REMINDER: The Environmental Science Center at Seahurst Park will be holding its Grand Opening this Sunday, Oct. 23rd from Noon – 4 p.m.

Adults and children of all ages are invited to experience this fabulous new facility at Seahurst Beach!

There will be hot cider, snacks and a fun roster of activities, including:

• Tour the rain-garden and learn about the building’s green features
• Check out the microscope displays and scientific drawing lab
• Explore the beach and forest at Seahurst with a naturalist
• Win prizes at the game stations!

Seahurst Park is located at 2400 SW 140th Street in Burien; the Environmental Science Center is located on the beach north of the turning circle at Seahurst Park.

For more information about the Environmental Science Center visit www.EnvScienceCenter.org.

BTB Advertiser Highline Hearing Professionals will be holding a Grand Opening Celebration from 3 p.m. – 6 p.m. on Wednesday, Aug. 31st at their new location at 457 SW 148th Street.

Formerly known as Highline Audiology, Highline Hearing Professionals has a new, state-of-the-art facility in Burien Town Center, near Ace Hardware and Bartell Drugs.

At Wednesday’s Grand Opening, you’ll get a chance to meet their friendly and conscientious staff, enjoy live music, snacks from Sal’s Deli and prizes like Mariners tickets, a weekend at Ocean Shores and gift cards to local businesses.

For more info, check out their new website here, or call (206) 246-8677.

Decanter Wines, the newest wine store and restaurant in Burien, is celebrating their Grand Opening this Friday and Saturday (April 15 and 16) from 11am – 10pm.

Washington winery Masquerade Wine Company will be providing the wine tasting on Saturday from 4pm – 8pm.

Both days they’ll be sampling several different food items and they are offering 10% off everything – including wine and food!

The idea of Decanter Wines comes from the owner/partners, the Grim family of Burien. Mom, Mary and dad Larry were joined by son Matt and daughter Diane in the creation of this wine store. They’ve been in the online line wine sales business for some time with Washington Wines Online. Many of their customers didn’t want to pay shipping charges, so Decanter Wines was born. Now they’ve not only got a place to pick up their wine, but enjoy a nice salad or, some Mediterranean appetizers, salads, soups and even hot sandwiches and desserts while they collect their wine purchases.

So if you’re out doing your Trader Joe’s or Albertson’s (food shopping) thing on Friday or Saturday, and want to sample some of Western Washington’s Finest wines or want to stop for a taste of their new menu, stop over to Decanter Wine and enjoy the hospitality of the Grim family. They’re located at 15830 1st Ave South, in the space formerly occupied by Party City, next to the Verizon store.

When Grand Central Bakery holds its grand opening of its new Burien location this Friday, Aug. 20th, it will donate a portion of the opening day’s proceeds to two local charities – the Highline Area Food Bank and the Highline Schools Foundation for Excellence.

Doors are scheduled to open Friday at 7am, with closing time set for 6pm.

The bakery is located at 626 SW 152nd Street.

For more information, call 206-436-1065, or visit their website at www.grandcentralbakery.com. You can also follow them on Twitter here, or “Like” them on Facebook here.

This will be the company’s third location in the Seattle area.

According to a press release:

“Grand Central chose Burien because it is a burgeoning neighborhood that’s home to some great family businesses such as Eat Local, Hans’ German Sausage & Deli, Carniceria Zacatecas, Tin Room, Osteria da Primo, and Angelo’s.

The bakery-café will offer the same menu items that have become so popular at its other locations including handmade pastries and desserts, daily soups, hot and cold sandwiches. Whether it’s a fresh fruit Danish or a tuna melt made with St. Jude’s locally canned tuna, there’s something for everyone.

The owners of Grand Central include siblings Piper and Ben Davis, who have helped grow the brand for their mother, Gwen Bassetti. The company, founded in 1989, has come to stand not only for quality breads and pastries but also for seasonally inspired café cuisine and a commitment to stewardship. Grand Central supports local producers such as Shepherd’s Grain, Beecher’s Cheese, Skagit Sun Berries, Full Circle Farms, and Fall City Farms.”

Lavina Mays is located at 17824 1st Ave South Suite 103, next to Curves. Lavina Mays brings back a Garden and Gift shop to the area that has been without one since Five Corners Garden Center closed many years ago. The store carries an assortment of outdoor and indoor plants, Eco friendly gardening products, cards, gifts and a big selection of home decor items.

To celebrate, they plan a book signing for Three Tree Point by local residents Guy Harper and Pamela Harper Friday Aug 6th from 4-6pm. Customers who have previously purchased a copy are also invited to come and have their copy signed.

Greg Wright will be onhand on Saturday August 7 from 1-3 to sign his new book West of the Gospel: A Tale of the Fewkes Legacy.

For the grand re-opening there will be 10% off everything in the store. Refreshments will be served. Plus they’ll be launching Burien Books continual promotions like discounts for teachers and librarians and discounts for loyal customers who are on their mailing list.

Burien Books is in their new location at 824 SW 152nd St in Olde Burien. Call for details at 206 244-1422.

According to owner Dan House, around $3,000 was raised for the cause by a diverse crowd of family and friends, including his wife Claudia, Mom Chirlee, brother Steve, and Ernie Eder, former owner of the Hi-Line Tin Shop, who toiled away for many years doing metalwork in the very same building. Also spotted in the crowd was local author Shawn Underwood, who’s holding a book signing party at the Tin Room this Thursday (details here).

Scott Schaefer dropped by and took these pics:

Click to Play Scott Schaefer’s Photo Slideshow

“Butch Cassidy” will play through June 29th, and will be followed by “The Big Lebowski” from June 25–July 1, then by “Sideways” and the documentary “Man on Wire.”

Here are the basics about Burien’s newest, boutique cinema:

• Ticket prices will be $8, $7 for seniors.
• There will be two showings daily: 5:45pm and 8:00pm.
• Movies will run Thursdays thru Thursday for one week each.

More information on the Tin Theater is available at their website:

http://tintheater.com

Located in what was the old Burien Library at 14700 6th Ave SW, the extensive renovation includes new paint, flooring, lots of natural light and free Wi-Fi. The facility contains a large, central common room surrounded by smaller rooms that will host classes and programs. Regular hours of operation will be Monday through Thursday, 8:30 AM to 8:00 PM and Friday, 8:30 AM to 5:00 PM.

Saturday’s grand opening celebration featured live music, plenty of free snacks, information from local organizations providing health and education services, demonstrations of programs that will be offered at the community center and plenty of door prizes!

Michael Lafreniere — Director of Burien’s Parks, Recreation & Cultural Services — estimates that well over 500 visitors attended the grand opening of the new community center.

Regarding the success of the event Lafreniere said, “It was a great community event. We were so pleased with the incredible turnout and our staff are very thankful to all those who attended. I think the open house really showcased the great diversity of programs we offer to people of all ages. The public also got to see how this building is still their building and a center for the whole community … and bonus? Now we get to call it the Community Center!”

Photographer Michael Brunk attended the grand opening and assembled this audio slideshow capturing the sights and sounds from the celebration. Be sure to check your volume before clicking!

Click to Play Michael Brunk’s Photo Slideshow

It took both City Councilmember Kathy Keene, left, and Mayor Joan McGilton to wield a pair of giant scissors to cut the ribbon at the grand opening ceremony of "City Hall North" Tuesday.

On Tuesday morning (May 11) around 10am, dozens of city employees, police, residents and dignitaries attended a ribbon-cutting grand opening ceremony for Burien’s new “North City Hall” in the Boulevard Park neighborhood.

Between the overwhelming roar of third runway jet landings, City Manager Mike Martin spoke, Mayor Joan McGilton read a proclamation from King County Councilmember Jan Drago, along with Police Chief Scott Kimerer.

The new office, which is shared with the King County Sheriff’s Department, is dedicated to the memory of Barb Peters, a tireless advocate for the North Highline area who passed away last October (read our story here). Barb’s daughter Natalie Wolff spoke about her Mom, and what a “fighter” she was for both the neighborhood as well as the city’s annexation of it.

Also on hand was Joan Cox, the Mother of the late Deputy Steve Cox, an officer with the King County Sheriff’s Department who was killed in the line of duty in nearby White Center in 2006. A photo of Deputy Cox hangs on the wall inside the office.

Scott Schaefer was there, and he took these photos:

Click to Play Scott Schaefer’s Slideshow

Burien’s new Community Center, which is located in the “old” library building at 14700 6th Ave SW, is hosting an Open House this Saturday, May 15th from 1pm – 3pm.

Remodeled at a cost of just under $1.5 million, this building will temporarily house Burien Parks’ offices, along with a community center, for three to five years, when plans call for a new community/senior center to be built at the “old” site (at SW 144th and 4th Ave. SW) – if the economy improves and if voters approve a bond issue to finance construction.

During Saturday’s Open House, there will be class demonstrations, raffles, hands-on activities, and complimentary snacks.

Also ready to be tested out is a a new play space for toddlers & preschoolers, as well as a “birthday party” area with an inflatable jumper toy. Other activities include creating your own batik flag, and seniors can play Bunco game or try out Wii bowling, and teens can check-out a new drop-in area.

As a bonus, if you register for a summer program while at this event, class fees will be discounted.

Burien's temporary new Community Center is located in the "old" library building. Try saying that quickly five times.

Here are the details of the Open House:

WHAT: Open House for Burien’s new Community Center.

WHEN: Saturday, May 15th from 1pm – 3pm.

WHERE: The “old” library building-turned-Community Center at 14700 6th Ave SW.

INFO: From a flier:

New Community Center Hosts Open House

An afternoon of festive activities and fun freebies is happening at the new Burien Community Center’s Open House on Saturday, May 15 from 1-3:00 pm.

Tour the newly-renovated facility, watch class demonstrations, enter raffles, enjoy hands-on activities, and snack on complementary food.  Bring toddlers & preschoolers to a new play space,  have the kids check-out a “birthday party” area with an inflatable jumper toy, or be creative  and create your own batik flag. Senior adults can enjoy a festive Bunco game or try out Wii bowling, and teens can check-out their new drop-in area.

Yoga, zumba, pilates, watercolor, senior fitness & chair yoga,  belly dancing, and ballet/tap class demonstrations will be happening in the Seahurst Room, which is the facility’s largest and also available for  community rentals of all kinds for lots of people. Booths set up in the Main Lobby will include information on soccer, dance, art history, computer instruction, massage, hypnosis, writers’ workshops and other current programs.

Fees will be discounted for those registering for summer programs while attending the event.  Burien businesses have donated gift baskets and other give-aways to be raffled off throughout the event.

The Community Center’s regular hours are Mondays-Thursdays from 8:30 am-8:00 pm and Fridays from 8:30 am-5:00 pm. The facility is located at 14700 SW 6th Ave SW at the site of the former Burien Library.

For additional information call 206 988-3700 or www.burienparks.net.

Here’s a video preview of the center, courtesy Burien Parks:

Click here to view the embedded video.