The SCOOP

Sip and Ship Deemed "An Essential Business"

3/26/2020

All of our lives have been completely uprooted by the COVID-19 causing us to reorganize, reprioritize and reapproach how we do things. We are saddened by all of the small businesses that have been forced to close their doors and rest our hope that this is only temporary. Our hope is to support them in any way possible and to help them restore and recover soon.

As we continue to provide our community with essential business services, Sip and Ship has been witness to many positive stories and events inspired by this uncertain time. Here are some bright spots from our frontlines:

Mailing children's artwork to quarantined grandparents in New York,
Shipping wedding wishes and virtual toasts to couples all over the country whose weddings had to be canceled,
Packaging and mailing homemade treats, books, and activity kits to families with young children at home,
Ensuring prescriptions and medical equipment get to loved ones who have been caught in the midst of travel delays, lockdowns, and shutdowns in other parts of the world,
Mailing supplies to remote workers to keep businesses in operation,
Shipping school supplies to homes to enable distance learning,
Notarizing documents such as I-9's for remote workers to stay employed, last will and testaments for families with loved ones in hospice care, and military personnel preparing for deployment to Navy hospital ships,
Faxing and mailing unemployment paperwork for a growing number of displaced workers.

The Sip and Ship team is encouraged and hopeful by keeping you connected with your family, neighbors, and business partners. This feeds our purpose and helps us build resilience for the community we share and support. Your safety and the safety of our team is paramount. While remaining open to serve your mailing, packages, notary and business needs, our frontline service teams are doing everything humanly possible to remain safe and to keep you safe by: keeping all surfaces and service counters and equipment sanitized, encouraging you to use our hand sanitizing stations, and enforcing safe social distancing. We have temporarily eliminated all printed receipts for prepaid drop-off packages and shipping services, allowing you to take a picture of the label before dropping off the box. We are happy to provide you with an e-receipt via email.

Until further notice, our operating hours are Monday-Friday 10am-6pm, Saturday 10am-5pm, and CLOSED Sundays. The Ballard Sip and Ship cafe will remain open for to-go orders from 10am-4pm Monday-Saturday.

We are here for you and appreciate the opportunity to be of service to you during this time. Please keep a safe distance from everyone when venturing out and know that we all will get through this.

Thank you for your trust and kindness,

Diana, Steve, and Your Sip and Ship Team

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Kindness Is Contagious

3/22/2020

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A little piece of Sip and Ship can be sent to your home or to anyone else you love. Our quarantine kindness kits are now available online.
We also want you to know that Sip and Ship is considered an essential business. Our frontline team is working hard to help Sip and Ship remain accessible to you during this challenging time. We will keep you up to date with any necessary changes.
Until then, let’s do our part to spread kindness, one small act at a time.
Stay home, stay safe, and let’s stay connected.
Diana and Team

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Sip and Ship Reduces Store Hours

3/16/2020

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Dear Valued Sip and Ship Community,

As Seattle, and the world, continues to face the uncertainty and severity of COVID-19, Sip and Ship is taking all recommended safeguards to ensure the health and well being of our Sip and Ship team and shared community.

In addition to a series of precautionary measures our frontline teams have been vigilantly practicing, Sip and Ship is reducing its operating hours.

Until further notice, both Sip and Ship locations will be open on Monday-Friday from 10am-6pm, Saturday 10am-5pm and closed on Sundays. These days and times may vary as we continue to navigate these unprecedented times.

Sip and Ship’s reduced hours will allow us to continue essential services such as securing mail and packages in partnership with the Postal Service, UPS, FedEx, and DHL. Our Ballard coffeeshop will continue to provide to-go food and beverage service.

We appreciate your understanding and commitment to safeguarding yourself and the health and well being of our team and community.

Sincerely,
Diana and Your Team

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We're In This Together

3/15/2020

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“We are all in this together” I’m not sure who said that first, but truer words have never been spoken. Sip and Ship, your neighbors, friends, strangers - all of us are effected by this pandemic. The news is non-stop, and as much as we’d like to ignore the stories, or bury our heads beneath our bed covers, we have to face the reality each and every day.
During this time, Sip and Ship is pleased to offer $1 drip coffee until 11 am each day and free postage for a card or any personal letter going to a loved one - because, you know they’d love to hear from you, and when was the last time you wrote them a letter!?
Let’s lift each other up, support, encourage, listen and take care of each other. Because, we are all in this together.
Be well and we look forward to seeing you soon.

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Reimagining Your To Do List

3/8/2020

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more services, more smiles
With two locations to serve you in Ballard and Greenwood, Sip and Ship gives you back the gift of time and efficiency with a personal touch (sanitized). Our frontline service teams take great pride to ensure that you and what matters to you is handled with great attention and care. Sip and Ship is conveniently open 7 days a week making it easy for you to stop in to:

Be greeted by our smiling, friendly and helpful crew members;
Secure your online orders and get your returns taped up (for free) and on their way with ease;
Pick up your mail and packages (including an email notification for anything time sensitive);
Notarize a document and mail in your passport paperwork;
Select a card and gift for an upcoming birthday - with Easter, Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, wedding and graduation season approaching too;
Enjoy a golden-chai tea and slice of banana bread from our Ballard cafe (our Greenwood cafe will reopen in April).

We get that your time is valuable. Our goal is provide you with exceptional in-store services by way of our team’s attention to detail, kindness and care.

We look forward to seeing you soon!

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Sip and Ship Crew Spotlight

2/29/2020

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We thought we’d take a moment to connect you with a few friendly faces on our service leadership team. These bright beings love to listen, learn, and problem-solve every day here at Sip and Ship, making your in-store experiences nothing short of exceptional - if not magical! They would all agree that one of the best parts of their work is the face-to-face interactions they get to have with each other and with you, our valued customers.

Amanda, Ballard co-Store Manager/Team Builder
This year’s Sip and Ship Most Valuable Player, Amanda joined us about a year ago as a barista and quickly learned the ins and outs of this multifaceted business. Amanda’s ability to master any task is impressive. She also loves music and travel and is looking forward to returning to college in fall 2020.

Emma, Greenwood co-Store Manager/Team Builder
Emma was honored with our crew nominated “Authenticity” award. She brings creativity, compassion, and a sense of humor wherever she shows up. Originally from Anacortes, WA, she has lived in Chicago and recently moved to Seattle from San Francisco. She loves adding personal touches to anything she touches at Sip and Ship - and when cooking new foods at home with her sister. One of Emma’s dreams is to see the Northern lights from a hot spring in Iceland.

Kat, Head Baker/co-Store Manager
The woman behind Sip and Ship’s delicious homemade scones, salted-chocolate-chip cookies, banana bread, and gluten-free lemon and ginger molasses cookies - just to name a few of our delicious baked treats. As her name implies, Kat loves cats. She values her family and friends and inspires giggles with her team with silly puns she shares on a regular basis. One day she hopes to open her own bakery and currently makes amazing custom cakes. Her most recent cake was a forest theme for her best friend’s baby shower. The creation included woodsy creatures and foliage with clusters of marzipan-mushrooms accented down the side of chocolate tree-trunk-cake.

Kyra, Greenwood co-Store Manager/Team Builder
Pet lover and recent transplant from Chicago, Kyra is currently a student at the University of Washington completing her degree in Geography and GIS technology. Kyra loves mail, enjoys sending and receiving letters/parcels, and helping Sip and Ship customers achieve the same sense of satisfaction. In her free time, she takes pride in her rescued canine family made up of three sweet cane corsos; Gunther, Gage, and Talia.

Nathaniel, HR Coordinator/Team Builder
Even though you may not see him on a regular basis, he’s still a vital part of the Sip and Ship team. Nathaniel works with us remotely from Chicago where he lives with his wife, Nastassia and two-year-old daughter, Julianna. Next month they welcome baby number two - so stay tuned for that announcement! Nathaniel is an extremely talented musician and composer. He and his wife are in a jazz band together called Charlie and The Gypsy.
We hope you enjoy connecting with our exceptional team members as much as they enjoy connecting with you.
Have a great week!

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"Ground Control To Major Tom"

2/22/2020

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“Commencing countdown, engines on.”

We couldn’t be more excited to share that Greenwood Sip and Ship is officially on the homestretch of its expansion project. Phase two of reintroducing a new and improved cafe experience is just a month away!

The Sip and Ship team wanted to take a moment to thank you for your support, encouragement and patience during this process, and to share with you a few images of our progress so far. With more after-photos soon to come!

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Ever Wonder What Happens When . . .

2/15/2020

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. . . you share a salted-chocolate-chip cookie with a Narwhal?

SAVE THE DATE to find out!

On March 7th Seattle native and Narwhal and Jelly books author Ben Clanton will be visiting Ballard Sip and Ship (where he receives and responds to reader mail!). From 10:30 am to 12:30 pm Ben will sign books and give away original Narwhal and Jelly drawings and other prizes along with salted-chocolate-chip cookies (while supplies last). Narwhal and Jelly books will be available for purchase.

We look forward to seeing you and your young readers at this special event.

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Cupid, Draw Back Your Bow

2/9/2020

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With Valentine’s Day just days away, let your arrow go into Sip and Ship to find fresh ways to express yourself to the people you love!

Bright and bold cards, artisan chocolate bars, heart lattes and pink gummy candies are sure to hit the mark. Ribbon included!

We look forward to seeing you this week and helping you share the love!

Your Sip and Ship Team

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LOVE Has Everything To Do With It

2/1/2020

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While Tina Turner can still be heard belting out the question, Sip and Ship has a few renditions in response. First, whether you believe in cupid or not, loving relationships are not built in one day but rather a little bit each day. Secondly, here are a few ways you can share your love in creative and wallet-friendly ways at Sip and Ship:

1. Savor Your Love
These days handwritten cards are considered keepsakes. Inside one, share your favorite memory or meal you’ve experienced with your special person/people. Trust me when I say that they will save and revisit your sentiments for years to come.

2. Show Your
Who doesn’t love a treasure hunt? Consider hiding a handful of love notes with sweet quotes or sayings on them, each one leading to a fancy box of chocolates, scented bubble bath or experience in the end. You decide!

3. Send Your Love
There is nothing more thoughtful than a handwritten note and beautifully wrapped gift compared with something that arrives drop-shipped in a bag! Select a few specialty chocolate bars or champagne gummy bears and we’ll happily put a ribbon on them for mailing or hand-delivering to your sweetie.