The Walrus and the Carpenter, an oyster bar in Seattle’s Ballard neighborhood, is closing after a tumultuous labor strike created “safety concerns” for both staff and guests.
“We’ve made the difficult decision to close The Walrus and the Carpenter this evening (June 22, 2026) out of concern for the safety and well-being of our guests,” the establishment wrote in a post on Instagram. “Over the past two days, our security team has documented incidents directed at guests as they arrived at our restaurant, including harassment, name-calling, and spitting. Such deplorable actions have no place in our community, and we urge the union to stop this behavior on the picket line.”
Employees at the neighborhood eatery represented by the union United Creatures of the Sea went on strike late last week after a unanimous strike vote occurred. According to the union, employees negotiated with management, Sea Creatures, for more than a year before talks crumbled. Employees allegedly experienced reduced hours, lost income, worsened benefits, and instability while bargaining for a contract…