22-04-2025
Hilltop cocktail lounge, amid neighborhood construction, closes after a year
The Hilltop cocktail bar known as 1022 South J has closed after one year under new ownership.
Vanessa Goodrum and Corina Cross announced the closure in early April on Instagram, where they shared some of their struggles with the bar and the apparent impact of nearby construction in recent months.
'We appreciate all of you who have come by to experience 1022 while we had the honor of being there,' they wrote on April 2. 'The 1022 team and each of you and your support made this last year a time in our lives that we will always cherish. No matter the hardship, it was worth it. Unfortunately the negative impacts have started to affect our family, and that is not something we can allow to happen.'
In a message to The News Tribune, they preferred not to elaborate beyond reiterating their appreciation for the experience of first-time restaurant ownership and the importance of caring for their families.
'To take a chance on two middle-aged moms with no experience in the hospitality industry means a lot to us,' they said. 'We did all we set out to accomplish, except financial success. That's hard, not only for us but the team who took a chance on us.'
They were also grateful to have offered a 'safe place for everyone,' including the LGBTQ+ community.
Goodrum and Cross, who both worked at a local optometry office, reached a deal in late 2023 to buy the bar from Lesley Fleming and Neil Harris, who own the building. The property owners, who also own The New Frontier Lounge in the Dome District, did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
The couple decided to keep the name, which references the bar's address and carries local cocktail lore dating to the early 2000s. (In 2022, the chef and bar manager of its previous iteration were slated to take over before that arrangement fizzled.)
The reincarnated 1022 also focused on cocktails, accompanied by dishes like steak with chimichurri at dinner and biscuits and gravy, fried chicken and bread pudding for brunch, plus frequent specials and happy-hour deals.
In July, just a few months in, the owners posted on Instagram that 'construction and parking are a mess,' in apparent reference to the 330,000-square foot, five-story development that now towers over the single-story building at the corner of South J and 11th.
Aspire 11's journey began in 2015, when a Kirkland-based developer showed interest in what was a vacant lot with a history of failed housing attempts, The News Tribune reported as the land deal was going through standard approval processes. The mixed-use complex — which spans almost the entire block between Martin Luther King Jr. Way and South J Street, from South 10th to 11th — broke ground in 2022. It received an 8-year multi-family tax exemption (MFTE) two years prior and qualified for Opportunity Zone funding, The News Tribune reported at the time. The developer had also pledged $500,000 to support neighborhood groups that manage health, education or wellness outcomes for residents, but it's unclear if 1022 would have been eligible for those funds.
The website says some of its 289 units are now leasing, with monthly rates for studios around $1,400 and 1-bedrooms around $1,600, up to 2-bedrooms with two baths around $2,800. Workers could be seen outside on Martin Luther King Jr. Way as recently as April 8.
Reached by phone, Tejvir Basra, who is leading the project for the developer, declined to speak in detail but said the project has 'been a long road,' and he hopes the influx of tenants will benefit the neighborhood in the long-term.
1022 South J shared the corner building with Manifesto Coffee and Goodfellas Barber Shop, both of which remain open.
Jadin Bulger opened his coffee roastery and cafe at 1003 S. 11th St. in 2016. He told The News Tribune in a phone call last week that the bar had known busy summers on the patio in years past, but Goodrum and Cross lost access to their patio right when they maybe needed it most.
'That seemed pretty big to me,' he said.
Communication with construction crews has been frustrating, Bulger said. Ongoing work had affected parking on both South J and South 11th streets, and at times limited access to their and their neighbors' only entrances. It was sporadic for the first two years, but the complications began happening more frequently and for longer periods at a time last summer, he said, adding that he has communicated frequently with the city.
Last August, Goodrum and Cross said on Instagram that the bar had to 'close during lunch,' and they weren't able to use the patio or serve alcohol outside. Then in January, they called more attention to their difficulties in a GoFundMe that noted 'unforeseen setbacks' and some 'red flags' that perhaps they had overlooked.
City spokesperson Maria Lee confirmed that city staff are aware of 'some communication challenges' between the contractor, Spanaway-based Jody Miller Construction, and neighboring businesses. Formal complaints filed through 311 were 'limited,' she said in an email Monday, but 'city staff were responsive when concerns were brought directly to their attention.'
They have fielded 10 to 15 such concerns since 2022. She described the issues as 'primarily related to typical construction inconveniences such as temporary sidewalk or parking impacts, rather than code or safety hazards.' Staff discussed requirements with the contractor and tried to streamline communication with affected neighbors, she said.
'It's relevant to note that this area has seen multiple construction projects with various contractors recently, adding complexity,' continued Lee. 'We are pleased that the Aspire 11 project is now nearing completion.'
Building inspectors approved a temporary occupancy certificate recently, while 'remaining work and related inconveniences will conclude in the coming months.'
When right-of-ways are compromised, added Lee, the city can take enforcement actions including stop-work orders 'for serious or repeated issues.'
Fellow restaurateurs, including Grann and Tibbitts at Fern Hill, hosted pop-ups at 1022 South J in an attempt to galvanize their own fans, but it wasn't enough.
'The hurdles just kept surmounting the ability to obtain success,' said Goodrum and Cross in their message to The News Tribune. 'When the choice of providing for our family was in jeopardy, it made the choice simple: family first.'
