The Ave’s Cedars Of Lebanon May Be Getting Cut Down And Replaced With A Mcdonald’s

Cedars will reportedly be forced to close if a McDonald’s takes over the building. | Harry Cheadle

Plus, poop doughnuts, and more news you should know

McDonald’s is poised to move into the University District — and not all of its would-be neighbors are happy.

Last month the Daily Journal of Commerce noticed that the fast food leviathan had bought the space on University that was home to the shuttered bar Flowers, and that the plans “will also displace Cedars of Lebanon, on the building’s north side.” That displacement of Cedars, a longstanding spot for gyros and falafel, came as an apparent surprise to owner John Khalil, who recently told the University of Washington’s Daily, “I was shocked and very much sad about how they can do something like that behind my back... the landlord wasn’t answering the phone, wasn’t telling me anything.”

That a nearly 50-year-old independent business would be replaced by one of the world’s major corporations isn’t sitting well with some Seattleites. The Ave has always been a bastion of grungy weirdness; McDonald’s, by contrast, “basically doesn’t really serve food,” according to the Stranger’s Charles Mudede. The neighborhood group U District Advocates is opposing the McDonald’s, and there’s a Change.org petition started by the operations manager of the nearby Bulldog News that argues there’s a history of corporations buying storefronts on the Ave only to struggle. “These companies push out local small businesses, sign a long contract then pull out, leaving the storefront vacant for years. Your favorite hole in the wall might be next,” the petition warns.

It’s unclear when Cedars would be forced to close under this plan.

On to more news of the week:

Mighty-O selling poop doughnuts

April Fools, a holiday for liars, is coming, and if you want an easy, readymade prank Mighty-O has you covered. The local vegan doughnut chain is selling “poop” doughnuts that look like... poop. According to a Mighty-O spokesperson, “pre-orders open on March 18 for pick up on March 31 and April 1. Limited supply will be sold in store on these two days so be sure to plan your pranks and place your poop pre-orders now!”

Downtown is losing the Cheesecake Factory

In another blow to the United States’ struggling manufacturing industry, the Cheesecake Factory on Pike Street is closing after Sunday, May 4, reports the Puget Sound Business Journal. “The company... is assisting its Seattle employees with transfers to other locations. It has other restaurants in Tacoma, Bellevue, Tukwila and Lynnwood,” according to the Journal. The downtown location, though, is the one many Seattleites were most familiar with; it has been open for 23 years. No specific reason for the closure was given.

Panda Fest is coming to Seattle

Panda Fest is a pan-Asian food festival that started in New York City in 2015 and has since spread throughout the U.S. The first Seattle Panda Fest is happening at Seattle Center’s Fisher Pavilion from June 6 to 8 — 70 food vendors, 15 merchandise vendors, performances, and, of course, a giant inflatable panda. Kids under 6 are free, and if you buy tickets before Sunday, March 23 they’re $11. (After that prices rise to $15.) To get tickets, and for more info, go here.