Ever since Seattle native Alex Calderwood started doing business back in the mid-‘90s, haircuts and hotels in the Pacific Northwest haven’t been the same. His first group venture, Rudy’s Barbershop , set the parlor-shop standard by offering the hip and artfully-coiffed a place to get a cut and a copy of the latest i-D. There are now 12 locations throughout Seattle, Portland, and L.A.; and the 13^th – a more grown-up, appointment-friendly version called Rudolph’s – will bow in L.A. on April 15^th . And the Ace Hotel, which Calderwood and partners opened in a Seattle flophouse in ’99 (a second locale will open in Portland, OR this coming August), brilliantly mixes minimalist design with street art. All for no more than $189 a night.

The Calderwood empire doesn’t stop there. As one of the masterminds behind the brand development and marketing agency Neverstop, his genius is also seen in everything from Heavy, a must-have coffee-table tome in which contemporary artists reinterpret classic-rock album covers, to the double-decker Luella Bartley-for-Target bus that recently parked itself on a downtown New York side-street and caused a minor shopping frenzy.

But, for as cool as Calderwood is, he’s also incredibly generous. Somehow, amidst a late-night flight back to Seattle and jury duty the following morning, he managed to sit down and discuss his favorite spots in his hometown. Here they are, in his own words:

The Cha Cha Lounge

It’s this divey punk-rock Mexican restaurant and bar. It’s basically ground zero for the music scene here. There are no DJs – the bartenders just play whatever they want to hear, so it’s always really random and good. And my favorite bartender in town, Kim Warnick, works there. She used to be in a band called Fast Backs, and has been through the whole music scene – before, during, and after – and has some great stories to tell. Everyone who works there has either been in a band or is still in one.

Pike Place Market

It’s one of the best parts about Seattle. There are fruit and vegetable vendors, arts and crafts booths, antique stores; and it’s open 7 days a week. In the mornings – super-early, like 7am – I love to go to this diner called Lowell’s. All the workers eat there. It’s basically a greasy eggs place, but it has a real honest quality about it. And it sits right on the waterfront, so you have a great view of Elliot Bay. All the seagulls fly up to the windows and tap on them until people open ‘em up and give them food. They’re really huge, those seagulls – much bigger than you’d ever think -- and really aggressive.

Dick’s

It’s a burger joint that’s been here since the ‘50s. There are three or four of them and they haven’t changed the look at all since they were built. They’re so cool. The burgers are all organic beef and really good. And the place is family-run, which you just don’t see anymore. It’s open til 3am, so it’s always packed after the bars close at 2.

Maximilien

I don’t like to tell people about this place, cuz it’s kind of my secret spot. But, it’s in Pike Place Market. It’s French. The whole staff is French, and it has an awesome bohemian atmosphere, and a view of the waterfront. It’s a great place to go for a date. People are really loyal to the restaurant. They don’t have steak frites, though, which mystifies me.

Goods

This is the best spot to get rare trainers. The guys who own it also own Manik Skateboards. One of the kids – he’s like in his mid-20s – he’s also a professor at The University of Washington! Teaches landscape architecture! It’s a cool store. I bought a really fresh APC shirt there.

Golden Oldies

It’s an awesome record store for vinyl junkies. You just go and dig in the bins. It’s been there for years, and the guys who work there are walking encyclopedias. You walk in there and you’re like, ‘I think I heard this song’, and they know what you’re talking about, when it was released, who covered it. My business partner Nasir had a friend in town from London who had been searching forever for this one track from Art Ensemble of Chicago called Theme de Yoyo. He found it there for $1.

Henry Art Gallery

They have this fresh installation by James Turrell. He’s the artist who’s been building that huge crater in the desert for years. Anyway, he created a room at Henry Art, which is an amazing museum on the University of Washington campus. It’s this beautiful round teak room, with a skylight. You go in and sit on a bench, and it’s peaceful and quiet. And it’s always different – always changing with the weather and time. It’s a great place to go and clear your head, and experience nothing.

Olympic Sculpture Park

The Seattle Art Museum is creating this massive sculpture park, which will be finished this fall. Every major large-scale sculptor is creating an installation -- Richard Serra, Louise Bourgeois... It’s the last undeveloped waterfront property, and it’s gonna be pretty major. It’ll definitely put Seattle on the map again.

Go There:

Cha Cha Lounge, 506 East Pine St., Capitol Hill, (206) 329-1101

Pike Place Market, pikeplacemarket.org

Dick’s, ddir.com

Goods, 1112 Pike St., (206) 622-0461; needgoods.com

Golden Oldies, 201 NE 45th St, (206) 547-2260; goldenoldies-records.com

For more info on Light Reign: James Turrell Skyspace, henryart.org

For more info on The Olympic Sculpture Park, iamsamcampaign.org

For more on the Ace Hotel, acehotel.com

Info on Rudy’s Barbershop: rudysbarbershop.com

Neverstop info: neverstop.com