Sunset Hill Neighborhood Spotlight: Susan Hamilton, Manager of the Green Market

About Susan Hamilton, an elegant host and staple in the Sunset Hill community:
Susan Hamilton, originally form Boulder, Colorado, made her way to the Emerald City after finishing her art degree at Lewis and Clark College in Portland, Oregon.

“And then I just traveled up to Seattle,” Susan recalled. “It was right when the coffee scene was really blossoming, and I met some of the guys who had been roasting for Starbucks back in the old days… so there was only a crew of about 10 of us. And we had an office downtown. I was the manager for the Columbia Center Tower, Starbucks.”

After leaving Starbucks, Susan roasted for Peet’s, Kalani Coffee and later Metropolitan Market. During Susan’s coffee days she even started a Seattle-style coffee house in Caracas, Venezuela, living there for several years, and she traveled to Ethiopia to meet with coffee farmers. Ethiopian coffee, she said, is her favorite.

For the Sunset Hill community, Susan is known for her welcoming presence at the Green Market, where she has served as the manager for 10 years.

She said interacting with children in the community and seeing them grow up over the years is a favorite aspect of her role managing the store. It’s become a rite of passage for neighborhood kids to get to walk to the Green Market by themselves when they turn seven she noted, adding that some Sunset Hill kids throughout the years have picked out their Green Market t-shirt to wear on the first day of school.

“They come now more than ever. It’s a break to get away from the screen,” said Susan.

During the pandemic, Susan has also opened Green Market’s doors to those who are immunocompromised or who are undergoing chemotherapy treatment when the store is closed for restocking on Fridays, so they are less at risk of being exposed to the virus while shopping.

“Friday has turned into this secret speakeasy grocery,” Susan added.

When Susan is not working with her beloved coworkers, Noel, Lisa and Jeff at the green market, she loves to make delicious home cooked meals, draw and paint!