A hat atop the Bush Garden sign at 8th Avenue and South King Street in Seattle’s Chinatown-International District resembles one often worn by the late Bob Santos. (Photo provided by Susan Lee Woo)
Photo provided by Susan Lee Woo
A hat perched on the Bush Garden sign at the corner of Eighth Avenue and South King Street has become a small but noticeable feature in Seattle’s Chinatown-International District (CID).
The hat appears similar to one frequently worn by the late Bob Santos, a Seattle civil rights leader and unofficial mayor of the CID.
Santos was a regular at the original Bush Garden, at 614 Maynard Ave. S., a historic restaurant and lounge that became the first in the nation to feature a karaoke bar. He was a familiar presence there, frequently singing karaoke and gathering with friends so often that Tuesdays were known as “Bob Santos’ Night.”
Photo by George Liu
Bush Garden, founded in 1953, closed its restaurant in 2016, though its lounge has remained open as a popular community gathering place. Since Santos’ death in 2016, community groups have sought ways to honor his legacy.
Karen Akada Sakata and Uncle Bob’s photo (Photo by George Liu)
The new Bush Garden is now planned to reopen in early 2026 on the ground floor of Uncle Bob’s Place—a InterIm CDA development named in Santos’ honor that includes affordable housing and community spaces.