Beacons in the SEA Beacons in the SEA Beacons in the SEA

The World Cup is coming to Seattle! Which means millions of eyeballs will be on the Emerald City. UW alumni-owned businesses throughout Washington are welcoming soccer fans from here and far away through SEA Beacons—locally sculpted neon works of art that celebrate Seattle and welcome visitors in town for the tournament.

Several UW alumni-owned businesses are part of the FIFA Unity Loop, a physical and digital experience designed to connect residents and visitors with the best of Seattle. Users download the SEA&WIN app as an interactive guide around the city. The more SEA Beacons you visit, the more prizes you can unlock in SEA&WIN.

While you’re on the Unity Loop this summer, check out these wonderful establishments, enjoy their tasty, comfortable, ear- and eye-opening offerings and be sure to give a friendly Husky wave.

Bale Breaker owners Kevin Quinn, ’05, and Megann Quinn, ’06, (left and center) pose with their SEA Beacon alongside Yakima Chief Hops sales manager Victoria Garza, ’12, who collaborated with Bale Breaker on their Sesiones Del Migrante beer.

Bale Breaker Brewing

Address: 1801 Birchfield Rd, Yakima, WA 98901

Husky connection: Co-owners Meghann Quinn, ’06, & Kevin Quinn, ’05

The skinny: Crafting fresh-off-the-farm brews from the middle of a hop field, Bale Breaker Brewing Company is a family-owned brewery located in the Yakima Valley. Backed by four generations of hop farming experience, Bale Breaker started in 2013 and has grown to become one of the largest independent craft breweries in Washington. While technically not in Seattle, the vibes at alumni-owned Bale Breaker were too good to pass up—and well worth a trip to Yakima.

Novelty Hill-Januik Winery

Address: 14710 Woodinville Redmond Rd NE, Woodinville, WA 98072

Husky connection: Owners Andrew Januik, ’10, and his mom, Carolyn Januik, ’77

The skinny: Andrew Januik was born into winemaking. His parents, Carolyn and Mike Januik, have spent their lives shaping the modern Washington wine scene, from Mike’s stint as head winemaker at Chateau Ste. Michelle to founding his own winery nearly 30 years ago. Andrew joined his dad in the cellar in 2009, just after the Januiks opened a state-of-the-art tasting facility in Woodinville (again, outside Seattle but well worth a trip). There, visitors can enjoy handmade wood-fired pizzas, seasonal charcuterie boards and curated pairings of wine and local cuisine while they sample Mike and Andrew’s award-winning wines.

Duke’s Seafood South Lake Union

Address: 1111 Fairview Avenue N, Seattle 98109

Husky connection: Owner & fourth-generation Husky John Moscrip, ’98

The skinny: Do you love 100% wild-caught, sustainable seafood with waterfront dining and views of South Lake Union? This is the place. For lunch, dinner, happy hour or just grabbing some cocktails with friends after a busy day boating on Lake Washington, Duke’s is waiting with open arms. Outdoor dining is part of Duke’s DNA.

Fairmont Olympic Hotel

Address: 411 University Street, Seattle 98101

Husky connection: This spectacular hotel is on the site of the original University of Washington campus

The skinny: This luxury hotel is Seattle’s Grande Dame of downtown, where timeless charm meets luxury. And it is one of the most important historic sites in all of Seattle, for the hotel is located where the original UW campus—and its iconic four columns—rose in 1861.

Georgetown Brewing Company

Address: 5200 Denver Avenue, Seattle 98108

Husky connection: Co-founders Roger Bialous, ’00, & Manny Chao, ’94

The skinny: If you love beer, then you probably know a lot about Georgetown Brewing and the creativity that went into crafting its lineup of tasty adult beverages. What started in a defunct brewery in 2002 is now the largest independent brewery in the state with nearly 100 employees.

Top Pot Doughnuts and Coffee

Address: 2124 5^th Avenue, Seattle 98121

Husky connection: Co-owners Michael Klebeck,’93, & Mark Klebeck (former UW student)

The skinny: Just about everyone living in Seattle knows Top Pot, and for good reason. The doughnuts are killer. The Klebeck boys had success opening some local coffee joints when they ran across some old doughnut-making equipment. They bought it, and the rest is a glaze of glory.

Lowlander Brewing

Address: 419 Occidental Avenue S, Seattle 98104

Husky connection: Renee Erickson, ’95

The skinny: This proudly Puget Sound-inspired tank bar and brewery in Seattle’s historic Pioneer Square neighborhood serves up crisp pints, classic brew hall bites and more. It is the creation of famed chef Renee Erickson, the owner of Sea Creatures, which has owned and operated some of the best eateries in the Seattle area.

KEXP

Address: 472 1^st Avenue N, Seattle, 98109

Husky connection: This beloved radio station is an affiliate of the University of Washington

The skinny: Located on the grounds of Seattle Center near Climate Pledge Arena, KEXP is beloved by music aficionados in Seattle and around the world, thanks to its innovative features such as real-time playlists, uncompressed streaming, full-song radio podcasts and in-studio performances, all with technological and engineering support from the UW.

Life on Mars

Address: 722 E Pike St, Seattle, WA 98122

Husky connection: UW alumni duo John Richards and Amy Lindsey Richards, ’98, ’02

The skinny: Not just a vegan restaurant, not just a bar and certainly not just a record store, Life on Mars sits at the heart of Capitol Hill and prides itself on being a community cornerstone. Delicious plant-based bar bites and desserts are available until the wee hours of the morning, along with cocktails with clever music-related names, plus non-alcoholic drink options with complex flavor combinations. You can listen to one of the 6,000 vinyl records on the wall; or, you can purchase an album from a local band, and Life on Mars will give that band 100% of the sale price. Now that’s what I call community!

Tai Tung

Address: 655 S. King Street, Seattle, 98104

Husky connection: Owner Harry Chan, ’76

The skinny: When you want old-school, fabulous Chinese food that hits the spot, look no further than the oldest surviving Chinese restaurant in the Chinatown/International District. Established in 1935, Tai Tung was the subject of a 2015 documentary, “A Taste of Home,” and was a location for the 2020 film “The Paper Tigers.”

Tamarind Tree

Address: 1036 S. Jackson Street, Seattle, 98104

Husky connection: Tam Nguyen, owner & former UW student

The skinny: Tam Nguyen arrived in the United States as an immigrant from a Malaysian refugee camp in October 1980. Travel experts at Fodor say Tamarind Tree is “wildly popular with savvy diners from across the city … Once you’re inside, the elegantly simple, large and warm space is extremely welcoming.” What are you waiting for?

Lead image by Mark Stone.