Sip and Ship, the longtime Seattle small business, is turning 24 and inviting PhinneyWood to help celebrate this Thursday, October 15. Stop by their Greenwood shop at 7511 Greenwood Ave N throughout the day for free lattes and freshly baked treats, a thank-you to the customers and community who have helped sustain the business for nearly a quarter century. (October 15 also happens to be owners Diana and Steveโs son Jackโs birthday, making the day doubly special for the family.)
Twenty-four years means an awful lot of coffee poured, packages packed, gifts wrapped, cards selected, and mail sent around the world. But it has also included some pretty significant changes.
From Ballard to Greenwood
Sip and Ship began in Ballard before expanding into Greenwood in 2018โ2019โa transition that turned out to be considerably more eventful than anyone could have predicted. Construction on the Greenwood location collided with the pandemic, and the team worked through dust, debris, cold winter days, and the uncertainty of COVID while continuing to serve customers. Years later came another difficult decision: closing the original Ballard shop and consolidating the business in Greenwood.
What happened afterward surprised even Diana and Steve. According to the owners, more than 80% of their Ballard customers followed them to Greenwoodโand so did their entire Ballard team. It was a reminder that a neighborhood business is about much more than its physical location.
โIt humbled us, reminding us that a business is never just a building or a counter. It’s relationships built over time, trust earned, and people who show up for one another, over and over again.โ
What Does 24 Years in Small Business Teach You?
Quite a bit, apparently. Looking back, Diana and Steve say there isn’t any magic formula for keeping an independent business going for 24 years, but there are a few lessons they keep coming back to: commit to service and integrity, keep moving even when you don’t have every answer, put your team first, be consistent, and never stop learning. Those lessons have carried Sip and Ship through expansions, construction, a pandemic, the closure of its original location and ultimately a new chapter centered right here in Greenwood.
And they’re certainly not slowing down. Sip and Ship will be joining the neighborhood for Hunger Goblin’ on October 31, welcoming trick-or-treaters with treats, apple cider and hot cocoa. They’re also gearing up for their 25th Christmas season, including Sunday hours throughout December.
But first, there’s a birthday to celebrate. Congratulations to Diana, Steve, and the entire Sip and Ship team on 24 years in businessโand here’s to many more in Greenwood!
Sip and Ship’s 24th Birthday Celebration
Thursday, October 15
7511 Greenwood Ave N
Free lattes and freshly baked treats throughout the day