Chew on this: Cleaning of Gum Wall in Seattle to finish Friday
Nov 8, 2024, 4:44 AM | Updated: 8:21 am
Patrons walk down the alley at Pike Place Market where the Gum Wall is located. (Photo courtesy of Pike Place Market PDA)
(Photo courtesy of Pike Place Market PDA)
The famed Gum Wall at Pike Place Market in Seattle has been getting a refresh this week.
Cleaning of the iconic wall began Monday and it’s expected to be completed by Friday, spokesperson Madison Bristol confirmed to MyNorthwest in an email Thursday.
Bristol also said all of the pieces of gum stuck to the wall would be removed during the cleaning process with the exception of one heart-shaped section that would be kept up as “a special memento.”
A “sticky update” on the Gum Wall page on the Pike Place Market website also states “the beloved Seattle landmark isn’t going anywhere.” Once the cleaning is finished the alley where it is located reopens, patrons will be able to provide their own “colorful contribution on the freshly cleaned wall.”
In her email to MyNorthwest, Bristol recalled the wall quickly filling up with new pieces of gum after its last cleaning.
“Last time we cleaned the wall, I was amazed at how quickly people filled it back up,” Bristol said. “I’m expecting it’ll return to its colorful glory in no time. I think for a lot of people, it’s exciting to be one of the first to add to the freshly cleaned Gum Wall.”
MyNorthwest Lifestyle: Entertainment and life stories from the Puget Sound and beyond
The Gum Wall in Seattle received a cleaning in November 2024. (Image courtesy of KIRO 7)
The history of the Gum Wall in Seattle
The Gum Wall started some time in the 1990s by Market Theater audience members waiting in line for the improv theater shows. They would stick the gum on the wall before entering the theater to watch the shows.
Over the years, the Gum Wall has migrated from its original location and grown to more than 8 feet high and 54 feet wide, Bristol stated.
The Gum Wall was last cleaned in 2019 and before that, it was cleaned for the first time in 2015.
As KIRO 7 noted in its coverage, the wall needs to be cleaned because the acidic properties of the gum have been slowly damaging the bricks of the building where it is located.
Area tourism: How many passengers set sail in Seattle’s 2024 cruise season?
This time around, one ton of gum and debris — or about 2,000 pounds — was removed during this cleaning, Bristol added.
Steve Coogan is the lead editor of MyNorthwest. You can read more of his stories here. Follow Steve on X, or email him here.
