PORT ANGELES — A gas station and a restaurant will reopen this month under new ownership after both were vacant for more than a year.
The Shell gas station on Lincoln Street will reopen Wednesday with full service at the pumps and a fully operational garage, said its new owner, Paul Lewis of Port Angeles.
The new owners of Kokopelli Grill at 203 E. Front St., Michael and Candy Mique, intend to fire up the kitchen to serve Southwestern food by the end of the month.
They are accepting applications for employment but declined further comment on the business until they have an opening date set.
Lewis, who also owns Quality Builders in Sequim, said he intends the gas station to be like the one he worked at as a teenager, with employees filling your tank and checking your tire pressure and oil.
“It’s just an extra service,” he said. “I’ll try not to charge extra for it.”
At the station’s garage, Lewis said, car owners can have a wide variety of work done on their vehicles — from getting their windshield wipers changed to a complete engine overhaul.
Downtown, another business, Peninsula Pawnbrokers, has opened at 128 W. First St.
Owner Rick Moon opened the doors to the former Suck Ink tattoo parlor last week.
But the new businesses downtown, Kokopelli and Peninsula Pawnbrokers, are also joined by several closures.
Closures
Francis Beckett, owner of Beckett’s Bikes, said he will close shop at 124 W. First St. by Thanksgiving.
He attributed the closure to the economic slump.
Beckett opened the store in December 1999 after losing his job at the Rayonier pulp mill when it closed in 1997.
“I thought it would be a good idea,” he said.
“It was, for awhile.
“But the economy and the state of shopping in Port Angeles has kind of put an end to that.”
Other downtown businesses — Delaney’s Other Side, Copies Plus and Gottschalks — also have closed this year.
Port Angeles Downtown Association Executive Director Barb Frederick has said that “one or two” other businesses will close soon but has declined to identify them.
According to the downtown association, there are eight vacant ground-floor storefronts.
That includes Chique Antiques at 114 W, First St., which merged last week with neighboring PA Antique Mall.
Other openings
The association also says that 13 other businesses have opened downtown this year, including most recently: Aglazing Art at 207 W. First St., Tiger Lily Clothing at 106 N. Laurel St. and Black Diamond Bridal at 109 E. First St.
The owner of Chique Antiques, Rondi Smith, and PA Antique Mall owner Mike VanAusdle said they decided to join forces about a month ago.
VanAusdle remains the owner of the business, while Smith works as an assistant. Fifteen vendors from Chique Antiques have now set up shop at the PA Antique Mall, located at 117 W. First St.
Smith said she is not able to keep her business open on its own due to the economy. She operated the business for six years, and at one point, had a second location across the street.
“There’s more under one roof,” VanAusdle said, adding that combining the businesses lowers overhead for them both.
“It’s better for everyone.”
VanAusdle said he also plans to open a gun shop in the basement sometime soon.
The gun shop will cater to the bored husbands who would otherwise be following their wives around looking at antiques, Smith and VanAusdle joked.
“We’ll have the man cave downstairs and the girls’ stuff upstairs,” Smith said.
In total, VanAusdle said, they have over 65 vendors.
Smith said that, on average, her business was been down 20 percent this year.
VanAusdle said he has been able to weather the storm by selling antique furniture. He said people are more willing to spend money on furniture than collectibles during tough economic times.
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Reporter Tom Callis can be reached at 360-417-3532 or at tom.callis@peninsuladailynews.com.