Meander through quaint Olde Burien and you can't avoid seeing vacant storefronts along SW 152nd. Av. there, and east of there near 1st Ave. South. The cheerful blue color on the B-Town Burgers & Shakes exterior remains. But, other than a lonely mustard and ketchup dispenser on a table inside, 822 SW 152nd Street is vacant. Adjacent, to its east, Goodie Gumdrops toys and books just closed its doors while two children on its corner sign remain smiling.

Grassroots Home & Garden at 913 SW 152nd is gone. So is The Yarn Stash at 615 SW 152nd. Further east, Herr Backyard Center closed, partly due to the recession partly due for retirement purposes. Owners Michelle Codd and Keli De Ritis of Poggi Bonsi, 907 SW 152nd St, are also leaving, but will keep their larger, Renton Landing location and open another shop somewhere in Seattle.

"We've been in Burien for 10 years, at Renton Landing for almost three years," De Ritis said. "This was a hard decision to make because we have our roots in Burien and we have wonderful, loyal customers here, but we just didn't have enough of them. It was a business decision. We kept losing ground.

"I would like to see Burien focus more on its retail business," she added, saying that she feels the City of Burien has not done enough to support retail. "The city leadership was very focused on Burien Town Square and the health care industry for Burien. The restaurants are doing well. People are continuing to spend money going out to eat because it is all about comfort and experience and a good time, so people are more willing to spend fifty dollars on a meal than on kitchen wear.

"Our feeling was that the city focus more on Olde Burien, a jewel of the city," she said. "We tried very hard personally to make it a destination shopping and dining place. I developed the website www.shopoldeburien.com. Michelle was constantly working with discover Burien creating events. I also created a walking, shopping, and dining map that we as a group of retailers in Olde Burien paid to have at the Airport and other Port of Seattle locations.

"It would make sense to have a trolly or shuttle to get people from the airport to Olde Burien," she suggested. "People don't have a lot to do as far as dining or shopping in Sea Tac. It just makes sense to get people over to Burien. They want to bring something special home to their families. Michelle and I both live in Normandy Park and want Burien vibrant. Our kids went to school in St. Francis, Kennedy, Mt. Rainier. Having nice places to shop is going to help everybody."

There are some bright spots, literally, along 152nd., as some shops are doing well with their niche businesses, and four new shops have signed leases, including a wine shop and Supper Supplements.

The owner of The Electric Train Shop, Scott Law, can't be happier with his move to Burien one year ago, July 31, from the West Seattle Junction to 625 SW 152nd St.

"Life is good," said Law wearing a large grin. "Burien is changing and it seems like it's taking two steps foreword and one step back. The yarn shop moved out, but someone else is moving in. We're a destination business. I had a great Christmas. In summer what I get is business from tourists from Europe and Australia. When they come into town they look up the train shops if that's their interest.

"Fifteen years ago when I moved into the West Seattle Junction there were a lot of vacancies," he said. "Then the local business group got together and started working on the place and then the bars and restaurants came in and it became a big nightlife thing. Then the rents went up and forced a lot of us small businesses out of there. They have very reasonable rents here so I think this area is rife with opportunity for others to start businesses here."

Eight months ago Brett Boynton and Virginia Wright opened Phoenix Tea, a specialty shop that sells teas and accessories, and offers tastings to entice customers, at 902 SW 152nd St. A consignment shop was there before, called "You've Been Worn". They say their business is doing well.

"We have a couple who shops here for tea, and they are big train people so they also go over to the Electric Train shop," said Boynton, while offering "da hong pao" oolong tea, or "big red robe" .

Boynton added, "There is quite a good tea scene here in Seattle. It's growing every day."

"Drinking tea is a community, and a relationship," said customer Guitian Li, while sipping. "It's a relationship not only with all of us here, but with nature, history, culture, art."

"We're always doing something to show businesses why they should locate here in Burien, through education, networking," said Gina Bourdage, Executive Director of Discover Burien. "We do monthly events where experts talk about social media, public relations, employee issues, whatever topics Discover Burien members want an expert for. I encourage business owners here to join Discover Burien."

"I hear a lot in the community about, 'Oh, the sky is falling,'" she said, adding that Discover Burien has a more positive outlook. "Shopping locally is so important and people should support the community."

"All of the buildings are really nice and the architecture suits itself well to interesting retail spaces and restaurants," said Virginia Wright, who lives in Three Tree Point, and chairs the Burien Arts Commission. "If I didn't believe in the neighborhood we wouldn't have located here."