Fish Market Hopes To Reel In Customers -- Kirkland Waterfront Market Grand Opening Is Tomorrow

KIRKLAND

His nickname is "Pineapple."

The owner of the new fish market in downtown Kirkland was bubbly and excited as he reminisced about his days working at Seattle's Pike Place Fish Market in the late 1970s and early 1980s.

"I am one of the originals," he said. "I was the one yelling, `Who's next?!' "

Pineapple, or Greg Caluya, got his nickname because of his Hawaiian background. His brother-in-law, John Peterson, was also a Pike Place fixture, known for his deep voice.

Like old times, both of them will join in the grand-opening festivities tomorrow of the Kirkland Waterfront Market, where Caluya's joint, the Ohana Seafood Market, is located after moving from Bellevue's Crossroads area.

Ohana and five other businesses in the 100 block of Lake Street South will offer free tastings of their food and drinks. Roaming jugglers, game booths and jazz musicians will light up the parking lot between them and World Wrapps.

The new market is in the Moss Bay Commons retail building, across the street from Anthony's Homeport restaurant on one of the busiest parts of the Kirkland strip.

The six-shop market was conceived by landlords Don and Sharry Stabbert, who spent the past two years trying to line up tenants that would fit their image of an urban village.

"We wanted the best in their areas of specialty foods," Sharry Stabbert said. "And we wanted them to have a passion for what they do."

The Stabberts envisioned a place where local condominium residents could purchase everything they needed for a meal in one location. A produce store next to Ohana is planned by Oct. 1.

Caluya worked at the original Pike Place Fish Market for eight years, then worked at a second company store in Crossroads before buying it in 1995. He said he loves the open feeling of the new fish market, especially the heavy foot traffic.

A couple of stores down is the new Europa West, a European-style bistro. Another newcomer is Seattle Super Smoke, a smoked-meats deli featuring barbecued beef sandwiches, barbecued chicken and babyback ribs.

Another tenant, Mondo Shrimp, is an Olympia-based seafood restaurant known for its "heat sauce," a sweet and spicy tomato-based sauce. Other shops are longtime Italian restaurant Calabria and Tully's Coffee.

Yesterday, customers seemed to be enjoying the new market. Madi Nolan, a Federal Way resident, said she loves the Kirkland strip in general. "These shops have turned Kirkland into such a classy little city," she said. "Kirkland has a great sense of self and always has."

Bartender Marsha Kaddoura, who has worked at nearby Hector's for 11 years, said she enjoyed the business the new shops bring but wished some old stores had been allowed to stay in the building. Rents were raised two years ago to offset the $1 million investment of "reinventing" the building, Sharry Stabbert said.

"It's nice to have high-quality shops," Kaddoura said. "It will increase foot traffic. But it's not fair to people who can't make that rent."

Kirkland resident David Woods, who teaches in Redmond, said he missed a submarine-sandwich shop that used to be in the space the new market now occupies.

"They're trying to make it look like Newport Beach (Calif.), but it's not," Woods said. "There's been a real shift for the worse in attitudes around here. These new stores are nice and stuff, but pricey."

Back at Ohana, longtime Crossroads-shop customer Lily Henry bought rockfish from Caluya, saying it reminded her of her native Jamaican snapper. She and her husband visited the Kirkland location for the first time yesterday, and she said Caluya and his brother, Marshall Caluya, draw her back to the business time after time.

"Pineapple is my clown," she said. "They are just nice young men."

A large lobster pool sits next to a wall. Next to it was an icy bed of 12-pound salmon, which the brothers tossed effortlessly.

Caluya said he looked forward to putting on a show for customers tomorrow.

"We're gonna rock and roll this place," he said. ------------------------------- Tomorrow's grand opening

Grand-opening festivities for the Kirkland Waterfront Market will begin at 11 a.m. and last until 8 p.m.

Musicians and jugglers will roam throughout the day. Performances will be held at the main stage in a parking lot adjacent to the Moss Bay Commons building, 150 Lake St. S. They include:

Michael Powers, jazz guitarist, 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

Deems Tsutakawa, light-jazz pianist, 12:45 to 1:15 p.m. and 4 to 4:30 p.m.

Disney trivia, a limbo, a bean-bag toss and a macarena contest, 2 to 4 p.m.

Billy Mac, New Orleans-style rhythm and blues, 3 to 3:45 p.m. and 4:45 to 5:15 p.m.

Seatown, rhythm and blues, 5:15 to 5:45 p.m.

Jam Session with Billy Mac and Curly Cooke, 6 to 8 p.m.