Watch It Now: Tales of an Urban Grocer

(City Press Release. Steve Shulman was the power behind the East Precinct Crime Prevention Coalition for many years)

Sneak peek of Seattle Voices interview with Leschi Food Mart’s Steve Shulman; Show premieres Tuesday, November 18, 7 p.m.

SEATTLE — It all started in Russia. Steve Shulman’s grandfather and great uncle made their way from Europe through Ellis Island to Nashville and then Seattle. Once in Washington, they combined their old-world violin with country music and made a living calling square dances and playing the fiddle. “They worked like dogs,” says Shulman. Eventually Shulman’s great uncle started the Leschi Food Mart, the iconic neighborhood store that Shulman owns and operates today.

Shulman started as the butcher in his great-uncle’s store. When he became the owner, he also found he had to become an innovator as he had to fight competition from big-chain groceries that moved in nearby. In addition, he became a community leader, as he helped organize the first partnership between the Seattle Police Department and the Leschi neighborhood. “At the time, the police department was very guarded,” recalls Shulman. The problems in the neighborhood with drug addiction and public safety were too great for Shulman and his allies to fail, however. Working with the police, he learned to the art of public-interest lobbying, first at City Hall and then the State Legislature. Hear about the unexpected twists and turns in the life of an urban grocer on the next episode of Seattle Voices.

WATCH A SNEAK PEEK OF THE INTERVIEW NOW by following this link: http://www.seattlechannel.org/videos/video.asp?ID=3120868

Join host Eric Liu for this fascinating conversation in its entirety on Seattle Voices, Tuesday night at 7 p.m., SEATTLE CHANNEL, Cable 21 or watch it online at www.seattlechannel.org .