Local Lunchtime Discoveries in Ballard, Seattle: 20twenty & Second Ascent

Friday’s Find

Initially, I was determined to track down some of Ballard’s Scandinavian roots for my Friday find, but aside from the Nordic Heritage Museum and a couple of shops/restaurants too far away for me to reasonably visit on a lunch break, none of the neighborhood’s more central Scandinavian staples still stand. Instead, I settled for pursuing affordable vintage clothes at 20twenty and geeking out over discount outdoors gear at Second Ascent.

From past experiences, I’ve found that Ballard is h0me to quite a few unique but pricey (!!) boutiques so stumbling on 20twenty — with $10 t-shirts, shoes under $50, and a whole host of other wallet-friendly vintage goodies — provided a happy contrast to its higher end neighbors. Finally! A Ballard clothing store broke office temps can afford!

After contemplating a polyester rainbow-striped and sequined skirt reminiscent of a circus tent (among other things), I headed across the street to Second Ascent outdoor retailers. In a city where the uber-outdoorsy has a prominent place in everyday fashion you don’t have to travel far to find stores like Second Ascent. However, their used gear selection is worth sifting through before caving to the incredible convenience of REI’s mega selection. North Face soft shell jacket for $60? Sure, I’ll skip working on my REI dividend for that. And besides, REI doesn’t let lazy dogs nap at their store’s entrance…

Visit Second Ascent @ 5209 Ballard Avenue Northwest and 20twenty @ 5208 Ballard Ave

Previous finds: one. two. three.