His Favorite Strings – Henry Bischofberger
It’s not often you get to say you know a real live Violin Maker… unless you live in Kirkland and have met Henry Bischofberger with his wife Debbie at one of the local Arts or Community Events they attend on a frequent basis. Henry has a fantastic story to tell.
“Not many people can call themselves a Violin Maker… how did you get started?”
I come from a long history of Violin Makers, starting with my grandfather in Switzerland. My father was a Violin Maker and opened the family violin shop on Capitol Hill in 1955. I started working there when I was in Jr. High School, as did my brother. After I graduated from high school, instead of going to a “traditional” university, I chose to go to Switzerland and learn from the Masters at the Swiss School of Violin Making in Brienz.
To become a violin maker, one has to study for 4 years to learn how to make the instruments, and then 4 years on how to restore them. I continue to this day studying antique makers and styles – it’s a never ending but still fascinating process.
After returning to the US, and working for my family for several years, I moved to San Francisco to work and study under a violin and bow master named Frank Passa in his shop. Frank was an amazing man, who had been a student of both Sacconi and Wurlitzer – two of the world’s greatest string instrument masters.
While I loved San Francisco — after a decade I decided it was time to venture home to Seattle and help run the family business on Capitol Hill. After working with family for over 35 years, my wife and I decided it was time for a change.
After much soul searching we decided to start our own violin business on the Eastside in Kirkland in 2005, and we have been very pleased since making that decision. Debbie handles all of the administrative and marketing responsibilities – a HUGE job! We believe much of our success comes from our active involvement in the Arts Community, being a home based business and our sincere love of bringing music into the lives of folks of all ages.
“So do currently make the violins?”
No, not anymore – mostly because of the time factor. One violin can take an average of 250 hours to make. Generally my focus is on sales, appraisals, restoration, rentals and repairs. The majority of my time is at my workbench. A large part of my business is renting violins, violas and cellos, mostly to students from the school district music programs, but we also rent to individual students and adults. Currently we have about 650 rental instruments out in the community, and that to us is just so rewarding.
“So how often do you play?”
Actually I really don’t play that much. I was in the orchestra all through high school, and the stage band and marching band. I play really for the purposes of tuning and listening to the instrument. I don’t really do it recreationally or professionally at this time.
Recently I participated in the String Jam where we set the record with 400 string musicians at the same time.
“So it seems as though you live breathe and consume violins day in and day out…”
Ha! Actually, we have several passions, the second biggest one being travel. Debbie and I have created our lives and our business around being able to do just that – in fact we generally travel about 3 months total out of the year. Our latest trip was to the Dominican Republic – where we had a great time, although we had planned to go to Iceland but had to cancel because of the volcanos. I’ve also been known to try my hand at wine making in the basement, and we are also avid kayakers and bicyclists as well.
In closing I will say though, that after 40 years in this business one of my ultimate life satisfactions is to be able to find the perfect instrument for a new student, or to adjust and tune an instrument for its optimal sound and performance. This is what I find truly gratifying.
A walk-about with Dave Ramsay – Kirkland City Manager
Dave Ramsay, our current Kirkland City Manager is scheduled to retire spring of 2010. This interview was conducted during the Fall of 2009.
How long have you been City Manager for Kirkland?
“Well, actually since you mentioned it, today is actually my 12th year anniversary of being here in Kirkland. In fact I’ve been working for cities for the past 36 years, and 22 of them have been in the role of City Manager. I’ve had a great career in Public Service, and really, I’m quite proud of my career as I’m getting ready to retire next spring. Although I don’t really say I’m retiring, I’m really just entering into the next phase of my life.”
“I got into the business of ‘cities’ after spending 3 years in the Peace Corps working on community development. I loved the grass-roots work of the Peace Corps, and I am looking forward to getting back to doing more grass roots kinds of things when I leave here.”
So, most people who know something about you know that you are passionate about walking. Can you tell me a little about that passion and where it comes from?
“You’re right. I really am passionate about the benefits of walking. It’s really the best possible way to see the country, whether it’s here in our own town or on Vacation. You just notice the details of things, you see and hear more things than you’d ever see in a car.”
“Professionally, it’s the silver bullet of Public Policy that often gets overlooked. It really addresses so many of the many important issues – health issues, environmental issues, even public safety issues. It even addresses economic issues. Frankly a walk-able city means more traffic for retail. It means fewer cars on the road and less pollution. It means more eyes on the street – paying attention to what’s going on, and keeps our streets safer. It needs to be taken more seriously in communities.”
“50% of all the trips we take are 2 miles or less. 25% are 1 mile or less. What if we all walked these distances instead of driving? Think of all the positive benefits of this.”
“I often say I keep up with things here at the city by using my policy of ‘MBWA’. This is sort of Management by Walking Around. Just seeing what’s going on, you know? I think it’s a great way to run a business, and it’s a great way to run the city.”
“I like to walk the town a lot. I run into people, see the city crews, parks and public works folks – just get a sense of what’s going on out there, and a feel for the community. “
“City Hall is actually an open concept building, and it encourages walking around. It’s open and welcoming, and it’s Main Street has all of the city central services. It’s great.”
Random remarks:
Dave grew up in Magnolia – which he notes is a great place to walk. His parents were walkers – and he walked to school every day. While he was active in several other sports including basketball and tennis, walking is just easier to do when you start not being able to participate as much in other sports. He didn’t start long-distance walking until he was about 50, and now regularly does weeks-long walking tours of England and Wales for his vacations. Dave has a fantastic wife Carol, and 3 daughters in school in California, all of whom he calls “scholars.” No grandchildren yet but he’s hopeful. Dave will be leaving the City of Kirkland in March of 2010.
A Family Legacy at Georges – Pete and Athina Mangouras
Pete & Athina Mangouras
Athina – “Dad bought Georges in 1976, and we pretty much grew up here. The place started out as a donut shop called “The Hole in One”, then it was a short order restaurant, and then it was re-modeled into the restaurant.”
“In the early days of the restaurant, orders were shouted through the kitchen window – nothing was written down. ‘Give me a Cow and Cry on it’ meant a hamburger with onion, and ‘Adam and Eve on a Raft’ was 2 eggs on toast.”
“There was an outdoor alley behind where the bar is now, that ran from Kirkland Ave. all the way through to Park Lane… I used to roller skate through that alley on a regular basis, and loved to do gymnastics in the doorway that now leads to the new bar area in the restaurant.”
Pete – “I remember going around with my brother John after closing, and especially after private parties – lifting up the booths to find spare change. The next day we’d take our proceeds over to Ben Franklin and get all the candy we could.”
Athina – “And those rubber balls. Remember those little rubber balls? You used to roll and bounce them down the hallway all the time!”
Pete – “When I was a kid, the building on the corner wasn’t there, and I’d play on that dirt lot for hours. I’d take the strings from the old burlap sacks the potatoes would come in, and make my own fishing poles, and go ‘fishing’ in the dirt. It was practically my own self-run day care!”
Athina – “Oh yeah, the potato sacks. I remember all those potatoes. I think I’ve peeled a MILLION potatoes at Georges. You had to make your own hash browns and French fries. There weren’t any other options! I remember when I was in the Miss Kirkland Pageant, and my dad made me peel potatoes with my acrylic nails on. That didn’t make me happy.”
Pete – “I remember when it was still okay to feed the ducks at Marina Park. Dad would save all the heels of bread, and kids would come by to get a few slices for the ducks. Feeding the ducks was cool.”
Pete – “I also remember when the fire department and city hall was where Kirkland Square is now. I knew the fire chief and I got to go on a tour of one of the fire engines. There was also a guy named Gale down the street at the nursery who had a business fixing lawn mowers. I’d go down there and spend hours with him – he’d make up stuff for me to do, little stuff, but I always felt like it was important stuff. Loved that.”
Other random memories:
When the city used to truck in snow to the park, and all the kids in Kirkland would come down and play in it. The Flame Restaurant- loved the neon “flame” sign. Washington Federal looks EXACTLY the same as it did when we were kids. EXACTLY. The Happy Clam restaurant on the corner where Hallmark Realty is – Lenny Wilkins owned it. Everyone on the KPD (Kirkland Police Department) called their mom “Mom.” The Kirkland Avenue Pub used to be a Firestone store. The ceiling at Georges was all done with a paintbrush by hand – Pete was too small at the time, so he’d get lifted up so he could do some of the circle swirls too. (The ceiling is the same as it was), Hallmark Realty used to be next door. And the whole community always seemed to know what was going on in the Mangouras’s lives – WAY before the advent of Facebook! Remember George putting Athina’s kids on his shoulders and parading them around the restaurant declaring “Deese awr mye Grand-Daw-tars!” in his thick Grecian accent.
Athina – “I was only allowed to go to dances if my dates brought me to the restaurant beforehand. Dad (George) would always introduce himself to my dates while holding a great big Pizza knife. I was a senior in High School before I got to go to any other restaurant besides Georges before a dance!”
“I also remember Moss Bay days, when the REAL Hells Angels would come to town on their bikes. Mom would hide us in the back from the big scary guys on their bikes. I remember how loud they were.”
Pete – “I’ve pretty much worked here my entire life, with the exception of a couple of years when I did surveying for Jim Hart and Associates. When Dad had a stroke, I came back to work here and eventually teamed up with my best friend from High School Derek McKenzie to buy the place in May of 2007. We poured everything into the remodel in 2008, and it was really important to us that we did it with the old Georges in mind, and I think it turned out well. Some people asked why we didn’t get rid on the red booths in the front. …”
Athina “Well, you can’t get rid of the red booths because it’s just Georges, and you just CAN’T.”
Georges is located on Kirkland Ave. and is open for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and happy hour.
