Seattle Living
University of Washington alumni create Seattle and PNW-themed games
Time to test your knowledge of local trivia
By Rob Smith December 13, 2022
This article originally appeared in the September/October 2022 issue of Seattle Magazine.
Tacoma aroma. Team Edward. Aggressive vegan sidewalk chalk.
Know what those are? Even if you don’t, two enterprising recent University of Washington Foster Business School grads are betting you’ll have a lot of fun playing “Down The Ave” and “Keep It PNW,” card games that highlight Seattle and Northwest themes, respectively, in a playful manner.
Down The Ave was created for University of Washington students and alumni; Keep It PNW was just released and is inspired by “Cards Against Humanity” and is broader in scope. Content includes Gen Z references, Seattle and Pacific Northwest stereotypes and iconic landmarks, and companies in Washington and Oregon.
Two of the five creators – Sarah Cabarteja and Rahma Kamel – have since filed for LLC status to grow the company and expand production. Plans include games centered around other regions and possible outside investment.
“We quickly realized that being able to unify people of all different backgrounds, experiences and demographics through laughter, lighthearted stereotypes and culture was something that aligned with our passions and our business’ trajectory,” Cabarteja says. “Creating Keep it PNW was the natural next move.”
Tacoma aroma, of course, refers to an unpleasant odor associated with the city’s pulp mill and industry smokestacks on the tidefill for the past 80 years. Team Edward is a reference to the movie “Twilight,” which was filmed in Forks, and aggressive vegan sidewalk chalk is a reference to phrases written around the nation, including near the UW, during the pandemic amidst equity protests around the country.
More info at downtheavegame.com.
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