Fire Island Rustic Bakeshop, a popular family-owned bakery that has been in operation for just over a decade, has completed the move to its new location at 718 K Street in downtown Anchorage. Located in a former medical clinic, the bakery will later be joined by Johnny's Produce, a shop that serves smoothies as well as fresh produce. Also moving into the building are La Bodega, a wine and liquor store with a loyal customer following, and That Feeling Co., a cafe that also sells houseplants. A physical therapy office is also expected to later join in what is being called the K Street Market. I'm quite astonished that this many businesses will be housed in one single-story building, but nevertheless, this is very promising news for this portion of downtown.
For those unfamiliar with the area, the building is located at the corner of K Street and 7th Avenue in a portion of downtown that is bordered by three major thoroughfares. While the three-lane one-way thoroughfares that make up the perimeter are bustling with fast-moving traffic, the area within this eight-block portion of downtown is characterized by its quiet two-way streets and unassuming businesses. It's an area that is ripe with potential for residential development in the core of the city. I have long identified this area as being a great candidate for such development, as has the city, as seen by the construction of Elizabeth Place, an apartment building that was built with financial help from the municipality three years ago. But while the opening of Elizabeth Place was a significant marker of achievement for the area, the opening of K Street Market is equally significant.
Until now, this area was known for housing small law firms and other non-public-facing businesses. But in order to attract residents, retail needs to have a presence. Thanks to the opening of K Street Market, that essential component is now in the area. In an interview, the owner of Fire Island Rustic Bakeshop mentioned the revitalization of downtown as being among her goals while also stating, "We're hoping people bike and walk here and make it part of their lifestyle." With the new shops opening in an area primed for residential development (and just one block away from the new Elizabeth Place apartment building), it's clear that the owners involved in this new venture share the same vision for the area as everyone else who wish to see a healthy downtown with residents living north of 9th Avenue.
As for the building itself, 718 K Street will retain its mid-century modern appearance. Built in 1958, the building housed a clinic for decades and watched as its nearby neighbors, Providence Hospital and Alaska Regional Hospital, left downtown for more open space. I myself was briefly a patient at this clinic toward the end of my high school years in the mid-2000s. My doctor was a bit of a cranky guy, but at least I got exposed for the first time to The New Yorker magazine and its droll cartoons while in the waiting room. As a one-story building, I think this might be, in my mind, the most aesthetically pleasing building in Anchorage. It exudes 1950s modernism and is uniquely characterized by its colored glass blocks sprinkled throughout the facade. I do worry, however, that should the area successfully transform into an urban residential neighborhood, there might be a community-led effort to preserve the building under the guise of historical preservation. Despite some of its charm, the building, with its blank walls and setback from the sidewalk, does not contribute to the area's street life but rather turns away from it by having its main entrance face its rear parking lot. I hope one day to see elements of the building's brick and colored-glass facade adorn the ground level of a six-story mixed-used building, with retail at ground level and residential units above.
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