Passing motorists have been watching construction of the new First Mutual Bank north of the Junction for many months and it's almost time to cut the ribbon.

The new First Mutual Bank opens Thursday, June 8 and the festivities begin at 10 a.m. It's located at 4102 California Ave. S.W.

The bank had been operating from a storefront in the Junction. Its new building offers its own parking lot, an automatic teller machine and safe deposit boxes.

Driftmier Architects designed the new building and it was constructed by TCI Inc.

There are a dozen branches of First Mutual Bank, which is headquartered in Bellevue. The bank has more than $1 billion in assets.

Restaurant opens

in former Alki Market

Half of the closed Alki Market is being remodeled into a new restaurant scheduled to open in July.

The Cactus restaurant will serve mostly Mexican and Southwestern fare but the menu also will feature entrees from Latin America. South America, Spain and even the Caribbean, said Marc Chatalas, who co-owns the restaurants with his brother, Bret.

The Alki location will be the third Cactus restaurant in the city. The first opened in Kirkland 15 years ago and the brothers opened another in Madison Park four years ago.

The Alki location will have seating for about 140 diners. It will be about a third larger than the other two Cactus restaurants, Marc said.

There will also be a heated outdoor seating area for about 25.

The Chatalas brothers applied for a Class H liquor license. The bar will have space for another 39 people.

"We were really drawn to the Alki market," Marc said. "We like to be very, very close to the water."

Future hours: 11:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. Monday-Thursday; 11:30 a.m. to 11 p.m. Friday and Saturday; 4 p.m. to 10 p.m. Sunday.

Address: 2820 Alki Ave. S.W.

Website: www.cactusrestaurants.com

Sports bar opens

in White Center

Besides the free pool tables, plasma TVs and cocktail lounge, White Center's new sports bar also offers Indian cuisine.

Moon Sports Bar and Indian Grill serves lunch and dinner fare from the northern region of India. Seven tables in the dining room are surrounded by nine booths.

The bar serves cocktails, beer and ESPN. A window displays the outdoor scene at 98th Street and 16th Avenue. In the adjoining barroom, there are two free pool tables along with numerous plasma and digital TVs.

The bar is separated from the restaurant by a banquet/meeting room in between. The room is available for meetings as well as parties, said owner Ajmer Sing.

"I like this location," Sing said of his new business in White Center.

Live music will be scheduled for Thursday nights with karaoke on Friday and Sunday nights.

Restaurant hours: 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. every day

Bar hours: noon to midnight Monday-Wednesday; noon to 2 a.m. Thursday-Sunday

Address: 9801 16th Ave. S.W.

Phones: 658-0117, 226-7286, 841-6123

Dress for Success

Bartell Drug Store, Fashion Bug and Fantastic Sam's, all of White Center, recently helped South Seattle Community College graduates by providing makeup, haircuts and clothing to send them off well-prepared for employment interviews.

Twenty-two men and women, ages 18 to 50, recently took part in the Dress for Success program. They took "life skills" classes to get employment counseling and better understand "barriers to employment." Some of the students are receiving assistance through the White Center Community Services Office.

Day care full already

There's a new day-care business in the Highland Park neighborhood called Ages In Stages.

Owner and director Stacie Blair came to the business circuitously. She had a previous career in the grocery business but got pregnant and had to take medical leave. During that period, she helped her sister, Brenda Sewell, who owns Creative Children's Corner in Delridge. The experience made her want her own day-care business.

Her husband David is a silent partner in the business.

Children from 1 month to 5 years old are accepted at the new day care. A trained staff of 12 takes care of the children, with at least eight teachers on duty at any one time.

The day care is licensed for 48 children and is full.

Hours: 6:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday-Friday

Address: 8658 Ninth Ave. S.W.

Phone: 762-5683

Name not changing

Although they've altered their signs, Coffee to a Tea with Sugar is still the name of the coffeehouse at 4541 California Ave. S.W.

The words "Sugar Rush Baking Co." were painted on the front and back of the shop only to emphasize the fact they bake all kinds of goodies inside Coffee to a Tea with Sugar, said Shannon Jensen, one of the owners.

Tim St. Clair can be reached at tstclair@robinsonnews.com or 932-0300.