Ben Shepherd and Drew Church's friendship is characterized by gentle ribbing and a tendency to finish each other's sentences—traits only gained after many years of familiarity. "We met at Hattie's Hat one night," recalls Church. "I was supposed to be managing [the bar] and Ben started buying me drinks. I remember that it was January—probably 20 degrees—and we were outside talking for [what seemed like] five hours [after the bar closed]," Church laughs. In addition to joint membership in Hater (Shepherd's pre- and post-Soundgarden rock band), the pair now share ownership of Hazelwood, a cozy, salon-like lounge in Old Ballard. "We love Ballard—we wanted to be here," explains Shepherd, dragging on an American Spirit. The warm intimacy of the bar's upper seating area is a big part of its charm, but the historical intrigue is provided by a peephole that looks into a light box displaying a risqué photo, purportedly from Lee Hazelwood's personal collection. Pressing Shepherd for the backstory won't get you very far. "I'll tell you this," says Shepherd with a conspiratorial tone. "That's the one photo in his whole career that he denies exists." HANNAH LEVIN