Store

While the idea of a mail services center that also serves lattes and pastries may sound gimmicky, Ballard Mail & Dispatch (nicknamed the "Sip & Ship") pulls it off. It has a last-century general store feel that's established by its hardwood floors and fixtures and cemented by its genial staff, which has a talent for remembering your name after just one visit.

Comfortable chairs and couches accommodate long visits (Ballard M&D offers wireless Internet service), and the store's stock of greeting cards, pens, hip postcards, stationery sets and even Ballard sweatshirts is worth checking out. And it probably goes without saying that you can rent a post-office box here, ship overnight packages and get a terrific cup of coffee while collecting your mail.

By Geoff Carter
NWsource staff