DANIEL BLUE: MEET JULIE BENNETT >>>

Julie Bennett is the owner of urbanXchange and a major force behind much of the mercantile activity that happens in her corner of Pacific Avenue.

When I met Julie downtown four years ago, she was working as the attendance lady at the Life Christian Center private school. Even then she was working hard to expose people to culture and arts. She asked me and some friends from downtown to come and speak at the school early one morning. I'm not sure what the hell I even talked about, I was just trying to make sure I didn't say any swear words, but I remember seeing Julie in the isle crying her little heart out.

She got the idea for her store from heaven, it seems. When I discovered she was acting on her dream, I walked in and told her she was going to hire me. I worked at urbanXchange for two years. She was like everyone's mom. Annoying sometimes, telling you to drink water and brush your teeth, but we knew we were loved.

The urban X is still rocking downtown with more culture than you can find on Capitol Hill in Seattle.

LINK: The Globes, Tree Roots In The Basement, and others play an all-ages show tonight at 7 p.m. at urbanXchange.