Couth Buzzard Books

The Couth Buzzard opened in 1988 in the Phinney neighborhood, founded by Gerry Lovchik and Marilyn Stauter, who paired the buzzard, nature's great recycler, with an old word for well mannered, by the store's own account. It lost its lease and closed in August 2008, then was revived by longtime manager Theo Dzielak at 8310 Greenwood Ave N as a bookstore, cafe and community gathering place, The Seattle Times reported in September 2009. The store says Dzielak decided in 2023 to pass it on, and it is now run by Tallis and Hilary Moore, two lifelong Seattleites.

The Seattle Times called it a community hub for Greenwood and Phinney Ridge in 2024, selling new and used books and hosting comedy, music and literary events. The cafe takes food and drink orders online as well as at the counter. One off performances fill Friday and Saturday evenings from 7 to 9pm in the community space, book release and signing events often land on Sundays, and the calendar also runs discussion groups and participatory music. A weekly Saturday morning storytime for young kids ran from January to June 2026.