Today I received an e-mail from a man called Dan Thompson, who worked on an account for the general auction of the contents of Rose Red a year after the mansion was demolished. I knew about the event at the time, but I didn’t go. I was in the process of relocating to the TechStar site from the Tacoma townhouse Nick and I had shared. Fast-track construction at its best.

Plus, Steve stayed well clear and seemed to want to forget the whole thing was going on. He went away that weekend - checked himself into a hotel in Portland and waited for the storm to end. With Seattle swarming with Rose Red enthusiasts, it was a good idea for the last of the Rimbauers to be out of town. Somehow, getting myself involved didn’t seem right. Steve was my friend even then.

Come to think of it, maybe the crystal bowl “housewarming” gift was his way of thanking me for staying out of it altogether?

Anyway, Dan sent us this little present. I’ve scaled down a screenshot here, but read on and I’ll give you a link to a full-sized PDF you can view more clearly.

You can view the flyer’s artwork in PDF format here. A new window will open.

Here’s Dan’s e-mail to me.

Ally,

I was sent a link to your site by a friend who knows I have a little of Rose Red in my history. It’s nothing much but I like to tell people, because it’s like knowing someone famous.

In early autumn 2003 the printing company I work for, Belltown Printing and Imaging, did a job for the estate auction company that was responsible for collecting and selling the contents of Rose Red before it was torn down. Being a native Seattle boy I was fascinated by the stories of Rose Red. I got to know the contact on the account. We’d chit chat here and there as we discussed the order for a flyer advertising the October 2003 auction. I remember her name was Linda and the company was called Borealis Auction Company.

Interestingly Borealis went out of business in 2006 when the sole owner was killed in a freak sailing accident on Lake Union.

The print job was not complicated so I didn’t have many excuses to talk to Linda, but what little I learned I’ll tell you, with permission to reprint this on your web site.

It took Borealis over a year to sort, value, and catalog the contents of Rose Red. The building itself was damaged from what I’ve heard were falling rocks, but many of the items inside the house weren’t harmed. They took out anything that wasn’t structural, the structure belonged to the development company. Steven Rimbauer didn’t want the things and needed the money, and knew they’d be worth a lot more since Rose Red’s popularity went through the roof after the miniseries. In the end they had thousands of items from pieces of jewelery to toys that belonged to the Rimbauer kids, to sinks and bathtubs they ripped out. They rented the largest convention center in the area and had a one day 11 hour auction.

It started at 9am. At 12pm I went out of curiosity. The place was packed and they were turning people away at the door. They had a huge tent set up outside as an annex, where the big items like the bathtubs were being auctioned while the small stuff was auctioned inside the center. The turnout was gigantic. Linda told me it was crazy, that some people would fight each other tooth and nail for even the simplest item, a garden hose or something. I didn’t buy anything but I do have a souvenir, sort of. I’ve attached it from the Belltown Printing and Imagining client files. This is the flyer we printed for Borealis, which they put in businesses and recreational areas all over Greater Seattle. Linda told me people came from all over the world, though.

I don’t think I’ll get into trouble for sending it to you because it was so long ago, and Borealis is gone anyway. We always keep really thorough files on our past projects and client history. The one piece of information I don’t have is Linda’s last name, so I can’t put you two in touch directly. We usually do have our contacts’ last names. I don’t know why hers is missing. It’s too bad.

Good luck with your site.

Dan

Dan Thompson, Sales
Belltown Printing and Imaging
dthomp@belltownpi.net

Posted in: Personal, Resources | |
Post tags: nick, steve

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