The Hodges Building after its restoration and reopening.
Photo by Michael Whitney.
EVERETT — One could say building rehabilitator Pete Sikov is a secret part of Hewitt Avenue's revival.
Through a vision that's unfolded over 20 years from buying Everett's lesser-loved buildings, he's incubated small businesses while transforming downtown's main drag.
This is now a historic arts and culture district, Sikov, 68, emphasized.
It fits a vision that seems to energize him with joy. "Do It On Hewitt" is one of his favorite sayings.
Sikov roves downtown almost every day. The tenants of his buildings know him and do not hesitate to chat. For an investor, he's hands-on: He goes as far as sweeping the sidewalk as his buildings' caretaker.
As he amassed properties, through curation he hand-selected and chose to rent to galleries, music venues, eateries and antiques shops, such as the one that took over the home of the old Van Winkle's Furniture store. In his buildings are some of Everett's favorite haunts: The Black Lab Gallery and its offshoot The Lucky Dime, That Chicken Place, JaRay’s Grill and Lounge (formerly Sidekicks and The Whammy Bar), the new MyMyToyStore toy store and more.
Out went the pawn shops and the bail bond offices that occupied this stretch. Hewitt's seediness got shaken out of the picture.
There's a lot to like about Everett, he said.
Within six blocks of Hewitt between Colby and Broadway, Sikov owns 13 of the approximately 18 buildings, land records show. Entire half-blocks. Hundreds of years of history held under numerous LLCs.
Six more are along Broadway, he said.
More historic properties of his, once in disarray, are up east Hewitt.
The Hodges Building at Hewitt and Rockefeller stands almost at the epicenter.
He has been piecing the Hodges Building back together years now after a devastating fire in 2013.
It got final approval to reopen in May and tenants began moving in this summer. The first floor is home to the coffeehouse and bookstore PNW Artisans.
It’s sited perfectly for anyone to work and live in downtown. You could walk to your job, Sikov noted.
