pioneer hardware stores in Seattle, Tweedy and Popp Hardware has been serving loyal customers in Wallingford since it opened in1920.  They have been in their current location in the Wallingford Center, since literally moving across 45^th  street in 2009.  As a demonstration of how beloved they are too the Wallingford neighborhood, long term residents may remember the “bucket brigade” of about a hundred  volunteers who braved the cold and rain on a frigid Saturday to help move hundreds of items from their old location across 45^th to the current location in the Wallingford Center, a truly awe-inspiring moment!  They are truly the epitome of an urban hardware store, making best possible use of space.

Whether you are remodeling a kitchen, fixing that leaky faucet, moving in to your new, beautiful home or moving out of one, they continue to provide the needs at the utmost convenience and to the best of their knowledge.  They even recycle paint as a service to the community.  With the recent and lamented departure of Stone Way Hardware, Tweedy and Popp is the only remaining hardware store in Wallingford.   Employees Jason, Jordan and Chris welcomed customers as soon as they enter the store and provided my family an outstanding customer service.  Their “unofficial” motto is “We Sell Screws and Solve Problems”!  Prices are all well marked.

They cheerfully welcome customers and have always taken time to answer questions, no matter how simple or complex, quite refreshing.

Tweedy and Popp is still thriving after 104 years, hopefully with continued community support they will make it through another century!