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A Marcus Lalario Timeline

Marcus Lalario’s entrepreneurial capacity makes it hard to keep track of all his business ventures. Here are some highlights from the past three decades.

By Allecia Vermillion July 20, 2020

Marcus Lalario with partners and collaborators from over the years.

Image: Chona Kasinger

The Beat Box

1995

A still-teenage Lalario bought the lease for this building and turned it into an all-ages club. Later the space would become the War Room.

Under the Needle

1999–mid-2000s

Lalario ran his own music label and promotions company (later it became part of a collective).

Lalario often wears a custom medallion bearing the logo of Under the Needle.

Image: Chona Kasinger

Compound Records

Early 2000s

A drum and bass record store also sold clothing in the location that later became Sal’s Barbershop.

The Viceroy

2003

Lalario and frequent collaborator Brian Rauschenbach become partners in Linda Derschang’s cocktail bar in Belltown.

Sal's Barbershop

2004

Lalario and Rauschenbach opened a hip-hop barbershop on Capitol Hill. Later, they sold it to the barbers; Sal’s still operates today.

The Council

2004

Lalario and local hip-hop powerhouse Jonathan Moore ran a production company; projects included a hip-hop producer battle called Big Tune and did event marketing for the Seattle Supersonics.

BLVD Gallery

Mid-2000s

A Belltown art gallery focused on street art. Lalario was one of the partners.

The War Room

2005

Another Lalario and Rauschenbach project, this club became central to Capitol Hill’s nightlife scene. The duo closed it after five years, wanting to go out on a high note.

Captain Black's

2009

Lalario’s first official foray into food and drink happened in the form of this bar, where he was an opening partner. He’s no longer involved.

HG Lodge

2010

Lalario and Rauschenbach re-opened the War Room as a more upscale club.

Alive and Well

2011

Part skate shop, part gallery, part clothing store, it arrived on Capitol Hill in early 2011. Lalario’s one of five partners. Today, Alive and Well is an online-only streetwear and cannabis brand; it just launched a series of collaborations with classic Seattle restaurants.

Lil Woody's

2011

The burger shop, inspired by joints Lalario visited on his travels with bands, launches on Capitol Hill just a few months later.

95 Slide

2012

The War Room and HG Lodge space gets one final identity, a clubby sports bar. It lasted until 2016, then the building was redeveloped.

Fat's Chicken and Waffles

2015

The former Catfish Corner space in the Central District took on this new identity.

Ciudad

2016

Lalario and chef Matt Dillon partnered on the global restaurant, but Lalario ended up overseeing the day-to-day. For time, the restaurant ran the more casual Bar Ciudad, next door.

Can't Blame the Youth

2018

Shortly after Alive and Well closed, Lalario launched a new shop and streetwear line in Chinatown–International District.

Mezzanotte

2020

The Italian restaurant next door to Ciudad opened in 2020; good thing it has that enormous patio.

Partners Marcus Lalario and Ben Kirschner at the Hometeam with former Seahawk Cliff Avril (center).

Image: Courtesy Trapographer/Hometeam

The Hometeam and Darkalino's

2023

The streetwear shop and in-house cafe, a spinoff of Mezzanotte, arrived in Pioneer Square this summer.

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