Downtown wine bar, gift shop, live music spot closes. Owners to focus on waterfront cafe
The Mill by Jack and Adeline, a multi-pronged food and housewares business that opened near downtown in 2022, has closed. Owners Leanne and Paul Franetovich will instead focus their attention on La Finestra, their new cafe at Museum of Glass.
Located at 515 6th Ave., in the same building as Infinite Soups, The Mill was part wine bar, part larder and part gift shop. For those in the know, it was one of limited retailers in the area stocked with local cheese and meat, as well as a curated selection of pantry staples like pasta, olive oil, vinegar and coffee.
It was a hub for Leanne’s baked goods, notably sourdough bread baked in a commissary kitchen. That was one of the big reasons they had leased the space: They planned to build a working bakery there.
The notion seemed plausible, considering the space’s history as a bar and pool hall.
“The bones of a kitchen were there because of Malarkey’s,” said Leanne, “then all the costs skyrocketed.”
“What would have cost $2,000 was now $3,500,” added Paul, who had carved out a studio in the back for his custom wood projects, from cutting boards to countertops and live-edge wood tables. That business will be put on hold for now.
Looking at the numbers at the end of last year, the couple, who made a home in Tacoma after moving from Florida several years ago, decided it was time to let it go.
Sharing the news first on Instagram at the start of the year, they thanked those who shopped there or had a glass of wine, the musicians who played many Thursday nights and the mobile food vendors who set up shop for a day. They are hoping to find a way for The Barber Collective, which operates in an enclosed unit in the building, to continue without interruption.
“It was just too much, and we had already put everything we had into it,” said Leanne. Since last summer, when they opened La Finestra at Museum of Glass, they were also “burning the candle at both ends.”
They started their woodworking and bakery business, known collectively as Jack + Adeline Hearth + Home, at the farmers market in 2018. For several years, they had a stall at the Waterfront Market in Ruston, which served as a springboard to The Mill storefront.
“It evolved into what it did, and it was great!” said Leanne, adding that the experience allowed them to build relationships “that got us to here basically,” referencing the museum cafe.
FOCUSING ON LA FINESTRA
Since opening last summer, they have found a rhythm with daily lunch business and the museum district’s free-admission Third Thursday evenings. Last month, they hosted a dinner service, which they hope can eventually highlight guest chefs.
The kitchen space, most recently occupied by Incalmo, allows Leanne to bake on-site.
“Everything we wanted to do at The Mill, we could do here,” she said.
Alongside Bluebeard Coffee drinks, the pastry case is regularly stocked with a variety of croissants, from the classic butter to ones filled with chocolate or raspberry-cream cheese. On homemade focaccia and ciabatta, sandwiches include a roast beef with colby jack, roasted chicken with pesto and mozzarella, and a vegetarian option with olive tapenade and hummus. Also on that focaccia: daily pizza by the square.
On Saturday, Feb. 17, The Mill plans to open for a final sale day of remaining inventory. Check instagram.com/themillby_ja for details.
LA FINESTRA CAFE
▪ 1801 Dock St., (at Museum of Glass), lafinestracafe.com
▪ Wednesday-Sunday 9 a.m.-5 p.m.
▪ Details: house-baked pastries, grandma-style pizza on homemade focaccia, sandwiches and coffee (museum entry not required); follow instagram.com/lafinestra253 for specials and events
This story was originally published February 13, 2024 at 5:30 AM.