Boy Scout holiday tree lot moving to Seattle Pacific campus

After hosting its annual Christmas tree lot in the Safeway parking lot at the top of Queen Anne for many years, the local Boy Scout troop is moving its operations to lower Queen Anne and the Seattle Pacific University campus.

The Boy Scouts were notified they would have to move their annual tree lot fundraiser somewhere else once construction for the new Safeway and housing complex on top of Queen Anne began, and the local troop spent more than a year finding a suitable location.

“We got a plane, and we scoured Queen Anne from the air and looked for any lots that might be open,” Scoutmaster Jeff Coombs said.

They were unable to find any open locations on the top of Queen Anne, but they were put in touch with Seattle Pacific Library representatives about the possibility of setting up shop on campus.

After further discussion and a campus visit, the two parties agreed the Boy Scouts Christmas tree lot would take place in the Emerson Hall parking lot, next to West Nickerson Street. The cross streets are West Nickerson Street and Sixth Avenue West.

“We’re glad we can provide a location for the Boy Scouts and their annual Christmas tree sale, as we know this is a longtime holiday tradition on Queen Anne Hill,” SPU Director of Public Information Tracy Norlen said in an email.

Boy Scout Gunnar Negron, the tree lot event coordinator, said he and the tree lot team are now figuring out the best way to get the word out to Queen Anne residents. Like previous years, this year’s tree lot will begin the Saturday after Thanksgiving and continue through Dec. 17. Scouts will be on hand to help residents select their Christmas tree or wreaths and load them onto cars. For residents without cars, the Scouts are considering different delivery options to the top of the hill.

Negron said they will set up fliers and signs throughout Queen Anne to let people know about the move. They also intend to set up a tree lot web page, where people can place orders for trees, wreaths and tree stands.

Proceeds from the tree lot are used for troop activities, as well as to benefit the Queen Anne Food Bank. The Boy Scouts also collect cans to donate to the food bank. 

Coombs said the Boy Scouts are grateful to SPU for providing a new location for the tree lot and hopes it is the beginning of a successful partnership.

“I’m reminded of the end of Casablanca: ‘Louis, I believe this is the beginning of a beautiful friendship,’ and we feel the same way about SPU,” Coombs said.