Bellingham Business Journal, February 02, 2015 by Sound Publishing

Vol. 23 No. 2

Feb 2015 Ski shops invest in new inventory, equipment in wake of Sportsman Chalet closing [Page 10]

The Buzz Real estate market could start 2015 strong An increase in pending sales last December is a good sign for early 2015, according to a report. REAL ESTATE, 6

Rental registration Rick Sepler, Bellingham’s community and planning director, discusses the city’s rental registration program. RENTAL REGISTRATION, 12

State DOR director returns to banking Carol K. Nelson left the state Department of Revenue last month for a regional position with Key Bank. BANKING, 21 Terry Dawydiak and Jodie Wilson of Vancouver, B.C., load groceries into their car at Trader Joe’s. The couple said the Canadian dollar will have to fall a bit more to keep them from shopping in Whatcom County. OLIVER LAZENBY PHOTO | THE BELLINGHAM BUSINESS JOURNAL

Business toolkit

Loonie plummets after months of slow decline

Learn about a 401(K) option for the self-employed and see how social media site users break down by demographic.

Whatcom County shopping is still a bargain for some Canadians

TOOLKIT, 22

BY OLIVER LAZENBY The Bellingham Business Journal The Canadian dollar lost five cents in value compared to the U.S. dollar in one day last month. It dropped on Jan. 21 after the Bank of Canada lowered its benchmark overnight interest rate from 1 percent to 0.75 percent. The benchmark rate determines bank lending rates, and lowering it is one tool central banks use to increase money supply. The Bank of Canada cut rates in

response to the drop in oil prices. At press time the Canadian dollar was worth 81 cents compared to the U.S. dollar. That’s a 20-cent drop from January 2013, when the Canadian dollar was worth $1.01 U.S. Despite the drop, shopping in Bellingham is still a bargain to some Canadians. Cars with British Columbia license plates filled the Trader Joe’s parking lot on James Street in Bellingham on Saturday after the Canadian dollar dropped. Terry Dawydiak and Jodie Wilson of Vancouver, B.C., come to Whatcom

County to shop a couple times a month, and the weak loonie won’t keep them away, they said. “Even with the 20 cent difference in value it’s still a bargain to shop here,” Dawydiak said. “Not as much, but it’s still worth it. It has to drop a bit more before

Canadian dollar, PAGE 5

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The Bellingham Business Journal

February 2015

Contents

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Several new breweries hope to open their doors by summer 2015 and established breweries are looking to expand as the craft beer craze continues. ANDY BRONSON | FOR THE BBJ

Larry W. Evans Branch Manager 360-738-2376

[8] What’s ahead in 2015?

NMLSR ID 856141

A waterfront deal, grocery industry changes, more breweries, and much more are on the horizon for Bellingham business in the next year.

Connect with us On Twitter @BBJToday

Anndi D. Pena

Home Mortgage Consultant 360-738-2363

NMLSR ID 413608

Ross Schram von Haupt

Home Mortgage Consultant 360-746-4050

NMLSR ID 1026086

Ryan D. Martin Home Mortgage Consultant 360-293-1160

[12] Rental registration

NMLSR ID 404824

On Facebook facebook.com/ BBJToday On Google+ Bellingham Business Journal

City of Bellingham staff is working out the details for a rental registration program that could come before City Council on Feb. 9. Planning director Rick Sepler discusses how the proposed rental registration program will work.

[10] Ski retailers expand Barry Weafer

Home Mortgage Consultant 360-647-0897

Brandon C. Mankle

Reah Marie Dewell

NMLSR ID 634610

NMLSR ID 156730

Home Mortgage Consultant NMLSR ID 420701 360-738-2362

Local ski shops invested in inventory and tuning equipment after the Sportsman Chalet, a well-established ski and snowboard shop, closed in January 2014. [7] Market Indicators [14] People On The Move

Home Mortgage Consultant 360-384-4975

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[18] Public Records [22] Business Toolkit

The Bellingham Business Journal, BBJToday.com (ISSN 21620997) is published monthly by Sound Publishing Inc. at 1909 Cornwall Ave., Bellingham, WA 98225. Periodicals Postage Paid at Bellingham, WA, and at additional mailing offices. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to: BBJToday.com Circulation, PO Box 930, Everett, WA 98206.

February 2015

BUSINESS BRIEFS Erin Baker’s Wholesome Baked Goods turns 20 Erin Baker’s Wholesome Baked Goods celebrated it’s 20th year in business on Wednesday, Jan. 28. In the last 20 years, Erin Baker has gone from pedaling deliveries of her breakfast cookies to local coffee shops on a blue Schwinn bicycle to managing 38 employees at her bakery, office and retail store in Bellingham. Last November, Baker hired Rob McCormack to be the company’s chief operating officer, and McCormack said he hopes to help the company grow. Currently, Erin Baker’s Wholesome Baked Goods sell best in Whatcom and Skagit counties, he said. “Erin, she’s stayed pretty quiet these years and I’m not going to let her be quiet any longer,” McCormack said. “She needs to tell her story. She has a special story to tell.” McCormack and Baker are working to get wider distribution for the company’s products, which includes granola in addition to its range of original breakfast cookies.

Faithlife releases 26 vol. collection of unpublished

The Bellingham Business Journal

works Faithlife, formerly called Logos Bible Software, released a collection of unpublished texts from one of America’s most wellknown theologians. Faithlife partnered with Yale University Press and the Jonathan Edwards Center at Yale University to offer thousands of new digital texts by Jonathan Edwards, an 18th century American philosopher and theologian. “He’s a really significant preacher and one of the most influential puritans,” said Bob Pritchett, Faithlife CEO. Pritchett said Faithlife has been working on the project for years.

Black Drop Coffee House adds a second owner Ryan Siu, a veteran barista at the Black Drop Coffee House, recently became a co-owner of the shop. Siu joins Stephanie Oppelaar, who has owned the shop since December 2009. “We’re finding our stride as an ownership team,” Oppelaar said. “Ryan has that passion for specialty coffee. It’s really nice to hear what he thinks and to have him apply his passion here.” The coffee shop at 300 W

Champion St. in downtown Bellingham opened in 2002 and has gone through several ownership changes. Oppelaar is the longestrunning owner in the shop’s history. With two owners, Oppelaar said the Black Drop will now be able to work with more nonprofit organizations. In the past, the Black Drop has donated to and worked with Brigid Collins Family Support, Northwest Youth Services, the Bellingham Food Bank, and an annual Christmas giving tree program. Oppelaar said the coffee shop wasn’t as involved with the community as she wanted to be in 2014, but she already has three fundraising drives planned with Kulshan Community Land Trust this year.

Industrial cleaners with Ferndale office acquired in merger Coastal Industrial Services, an industrial cleaning company with an office in Ferndale, merged with Ancon Marine Industrial, one of its largest regional competitors. Kris Palmerton, former vice president of Coastal Industrial Services, will be Ancon’s Chief Operating Officer. The new company, which is called Ancon, has more than 400 employees with about 60 in Whatcom County.

Palmerton said in a phone message that nothing would change for Whatcom County employees, except their benefits will improve. The company’s corporate office is in Rancho Dominguez, California, but the Ferndale office will be a satellite corporate office, according to a press release. Coastal Industrial Services also had offices in Kelso and Kennewick, Washington, as well as Hawaii and southern California.

Downtown Bellingham Partnership hires new director and board members The Downtown Bellingham Partnership has a new executive director, three new board members and lots of projects in store for 2015. The nonprofit partnership hired Nick Hartrich as executive director at the beginning of the year. He replaces Patrick Hurley who moved to Seattle with his family. Lynn Murphy, Sylvia Goodwin, and Shultzie Willows joined the board late last year, replacing board members whose terms ended. Hartrich has a background in program management and urban design. In an interview on the partnership’s website, he said his biggest goal is to “un-subdue our urban core.” From 2006 to 2012, Hartrich

was Sustainable Connections’ green building and smart growth program manager. Most recently, from March 2012 to March 2014, He was the International Living Future Institute’s community engagement manager. The Living Future Institute administers the Living Building Challenge - a stringent sustainable building accreditation - and other green building programs. Hartrich has lived in Bellingham for 16 years. He said in a phone interview that the Downtown Bellingham Partnership has a lot of projects in the works and he’s excited to work with an organization that he calls the “epicenter of Bellingham.”

County unemployment rate rose to 6.3 percent in November Whatcom County’s unemployment rate rose to 6.3 percent in November, up from a revised October rate of 6 percent, according to data from the Washington State Employment Security Department. In November 2013, the counties unemployment rate was 6 percent. Statewide, the seasonally adjusted unemployment rate for November was 6.2 percent. That’s down from a 6.8 percent unemployment rate last November.

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February 2015

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February 2015

Whatcom County real estate market finished strong in 2014 With gains in pending sales last December, the housing market appears off to a strong start in 2015 BY OLIVER LAZENBY The Bellingham Business Journal Whatcom County’s real estate market ended 2014 on a high note, and appears to be off to a strong start in 2015. Home sales and prices started strong in the beginning of 2014, lagged in the middle and finished strong, according to a report by Lylene Johnson, managing broker with the Muljat Group. Johnson has been publishing reports for years based on data from the Northwest Multiple Listings Service. The number of homes sold and the median price of homes sold in 2014 in Whatcom County were both the highest

they have been since 2007, according to the report. In total, 2,512 homes sold in 2014, a 5.1 percent increase from 2013’s total. Median price rose 7.7 percent from 2013 numbers to $280,000. According to Northwest Multiple Listings Service’s year-end report, Whatcom County had the third highest average price for homes sold in Washington. The average price of homes sold in the County in 2014 was $266,000. King and Snohomish counties had average home sale prices of $440,000 and $326,360 respectively. Growth in price and sales numbers in Whatcom County weren’t distributed equally and the strongest growth occurred outside Bellingham. The median home price in Bellingham last year was 1.3 percent higher than it

was in 2013. In Sudden Valley, however, the median price of homes sold in 2014 increased 7.6 percent from 2013. The strongest gains were in the Mount Baker neighborhood in the eastern part of the county, where median price in 2014 grew 28.8 percent from 2013 numbers to $135,000. Johnson predicted that the housing market in 2015 could get off to a strong start because the number of pending sales – sales that haven’t yet closed – increased in the last months of 2014. Last December, 243 home sales were pending. That’s up nearly 49 percent from December 2013, when 163 homes sales were pending. December is typically a slow month for home sales, Johnson said in her report. Last year also saw a subtle increase in the number of homes that sold for more than $750,000, with 41 homes selling in that price range. In 2013, 31 homes sold for more than $750,000. The number of

homes selling at other price levels stayed relatively steady. “It was more modestly priced homes that took off first after 2007, and the higher end of the market was lagging behind,” said Bliss Goldstein, real estate broker with Windermere Real Estate. “I predict 2015 will see some gains in the upper end of the market.” The lower end of the market - homes that cost $250,000 and below - has been tight for years, and Goldstein expects that to continue. “It’s still going to remain tight. I tie that into younger buyers coming into the market,” Goldstein said. “Millenial home buyers are starting to get real interested in homeownership.”

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Write your nominees down on this form and fax it to 360-647-0502, or mail it to: The Bellingham Business Journal, 1909 Cornwall Ave., Bellingham, WA 98225. You can also fill out an online nomination form at www.BBJToday.com or email nominations to editor@bbjtoday.com. Nominees will be put to a vote by readers in March, both in print and online. Winners will be featured in our May print edition.

February 2015

The Bellingham Business Journal

Market Indicators

Jobs: Bankruptcies down, unemployment up Bankruptcies

Chapters 11,13 Chapter 7

Includes non-seasonally adjusted figures for Washington State

70%

67.5%

65%

62.5%

J F MAM J J A S OND J F MAM J J A S OND

2013

60%

J F MAM J J A S OND J F MAM J J A S OND

2014

SOURCE: U.S. BANKRUPTCY COURT, WESTERN DISTRICT OF WASHINGTON

Includes non-seasonally adjusted figures in Whatcom County

20 10

November 2014: 6.3% Novemberr 2013: 6.0 %

December 2014: 63.6% December 2013: 62.9 %

Includes filings for Chapters 7, 11 and 13 in Whatcom County

Unemployment rate

Labor force participation rate

Year-to-date: 960 Annual change: �44.18%

2013

2014

SOURCE: U.S. BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS

J FMAM J J A S OND J FMAM J J A S ON

2013

2014

SOURCE: WASHINGTON STATE UNEMPLOYMENT SECURITY DEPARTMENT

Spending: Canadian dollar keeps dropping Includes monthly averages (Canada-to-U.S.) at market closing

Includes basic and optional local sales tax to Bellingham

$1.2

$1.0

1.5M

$0.8

0.5M 0

$20M $15M

$0.4

$10M

$0.2

$5M

J F MAM J J A S OND J F MAM J J A S OND

SOURCE: WASHINGTON STATE DEPARTMENT OF REVENUE

J F MAM J J A S OND J F MAM J J A S OND 2014

2013

2014

2013

$30M $25M

$0.6

Bellingham 2014 total: $180.66M 2013 total: $140.68M

December 2014: $0.86 December 2013: $0.94

Year-to-date: $20.06M Annual change: - 2.60%

2.5M

Building-permit values

Canadian dollar

Sales-tax distribution

SOURCE: BANK OF CANADA

J F MAM J J A S OND J F MAM J J A S OND 2013

2014

SOURCE: CITY OF BELLINGHAM

Housing: Seasonal sales drop less than in 2013 350K

Average price Median price

300K

Foreclosures & delinquencies

Housing sales

Housing sale prices

Delinquency rate: October 2014: 2.34% October 2013: 3.21% Foreclosure rate: October2014: 0.84% October 2013: 1.14%

Closed: Year-to-date: 2,862 Annual change: +1.00% Pending: Year-to-date: 3,813 Annual change: +50.00%

Average: December 2014: $288,458 December2013: $270,573 Median: December 2014: $265,000 December2013: $255,000

Includes sales of single-family houses and condos in Whatcom County

500

Pending sales Closed sales

400

5 Delinquency rate

Foreclosure rate

300

250K

200

200K

J F MAM J J A S OND J F MAM J J A S OND

2013

2014

SOURCE: NORTHWEST MULTIPLE LISTINGS SERVICE

100

J F MAM J J A S OND J F MAM J J A S OND

2013

2014

SOURCE: NORTHWEST MULTIPLE LISTINGS SERVICE

J F M A M J J A S O N D J F M A M J A S O

2013

2014

SOURCE: CORELOGIC

Other factors: Border traffic low last 3 months Cruise terminal traffic

Airport traffic Includes total enplanements at Bellingham International Airport

80K

Border traffic

2014 total: 25,603 2013 total: 26,128 %

Year-to-date: 538,052 Annual change: -8.59%

2014 Total: 5,356,623 Year-over-year: �21.60% Monthly: �1.21% Includes southbound passenger-vehicle crossings into Whatcom County

Includes inbound and outbound passengers at Bellingham Cruise Terminal

5,000

600K

60K

4,000

500K

50K

3,000

70K

40K

300K

2,000

30K

200K

20K

1,000

10K 0

400K

J F MAM J J A S OND J F MAM J J A S OND 2013

SOURCE: PORT OF BELLINGHAM

2014

100K

J F MAM J J A S OND J F MAM J J A S OND 2013

SOURCE: PORT OF BELLINGHAM

2014

J F MAM J J A S OND J F MAM J J A S OND

2013

2014

SOURCE: CASCADE GATEWAY DATA

Notes: Graphs include the most recent data available at press time. Annual changes show cumulative difference from the same time period during the previous year. Data include raw numbers only and are not adjusted to account for any seasonal factors.

The Bellingham Business Journal

February 2015

What’s brewing in Bellingham business this year Waterfront deal, grocery changes and more beer on the horizon for 2015 BY OLIVER LAZENBY The Bellingham Business Journal With a waterfront development agreement looming, changes coming to the grocery industry, and more breweries preparing to open by summer, 2015 should be another busy year for business news in Bellingham and Whatcom County. The following items are just a few of the things that could make headlines in the year ahead.

Beer pouring in

Two new breweries opened in Bellingham in 2014, and two more are poised to open this year, while several established breweries are expanding. Livability.com ranked Bellingham number 8 in its national list of best cities for craft beer, and some local groups are trying to make Bellingham a brewery destination. Stones Throw Brewing, at 1009 Larrabee Ave. in Fairhaven, will be Fairhaven’s first brewery when it opens later this year. John Luciano, co-owner of Stones Throw, said the he and co-owner Jack Pflueger are working on their tap room and brewing

Chuckanut Brewery lead brewer Bryan Caldwell works at the brewery last month. Bellingham has quickly established a reputation for its quality craft brews and more breweries are opening or expanding in 2015. ANDY BRONSON PHOTO | FOR THE BELLINGHAM BUSINESS JOURNAL facility. In mid-January, they were brewing 12-gallon test batches and waiting for larger brewing equipment to arrive. Luciano said he hopes to open the brewery by summer.

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Another new company called Gruff Brewing is working on a tap room and brewery at 104 E Maple, across the street from Boundary Bay Brewery. Eric Wight, Jameson Longman and Chris Bierman, owners of Gruff Brewing, hope to open their brewery and tap house this spring. Wight said the three have been brewing and working on the building during evenings and weekends while working full-time day jobs. Kulshan Brewing Co., which opened its brewery and tap house at 2238 James St. in April 2012, is planning a spring opening for its second brewery and tap house north of Interstate 5 at 1538 Kentucky Street. The 12,000-square-foot warehouse space will allow Kulshan to brew about 15,000 barrels a year. Kulshan’s original facility maxed out its brewing capacity in 2014 at about 3,100 barrels, Vitt said. Wander Brewing, at 1807 Dean Ave., opened May 2014 and already can’t keep up with demand for its craft beer. Its owners are planning to double brewing capacity this year, co-owner Colleen Kuehl said. Chuckanut Brewery and Kitchen, at 601 W. Holly St., is planning to expand as soon as possible, owner and brewmaster Will Kemper said. “I really can’t make any more beer in this facility,” Kemper said. “Right now we’re maxed out.” Kemper said he doesn’t have a new space lined up yet. Chuckanut opened in 2009, making it the second oldest brew-

OLD

ery in town next to Boundary Bay, which started brewing beer on Railroad Avenue in 1995. Kemper said new breweries opening is a good thing for established breweries. “With other breweries coming on board, business is only increasing. Everybody benefits,” he said. “Seemingly, there’s so much activity with craft beer but it’s nothing in the overall beer world.” Bellingham Tap Trail is working with breweries and event organizers toward improving Bellingham’s tourist appeal. In its third year, Bellingham Beer Week had about three dozen breweries participating in events. To tie the brewery scene together, the Bellingham Tap Trail, an organization that started in 2014 to promote local beer, published maps to Bellingham’s breweries and tap houses, and plans to offer brewery tours this spring, co-founder Scott Pelton said.

Waterfront development agreement

The Port of Bellingham and an Irish firm called Harcourt Developments have been negotiating an agreement for a piece of the G-P Waterfront since February 2014. In January, Port Executive Director Rob Fix said an agreement could come before the Port of Bellingham commissioners at a Feb. 3 meeting. The agreement will likely be for about 14 acres on the northern end of the G-P site, includAPPLIANCE? ing the Granary Building, Fix said. Last year, the port and Harcourt were talking about 10 acres. If Harcourt developed the first 10 acres … successfully, they could be

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February 2015

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LOOKING FORWARD, FROM 8 awarded a contract for another 10, Fix said in a July 2014 Port Commission meeting. The discussed agreement has changed, and now includes more specific performance metrics for the Irish firm’s work, Fix said. “It’s still a concern whether someone performs or not. There’s enough performance measurements in there that we’re in good shape,” he said. “If they don’t perform they don’t get the whole 14 acres.” Harcourt is a development, management and investment company with a portfolio of international projects. The Titanic Quarter in Belfast is one of Harcourt’s biggest projects. The firm redeveloped 300acre former shipyard where the Titanic was built. Fix toured the Titanic Quarter and several other Harcourt projects in December. While there, Fix got a chance to review Harcourt’s 2012 finances, he told the commissioners in December. “I found out that their assets do indeed exceed their liabilities,” Fix told the Port Commission at its Jan. 6 meeting. “In 2012 they exceeded them by about $70 million.” He did not get to see Harcourt’s 2013 finances. Harcourt is currently involved

in several lawsuits. One is over a development project on the island of Jersey, in the Channel Islands. Harcourt is suing over money spent on work carried out before Jersey terminated Harcourt’s contract, according to the Jersey Evening Post.

Grocery changes coming

Haggen’s announcement in December 2014 that it would be acquire 146 former Albertsons and Safeway stores this year made national headlines, but a new Safeway at Sunset Square and some other coming changes will likely make bigger waves in the grocery industry in Bellingham and Whatcom County this year. Safeway should open in the former Cost Cutter location at 1275 E. Sunset Drive on Feb. 6, Safeway spokesperson Chieu Lash said. The 67,000-squarefoot store will have a deli, flower stand, bakery, wine department, and an organic and natural foods section. It will also have an instore Starbucks kiosk, free Wi-Fi, and a fueling station. The new Safeway will likely affect everyone in grocery — even the Community Food Co-op, said co-op general manager Jim Ashby. “We’ll notice it,” Ashby said.

Chuckanut owner Will Kemper plans to expand his operations to meet demand this year. ANDY BRONSON PHOTO | FOR THE BBJ “It’s further fragmenting the market. I don’t think it will have a huge impact on us, but everything affects us a little bit.” The co-op also has big plans for 2015. It is expanding across West Holly Street to the building that housed the Better Than New clothing store. Ashby expects the co-op’s new wing, called the Co-op Connections Building, to open in mid-May with a bakery, classrooms and administrative offices. Across the street, the co-op’s

original location is also scheduled for a remodel. Ashby said the north end of the store will change, including updates to the deli and meat section, as well as more seating in the mezzanine area that currently houses offices. Safeway isn’t the only grocery moving into a former Cost Cutter. Grocery Outlet is planning to open a new store in the Ferndale Cost Cutter, which is closing early this year. Grocery Outlet will occupy a 20,245-square-foot section of the building at 1750

Labounty drive in Ferndale. Melissa Porter, vice president of marketing for Grocery Outlet, said the store should open midsummer and will likely have about 30 employees. The Markets LLC, a Bellingham-based grocery company, owns Cost Cutter. The company closed its Bellingham store, the Market at Lakeway, in 2013. The

See looking forward, PAGE 16

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February 2015

Ski shops expand Backcountry Essentials and Yeager’s Sporting Goods grow to fill hole left by Sportsman Chalet closing BY OLIVER LAZENBY The Bellingham Business Journal In a back room at Backcountry Essentials, ski technician John Dorman feeds a ski through the humming wheels of the shop’s Wintersteiger Micro 90 - a ski tuning machine the size of a small hot tub. The ski’s smooth black base comes out with a hint of texture, like a fingertip’s ridges. The textured base will accept more wax than the smooth, worn surface it had when it arrived at the shop, making for a faster ski. The shop — a climbing, camping and skiing gear store at 214 W. Holly St. — bought its ski tuning machine last year from Fairhaven Bicycle. The machine cost about five times as much as Backcountry Essentials’ old tuning equipment. “It’s a much bigger, better, badder machine,” said shop owner Chris Gerston. “As far as investment goes, for a small shop it’s a significant investment.” The Wintersteiger is part of a change in Backcountry Essentials’ business model. Since 2006, Gerston’s ski inventory has consisted solely of boots and skis for backcountry skiing - light equipment is made for climbing up as well as skiing down. Now he’s carrying alpine skis and boots - gear made strictly for skiing downhill at ski resorts. For a few years, Gerston had considered expanding into alpine ski gear. He seized an opportunity last year after Sportsman Chalet closed in January and Fairhaven Bicycle stopped carrying skis.

“With that big of a hole opening up our plan changed from us putting our toe in and testing the water to us jumping in all the way,” he said. Alpine skis and boots now make up more than half the ski inventory at Backcountry Essentials. The shop also added alpine skis to its fleet of rental skis. Service is the backbone of most ski shops, Gerston said, so he invested in more versatile tuning equipment. Local ski retailers say online sales have affected business in recent years, but ski shops remain viable in Bellingham. According to the Department of Revenue, $18.56 million was spent at sporting goods and hobby stores in Bellingham in the fourth quarter of 2013. John Hauter, owner of Fairhaven Bicycle, stopped carrying skis and boots not because it wasn’t profitable but because the bicycle portion of his shop was growing, he said. “It takes a lot of space to run a proper ski shop,” Hauter said. “There was too much demand. I either needed to get bigger or stop.” Noel Lemke, owner of Sportsman Chalet, said he closed his ski shop because it got too hard for his customers to find parking. Sportsman Chalet moved from downtown to Sunnyland Square, next to Trader Joe’s, in 2010. Since 2010, Trader Joe’s got increasingly more popular with shoppers, and it became too hard for Sportsman Chalet customers to find parking in the shared lot,

Above: Jon Dorman tunes a ski using new equipment that Backcountry Essentials bought from Fairhaven Bicycle last year. Right: Dylan Rees adjusts a ski binding at Yeager’s Sporting Goods. Like Backcountry Essentials, Yeager’s also brought in more ski gear this season. OLIVER LAZENBY PHOTOS | THE BBJ

Lemke said. Having moved the shop in 2010, Lemke knew another move would be expensive and he wasn’t willing to do it, he said. Snowpack in the Cascades is currently at 50 percent of average, but Gerston said Backcountry Essentials is having a decent season. “The switch is working out. It’s a hard year to judge because we don’t know how things would have gone if we had an average

snow year,” he said. “We’re making our bills and we’ve seen a lot of new customers.” Gerston said adding alpine gear to his shop wasn’t difficult because in many cases there’s not much difference. “At the end of the day, skis need to be fast, well-waxed, have good bases and no burrs on the edges,” Gerston said. “With the tuning side of things it’s no different.” Gerston calls the ski business

a three-month business because skis sell almost entirely from November to January. “The ski industry is fickle,” he said. While many people buy skis online, fewer people buy boots online, Gerston said. Backcountry

See ski retail, PAGE 21

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February 2015

The Bellingham Business Journal

February 2015

PORT NEWS 2015 is shaping up to be another busy year for the Port

Sponsored content provided by Port of Bellingham There will be widespread conStimulating business development and creating jobs is a top priority struction on Bellingham’s central for 2015. The Port will continue waterfront with environmental to seek expansion of new business cleanup and site preparation activfrom lower British Columbia and ities kicking into high gear. elsewhere in the Northwest by The Port will start a $35 million managing external business leads dollar cleanup project in July and marketing local assets includto address low levels of historic ing: quality of life, close proximity contamination in the Whatcom to major US and Canadian marWaterway. This project is great kets, a strategic location on the news for local hotels, restaurants, I-5 corridor, a skilled and availcontractors and other businesses. able labor force, an established According to a 2011 Department industrial base, a business friendly of Ecology study titled Washenvironment, and a full service ington State Brownfield Policy commercial airport. Recommendations, the multiplier The Port’s $38.5 million dollar benefits of every $1 of state cleanexpansion of Bellingham Internaup grant are estimated to drive $6 tional Airport which was completin local tax revenue, $7 in payroll ed last year will meet Whatcom revenue, and $32 in business revCounty’s passenger terminal needs enue. This project will be paid for It will be a busy year on Bellingham's Water front for the immediate future. Major by combination of state cleanup work scheduled at the airport in grants and a pre-paid environwater systems on Bellingham’s industry, marina and other job 2015 includes a $7.3 million projmental insurance policy. downtown waterfront to support intensive uses. ect to build overnight ramp spots Cleaning up the Whatcom Water- the recruitment and expansion The Port is also investing in critifor commercial aircraft. Grant way and the surrounding uplands of marine trades and industrial cal marine trades infrastructure funding from the Federal Aviation will set the stage for the gradual users. The Port has also budgeted in other areas of the county. The Administration will cover 90 perexpansion of downtown to the $685,000 to upgrade and repair Port has budgeted $5.5 million to cent of this project. waterfront. The Port will remove the bulkheads and pilings at the upgrade a wooden shipyard pier The Port’s strategic investments several surplus industrial buildBellingham Shipping Terminal. in Fairhaven which is currently in 2015 will upgrade Whatcom ings from the waterfront this year Approximately 75 percent of the under severe load restrictions. In County’s transportation facilities and anticipates completing a Mas- developable property in the Port’s Blaine, the Port will be addressand marine trades infrastructure ter Development Agreement with 237-acre downtown waterfront ing critical pier, bulkhead and Ireland-based Harcourt Developredevelopment project has been soils issues at the Blaine Industrial and serve as a catalyst for strong and diversified economic developments to develop a new commerreserved for marine trades, light Area. ment growth. cial and residential area beginning with the adaptive reuse of the Book NOW for 2016 Book of Lists & Receive This comprehensive Business Directory enables Bellingham Granary Building. business professionals to look at the overall picture of their Marine trades are a critical part local area and industry. There are lists of a variety of industries of Whatcom County’s economy including: Accounting firms, lawyers, largest employers, with more than 100 businesses When you Mention This Ad. Call for Details. fastest-growing companies, home builders, and many more! employing over 2,300 people (360) 647-8805 with a combined annual revenue of more than $550 million. The Port is designing new storm-

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The Bellingham Business Journal

February 2015

City staff works out details for rental registration program BY OLIVER LAZENBY The Bellingham Business Journal Bellingham City Council approved a rental registration and inspection program in December 2014. Details about how the program will work will likely come before City Council at a Feb. 9 work session. The council has discussed starting a rental registration program as a way to deal with rental properties that don’t meet basic health and safety requirements for more than ten years. Rick Sepler, the city’s planning and community development director, started working for the city last fall. It’s his job to figure out the details of the rental registration program. Sepler met with the Bellingham Business Journal to discuss how the program will work.

Q: What’s the next step in adopting the rental registration program? The council has done first and second reading of an ordinance that would adopt rental registration and was unanimous and it’s likely a third reading will follow. However, council has indicated that it doesn’t want to take that final reading until we’re able to give, with a good confidence interval, the full cost.

Q: What’s your estimate for the program’s cost? It comes down to about $10 per unit for

registration, or about $25 per parcel if we decide to do it by parcel. Inspection, which will be done every third year, is going to be about $80 or $90 per unit. And not every unit will need to be inspected on larger properties. For those, we’ll take a sampling of random units. That’s fairly normal. These are all provisions that exist in other jurisdictions with rental registration programs and we’re just emulating them.

Q: What other jurisdictions have you studied that have rental registration programs?

Jim Tinner, our building official, has spoken with folks in many jurisdictions to get an idea of roughly how many units would pass the first inspection, and how many issues they find during the inspections. We anticipate 10 to 15 percent of total units wouldn’t pass the first time based on those conversations with other jurisdictions. Some might say that’s a tiny percentage for such a large program, but we have 14,000 units and 10 percent of that is 1,400 units that are substandard.

Q: How will registration work?

We’ve looked far afield. We’ve been We are looking to see how we can use working with Tukwila because they use our future permitting software and we’re trying technology in the registration process. It might be possible for people to go online, to learn from their experience on how best see the available times to maximize it and and just select the time reduce cost. We’ve they want. We’ll build “When you’re dealing looked at Seattle, schedule off that which has provided with $10 to $30 per year our and try to make transreally good public for registration, and $80 portation to and from information online, inspections a little more and spoke with both to $90 once every three their IT and planning years for inspection, that efficient for the inspector, to reduce the costs. staff. We looked at Those costs are the Carbondale, a college might be a reasonable things we need to have town in Illinois. They price to pay to insure confidence in before had a fairly good that everyone in our council can do the final handle on the inspeccommunity is living in a reading. tion issue. Davis, California is another safe place.” Q: Will the inspectown we looked at. - Rick Sepler tions be done by city They tend to be colemployees? lege towns. We’re appraising the costs as if we hired an inspector because we think that might be the greatest economy. If we’re able to find a contractor who does it for less, we would use a contractor. There is an option for landlords to use a private inspector but because the majority of our units are single units, it’s likely it will be most cost-effective to use the city.

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Q: What are some examples of things that would prohibit a property from passing? Someone living in a room with no means of egress other than the door. Windowless rooms. Rooms without ventilation. Units would either pass the inspection, or pass with a correction sheet where passing would hinge on making a minor change. If it’s more serious than that, units wouldn’t pass and the inspector would come back to make sure the problem gets fixed. The ones that don’t pass the first time will be because, quite frankly, folks shouldn’t be living in them.

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Q: Do you think rental prices will rise, and has that happened in other jurisdictions you’ve studied? “I got my first car loan from Industrial Credit Union and now 30 years later they are helping me with my business needs. I love that they’re local and committed to Whatcom County, just like I am.” - Ed, owner of Cruisin Coffee IndustrialCU.org

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Any cost, arguably, is passed on. What I can say is when you’re dealing with $10 to $30 per year for registration, and $80 to $90 once every three years for inspection, that might be a reasonable price to pay to insure that everyone in our community is

Rick Sepler, City of Bellingham’s planning and community development director. OLIVER LAZENBY PHOTO | THE BBJ

living in a safe place. At least that’s what council feels, and council makes that call. It’s not my call. Council made the decision and I’m implementing the program.

Q: Council talked about having incentives for people who pass, or for some way to put more of the cost on people with units that don’t pass. Is that still a possibility? We’re trying to work that out.

Q: When will registrations and inspections begin? We feel very confident we can get the registration component up and running by August 1. We’re hoping to have the website up in March. We’ll make contact with property owners and inform people about registration and how to do it by May 1. Then we’ll get registration online by July 1 and have it completed by Aug. 1. That is our goal. The earliest start date for inspections likely would be January next year. We’re committed to doing the best job we can for the community and to implement the council direction in the least expensive manner. This is not a growth area for us.

Q: You became Bellingham’s planning director last fall after 24 years in Port Townsend, Washington. Do you have any goals for your time in Bellingham? My agenda is to fully implement what the council and the mayor and the people wish to do. I’m also interested in staff development. My hope is to take a good department and make it into a department of distinction on a nationwide level.

Oliver Lazenby, associate editor of The Bellingham Business Journal, can be reached at 360-647-8805, Ext. 5052, or olazenby@bbjtoday.com.

The Bellingham Business Journal In print monthly; online all the time

February 2015

The Bellingham Business Journal

Take An Indoor Walking Tour of Local History in Lynden Sponsored content provided by Loni Rahm, and Bellingham Whatcom County Tourism.

Winter is the perfect time for a leisurely stroll on Lynden’s Front Street. Too cold you say? Not at the Lynden Pioneer Museum. Inside, visitors are amazed to find a 1/3 scale, life-like recreation of a full block of downtown Lynden dating from 1888 to 1928. Here is the drug store, with the doctors’ offices above, the printing press, the clock shop, the milliner, even the saloon. Peer into twenty-two store fronts on the ground level as well as on the “secret” second story mezzanine. Each tells a piece of the transformation of the American West from homesteads into small towns. In Lynden, the story includes Phoebe Judson in 1870 and the arrival of the Dutch in the 1890s. Hallways meander to new discoveries around every turn. In a separate gallery, I wonder if a pioneer family will step out any moment as I inspect a life sized farmstead. The barnyard, poultry barn and dairy barn explore the history of farming and how Whatcom County became one of the largest dairy and poultry production areas in the nation. In the rural home, the table is set for dinner and the Victorian-era parlor warmly welcomes visitors. Nearby I stand for long minutes observing the well-worn and carefully placed boots of a hard-working early logger. A Military History

America’s farming roots grown into the present. Hours for the Lynden Pioneer Museum are Monday through Saturday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Admission is $7 adults. $4 students/

Exhibit titled “In Our Own Words”, takes a look at the effect of American Conflicts on Whatcom County communities through the letters, articles and journals of local vets. It features a 1945 Indian Chief Military Motorcycle, 1944 trailer piled high with gear and supplies and numerous artifacts from the Civil war, Spanish American War, WW1 and 2, Korea and Vietnam. But that’s not all! A staircase in the back

corner reveals the Museum’s lower floor that contains the largest collection of horse drawn vehicles West of the Mississippi. 56 Carts, Carriages, Sulkies, Surreys, Wagons, Coaches and Cabs look at how we went from biological power to gas powered vehicles. The exhibit also describes how the internal combustion engine changed agriculture, resulting in the large tractors and threshers of the mid 20th century.

seniors, and kids under 6 are free. More details are at www. lyndenpioneermuseum.com. Or call (360) 354-3675. For a multitude of ideas about things to do in Bellingham

and Whatcom County year-round visit Bellingham.org, or stop by our local information centers at 904 Potter Street and 1306 Commercial Street in Bellingham.

The Bellingham Business Journal

February 2015

People On The Move Landmark Real Estate hires commercial property manager Landmark Real Estate Management of Bellingham hired Eric Nelson as its new commercial property manager. Nelson has 28 years of experience in commercial brokerage and property manEric Nelson agement, according to a press release. Previously, Nelson owned and operated a commercial brokerage and management business in Bend, Oregon. He will manage Landmark’s commercial real estate investment properties in Whatcom, Skagit, Spokane and Island Counties.

Douglas Metzger named executive chef at Lakeway Inn Douglas Metzger, a chef who helped develop and launch multiple restaurants

at the Silver Reef Hotel in Ferndale, has been named executive chef at the Best Western Lakeway Inn & Conference Center in Bellingham. Metzger is directing all food-service operations at the Lakeway Inn, including Poppe’s 360 Neighborhood Pub, the newly renovated and renamed Chinuk, onsite banquets and offsite catering, according to a press release. Metzger worked at the Silver Reef Casino from 2002 to 2005, and has been away from Whatcom County since then. Metzger plans to take a “Farm-to-table approach” to sourcing food and creating menus, he said in the press release. He also plans to incorporate tribal and Northwest influences into the menus.

Whatcom Land Title Co. promotes three staff members Whatcom Land Title Company announced in a press release that it is promoting several staff members. Jaime Concannon will

be moving from his position as an escrow closer/ LPO to the marketing department as a marketing representative and traveling signer. Monica Prather is transitioning from her role as an escrow assistant into an escrow closer position. Sallie Ronhaar will become Prather’s escrow assistant.

WompMobile hires former TAGNW director WompMobile, a Bellingham company that optimizes websites to be viewed on smart phones and other mobile devices, hired Sommer Cronck as marketing and account executive. Cronck’s experience in the tech industry includes working as executive director for the Technology Alliance Group for Northwest Sommer Cronck Washington and as a marketing and IT coordinator for Bellingham Whatcom County Tourism.

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At WompMobile, Cronck’s role will be to bring greater awareness to the brand and develop new regional and national accounts, according to a press release. “We are super excited to have Sommer join the team, I’m confident her talent and enthusiasm for technology will be an incredible asset for WompMobile,” company founder and CEO Madison Miner said in the news release.

VSH CPAs hires three VSH CPAs announced that Jessica Good has been promoted to manager. Good joined the Bellingham-based accounting firm in 2011 after graduating from Western Washington University’s school of business with honors in 2009. She attained her certified public accountant designation in 2011. Benjamin Zheng joined VSH’s international service department in December 2014. Zheng earned his accounting degree in 2013 from Western Washington University, and is currently finishing up the requirements for his certified public accountant designation. VSH also hired Natalie Holm to a position on the international service department team. Holm earned a Bachelor of Arts in business administration with an accounting focus from the University of Washington Tacoma in 2014 and joined the VSH team shortly after.

Christian Health Care Center hires new administrator Christian Health Care Center hired Wayne Steenbock as new administrator for its skilled nursing facil-

ity in Lynden. Steenbock is a licensed nursing home administrator with more than 12 years of leadership and management Wayne Steenbock experience, according to a press release. Before taking the position with the nonprofit Lynden health center, Steenbock worked at several care centers across the country and managed a diverse range of departments, professionals and programs.

Semiahmoo Resort hires catering, conventions director

Semiahmoo Resort on Semiahmoo Spit in Blaine hired Megan Wallstrom as director of catering and convention services. In her new position, Wallstrom will be responsible for and involved with all Megan Wallstrom meetings and social functions, including weddings, according to a press release. Wallstrom has more than ten years of management experience in sales, marketing, and catering. She began her career at Sodexo, a Seattle-based catering and facilities management company. Wallstrom was a catering and retail manager there for five years.

Locksmith retires after 42 years

ingham locksmith with Security Solutions NW, retired after 42 years on Dean Christensen the job. Christensen was 17 when he moved to Bellingham from Darrington to start working at Security Solutions, which was then called Bellingham Lock & Safe. Christensen has been with Security Solutions for four moves as the business has grown and expanded. Each time, he helped haul all the store’s uncut key blanks – there are over a million – to the new location. In his career, he’s also driven the shops’ vehicle for more than a million miles, he said.

Volunteer center hires former Ski to Sea manager Former Ski to Sea manager Mel Monkelis became the Volunteer Center of Whatcom County’s program director. Monkelis managed the Ski to Sea relay race for seven years. Before that, he was the worker retraining coordinator for Whatcom Community College. In his new position, he will target businesses and volunteers that want to be Mel Monkelis involved in education and mentoring, food security, independent living and disaster planning.

Dean Christensen, a Bell-

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The Bellingham Business Journal

Bellingham / Whatcom Chamber of Commerce & Industry : Representing Businesses Across Whatcom County

The Chamber — supporting the community by supporting business since 1911

By: Shelli Jones, Bellingham/Whatcom Chamber of Commerce & Industry Founded in 1911, the Bellingham Chamber of Commerce was an organization that served the community much like a local government agency. In those days, government was small and it was the responsibility of the chamber and its members to form the committees that helped to influence policy. In 1955, those committees included: the Civilian Defense Committee which was responsible for coordinating all the civilian defense activities in the area; the Whatcom County Traffic and Rates Bureau which was responsible for the shipment of goods via rail, air, or road; the Community Protective Services which in those days served as a Better Business Bureau; the Natural Resources Committee; the Roads and Highway Committee; the Traffic and Planning Committee; the Tourist and Convention Committee; and the Water Committee to name a few. Sixty years later, the chamber is very different and yet very much the same. The chamber no longer has 22 committees to cover the gamut of issues local government agencies are now responsible for. However, we are still involved in all those same issues. Now we serve as the voice of business with local government, rep-

resenting a perspective for those in power to consider prior to making a decision. For example, the chamber led the charge to close the loophole that would have allowed British Columbians to be exempt from paying Washington State sales tax which would have disproportionately affected Whatcom County due to the high percentage of Canadian shoppers. The resulting loss in tax revenue would have cost the city and county millions but was averted thanks in part to the efforts of the chamber. In many ways, the chamber has to be all things to all people. The chamber promotes local businesses and the community, serves as an information clearinghouse, holds community parades and celebrations, provides relocation information, holds educational presentations, advocates for businesses to local government and the community, and works with local agencies to attract new businesses and industries to the area. There are many who think the chamber is a government entity or is funded by tax dollars. The truth is that the chamber is an independent, membershipbased organization that is solely funded by its membership dues and event revenue. All the business and community events and programs that the chamber

“Chamber Secretary checks a Geiger counter with man from the Atomic Energy Commission – Jan. 1956” Photo by Jack Carver, Whatcom Museum employees, expand to hosts are funded by will make it easier for those individual mem- a new location, or ﬁnd employers to post inber businesses that are an intern to work on a ternship openings and special project. civic-minded and aphelp them to establish We don’t do it alone. a good working relaprove of the chamber Whatcom County has agenda. tionship with the unia variety of organizaThe primary role of versity and colleges. tions that assist busia chamber of comIn addition, the merce is to help create nesses and we often chamber offers a varia strong economy. We work together for ety of programs to help the betterment of our don’t do that by startthe business commuing up new businesses, community. We often nity including monthly creating jobs or export- partner with local networking events government, the local ing products. We do that help our business university and collegit by making it easier members make new for local business to do es, Bellingham Whatconnections and the com County Tourism, business in Whatcom Chamber Speaker Seand local businesses County. ries featuring speeches to achieve common It’s our job to make on subjects that are goals. Whatcom County an important to local busiFor example, the attractive place to do nesses. Local busichamber is currently business, whether it is nesses also take adworking with Canadian working with Western vantage of Leadership Washington University, Whatcom, a year-long businesses who want Bellingham Technical to expand their operaprogram designed to tion to Bellingham or a College and Whatcom develop future leaders Community College start-up that is having and Whatcom Young on an internship portal. Professionals which is trouble with right-ofway issues. We are the The goal is to educate the chamber of comlocal employers on “go-to” organization merce for younger internships, teach them folks who are more that refers businesses how to develop their to the people or agencomfortable networkcies that can help them internal internship ing with people their program and how to accomplish what they own age. The chamber best attract and utilize need to accomplish also hosts a weekly rato open a store, hire a student intern. This dio program on KGMI

790AM on Sunday mornings called The Whatcom Report designed to feature chamber members and keep listeners abreast of current issues affecting the local business community. The chamber’s community events include the Junior Ski to Sea Parade, Junior Ski to Sea Race, the annual Ski to Sea Blossomtime Parade and the Haggen Family 4th of July Celebration. These efforts help to bring attention to Bellingham, creating a more cohesive community that helps to attract new businesses and employees. In addition, the chamber works in partnership with the city, county, port, Whatcom Council of Governments, higher education institutions, and other economic development agencies on inbound recruitment of new businesses and industries. These targeted economic development efforts are designed to attract a variety of industries and businesses and create more job opportunities. A broad, diverse economy creates opportunities for all citizens regardless of their economic status and level of education which helps to ensure a strong, healthy local economy. Since its inception in 1911, the chamber has been dedicated to promoting the community, attracting businesses and jobs, and creating a strong, local economy. Learn more at bellingham.com

The Bellingham Business Journal

LOOKING FORWARD, FROM 9

months later, Bellingham has six legal pot shops, and more retailers and growers are on the way. With the current tax structure on recreational marijuana, there may not be room in the market for many more. Data released by the Washington State Liquor Control Board shows that as new stores open, sales numbers decrease at established stores. One stated goal of Initiative 502, which legalized the possession and purchase of marijuana for adults 21 and over, was to eventually eradicate the

Markets LLC could not be reached for this story. Haggen’s acquisition of 146 West Coast stores doesn’t include any in Whatcom County, but the company is hiring at its Bellingham corporate office. Costco still hasn’t announced anything about its possible future store on West Bakerview Road. Costco officials began discussing the site, on the north side of West Bakerview Road near Pacific Highway, with the city in

late 2012. Costco hasn’t applied for a building permit. Costco spokesperson Kayleen Burnett said it’s the company’s policy to not comment on upcoming projects or changes until plans are finalized.

Legislators look at pot

Bellingham’s Top Shelf Cannabis became Washington’s first recreational marijuana store in the state on July 8, 2014. Six

black market for marijuana. Recreational marijuana is taxed 25 percent at each transaction - from grower to processor, from process to retailer, and from retailer to consumer. When it hits shelves, a gram of pot typically costs between $20 and $30 - more than twice the street market value. Liquor control board spokesperson Brian Smith said in July that a gray market of medical patients selling legally obtained marijuana to people who aren’t medical patients will be challenging to eliminate. Lawmakers hope to address a range of marijua-

February 2015 na-related issues during the state’s 2015 legislative session, which began Jan. 12. Legislators pre-filed seven cannabis-related bills. The bills ranged from an overhaul of medical marijuana to erasing misdemeanor marijuana crimes from past offenders’ records. “The most important thing is to come up with a legally sanctioned, safe system for medical marijuana users,” Gov. Jay Inslee said during a legislative preview. Aaron Nelson, vice president of operations at 2020 Solutions, which has

two recreational marijuana stores in Bellingham, said he is following the legislative session closely. He thinks people who are suffering should have access to affordable medical marijuana, but he thinks the system should change, he said. “The state legislature needs to correct the tremendous inequity resulting from a highly taxed and regulated recreational marijuana industry trying to survive amid numerous unregulated, untaxed medical marijuana dispensaries,” Nelson said in an email. “It’s simply a matter of fairness.”

Tourism promotion

A two-fold increase in the amount of three-starand-above hotel rooms in Bellingham is underway. Hotels in Bellingham have had low vacancy rates since 2002, which made Bellingham an attractive destination for new hotels. In response to the surplus of new hotel rooms, the City of Bellingham is seeking proposals for a new “signature event” that would attract overnight visitors to Bellingham during the tourism offseason between September and March. “Establishing another signature event in Bellingham will not only build excitement for its residents and business owners but continue to establish a brand for Bellingham as an exciting destination,” Bellingham Mayor Kelli Linville said in a press release about the event. “Being the central point between two large cities, we have a real opportunity to explore events that differ from what the larger cities offer and to encourage visitors to seek out Bellingham for something unique.” The city of Bellingham has approximately $75,000 to put toward the event for 2015, and $50,000 for both 2016 and 2017. Money for the event comes from the city’s lodging tax special projects fund, which is supported by lodging tax collected at hotels and motels in Bellingham. It is a separate fund from the tourism promotion fund, which awards yearly tourism promotion grants and is also supported by lodging tax collected in the city.

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Oliver Lazenby, associate editor of The Bellingham Business Journal, can be reached at 360-647-8805, Ext. 5052, or olazenby@bbjtoday.com.

February 2015

The Bellingham Business Journal

February 2015

Sponsored content by BIAWC

The Home and Garden Show

Whatcom County’s Premier Business Expo for 36 Years

re you ready to remodel your bathroom, put a new roof on your house, or spruce up your backyard with some new landscaping? The Whatcom County Home and Garden Show is the perfect place to meet your local businesses and experts on

At the show you can learn everything from designing your garden to attract birds and bees, to building repurposed furniture, or how to control your television, heat, and shades all from the touch of a button. The daily seminars are wrapped up on Sunday by King 5’s

Diego’s Mexican Grill, The Hilltop Restaurant, Grants Burgers, and Alpine Coffee will be there and ready to feed you.

Kulshan Brewery serves up their tasty Smoked Stout during the Beer and Wine tasting hours on Friday and Saturday night.

services directly from Whatcom County businesses, but is also a fun way to enjoy part of your weekend.” BIAWC Executive Officer Brian Evans exclaims.

The Home and Garden Show takes place in the Henry Jansen Agricultural Center at the NW Washington Fairgrounds.

everything “home.” Whether you are interested in a new custom home or you may want to meet a local reliable home loan expert or realtor, the Home and Garden Show is the best place for your project to begin.

This is the Building Industry Association of Whatcom County’s 36th Annual Home and Garden Show. “The Home and Garden Show started in 1980 with 91 booths at the Whatcom Sports Arena.” BIAWC Life Director David Simpson recalls. The Home and Garden Show now hosts 200 businesses in the Henry Jansen Agricultural Building at the Northwest Washington Fairgrounds. Not only is it one of Whatcom County’s spring time institutions for consumers to meet local businesses, but the BIAWC also adds an important educational component to the show with daily seminars.

biawc.com

Gardening Guru, Ciscoe Morris, with the latest in garden tips and inspiration. “The Home and Garden Show, sponsored by DeWaard and Bode, KAFE 104.1, Builders Alliance, Peoples Bank, Northstar Stone and Landscape, Interior Doors and More, and Costco, is a great place to learn about new products and

The Home and Garden Show is visited by over 6,000 Whatcom County residents.

For the third year the show has added exciting night time programs. Friday Night is Date Night! Head to the show for live cooking demonstrations and prize giveaways from San Juan Cruises, Shuksan Golf Club, Mt. Baker Theatre and more! Saturday Night is Local Live! Laugh the night away with the Upfront Theatre and their hilarious improv comedy show, listen to live music from local entertainers, and enter for more prize giveaways! Both Friday and Saturday nights feature beer and wine tasting from your favorite local breweries and wineries including Kulshan Brewery, Boundary Bay Brewery, Masquerade Wines, and many more. This year’s Home and Garden Show will be held on March 6, 7, and 8th at the Northwest Washington Fairgrounds in Lynden. The show includes free parking and costs $8 for adults, $7 for seniors, 55 and over, and is free for kids 16 and younger! The Show will be open 11-9 on Friday, 10-9 on Saturday, and 11-4 on Sunday. Make sure to come to the show hungry! Local food vendors

1650 Baker Creek Place, Bellingham, WA 98226

Local businesses interested in reserving a booth can contact the BIAWC at 360-671-4247 or at www. whatcomhomeshow.com. Booth spaces are available in many sizes and prices allowing and business big or small all the opportunity to meet new customers face to face.

The Home and Garden Show is visited by thousands of Whatcom County residents and is a great place for businesses and consumers to connect. KAFE 104.1 will be broadcasting live from the show, all weekend long.

The Whatcom County Home and Garden Show only happens once a year, so don’t miss out on this great resource and a fun filled weekend “where your project begins!”

The Garden Walk, Sponsored by Northstar Stone and Landscape is packed with inspiration for your backyard makeovers.

Spin the wheel at the Peoples Bank booth, one of our show Sponsors, and win cash!

360-671-4247

Public Records BUSINESS LICENSES Listings, which feature both new and renewed licenses, include business name and the business’ physical address. Records are obtained from the City of Bellingham. A Solutionist Exploration Consulting, 1313 E Maple St. Suite 305, Bellingham, WA 98225. Acclaim Massage Therapy, 1155 N State St. Ste 612, Bellingham, WA 98225. Act III Referral Services, Inc., 1213 18th St.,Bellingham, WA 98225. Affordable Information International, Inc., 901 Harris Ave., Bellingham, WA 98225. Affordable Property Sales, 5634 Northwest Dr., Bellingham, WA98226. Aj Consulting, 1681 Barrell Springs Rd., Bellingham, WA 98229. Alexxian, 2001 Iowa St. Suite F, Bellingham, WA 98225. Allstar Gk Contractor, 2100 Alabama St. Apt. V11, Bellingham, WA 98229. Amazing Plumbing Heating & Energy Solutions, 4021 Dewey Road, Bellingham, WA 98226. Amy H. Mciivaine, Llc, 1311 N State St., Bellingham, WA 98225. Amy Schneidmiller, Ma, Lmhc, 214 N Commercial St., Bellingham, WA 98225. Ananda Hypnotherapy, 1208 Bay St. Suite 203, Bellingham, WA 98225. Andrea Candido’s Cleaning Services, 1605 Texas St. Apt 11, Bellingham, WA 98229. Angie Nordby Llc, 1400 N State St. Suite 103, Bellingham, WA 98225. Bajema Fp, 119 N Commerical St. Suite 170, Bellingham, WA 98225. Bay Pac Beverages, 303 Potter St., Bellingham, WA 98225. Bellingham Bay Bookkeeping Services, 1308 W Illinois St., Bellingham, WA 98225. Bham Holding Company Llc, 2800 W Maplewood Ave., Bellingham, WA 98225. Biopolicy Innovations Llc, 4340 Pacific Hwy Floor 2, Bellingham, WA 98226. Blooming Health, 316 E Mcleod Road, Bellingham, WA 98225. Botanical Therapy, Llc, 1224 Harris Ave. Apt. 204, Bellingham, WA 98225 Briddick Webb Real Estate, 913 Lakeway Dr., Bellingham, WA 98229. Bright Beam Technologies Llc,1503 35th St., Bellingham, WA 98229. Cameron Currier, 1502 22nd St., Bellingham, WA 98225. Cascade Clearing, Llc, 4977 Wahl Road, Bellingham, WA 98226 Christina T Nichols, 2405 Lynn St., Bellingham, WA 98225. Claygods.Com, 3310 Mcalpine Road, Bellingham, WA 98225. Coach House Cellars, 1319 11th St., Bellingham, WA 98229. Coast View Construction, Inc., 2850 Mckenzie Ave., Bellingham, WA 98225. Cosmicnites, 3214 Illinois Lane, Bellingham, WA 98226. Country Financial, 3114 Newmarket St., Bellingham, WA 98226. Cristina’s Cleaning Services, 3010 Ferry Ave. Apt. 115, Bellingham, WA 98225. Cubasere Dance, 2107 Young St., Bellingham, WA 98225. Dan’s Transport, 1023 Jersey St# 102b. Bellingham, WA 98225. Daniel Bullock Photography, 375 W Lake Samish Dr., Bellingham, WA 98229. Danielle At Studio One Twelve, 112 Grand Ave., Bellingham, WA 98225. Discount Gutters Llc, 378 W King Tut Road, Bellingham, WA 98226. Eco-Friendzy Cleaning Service, 1337 Franklin St., Bellingham, WA 98225. Ecopacific, Seafoods, Llc, 401 Harris Ave. Suite 212, Bellingham, WA 98225.

The Bellingham Business Journal

EE Made Simple Llc, 1501 35th St., Bellingham, WA 98229. Elizabeth B Stanton, 1000 Mckenzie Ave., Bellingham, WA 98225. Erin Amy Koidal, 190 Polo Park Drive, Bellingham, WA 98229. Eudaimonx Llc, 700 Donovan Ave., Bellingham, WA 98225. Evolve Healthcare, 2115 37th St., Bellingham, WA 98227. Family 8 Llc, 4234 Spring Ct., Bellingham, WA 98226. Ferrum Solutions, 2318 Crestline Dr., Bellingham, WA 98229. Furtado Communication, 2612 Roslyn Pl., Bellingham, WA 98226. Gerrybuilt Shop, 4240 Pacific Hwy Suite B, Bellingham, WA 98226. Glory Naturals Inc., 170 E Bakerview Road Suite 216, Bellingham, WA 98226. GMB Entertainment Llc,725 Sunset Pond Lane Unit E7, Bellingham, WA 98226. Grace Cafe, 1065 E Sunset Dr., Bellingham, WA 98226. Hair By Sharon @ Purple Door Beauty Lounge, 725 N State St., Bellingham, WA 98226. Hammer Time Carpentry Llc, 3105 Alderwood Ave., Bellingham, WA 98225. Handyman Ricky, 4243 Hannegan Rd., Bellingham, WA 98226. Harry E Hegarty, 3033 Eldridge Ave., Bellingham, WA 98225. Have Paints Will Travel, 1107 N State St., Bellingham, WA 92618 . Hearttech, 1909 18th St. Apt I3, Bellingham, WA 98225. Holly Graham, CPA, 1716 Edwards Ct., Bellingham, WA 98229. Honey Bee Home Services, 2501 Franklin St., Bellingham, WA 98225. I & F Cleaning & Landscaping, 2136 E Hemmi Rd., Bellingham, WA 98226. Irish Dreamer Llc, 2623 S Harbor Loop Dr., Bellingham, WA 98225. Island Time Charters L.L.C., 2615 S Harbor Loop Drive, Bellingham, WA 98225. Jcall Fitness, 551 E Smith Rd., Bellingham, WA 98226. Jessica Bauserman. 118 E Magnolia St., Bellingham, WA 98225. Jill Tetrick, Dds, Llc, 3628 Meridian St Ste 1c, Bellingham, WA 98225. John Andrews, 1317 Commercial St. Suite 201, Bellingham, WA 98225. John Chambers Co., 2218 Julia Ave., Bellingham, WA 98225. Katie’s Kissables, 1205 Lenora Ct. Bellingham, WA 98225. Keith R. Cook, Llc, 913 Lakeway Dr., Bellingham, WA 98229. Kiborin, 2308 West St., Bellingham, WA 98225. Kip’s Design Solutions, 1116 Roland St., Bellingham, WA 98229. Knight Inspections, Llc, 1815 Lakeside Ave.,Bellingham, WA 98229. Kombucha Town, 210 E Chesnut St., Bellingham, WA 98225. Kulshan Eye Care, 4420 Meridian St., Bellingham, WA 98226. Lady J’s Designs, 1607 Larrabee Ave., Bellingham, WA 98225. Language Adventures Llc, 931 W Lake Samish Dr., Bellingham, WA 98229. Leaflo, 1817 E Maryland St., Bellingham, WA 98226. Lm Software, 1216 Birch Falls Dr., Bellingham, WA 98228. Louws Engineering, 2122 D St. Apt 5, Bellingham, WA 98225. Lummi Island Wild Co-Op, LLC, 922 Marine Dr., Bellingham, WA 98229. Mcclain Consulting Services, 2619 Lafayette St., Bellingham, WA 98225. Mg Rios Llc, 2435 Strider Lane Suite 103, Bellingham, WA 98226. Micro Eats, 3979 Griffith Ave., Bellingham, WA 98225.

Minute Key Inc., 1050 E Sunset Dr, Bellingham, WA 98225 Multigen Wealth Services, Inc, 114 W Magnolia St. Suite 407, Bellingham, WA 98225. Nathan’s Custom Woodwork, 2705 Madrona St., Bellingham, WA 98225. Neighborhood Youth Centers, 2100 Broadway St., Bellingham, WA 98225. Nice Cars, 5622 Guide Meridian, Bellingham, WA 98226. North Shore Press, 4152 Meridian St. Suite 105-66, Bellingham, WA 98226. Northwest Retro Gaming, 1625 Woburn St. Apt. 5, Bellingham, WA 98229. Northwest Vein Center, 3104 Squalicum Parkway, Bellingham, WA 98225. Northwest Wildfire Planning Services, 3001 Plymouth Dr., Bellingham, WA 98225. Ohana BBQ, 556 Lohink Place, Bellingham, WA 98229. Options Cabinetry & Interiors, 4071 Hannegan Roa Suite N, Bellingham, WA 98226. Over Easy, 2430 James St., Bellingham, WA 98225. Passion Education, 119 W Chestnut St. Ste 111, Bellingham, WA 98225. Peterson Repair & Trucking, Llc, 4669 Aldrich Road, Bellingham, WA 98226. Pixie Dust Princess Parties, 2950 Newmarket St # 101-252, Bellingham, WA 98226. Pok Pok Pok Asian Bistro, 1255 Barkley Blvd Suite 106, Bellingham, WA 98226. Pri_Mo Painting Llc, 1700 Alabama St., Bellingham, WA 98229. Pt Smart Advanced Physical Therapy Devices, 6 Hawks Hill Pl, Bellingham, WA 98229. Purgason Enterprises, 914 Jersey St., Bellingham, WA 98225. R And D Consult, 1600 Kentucky St. Suite C2, Bellingham, WA 98229. Renadeo Inc., 315 Sea Pines Road, Bellingham, WA 98229. Restorative Massage, 701 N Garden St., Bellingham, WA 98225. Seabreeze Cafe Llc, 21 Bellwether Way Suite 101, Bellingham, WA 98229. Simply Imagine Knit, 2022 Whatcom Ln., Bellingham, WA 98229. Simply Quilled Designs, 16 Louise View Dr., Bellingham, WA 98229. Sindi Boore, 3008 Cornwall Ave., Bellingham, WA 98225. Sprint Taxi Of Bellingham, 3170 Studio Lane Apt 104, Bellingham, WA 98226. Stolzoff Sportworks Llc, 4608 E. Oregon St.,Bellingham, WA98226. SU plugins Inc., 1448 King St., Bellingham, WA 98229. Summit Floor Care, 2610 Alabama St., Bellingham, WA 98229. Swipesterr, 1555 Hillsdale Rd., Bellingham, WA 98226. Symmetrix Finish Works, 3460 Ruth Road, Bellingham, WA 98226. Tajfun USA Llc, 906 Harris Ave # 201, Bellingham, WA 98225. Taverne Transportation Llc, 1023 Jersey St. # 102B, Bellingham, WA 98225. Team Julia, 2000 W North St., Bellingham, WA 98225. The Aras Foundation, 3125 Brandywine Ct Bellingham, WA 98226. The Mattson Group, Llc, 1184 Kale Ln, Bellingham, WA 98226. The Rustic Coffee And Wine Bar, 1319 11th St., Bellingham, WA 98226. The Top Shelf Collective, 4220 Meridian St. Suite 106, Bellingham, WA 98226. Thunderbolt Fishing Services Llc, 1601 E St., Bellingham, WA 98225. Tolar Technologies, Llc, 2227 Midway Lane, Bellingham, WA 98226. Tollhouse Energy Company, 1800 James St. Suite 201, Bellingham, WA 98225. Tracy Lynn Ling, 1401 G St., Bellingham, WA 98225.

February 2015

Trampoline Zone, 4201 Meridian St. Suite 107, Bellingham, WA 98229. Trowe Communications, 2307 Henry St., Bellingham, WA 98225. Trusys, Inc, 1050 Larrabee Ave. Ste 104 #718, Bellingham, WA 98225. Villas Painting, 4015 Eliza Ave Trlr 106, Bellingham, WA 98226. Western Pacific Fence, Llc, 4214 Pacific Hwy, Bellingham, WA 98038. Whatcom Junk Removal, 1550 Lowell Ave., Bellingham, WA 98229. Whitewater Engineering Corporation, 1800 James St. Suite 201, Bellingham, WA 98225. Willow Myers M.A., 1300 W Holly St., Bellingham, WA 98225.

BUILDING PERMITS Includes commercial building activity in Bellingham with an estimated valuation listed at $10,000 or more. Records are obtained from the City of Bellingham’s Permit Center. Status updates on permits are available on the city’s website at http:// pnw.cc/sVCen. 1/12/15 to 1/16/15 Issued permits 1100 Lakeway Drive, $15,000 for commercial: provide new walk-up ATM and millwork enclosure. Contractor: Baker Construction. Permit No.: BLD201400544. 1/12/15. 1 Bellis Fair Parkway, $15,213 for commercial: replace existing kiosk with new 10’ by 15’. Contractor: Pearson Construction Corp. Permit No.: BLD201500008. 1/14/15. 1151 N. State St., $67.000 for tenant improvement with no changes to exterior: new restaurant: Cosmos Cafe. Permit No.: BLD2015-00009. 1/15/15. 229 E. Champion St., $35,000 for tenant improvement: new mercantile occupancy. Contractor: Moceri Construction Inc. Permit No.: BLD2015-00010. 1/16/15 Pending applications 714 Alabama St., $250,000 for commercial: new 100-foot telecommunications tower and 35-foot by 35-foot fenced compound to contain equipment. Permit No.: BLD2015-00015. 1/12/15. 2901 Squalicum Parkway Cn Ground Floor, $289,000 for tenant improvement: interior nonpatient care remodel of 1888 square feet. Permit No.: BLD2014-00588. 1/12/15. 4341 Water Lily LP, $492,585 for new three-story multifamily building. Permit No.: BLD2014-00458. 1/13/15. 4335 Water Lily LP, $515,007 for new three-story multifamily building. Permit No.: BLD2014-00457. 1/13/15. 4345 Water Lily LP, $515,007 for new three-story multifamily building. Permit No.: BLD2014-00456. 1/13/15. 4349 Water Lily LP, $515,007 for new three-story multifamily building. Permit No.: BLD2014-00455. 1/13/15. 4343 Fuchsia Drive, $515,007 for new three-story multifamily building. Permit No.: BLD2014-00454. 1/13/15. 4355 Fuchsia Drive, $385,816 for new three-story multifamily building. Permit No.: BLD2014-00433. 1/13/15. 125 Samish Way, $1,015,691 for commercial: new Walgreen’s pharmacy with drive-thru. Permit No.: BLD2014-00399. 1/14/15. 1148 10th St., $120,000 for tenant improvement: new restaurant in shell tenant space. Permit No.: BLD2014-00561. 1/16/15. Demolition permits None reported with a calculated value of $10,000 or more. 1/5/15 to 1/9/15 Permits Issued 1112 11th St. 302, $10,000 for tenant improvement: alterations of nonbearing walls in office space to create new reception area. Permit No.: BLD2014-00555. 1/5/15. 4051 Meridian St., $80,000 for commercial: swimming pool and spa installation in hotel. Contractor: Rockard Custom Pools LLC. Permit No.:

BLD2014-00532. 1/7/15. 1400 Cornwall Ave., $80,000 for commercial: replacement of canopy and repairs to entry facade and doorway. Contractor: Emerald Builders Inc. Permit No.: BLD2014-00570. 1/8/15. 188 E Kellogg Road, $400,000 for removing and replacing second floor decks and ground floor patios, siding, moulding, flashing: Spring Creek Apartments. Permit No.: BLD2014-00497. 1/8/15. 178 E Kellogg Road, $400,000 for removing and replacing second floor decks and ground floor patios, siding, moulding, flashing: Spring Creek Apartments. Permit No.: BLD2014-00496. 1/8/15. 176 E Kellogg Road, $400,000 for removing and replacing second floor decks and ground floor patios, siding, moulding, flashing: Spring Creek Apartments. Permit No.: BLD2014-00495. 1/8/15. 205 Prospect St., $39,000 for tenant improvement of main floor annex for new sculpture gallery. Contractor: Lookabill General Contracting. Permit No.: BLD201400564. 1/9/15. 2520 James St., $25,000 for commercial: enclose drive-thru area to create additional office space. Contactor: Bellingham Builders. Permit No.: BLD201500554. 1/9/15. 180 E Kellogg Road, $400,000 for removing and replacing second floor decks and ground floor patios, siding, moulding, flashing: Spring Creek Apartments. Permit No.: BLD2014-00499. 1/9/15. 184 E Kellogg Road, $400,000 for removing and replacing second floor decks and ground floor patios, siding, moulding, flashing: Spring Creek Apartments. Permit No.: BLD2014-00498. 1/9/15. Pending applications 1151 N State St., $67,000 for tenant improvement with no changes to exterior: new restaurant: Cosmos Cafe. Permit No.: BLD2015-00009. 1/6/15. PA Western Washington University, $105,176 for commercial: remodel existing classroom 27. Permit No.: BLD2015-00007. 1/6/15. FI Western Washington University, $147,295 for commercial: remodel and expand existing lecture room 238. Permit No.: BLD2015-00006. 1/6/15. FA Western Washington University, $433,099 for commercial: remodel existing auditorium into a multipurpose room. Permit No.: BLD2015-00005. 1/6/15. ES Western Washington University, $208,174 for commercial: upgrades to classroom 318. Permit No.: BLD2015-00004. 1/6/14. HH Western Washington University, $1,127,541 for renovation and modification of existing rooms and systems to create a digital video production studio and related rooms. Permit No.: BLD2014-00003. 1/6/15. PH Western Washington University, $202,234 for educational: renovation and modifications of existing rooms and systems to provide a new classroom. Permit No.: BLD2015-00002. 1/6/15. ET Western Washington University, $163,003 for commercial: expand and upgrade classroom 328. Permit No.: BLD2015-00001. 1/6/15. 229 E Champion St., 35,000 for tenant improvement: new mercantile occupancy. Permit No.: BLD2015-00010. 1/7/15. 915 Kentucky St., $10,600 for commercial: 24’ x 20’ post frame lean to roof only addition to existing storage building. Contractor: Alvord & Richardson Construction Co. Permit No.: BLD2015-00012. 1/8/15. 1 Bellis Fair Parkway 110, $180,000 for tenant improvement: modifications to existing to retail clothing store. Permit No.: BLD2015-00011. 1/8/15. Demolition permits None reported with a calculated value of $10,000 or more. 12/22/15 to 1/2/15 Permits issued 3725 Irongate Road 109, $156,000 for tenant improvement: remodel to existing building for glass working business: Mothership Glass. Contractor: CEH Construction. Permit No.: BLD2014-00490. 12/22/14. 1275 E Sunset Drive, $35,000 for tenant improvement: installation and anchorage of fixtures and storage racks for grocery store. Contractor: Robertson & Olson Construction Inc., Permit No.: BLD2014-00572. 12/23/14.

RECORDS, PAGE 19

February 2015

RECORDS, FROM 19 925 N Forest St., $100,000 for tenant improvement: convert existing educational occupancy to 17 dorm room units with common shower rooms, laundry, kitchen area. Permit No.: BLD2014-00413. 12/23/14. 1835 Barkley Boulevard 101, $26,000 for tenant improvement: install demising wall and reconfigure space for same tenant in smaller area. Contractor: Scoboria Construction Inc. Permit No.: BLD2014-00578. 12/29/14. 1275 E Sunset Drive 101, $100,000 for tenant improvement: a new 425 square-feet credit union in existing Safeway: Industrial Credit Union. Contractor: Market Contractors LTD. Permit No.: BLD2014-00453. 12/29/14. EN Western Washington University, $10,000 for commercial alteration: modify doors and frames to accommodate work within electrical room 7A. Contractor: Quantum Construction Inc. Permit No.: BLD2014-00102. 12/30/14. 2701 Nome Street, $27,800 for commercial: installation of lockable fence enclosure and cooling tower: BTC. Contractor: Saybr Contractors Inc., Permit No.: BLD2014-00470. 12/31/14. Pending applications 4332 Water Lily LP, $661,119 for new three-story, eight-unit multifamily building. Permit No.: BLD201400503. 12/22/14. 4334 Water Lily LP, $661,119 for new three-story, eight-unit multifamily building. Permit No.: BLD201400502. 12/22/14. 4330 Water Lily LP, $661,119 for new three-story, eight-unit multifamily building. Permit No.: BLD201400501. 12/22/14. 4336 Water Lily LP, $661,119 for new three-story, eight-unit multifamily building. Permit No.: BLD201400500. 12/22/14. 4277 Meridian St. 104, $155,000 for commercial alterations: interior demolition to combine two tenant spaces; new restrooms, fixtures, doors, ceiling & finishes to prepare for future tenant. Permit No.: BLD2014-00582. 12/23/14. 210 E Chestnut St., $100,000 for tenant improvement: new kombucha brewery and cafe and alterations to alley door: Kombucha Town. Permit No.: BLD2014-00586. 12/23/14. 4277 Meridian St. 104, $150,000 for tenant improvement: minor demolition, new partitions, interior finishes, plumbing and mechanical: America’s Best Contacts & Eye. Permit No.: BLD2014-2014-00585. 12/23/14. 2901 Squalicum Parkway CN Ground Floor, $289,000 for tenant improvementL interior non patient care remodel of 1888 square feet. Permit No.: BLD2014-00588. 12/30/14. 1155 E Sunset Drive 118, $40,000 for commercial repair: reconstruct front entry posts and beams damaged by rot and replacement of exterior stucco. Contractor: Henifin Construction LLC. Permit No.: BLD2014-00590. 12/31/14. 3105 Old Fairhaven Parkway, $450,000 for commercial: new 6,000 square-foot shell building. Permit No.: BLD2014-00589. 12/31/14. 12/15/15 to 2/19/15 Issued permits 1219 Cornwall Ave., $12,250 for commercial: reroof pitched portion of roof and install new TPO in dead valleys. Contractor: Topside Roofing and Construction. Permit No.: BLD2014-00567. 12/15/14. 1301 W Bakerview Road 103, $30,000 for tenant improvement: new hair salon in an existing space previously a hair salon: Sport Clips. Contractor: Emerald Builders Inc. Permit No.: BLD2014-00542. 12/15/14. 2901 Squalicum Parkway, $283,220 for tenant improvement: minor remodel to nonpatient support spaces: central tower. Contractor: Franklin Corporation. Permit No.: BLD2014-00507. 12/15/14. 125 Samish Way, $253,924 for commercial: Foundation only: Walgreens. Contractor: Robertson &

The Bellingham Business Journal Olson Construction Inc., Permit No.: BLD2014-00565. 12/16/14. 714 Lakeway Drive, $69,000 for tenant improvement: convert specific existing rooms to ADA Accessible rooms, and renovate existing fitness and office areas. No change in use. Contractor: Credo Construction. Permit No.: BLD2014-00557. 12/16/14. 1730 N State St., $83,175 for commercial: roof over built up with new TPO membrane, replace plywood as needed. Contractor: Esary Roofing Siding Co., Permit No.: BLD2014-00559. 12/17/14. 2901 Connelly Ave., B101, $150,000 for tenant improvement: remodel office and storages spaces on basement level for childcare center: includes new exterior accessible ramp and restriped parking. Contractor: Franklin Corporation, Permit No.: BLD201400516. 12/17/14. 2001 H St., $40,000 for tenant improvement: relocate existing restroom. Contractor: Chuckanut Builders LLC, Permit No.: BLD2014-00580. 12/18/14. 218 Unity St., $90,000 for tenant improvement: interior office renovations. Contractor: Franklin Corporation. Permit No.: BLD2014-00563. 12/18/14. 220 Unity St., $15,000 for tenant improvement: interior office renovations. Contractor: The Franklin Corporation. Permit No.: BLD2014-00562. 12/18/14. 3930 Affinity Lane Garage 6, $102,963 for new construction: 1-story garage building accessory to apartments (garage 6). Contractor: Inland Washington LLC. Permit No.: BLD2014-00293. 12/18/14. 3930 Affinity Lane Garage 5, $99,935 for new construction: 1-story garage building accessory to apartments (garage 5). Contractor: Inland Washington LLC. Permit No.: BLD2014-00292. 12/18/14. 3930 Affinity Lane Garage 4, $111,038 for new construction: 1-story garage building accessory to apartments (garage 4). Contractor: Inland Washington LLC. Permit No.: BLD2014-00291. 12/18/14. 3930 Affinity Lane Garage 3, $111,038 for new construction: 1-story garage building accessory to apartments (garage 3). Contractor: Inland Washington LLC. Permit No.: BLD2014-00290. 12/18/14. 3930 Affinity Lane Garage 2, $111,038 for new construction: 1-story garage building accessory to apartments (garage 2). Contractor: Inland Washington LLC. Permit No.: BLD2014-00289. 12/18/14. 3930 Affinity Lane Garage 1, $111,038 for new construction: 1-story garage building accessory to apartments (garage 1). Contractor: Inland Washington LLC. Permit No.: BLD2014-00288. 12/18/14. 3920 Affinity Lane, $505,379 for new construction: New one-story pool amenities building. Contractor: Inland Washington LLC. Permit No.: BLD2014-00287. 12/18/14. 3930 Affinity Lane, $17,097,863 for new construction: four-story, 154-unit multifamily building: Affinity at Bellingham. ContractorL Inland Washington LLC. Permit No.: BLD2014-00286, 12/18/14. 2075 Barkley Boulevard 240. $144, 000 for remodeling portions of two existing medical office spaces for new tenant: NW Eye Surgeons. Contarctor: Scoboria Construction, Inc. Permit No.: BLD201400520. 12/19/14. 935 14th St., $1,177,809 for commercial: interior remodel and addition of new gym, cafeteria, and music room to elementary school. Contractor: Tiger Construction LTD., Permit No.: BLD2014-00411. 12/19/14. Pending applications 3628 Meridian St., 2B, $175,000 for tenant improvement & addition to existing orthodontics clinic. Permit No.: BLD2014-00549. 12/15/14. 924 N Forest St., $100,000 for tenant improvement: convert existing educational occupancy to 17 dorm units with common shower rooms, laundry, kitchen area. Permit No.: BLD2014-00413. 12/15/14. BH Western Washington University, $51,072 for commercial: Add access controls, replace various doors. Permit No.: BLD2014-00576. 12/16/14. AH Western Washington University, $70,730 for commercial: Add access controls, replace various doors.

Permit No.: BLD2014-00575. 12/16/14. 2901 Squalicum Parkway NT, $219,574 for commercial: Construct concrete emergency water reservoir. Permit No.: BLD2014-00577. 12/16/14. CV Western Washington University, $36,728,746 for complete renovation and addition to Carver Gym. Permit No.: BLD2014-00574. 12/16/14. 600 Birchwood Ave., Tenant improvement: interior remodel of 2-story office building for Walgreen’s infusion and respiratory services. Permit No.: BLD201500579. 12/17/14. 1835 Barkley Boulevard 101. $26,000 for tenant improvement: install demising wall and reconfigure space for same tenant in smaller area. Permit No.: BLD2014-00578. 12/17/14. 180 E Kellogg Road, $250,000 for removal and replacement of second floor decks and ground floor patios, siding, flashing, moulding: Spring Creek Apartments. Permit No.: BLD2014-00499. 12/18/14. 184 E Kellogg Road, $400,000 for removal and replacement of second floor decks and ground floor patios, siding, flashing, moulding: Spring Creek Apartments. Permit No.: BLD2014-00498. 12/18/14. 188 E Kellogg Road, $400,000 for removal and replacement of second floor decks and ground floor patios, siding, flashing, moulding: Spring Creek Apartments. Permit No.: BLD2014-00497. 12/18/14. 178 E Kellogg Road, $400,000 for removal and replacement of second floor decks and ground floor patios, siding, flashing, moulding: Spring Creek Apartments. Permit No.: BLD2014-00496. 12/18/14. 176 E Kellogg Road, $400,000 for removal and replacement of second floor decks and ground floor patios, siding, flashing, moulding: Spring Creek Apartments. Permit No.: BLD2014-00495. 12/18/14.

LIQUOR AND MARIJUANA LICENSES Records include license activity in Whatcom County. They are obtained from the Washington State Liquor Control Board, online at www.liq.wa.gov. 1/13/15 to 1/22/15 New license applications Ferndale Grocery Outlet, Grocery Outlet Inc; Charles Bracher, Eric Lindberg Jr., Steven Read Jr. and Michael Ward, applied for a new license to operate as a direct shipment receiver, sell beer and wine in a grocery store, and hold beer and wine tastings at 1750 Labounty Drive Suite A, Ferndale, WA 98248. License No.: 361595. 1/20/15. Kulshan Brewing Company, Kulshan Brewing Company; David Vitt, Michael Vitt, Jonathan Greenwood and Ralph Perona applied for a new license to operate a microbrewery at 1538 Kentucky St., Bellingham, WA 98229. License No.: 419036. 1/16/15. Atwood Ales, Smithington Enterprises LLC; Joshua Smith, Leslee Smith, Stephen Smith applied for a new license to operate a microbrewery at 4012 Sweet Road in Blaine, WA 98230. License No.: 419009. 1/13/15. Recently approved licenses Mt. Baker Gardens, at 5497 Guide Meridian, Bellingham, WA, received approval to operate as a tier 3 marijuana producer. License No.: 415917. 1/16/15. The Local Joint, at 5309 Guide Meridian Road Suite A, Bellingham, WA 98226, received approval on a new license to operate a marijuana retail store. License No.: 414539. 1/15/15. Seifert & Jones Wine Merchants, at 19 Prospect St., Bellingham, WA 98225, received approval on an addition/change in class to a license to operate as a direct shipment receiver-in/out. License No.: 410761. 1/14/15. 12/30/14 to 1/13/15 New license applications Drizzle Olive Oil and Vinegar, Ross and Dana Driscoll applied for a new license to sell beer and wine in a specialty shop at 1208 11th St., Unit B, Bellingham, WA 98225. License No.: 419016. 1/9/15. Coach House Cellars, Couch House Cellars LLC; Paxton Rembert, Shannon Rembert, Scott Whitman,

and Denise Whitman applied for a new license to manufacture wine at a domestic winery with a production of less than 250,000 liters per year and sell wine for on- or off-premises consumption. License No.: 419016. 1/5/15. Dmitri’s Greek & Italian Restaurant, Kretan Inc; Konstantinos Theodorakakos, Andreas A Theodorakak, Andreas I Theodorakakos applied for an assumption to an existing liquor license to change the name of the restaurant to Sparta. License No.: 089042. 12/30/14. Recently approved licenses Cannabis King Gardens, at 2134 Pacific St., Bellingham, WA 98229, received approval for a new application to operate as a tier 1 marijuana producer. License No.: 416308. 1/8/15. Evergreen Cannabis, at 922 Peace Portal Drive, Blaine, WA 98230, received approval on a new license to sell marijuana at a retail store. License No.: 4150645. 1/7/15. Fine Detail Greenway, at 3863 Hannegan Road Suite 106, Bellingham, WA 98226, received approval on a new license to operate as a tier 2 marijuana producer. License No.: 412400. 1/7/15. Blaine Bouquets, at 625 Peace Portal Drive, Blaine, WA 98230, received approval on an assumption to a license to be a direct shipment receiver. License No.: 405480. 1/5/15. Mozza, at 410 W. Bakerview Road Suite 108, Bellingham, WA 98226, received approval on a new application to serve beer and wine in a restaurant. License No.: 418634. 1/5/15. Nok’s Thai Cuisine, at 1213 Dupont St., Bellingham, WA 98225, received approval on a new license to sell beer and wine in a restaurant. License No.: 082425. 1/5/14. Discontinued licenses The Fountain, at 1910 Broadway, Bellingham, WA 98225, had a liquor license discontinue. License No.: 404860. 1/12/15. Jeckyl & Hyde BBQ & Deli, at 794 Kentucky St., Bellingham, WA 98225, had a snack bar license discontinued. License No.: 408691. 1/8/15. Purple Smile Wines, at 1143 11th St., Bellingham, WA 98225, had a license to serve beer and wine in a restaurant discontinued. License No.: 088473. 12/30/14. 12/16/15 to 12/30/15 New license applications Maple Fuels Wash-A-Ton; Gold Root Investments LLC, Kim Alice Lee applied for a new license to sell beer/wine/spirits in a grocery store at 7797 Silver Lake Road, Maple Falls, WA 98266. License No.: 079627. 12/22/14. Three Flavors Kitchen; Nick’s Kitchen Inc, Nicholas Apreza-Pareja and Eloisa Ortega-Martinez, applied for a new license to serve spirits/beer/wine in a restaurant lounge at 507 Nooksack Ave., Nooksack, WA 98276. License No.: 418637. 12/22/14. Recently approved licenses Dr. Bubbers, at 2750 Peace Portal Drive Suite A, Blaine, WA 98230, received a new license to operate as a tier 2 marijuana producer. License No.: 413920. 12/24/14. Osaka Japanese Restaurant, at 3207 Northwest Ave., Bellingham, WA 98225, received approval on an addition/change of class/in lieu to a license to serve beer and wine in a restaurant. License No.: 083471. 12/22/24/ Safeway Growlers Store #3285, at 1275 E. Sunset Drive Suite 102, Bellingham, WA 98226, received approval on a new license application to sell beer/wine in a specialty shop. License No.: 418853. 12/22/14. Perfectly Paired, at 1200 Old Fairhaven Parkway #101, Bellingham, WA 98225, received approval on an addition/change in class/in lieu to an existing license to operate as a direct shipment receiver. License No.: 402048. 12/18/14. Recently discontinued licenses The Black Cat, at 1200 Harris Ave., Suite 103, Bellingham, WA, 98225, had a license to sell spirits/ beer/wine in a restaurant and lounge discontinued. License No.: 361140. 12/17/14.

FEDERAL TAX LIENS

Tax liens of $5,000 or more issued by the Internal Revenue Service. Listings include taxpayer name(s), lien amount, document number and filing date. Records are obtained locally from the Whatcom County Auditor’s Office. Doug & Susan Jay, $62,774.34, 2141202440, 12/22/14. Columbia Cabinets Northwest LLC, $16,559.98, 2141202441, 12/22/14. Mike Parcher, $118,504.83, 2141202931, 12/29/14. Drew R Rosser, $398,899.47, 2141202932, 12/29/14. Nicholas M Kurtz, $46,042.78, 2150100318, 1/6/15. Reference Media Inc., $12,954.56, 2150100948, 1/12/15. Columbia Cabinets Northwest LLC, $14,438.37, 2150100949, 1/12/15. Bradford Long & Kathy Hefner Long, $28,840.59, 2150100951, 1/12/15. Century Mining US Corporation, $61,614.52, 2150100952, 1/12/15. Pioneer Pole Building & General Construction Inc., $66,400.20, 2150101461, 1/16/15. Pegasus Corporation, $5,272.40, 2150101712, 1/20/15. Roger C Jones DDS., $58,767.03, 2150101713, 1/20/15. Dahlgren Excavating, $27,369.49, 2150101714, 1/20/15.

RELEASE OF FEDERAL TAX LIENS

Reference Media Inc., $23,012.69, 2141201553, 12/15/15. Gregory Mumford, $7,582.39, 2141201554, 12/15/15. Augustus Contracting, $15,152.07, 2141201555. 12/15/15. HB Hansen Construction Inc., $28,088.01, 2141201556, 12/15/15. Edward Devaney, $11,145.71, 2141201558, 12/15/15. Startouch Inc., $26,797.60, 2151202442, 12/22/15. Paul & Linda Highes, $246,202.54, 2141202933, 12/29/15. David Vis, $69,785.62, 2150100319, 1/6/15. Daniel J. Lindsay, $26,574.84, 2150100320, 1/6/15. Rutledge Embroidery Corp., $15,544.81, 2150100321, 1/6/15. North Country Lawn Care, $57,741.50, 2150100322, 1/6/15. Duncan A Newland, $13,944.77, 2150100954, 1/12/15. Jerstedt Lumber Co. Inc., $15,043.13, 2150101715, 1/20/15.

STATE TAX JUDGEMENTS

Kyle Wilson, $8,194.77, Employment security, 15-200093-1, 1/20/15. Visiting nurse personal service, $8,832.44, L&I, 15-2-00050-7, 1/14/15 Copper Hog, LLC, $34,430.20, Revenue, 15-2-000523, 1/15/15. Susan Urias, $11,411.05, Revenue, 15-2-00053-1, 1/15/15. Jodie Mathis, $7,987.95, Revenue, 15-2-00047-7, 1/14/15. Dan’s Automotive, $9,245.24, Revenue, 15-200048-5, 1/14/15. Stacy Bloch, $7,755.64, Revenue, 15-2-00049-3, 1/14/15. Florencio Cruz and Maria Ibarra, $7,660.47, L&A, 15-2-00030-2, 1/9/15. Copper Hog LLC, $6,438.66, L&A, 15-2-00031-1, 1/9/15.

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The Bellingham Business Journal

February 2015

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February 2015

The Bellingham Business Journal

State revenue director returns to private sector BY Jennifer Sasseen (Everett) Herald Business Journal

When Carol K. Nelson left the Department of Revenue last month to return to banking, she chose a bank whose CEO is a woman bent on helping other women achieve the C-suite, slang for the industry’s top jobs, such as Chief Executive Officer, Chief Operating Officer and Chief Financial Officer. Named the “Most Powerful Woman in Banking” by American Banker magazine last year for the second year in a row, Key Bank Corp. CEO Beth Mooney, 59, stressed “the need for women to help women find the path to success” when she spoke last October to a group of women recognized by the magazine as leaders in their field. “We at the top of our organizations have an obligation to reach down and to lift up the next generation of women as they dream and stretch for the C-suite,” Mooney said. Last September she told The Plain Dealer newspaper, of Cleveland, Ohio, that she is proud of Key Bank’s reputation regarding diversity and inclusion. Of Cleveland-based Key’s 14,000 employees, 36 percent of its leadership team is comprised of women and minorities, which also hold 7 of 13 positions on Key’s board of trustees, she said. Mooney’s position as Key Bank CEO “was definitely a factor that I considered” before deciding on her new job, said Nelson, 58, former chief executive of Everett-based Cascade Bank, who joined Key Bank on Jan. 20 as Seattle market president and Pacific region sales executive. She called Mooney “a phenomenal leader” and said she agrees with Mooney that women in leadership positions have an added responsibility of being role models for their peers. “My views are very much in alignment with hers on this issue,” Nelson said. It’s not just about women, Nelson said, but about creating a diverse team that includes women and minorities. “Beth believes that diversity balances an administration,” she said. “I certainly agree with her on that.” It’s a viewpoint shared by Washington Gov.

Carol K. Nelson Jay Inslee, Nelson said, which she experienced firsthand during her two-year stint as director of the Department of Revenue. “Our state has done an excellent job in promoting women into positions of responsibility,” she said. Inslee promoted a “broad diversity” by including not just women in his appointments, but different ethnicities as well as representatives of both the public and private sectors, Nelson said. And diversity makes for a strong team, she said. That’s a sentiment shared by Phyllis Campbell, 63, chairman for the Pacific Northwest of JPMorgan Chase, one of two local financial leaders Nelson named as being women she particularly admires for being successful in their careers and consistently willing to mentor other professional women. (The other leader Nelson named is Deanna Oppenheimer, 56, who left her executive position with Barclays PLC in the U.K. at the end of 2011, and is now chief executive of CameoWorks LLC, a retail and financial services advisory firm she helped found, with an office in downtown Seattle). The inclusion of women at the top level of banking is not a social-purpose issue, Campbell told the Portland Business Journal last year, following a meeting of women business leaders in Portland. “It’s an economic issue. “When you have diverse folks around the table,” she said, “you get much more innovation, innovative thinking; diverse opinions lead to better results. There is a correlation between great financial results and having a

diverse leadership team.” In the financial world, however, women still have a long way to go. Mooney may have shattered a glass ceiling when she was named CEO in 2011 of Key Bank Corp., recognized as being among the top 20 largest banks in the country, and Nelson herself at least cracked it when she became CEO of Everettbased Cascade Financial in 2001, but women remain under-represented in banking leadership positions. And the ranks have thinned in the past couple of years, as some women, like Oppenheimer, have gone on to start their own businesses and others, like HSBC USA chief executive Irene Dorner, 60, seek retirement. “We need a pipeline of talented women in the system, and this is about critical mass,” said Dorner, at American Banker’s recognition of women event last October. “If we stick to the current rate of turnover, it’s going to take 75 years to reach parity.” A report released in December by global management consulting firm Oliver Wyman agrees women are far-too-often an untapped talent. Noting that it’s been suggested the financial crisis might have been averted if more women had been in charge, the firm analyzed the gender mix of 150 financial companies worldwide and surveyed more than 1,000 current and potential financial services employees from five countries, finding that “it is less than half as likely for a woman in financial services to progress from a middle to a senior level position as it is for a man.” “The glass ceiling appears to be largely intact,” states the report, which itself was prompted, as stated in the foreward, by Oliver Wyman’s struggle to understand and rectify its own lack of gender diversity. “Diversity improves average staff caliber,” the report states, “and not only by making better use of half of the talent pool. A diverse and inclusive workplace is an important part of attracting and retaining the best talent, both male and female, and allows firms to understand their customers better.”

SKI RETAIL, FROM 10 Essentials’ boot fitters help skiers find boots that fit right, they bake the boots’ liners for a custom fit, and they can also modify and reshape plastic boot shells. Gerston said he’d like to be selling more skis, but the shop has seen a steady flow of customers who want ski tuning and boot fitting service. “We put a lot of attention on ski and boot services,” Gerston said. In response to the Sportsman Chalet closing, Yeager’s Sporting Goods, at 3101 Northwest Ave., also expanded the ski shop portion of its store this year, and now carries more rental gear and several new brands. Yeager’s carries everything from hunting and fishing gear to food preservation equipment. Its ski shop sells skis, snowboards, boots and other gear for both resort and backcountry skiing. The shop also does custom boot fitting and tuning. Dylan Rees, head of the store’s ski and paddle sports department, said the shop’s selection grew by 15 to 20 percent this year, and sales have grown by 20 to 30 percent. New brands at Yeager’s include Burton Snowboards, which Fairhaven Bicycle used to carry and was previously unavailable to other shops in the area, Rees said. Burton is one of the largest snowboard brands in the world. Aside from Yeager’s, Gerston at Backcountry Essentials said his only other local competition is REI. “Yeager’s and REI are competition that we like,” he said. “If I were to complain about anything it would be Amazon.”

Oliver Lazenby, associate editor of The Bellingham Business Journal, can be reached at 360-647-8805, Ext. 5052, or olazenby@ bbjtoday.com.

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Pew Research report finds changes in Business Toolkit the state of social media marketing

In January, the Pew Research Center, a nonpartisan organization that analyzes global issues and trends, published its annual report on the state of social media, which includes data compiled between 2012 and 2014.

book – they are still able to increase follower base and expand the reach of shared posts. Don’t give up on Facebook, but do establish a budget and learn how to use its ad manager.

Facts and findings

sites like Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn also saw significant increases in users between 2012 and 2014. LinkedIn rose from being used by 20 percent of internet users to being used by 28 percent. Instagram rose from 13 percent to 26 percent and Twitter went from 16 percent to 23 percent. One interesting fact about Twitter use – the number of male users and users with annual household incomes of more than $50,000 significantly increased. So did the amount of Twitter users who live in urban areas and are college graduates.

The report detailed many interesting statistics on how social media can be used to reach a desired audience. Below are some of the best takeaways from the research, along with thoughts for how this information could impact local small businesses.

Is Facebook still viable? While its growth leveled off between 2013 and 2014, Facebook remains the most popular social media site. Seventy-one percent of online adults (58 percent of the entire adult population) use Facebook, which is up from 67 percent in 2012. Seventy percent of users visit the site daily. Tip: These numbers are significant! When used properly, Facebook is still a powerful marketing tool for small businesses. I have seen local companies have measurable success with paid ads on Face-

Look at other options: Social networking

Tip: Facebook is not the only game in town. Consider having key members of your management team create LinkedIn profiles. Also consider whether your business would be a good fit for Instagram’s demographic or re visit your company’s Twitter account that may have been abandoned two years ago. Your target market

may not have used Twitter back than, but they might now.

Embrace social variety: Multi-

platform use is on the rise—52 percent of online adults now use two Patti or more social Rowlson media sites. That number was 42 percent in 2013. On Social Facebook is Media & considered their Marketing “home base” or primary account, and they dabble with other sites like Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest, and LinkedIn. Tip: Diversify! But don’t jump on all the social platforms without a plan for content and consistent maintenance of each site. Understand your consumers and learn to use the social media platforms they are choosing to use daily, not just the ones you

February 2015

are comfortable with.

Age may be more important than ever: More than half of all online adults

age 65 and older use Facebook and half of internet users between the ages of 18 and 29 use Instagram.

Tip: Companies that know the age range of customers should focus social media marketing efforts on the platforms being used by those consumers. If customers are in the 40-and-older crowd, now may not be the right time to invest resources into Instagram. Instead, try the paid advertising program on Facebook that allows targeting by age. We’ve all heard the phrase “knowledge is power,” right? The Pew Research Report provides business owners and marketers with the information needed to make powerful decisions about social media marketing. Those hungry to learn more can find a free copy of the Pew Research Report online.

Patti Rowlson is a marketing consultant and social media manager at PR Consulting, Inc. Learn more about smallbusiness marketing by visiting www.pattirowlson.com.

Use a solo 401(k) for self-employed retirement planning Saving for retirement as a self-employed individual can be difficult. Without an employer setting up and contributing to a 401(k) or similar plan, retirement savings often fall off the radar. But if you are self-employed without employees, you and your spouse have access to one of the most powerful and underutilized retirement planning tools available: the “One-Participant 401(k) Plan.” These are also referred to as Individual 401(k), Solo 401(k), or Uni-k.

Higher contribution limits The Solo 401(k) is powerful for a variety of reasons including high contribution limits, tax advantages, and low administration/ costs. The features of this plan are similar to 401(k) plans: Contributions are made pre-tax (not taxed) and investments grow tax-deferred until they are withdrawn at ordinary income tax rates. Just like many corporate plans, you also have the ability to make ROTH employee contributions, which are contributed after tax but with-

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Costs and administration of the Solo 401(k) account are similar to an IRA. You will be subject to fees associated with a custodian holding your account and the underlying investments you choose, but will avoid administration costs typically found in corporate 401(k) plans. Avoiding third party administrator, custody, and revenue sharing fees associated with corporate retirement plans could save $3,500 a year. Essentially, you have the ability to pay only for the services you find valuable. A Solo 401(k) also enables you to choose the investments that are right for you –

unlike a corporate 401(k) plan in which you are typically limited to the investment choices offered by that particular plan. The Solo 401(k) plan doesn’t have any testing or reporting requirements until assets reach $250,000. Once assets cross this threshold, you are required to submit Form 5500-SF or 5500-EZ to the IRS. Having employees other than your spouse will typically disqualify you from being able to set up a Solo 401(k) unless the employees are under age 21, work less than a 1,000 hours a year (owner and spouse exempt), or operate as independent contractors.

More savings options A Solo 401(k) can also be used to open the door for other planning strategies. An employee who already participates in a 401(k) plan through work, but also operates a side business could open a Solo 401(k) to reach the combined contribution limits. Those with income too high to contribute to a ROTH IRA could transfer IRA accounts into the Solo 401(k) allowing them to make Backdoor ROTH IRA contributions without being subject to the pro-rata rule. The Solo 401(k) can also allow for inplan ROTH conversions providing another financial planning tool to control when taxes are paid. If you are self-employed without employees and looking for a tax-advantaged savings tool, ask your financial advisor about a Solo 401(k). It may just be your ticket to retirement success.

W. Devin Wolf is the chief investment officer and leads the 401(k) branch at Financial Plan Inc. He partners with business owners, CEOs and executives to create comprehensive financial solutions. Learn more at www.financialplaninc.com

February 2015

The Bellingham Business Journal

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February 2015