Vol. 22 No. 12
DEC 2014 Solar manufacturer Itek Energy is expanding to Minnesota [Page 16]
The Buzz Handmade lingerie Sandmaiden, an Etsy store turned retail boutique, opened in the Sycamore Square building in Fairhaven. The store sells handmade sleepwear. SANDMAIDEN, 7
Woman of the year
The Whatcom Women in Business named Carolyn Saletto, owner of Gym Star Sports Center in Ferndale, 2014’s Professional Woman of the Year. CAROLYN SALETTO, 4
Student housing project abandoned After breaking ground on a 216unit apartment complex south of Lakeway Fred Meyer, Campus Crest Construction announced it is selling the property. STUDENT HOUSING, 4
This month’s business toolkit
Blaine, WA 98230
British Columbia’s shipping address for online shopping BY OLIVER LAZENBY The Bellingham Business Journal Shops that you’d expect to see in a seaside town line Peace Portal Drive in downtown Blaine — restaurants with outdoor seating facing Drayton Harbor, an ice cream parlor, and consignment and antique shops. Mixed in are an increasing number of storefronts of a different type — package receiving
businesses. The Vancouver metro area, home to 2.3 million residents, sprawls south all the way to the border, a few blocks from downtown Blaine. A growing number of those Canadians are shopping online and saving money on international shipping costs by sending their packages to one of the 15 package receiving businesses in Blaine, which hold packages for a fee until their owners pick them up.
Canadians ship to the United States for several reasons. Some U.S. companies don’t ship to Canada, or if they do, they charge extra shipping fees. Some that do ship to Canada only offer free shipping to the U.S. Often, by picking up a package in the U.S., Canadians can avoid paying Canadian sales tax. “If they come down here and pick it up and declare it at the border, more often than not
How to avoid malware, the importance of trust in the workplace, and using email as an “owned” marketing platform. BUSINESS TOOLKIT, 21
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Pamela and Dennis Wilson, owners of Edge Logistics in Blaine, stand inside the package receiving area of their warehouse. In December, the pile of packages behind them will be a mountain, Pamela Wilson said. OLIVER LAZENBY PHOTO | THE BELLINGHAM BUSINESS JOURNAL
[17]Receiving Canada’s packages
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[5] Make.Shift
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Music and arts nonprofit is working on a community radio station and training a new executive director.
[4] Student housing project cancelled A North Carolina firm that broke ground in October on a $30 million project on 15 acres south of Lakeway Fred Meyer is selling the property.
[9] Philanthropy center opens Barry Weafer
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Whatcom Community Foundation, United Way of Whatcom County and Chuckanut Health Foundation moved into the Whatcom Center for Philanthropy in November.
[10] Market Indicators [21] Business Toolkit
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The Bellingham Business Journal A division of Sound Publishing Inc. 1909 Cornwall Ave., Bellingham, WA 98225 Phone (360) 647-8805 Fax (360) 647-0502 Visit us online at www.BBJToday.com Editorial Department: Oliver Lazenby, associate editor, olazenby@bbjtoday.com (Send press releases, story pitches and general inqueries to editor@bbjtoday.com) Advertising Department: Kelley Denman, advertising sales manager, kdenman@bbjtoday.com (Send general inqueries about advertising, for print and online, to sales@bbjtoday.com) Subscription information: (888) 838-3000, circulation@bbjtoday.com 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.
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BUSINESS BRIEFS 2020 Solutions opens its second retail marijuana store 2020 Solutions, one of Bellingham’s first retail marijuana stores, openeda second location that the company’s senior vice president of operations, Aaron Nelson, said is the second of many more stores to come. The new store at 5655 Guide Meridian, 4.5 miles north of Interstate 5 between Axton Road and the Hilltop Restaurant, opened at 4:20 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 1. It’s open from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily. 2020 Solutions’ original location is at 2018 Iron Street. Nelson said that, as far as he knows, 2020 Solutions is the first marijuana retailer in the state to open a second store. “We’re planning on opening a new store every couple months,” he said. “We’ll definitely be expanding outside of the county.” Exact locations of future stores depends on where 2020 can get licenses, Nelson said. 2020’s second location is the fifth marijuana retail store in Bellingham. According to Washington State Liquor Control Board data, sales at Bellingham’s first two marijuana retail stores — 2020 Solutions and Top Shelf Cannabis — declined in September, after Cascade Herb Company and Green Leaf opened stores in Bellingham in late August. Nelson expects 2020’s Guide Meridian store to serve a different market than its original location, he said. “We definitely expect to reach a different market being close to Ferndale, Lynden and Everson,” he said. “Our first location is doing well, we’re just looking to have another more convenient location for our North County customers.” Marijuana products from NW Organic Nursery, a new tier 3 producer from Everson, will be for sale for the first time on Saturday at 2020 Solutions’ new store. Tier 3 is the state’s largest producer license, allowing for 10,000 to 30,000 square feet of plant canopy. The first 50 customers at the new 2020 store can buy NW Organic Nursery’s
Rocket Man Super Joint, a bubble hash-infused, all-flower product, for $10, according to a press release.
Blue Sea Systems bought by global brand Blue Sea Systems, Bellingham makers of marine electrical systems, was acquired by Power Products LLC, a global marine electrical company, on Oct. 31, 2014. Michele Goldsmith, Power Products spokesperson, said the acquisition won’t change anything for the 83 full-time employees at Blue Sea Systems’ Bellingham facility. “It’s just business as usual,” Goldsmith said. “The name will stay same, the leadership will stay the same, The facility and supply chain will stay the same.” Goldsmith said the two companies’ products are similar, but that they would compliment each other. In a press release, Blue Sea Systems CEO Scott
Renne said he views Power Products ownership as a great fit for his company’s customers and employees. “We are very pleased to partner with Power Products as we take Blue Sea Systems to its next stage of growth,” he said. Power Products has about 1,000 employees around the world, including at a manufacturing facility in Mexico, European headquarters in Amsterdam, and a sourcing facility in Shanghai, in addition to its U.S. headquarters in Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin.
Dakota Creek Winery gets distribution in five counties Dakota Creek Winery’s wine will soon be available in wine shops, grocery stores and restaurants in Whatcom, Skagit, San Juan, Island and Snohomish Counties. The family-owned winery in Blaine signed a distribution deal with Walton Beverage, a Ferndale-based pepsi distributor. Walton
Beverage began distributing craft beer about six months ago, and two months ago they began distributing wine and spirits, said Prudy Carothers, wine sales manager at Walton Beverage. Winery owner Ken Peck welcomed the deal. “They specialize in the market and they know it. They’ve been established for so long, they know the contacts,” Peck said. “I really like making wine and I like running the tasting room at the winery. Marketing, outside sales and delivering — to me that was just a job, so this works out really well.” Formerly, Dakota Creek Winery wine was only available at the winery at 3575 Haynie Road in Blaine, and in a few locations in Northern Whatcom County, including BelleWood Acres and Semiahmoo Resort. The winery has a wine club with 1,100 members who either pick up wine at the winery or have it delivered to their home. Peck calls his winery a “retirement job,” but he’s
waiting to see if the distribution agreement means he’ll need to make more wine.
Store and nonprofit team up to bring school uniforms to Kenya Launching Success Learning Store donated
to Bellingham-based nonprofit Tembo Trading Education Project for the ninth year in a row with a donation of $3826.22 worth of school uniforms. Next year, Tembo Trading Education Project will take the uniforms to children in Kenya who desperately need them. “We will be returning to Kenya next year and
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Carolyn Saletto named 2014 Professional Woman of the Year
The Whatcom Women in Business named Carolyn Saletto, owner of Gym Star sports Center in Ferndale, the 2014 Professional Woman of the Year. The gym has programs for children of all ages ranging from gymnastics and trampoline to parkour. In April 2014, Gym Stars Sports Center moved into its new, custom-built home at 5519 Hovander Road, Suite 109.Saletto and her husband opened Gym Star Sports in 2005. In 2006, they added Shooting Stars Preschool to the gym.
Saletto awards scholarships to her preschool to deserving families, and mentors gym members and employees. From 1993 to 2004, Saletto taught gymnastics in a school bus turned mobile gymnastics facility called the Gym Bus. She traveled around Whatcom and Skagit Counties, teaching classes at preschools, day care facilities, festivals, company picnics and birthday parties. Saletto went to Sehome High School, where she was a top gymnast, and according to a press release from the Whatcom Women in Business, she can still backflip. After high school, Saletto attended San Jose State University on an athletic scholarship, and then coached at gymnastics clubs on the East Coast before moving back to Whatcom County. This year’s Professional Woman of the Year finalists were Christine Jenkins, director of sales and marketing for the Best Western Plus Lakeway Inn; Mary Kay Robinson, real estate broker at Windermere Real Estate; Marisa Papetti, owner of The Crossing Guide Magazine; Paula McCandlis, attorney at Brett Murphy Knapp McCandlis and Brown; Bellingham Mayor Kelli Linville; and Saletto. The Bellingham Business Journal is a media sponsor for Whatcom Women in Business’ Professional Women of Year awards.
Campus Crest student housing project cancelled BY OLIVER LAZENBY The Bellingham Business Journal
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The North Carolina firm that broke ground on a 216-unit apartment complex in Bellingham in October will not finish. After applying for permits for a 10-building project with an estimated value of more than $30 million, Campus Crest Construction announced in a press release on Nov. 4 that it will be “discontinuing all construction and development.” The company’s Bellingham project, called “the Grove,” was south of Lakeway Fred Meyer and West of Lincoln Creek, next to Interstate 5. In a Nov. 20 press release, Campus Crest Construction announced its intent to sell it’s Bellingham property, a 15-acre site. Kathy Bell, City of Bellingham planner, said the city had not received any formal correspondence from Campus Crest Construction. The company will be responsible for stabilizing the site, but she said the site is not particularly prone to erosion.
Campus Crest is selling nine undeveloped sites all over the country. The company is going through a “strategic repositioning,” according to the press release, that includes simplifying its business model and laying off 45 people. The company’s CEO, Ted Rollins, resigned and was replaced by Richard Kahlbaugh as interim CEO. Donnie Bobbitt, Chief Financial Officer, also resigned. Campus Crest Construction, doing business as The Grove, operates apartment complexes geared toward college students throughout the country, including in Pullman, Ellensburg, and Cheney, Washington. The Grove’s slogan is “fully loaded college living,” and all Grove complexes have 24-hour fitness centers, tanning beds, and a variety of other amenities. There are multiple projects going on south of Fred Meyer. The Campus Crest property is at the northeastern edge of the area between Lincoln Street and Interstate 5.
Oliver Lazenby, associate editor of The Bellingham Business Journal, can be reached at 360-647-8805, Ext. 5052, or olazenby@bbjtoday.com.
December 2014
The Bellingham Business Journal
Changes ahead for music and arts nonprofit
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Make.Shift is getting a new executive director and starting a radio station BY ELANA PIDGEON For The Bellingham Business Journal In the basement of a building on Flora Street, a band sets up on a low stage as people file down the stairs and into the dimly lit space. The singer taps the mic. Some of the crowd moves closer to the front; others hang back on the couches lining either side of the room. A sign at the entrance reads “No Drugs. No Booze. No Jerks.” Make.Shift, a nonprofit in downtown Bellingham, started the venue as an outlet for all-ages shows. Now Make.Shift’s space at 306 Flora St. boasts an art gallery and studios available to rent by visual artists and musicians, in addition to the all-ages venue. They just received a license from the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to start a low-power FM community radio station in Bellingham. Make.Shift is always looking for new and creative ways to generate revenue, executive director Cat Sieh said. Finding those creative ways has helped the organization succeed at its mission of helping and fostering a community of emerging musicians and artists. “The reason Make.Shift is successful and sustainable is because we worked really hard to diversify our income,” Sieh said. “If we tried to live off show income, we would not be here.” This past year, Make.Shift’s income was 61 percent from public support - individual donations and business sponsorships - and 39 percent program income - merchandise sales, commission on art sales and studio rent income. They also hold annual fundraisers including Block Party in the summer and a haunted house in the fall.
Make.Shift, at 306 Flora St., in Bellingham, has space for concerts, art studios, and practice space for bands. ELANA PIDGEON PHOTO | FOR THE BELLINGHAM BUSINESS JOURNAL
Their newest venture, the community radio station will operate on 100 watts, meaning it will reach a radius of 3 to 7 miles. The Make.Shift staff wants it to be a “true community radio station,” where input is welcome, Sieh said. Make.Shift held a community meeting Oct. 11 to get an idea of what people in the area wanted to see happen with the radio station. Sieh said about 25 people came to the meeting and lots of them were interested in seeing local
news, radio theatre and serialized fiction, or wanting to know how they could DJ. The staff has a lot to learn about radio, but they have a good idea of how other people have done it, she said. Their timeline for getting the station up-and-running depends on how interested the community is in seeing it happen. Starting the radio station will cost between $10,000 and
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MAKE.SHIFT, FROM 5 $20,000, which will pay for equipment such as a transmitter, an antenna and turntables, Sieh said. After that, they hope to fund ongoing operational costs with things including an annual fund drive, underwriting and private donations. The staff of Make.Shift also hired a new executive director at the end of November: Jessica Harbert, a member of Make.Shift’s board of directors. Sieh, the current director, is moving on to spend more time working on her 10-acre homestead north of town, she said. Harbert will train with her over December and take over by the end of January. “What the organization needs is somebody who isn’t just going to do a good job keeping the operation going,” Sieh said. “They need to also have vision and drive. We need someone who’s inspired.” They were looking for someone who also sees the potential Make.Shift has for more things such as youth outreach and fundraising. Harbert will be a great fit because she’s so motivated and already knows the organization’s inner workings, Sieh said. “She’s going to be a great person to jump in and hit the ground running,” Sieh said. “Jessica knows what we do really well and she wants to expand on those things.” Harbert has been on Make.Shift’s board of directors for more than a year. She’s a journalism alumna from Western Washington University and has worked at marketing firm Fifthonsixth, managed Bayou on Bay and served on the board for the Downtown Bellingham Partnership. “I’m so proud of what Make.Shift has accomplished since I helped found the organization in 2008,” Sieh said. “We’ve really shown the community the value of an allages art and music hub.” Make.Shift began as a van-share. When gas prices soared in 2008, bands were losing money and couldn’t afford to go on tour anymore. The founders of Make.Shift, including Sieh, wanted to support musicians and lighten the environmental impact, so they bought a van and let
December 2014
bands use it to go on tour for free. They operated out of peoples’ homes for almost three years. They now have three paid staff members and hundreds of volunteers a year, Sieh said. Their focus changed naturally - from a free tour van to what they are now - based on what they thought artists and musicians in the area needed to succeed. Make.Shift hosts about 60 all-ages shows and 12 visual art exhibitions every year. Their concert space fits more than 200 people, and they have to think outside the box about ways to survive financially because usually drink sales are essential for music venues’ income. Make.Shift houses studios they rent out on monthly leases to bands and visual artists. Sieh said a lot of the bands renting studio space from them are the “louder genres,” including metal and punk bands, because they
“The reason Make.Shift is successful and sustainable is because we worked really hard to diversify our income.”
CAT SIEH EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR MAKE.SHIFT
need a space to practice without getting in trouble with neighbors or a landlord about noise. Initially Make.Shift wanted to create an all-ages space because there weren’t really any in Bellingham and they thought it was important for young people to have a safe place to hang out and get involved with local music, Sieh said. But all-ages shows aren’t just for people under 21, Sieh said. Depending on the band playing, the audience can be high school students, college students, people over 21 who don’t like the bar scene or parents with little kids. Make.Shift is trying to attract a varied audience. Sieh said. They hope to connect young people who want to get involved in music and art with people who already are. “I think Bellingham is really unique; the community is different, and it seems more family-oriented. People are more willing to make more connections across different age groups than other places,” said Anne Lenau, after playing a show at Make.Shift last month. There’s a blending of art and music at Make.Shift. Jess Flegel, the gallery director at Make.Shift, said people coming for a show might see the gallery and be inspired to start promoting their art, or parents who come for the gallery and wouldn’t seek out a rock show venue might realize their kids would want to volunteer with the music side of things. Their gallery isn’t just about helping artists sell work, Sieh said. They help new artists with “all those things you don’t think about when you go in a gallery:” how to price work, how to hang it and so on. “We give them the skills to go to the next gallery and feel confident,” Sieh said. “If you don’t have a place for experiential learning, how are you going to learn?” Flegel said they aim for high standards of presentation in the gallery so artists are prepared when they go onto other shows. “There’s something about seeing your work on a gallery wall that’s really exciting,” Flegel said. “Getting that momentum is important for artists.”
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Sandmaiden brings handmade sleepwear to Fairhaven An online sleepwear and lingerie shop opened a retail boutique with ample design space in Fairhaven BY Jeanne Klobnak-Ball For The Bellingham Business Journal What began in 2007 as perhaps the first handmade lingerie shop on Etsy grew into a brick and mortar design studio and retail boutique last September. Located in Fairhaven’s turn-of-the-century Sycamore Square building, Sandmaiden loungewear reveals owner and designer Amanda Boyd’s talent for creating distinctive feminine attire made with natural and organic fibers. Until moving to Bellingham late last summer, Boyd worked out of her Seattle home, designing, sewing and selling her Sandmaiden intimate apparel on a madeto-order basis through Etsy, an online marketplace for handcrafted goods. Sandmaiden sales steadily grew since beginning in 2007, as did the need for production space. Serendipitous circumstances led Boyd to her ideal design studio at Sycamore Square, she said. Boyd’s perfect retail space became available at just the right moment, she said. Her storefront, framed by wood floor and bare brick walls, offers shoppers a glimpse back to Boyd’s design studio, where a rich palette of spooled thread hangs above seamstress Rei Greene’s machine, “I feel like the location was very meant to be,” Boyd said. Canadian born, Boyd entered Vancouver B.C.’s fashion industry in 1997 at age 20 as a shipping and receiving clerk. Then a single mom, she designed unique clothing at home, primarily as a retreat into her own personal creative space, she said. “It’s an escape,” Boyd said. “It’s about getting back to your self.” Today, Boyd’s new Sandmaiden boutique provides just the creative space she needs to escape to her self and grow her business. But realizing the dream wasn’t easy. Boyd’s first foray into marketing her own creations began with “Mud Puddlers:” custom handmade baby jackets. “Business wasn’t realistic at that time,” she said. “I couldn’t make a living at it - I had to support myself and my daughter.”
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Above: Amanda Boyd, owner of Sandmaiden, at her retail store in Fairhaven’s Sycamore Square building, at 1216 Harris Ave. Right: Spools of yarn hang above sewing machines in the back room workspace at Sandmaiden. OLIVER LAZENBY PHOTOS | THE BELLINGHAM BUSINESS JOURNAL
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SANDMAIDEN, FROM 7 Boyd got a job as a receptionist at a baby clothing company called Timeke Funktional. Her eye, however, turned to design - fabrics, shapes, colors and how a certain style flattered a particular form. Boyd dreamed of designing silk sleepwear as she changed jobs from shipping high-end bridal couture, where she cultivated an affinity for silk and lace, to assistant designer for womens suiting at Vancouver’s JC Studio. Then, in 2007, Boyd said something just clicked. She got married, moved from Vancouver to Seattle, had a baby, and started Sandmaiden. “I ordered some fabric and made some pj’s,” she said. “I put them on a rack, invited some friends over and had a pj party.” After the party, Boyd took photos of the pj’s and uploaded them onto eBay and other online marketplaces. Sales were slow, until she discovered Etsy. Etsy’s huge now, but when I got started it wasn’t very big, and I was the only lingerie shop,” Boyd said. “I started selling right away. It’s like when you go on a first date and it just works. I started selling an item every other day.” Six months later, Boyd could turn her madeto-order pieces around in three to five days. After sales picked up, she pushed delivery back to two weeks, but the orders kept coming she said. Sandmaiden brought in roughly $15,000 annually during its first two years on Etsy. Soon Etsy exploded with shoppers and sellers. At first Boyd felt threatened to see competition Sales at Amanda Boyd’s Sandmaiden retail store make up about 20 growing, but then she saw how it drew in more percent of the brand’s overall sales. Boyd uses the back of the store as and more customers globally. Suddenly, her sales a workspace and a place to store inventory for her online Etsy shop. shot up to around $10,000 per month. That’s when
she hired an assistant. By year three, Sandmaiden’s annual sales had skyrocketed to $150,000. Working from her Seattle home began to feel limiting to Boyd. She wanted to grow and create jobs. “I feel like we need to get the next generation of people sewing – there are few seamstresses,” she said. Boyd held back on expanding Sandmaiden, however, because she had her sites set on Bellingham. Ever since Boyd was a child she would pass through Fairhaven on her way to Seattle from Vancouver and it just always felt right, she said. “I fell in love with this neighborhood as a teenager,” Boyd said. So in 2013, Boyd’s family packed up, sold their Seattle home, and moved to Bellingham. Five days after closing on her family’s new Bellingham home, the perfect space opened up in Sycamore Square,” Boyd said. As a new business owner, Boyd said she has a lot to learn. Established merchants have reached out to her and her family, which she appreciates, she said. Online sales are still Sandmaiden’s backbone, and Boyd expects that to remain true for the foreseeable future. Three months in, the boutique accounts for about 20 percent of sales, but it’s worth it for the design space. The storefront also affords a ready-to-ship inventory that Boyd said has increased online traffic. “Having ready-to-ship is a risk,” Boyd said. “But it has key growth potential because it’s same day, and that’s a real value in our culture.”
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State adds jobs, but unemployment rate rises BY Dan Catchpole The (Everett) Daily Herald OLYMPIA – Washington added jobs in October, but its workforce grew more. The result is a slight rise this month in the state unemployment rate to 6 percent, according to preliminary, seasonally-adjusted data released Wednesday by the state’s Employment Security Department. The state added an estimated 5,600 jobs in October, but the workforce grew by about 12,000 that month. “These numbers demonstrate increased confidence by job seekers entering or re-entering the marketplace,” state labor economist Paul Turek said. “Job growth continues to gain momentum — with the state adding roughly 7,000 jobs a month — but for this month, the increase in the number of new job seekers entering into the labor market’s civilian workforce was greater than the number of new jobs added. That explains the increase in the unemployment rate.” The private sector added 6,200 jobs from September to October, while the public sector shed 600 jobs. The leisure and hospitality industry added 2,700 jobs; retail trade was up 2,200; and manufacturing rose by 1,500. Jobs in transportation, warehousing
and utilities grew by 600 and the financial activities industry added 600 jobs as well. Construction added 500 jobs. The professional and business services sector and the mining and logging sector both increased by 100 jobs each. The wholesale trade lost 1,700 jobs. Education and health services lost 1,000, and the information sector lost 800 jobs. An estimated 208,900 people were unemployed and looking for work in Washington in October. A little more than a quarter of those people — 58,335 — received unemployment benefits. During the one-year period ending in October, Employment Security Department economists estimate that employers added nearly 82,600 jobs in Washington. The private sector accounted for most of those — 69,900 — with the public sector adding 12,700 jobs.
Dan Catchpole: 425-339-3454; dcatchpole@heraldnet.com; Twitter: @dcatchpole.
Three nonprofits move into Whatcom Philanthropy Center BY OLIVER LAZENBY The Bellingham Business Journal Three nonprofit philanthropic organizations moved into a shared home on the second story of the Washington Federal Building, at 1500 Cornwall Ave., in late November. A remodel at the space, which is now called the Whatcom Philanthropy Center, started in summer and should be finished in December. The organizations — Whatcom Community Foundation, Chuckanut Health Foundation and United Way of Whatcom County — will remain separate entities, but their leaders expect the new space will make working together easier. “We’ve all been working together virtually forever,” said Mauri Ingram, Whatcom Community Foundation CEO. “We’re interested in the same things.” All three organizations focus on using fundraising and philanthropy to improve Whatcom County. They fund grants and connect donors with causes that matter to them, Ingram said. “We definitely see the potential of broadcasting our message to a bigger audience now that we’re in some ways sharing our constituencises,” said Peter Thiesen, president of United Way of Whatcom County. “We’re collaborators, not competitors.” The three groups are currently working together on several projects, including an initiative called the Whatcom County
Community Health Improvement Plan. The City of Bellingham, Whatcom County, PeaceHealth and several other local organizations are also involved. The plan has the following priorities, according to the Whatcom Community Foundation’s website: investing in lifelong physical and mental well-being in young children, creating communities that foster health-promoting activities and broadening health care to promote health outside of the medical system. By moving into the Whatcom Philanthropy Center the three organizations will save money on rent and bills, allowing more of their finances to go towards their missions. They’re leasing the space from Washington Federal at a reduced rate, Ingram said. Most of the contractors involved in the remodel also made in-kind donations, she said. He wouldn’t disclose the amount, but regional president at Washington Federal, Tom Kenney, said the bank’s contribution to the space is significant. “I’ve known the three directors for some time now, and have tremendous respect for each of them, “ Kenney said in an email. “Besides being the right thing to do for the community, I expect the activity surrounding these three entities will generate considerable energy within this building and our immediate area of downtown Bellingham.” Oliver Lazenby, associate editor of The Bellingham Business Journal, can be reached at 360-647-8805, Ext. 5052, or olazenby@bbjtoday.com.
BRIEFS| CONTINUED FROM 3 will bring back pictures of the students in the clothes donated,” says Jeana King, Chief Operations Officer of Tembo Trading Education Project said in a press release. “These children have hardly any clothing outside of their school uniform; even their uniform is often in tatters. These clothes will be such a gift.” The organization’s mission is to provide an education to Kenyan children of Kenya. They aim to go beyond the classroom and focuson the well-being of the child and community. Tembo works to support a community’s food and infrastructure needs, strengthen economic development and ensuring that the community can continue independently, according to a press release. Launching Success co-owner Jen Zimmerman said she’s thrilled to contribute to the organization. “It just feels good knowing those uniforms will be put to good use,” Zimmerman says. “It’s such an admirable undertaking; we’re honored to be part of the process.”
3D Corp. hosting afterhours business event 3D Corporation, a Bellingham-based company that offers information technology consulting, network support, and other services to local businesses, is hosting an after hours event for business owners and managers from 4 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Dec. 10, at 2103 Grant Street in Bellingham. Management and staff will be available to answer questions about network security, disaster recovery, and other related topics, according to a press release. The company hosted its first open house in September. “Our first After-Hours event turned out to be a very useful for our guests and for 3D as well.” said Dave Koshinz, CEO of 3D Corporation, in a press release. “This time around, we are focusing on business success in the face of increased technology risks from hackers, organized crime and outdated hardware and software.” 3D Corporation has been providing technology consulting and network engineering services to
businesses and organizations in the Pacific Northwest since 1987. To learn more about the event and 3D Corporation, go to http:// www.3dcorp.us/open-house/.
BTC’s Perry Center gets Construction Consumer Council award The Northwest Construction Consumer Council named Bellingham Technical College’s Perry Center for Fisheries and Aquaculture Sciences the 2014 best project under $10 million at their annual Distinguished Project Awards. The Perry Center, designed by HKP architects of Mount Vernon, is in Maritime Heritage Park, in Bellingham. Bellingham Technical College is leasing the building from the City of Bellingham. The classroom building, which is used by the college’s Fisheries and Aquaculture Sciences program, replaced a wastewater treatment plant. The 8,000 square-foot building includes classroom space, dry and wet laboratories, a shellfish lab, offices and a locker room.
“It took collaboration, creativity and flexibility by the project team and our staff to overcome the many challenges,” said Patricia McKeown, college president, in a press release. “This facility will be a wonderful education resource for students and community for generations to come. This is the Perry Center’s second award. In 2013, the project won the Northwest Chapter of the American Institute of Architects’ 2013 sustainability award. Bellingham Technical College raised more than $2 million through local donors and corporate partnerships. The State of Washington provided $2 million in matching funds, according to a press release. The Perry Center was built to Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) silver standards, the third-highest rating that the U.S. Green Building Council awards.
Farmers market hosting holiday gift market on Dec. 5 The Bellingham Farmers Market is hosting a holiday mar-
ket from 5 to 8 p.m. on Friday, December 5, at the Depot Market Square at 1100 Railroad Ave. The Pop-up Gift Market will have more than 30 vendors selling handmade food and holiday gifts, according to a press release. The Downtown Bellingham Partnership and the City of Bellingham are market sponsors. The Fairhaven Farmers Market is closed for the season, but the Bellingham Farmers Market will continue every Saturday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. through Dec. 20. After that, the market will open on the third Saturday of January, February and March.
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December 2014
Market Indicators
Jobs: Bankruptcies rise slightly Bankruptcies
Chapters 11,13 Chapter 7
50
Includes non-seasonally adjusted figures for Washington State
70.0%
40
67.5%
30
65.0%
3%
62.5%
0
J FMAM J J A S OND J FMAM J J A S O
J FMAM J J A S OND J FMAM J J A S O 2013
2014
2013
SOURCE: U.S.BANKRUPTCY COURT, WESTERN DISTRICT OF WASHINGTON
Includes non-seasonally adjusted figures in Whatcom County
9%
6%
20 10
September 2014: 5.3% September 2013: 6.1 %
October 2014: 63.6% September 2013: 63.3 %
Includes filings for Chapters 7, 11 and 13 in Whatcom County
60
Unemployment rate
Labor force participation rate
Year-to-date: 913 Annual change: �15.69%
0
SOURCE: UNITES STATES BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS
J F MAM J J A S ON D J F MAM J J A S
2013
2014
2014
SOURCE: WASHINGTON STATE UNEMPLOYMENT SECURITY DEPARTMENT
Spending: Canadian dollar at 5-year low Sales-tax distribution
Canadian dollar
Motor-vehicle registrations
Includes monthly averages (Canada-to-U.S.) at market closing
Includes original registrations in Whatcom County
Year-to-date: $16.57M Annual change: + 4.18%
October 2014: $0.89 October 2013: $0.96
Includes basic and optional local sales tax to Bellingham
$2.5M
August 2014: 1,351 August 2013: 1,225
1500
$1.2
$2M
$1.0
1200
$1.5M
$0.8
900
$0.6
$1M
600
$0.4
$.5
300
$0.2
J FMAM J J A S OND J FMAM J J A S O
2013
2014
2013
SOURCE: WASHINGTON STATE DEPARTMENT OF REVENUE
0
J FMAM J J A S OND J FMAM J J A S O
SOURCE: BANK OF CANADA
J F M A M J J A S O N D J F M A M J J A
2013
2014
2014
SOURCE: WASHINGTON STATE DEPARTMENT OF LICENSING
Housing: Housing sales down, prices up 350k
Average price Median price
300k
Foreclosures & delinquencies
Housing sales
Housing sale prices
Delinquency rate: August 2014: 2.50% August 2013: 3.33% Foreclosure rate: August 2014: 0.91% August 2013: 1.17%
Closed: Year-to-date: 2,441Annual change: -4.64% Pending: Year-to-date: 3,302 Annual change: +15.58%
Average: October 2014: $286,083 October 2013: $282,221 Median: October 2014: $260,000 October 2013: $249,000
Includes sales of single-family houses and condos in Whatcom County
500
Pending sales Closed sales
400
5% Delinquency rate
4%
Foreclosure rate
3%
300
250k
2%
200
200k
J FMAM J J A S OND J FMAM J J A S O
2013
2014
SOURCE: NORTHWEST MULTIPLE LISTINGS SERVICE
100
1%
J FMAM J J A S OND J FMAM J J A S O
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
2013
2014
SOURCE: CORELOGIC
Other factors: Airport traffic inches up Airport traffic
Cruise terminal traffic
Year-to-date: 455,454 Annual change: -6.15%
Year-to-date: 23,029 Annual change: + 19.01 %
Includes total enplanements at Bellingham International Airport
80k
Includes inbound and outbound passengers at Bellingham Cruise Terminal
5,000 4,000
50k
$15M
2,000
30k 20k
$10
1,000
10k 0
$20M
3,000
40k
J F MAM J J A S OND J F MAM J J A S O 2013
SOURCE: PORT OF BELLINGHAM
2014
0
$30M $25M
70k 60k
Building-permit values Bellingham: Year-to-date: $144.27M Annual Change: + 24.15%
$5M J F MAM J J A S OND J F MAM J J A S O 2013
SOURCE: PORT OF BELLINGHAM
2014
J FMAM J J A S OND J FMAM J J A S O 2013
SOURCE: CITY OF BELLINGHAM
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.
2014
December 2014
11
The TheBellingham BellinghamBusiness BusinessJournal Journal
December 2014
PORT NEWS Economic growth at Bellingham International Airport
Sponsored content provided by Port of Bellingham Over the past several years, Bellingham International Airport (BLI) has become one of the fastest growing airports in the nation which has resulted in record economic benefits for Whatcom County. The total number of passengers using the airport increased from 454,500 in 2008 to 1,128,575 in 2013. During this five year period, business revenue generated by companies operating at the airport nearly doubled growing from $79 million to $154 million. The airport is now responsible for nearly 1,000 jobs in our community. The Port recently completed its largest capital project ever, a $38.6 million investment tripling the size of the commercial terminal. The airport expansion project generated hundreds of construction jobs and other employment which helped moderate the local impacts of the Great Recession. The increase in demand at BLI started in 2004 when low-cost carrier Allegiant Airlines began offering direct flights to Las Vegas. Allegiant soon expanded the number of flights and added additional destinations. Other airlines took notice and added routes as well. Air travelers are attracted to BLI by ticket prices, parking and other amenities which are signifiBLI now services direct flights cantly cheaper than Vancouver to ten different locations. The International Airport or Seattleincreased accessibility of WhatTacoma International Airport. com County has generated new There are 3.4 million potential spending by visitors on lodging, passengers living within 90 miles food services, attractions, transof Bellingham. portation and retail business. The US Transportation Bureau Pleasure travelers stayed, on averreported that fares have decreased age, 5.8 days in 2013 versus 3.7 at BLI more in the last 14 years days in 2008 and spent an averthan at any other airport in the age of $136 per person per day in nation, a drop of 59.7 percent. 2013 versus $50 per person per The average price of a ticket was day in 2008. These sales support $192 in the second quarter of jobs for Whatcom County resithis year, making BLI the fourth dents and contribute tax revenues cheapest airport to fly from in the to local and state governments. country. In 2013, Allegiant built a Construction of a new four-story, $3 million Commissary building 150-room Holiday Inn will break to support its growing operations. ground this fall. Nearby, four
Bellingham International Airport
other new hotels have recently been completed or are under construction. Statewide, the travel industry supports over 155,000 jobs with earnings of $4.9 billion Growth at BLI has been driven by recreational travel but the increased accessibility offers a strategic advantage to regional business interests. Airports enhance business efficiency and productivity by providing easy access to suppliers and customers, particularly over medium to long distances. As the Port and other local entities advance economic development initiatives, the newly expanded airport will serve as a powerful resource to recruit companies searching for a strategic location to do business. BLI has developed into an essential part of the regional economic infrastructure and continued growth of air service access will increase economic prosperity throughout the region. Securing a direct eastbound flight is a high priority. “There is a solid demand for eastbound flights among recreational travelers and it would provide an important service to the local business community,” said Dan Zenk, aviation director for the Port of Bellingham. To learn more about BLI, visit www.flyBLI.com
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December 2014
Downtown sock store evolves by creating its own sock brand With the market for unique socks growing, ModSock focuses on its wholesale line BY OLIVER LAZENBY The Bellingham Business Journal The display windows at ModSock, downtown Bellingham’s sock store at 1500 Cornwall Ave., stick out 10 feet from the store’s front door, creating a glass hallway that in September was covered in a rainbow made with 325 pairs of colorful socks. Like the business, the display is constantly evolving. The day after Halloween, as store employee Lindsey Frazier removed plastic spiders and spiderwebs from a Halloweenthemed window display, Uraina Shaklee, store founder and owner, was in the store’s back room with 135 boxes containing 22,000 pairs of socks. Shaklee opened her retail store, which sells quirky and colorful socks in an array of patterns, textures, and lengths, in 2011. In 2013, she started designing socks and created her own brand — also called ModSock — that’s carried in about 80 stores, mostly on the West Coast. Shaklee’s second line of ModSock socks — the 135 boxes in the store’s back room, is on its way to stores for the holiday season. Two months earlier, while preparing to
Spa @
spend most of her bank account on getting the socks manufactured, Shaklee was nervous. Part of her nervousness is self-imposed, Shaklee said. “I want to raise the bar,” she said. “I don’t want to produce something that’s not up to the quality I’ve already set.” When Shaklee got her first shipment of ModSock socks, she was so nervous about how they would look, she had someone else open the packages for her. Shaklee’s sock business began in a failing antique and art store in Ellicotville, New York, a ski resort town. Shaklee opened the store, called the Purple Doorknob, in 2009. She immediately knew antiques wouldn’t pay the bills, she said. Most of her customers were tourists, and antiques were too expensive and difficult for them to take home. A year in, Shaklee, a devotee of striped Pippi Longstocking socks, got an idea for a product that tourists could buy: socks. “The switch happened during the economic downturn. I heard someone say people will never stop buying haircuts and beer, but I feel like socks also qualify,”
Socks, PAGE 14
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Tourism Industry Ringing in a New Era for State-wide Marketing Sponsored content provided by Loni Rahm, and Bellingham Whatcom County Tourism.
The Washington Tourism Alliance (WTA) is the non-governmental industry-led association formed after the Legislators defunded the State Tourism office in 2011. With meager, bare-bones funding support -- primarily to keep the ExperienceWA website online and distribute Travel Guides – WTA has focused on developing a plan to secure stable funding. In October, WTA board members and staff began an extensive regional outreach program, designed to provide information to the membership and tourism industry partners about the long-term funding plan and proposed 2015 legislation. After many months of research, WTA is prepared to submit a report to the state legislature on December 1, 2014. Under legislation passed earlier in 2014, the WTA is directed to report back to the legislature on the plan to fund the statewide tourism marketing program. In a feature entitled “A Program Taking Shape”, Becky Bogard WTA’s legislative advocate indicated “the proposed program follows many of the principles initially identified by WTA’s long term funding committee: it will be industry funded and governed. The funds collected will be protected to the maximum extent possible and there will be accountability for expenditure of the funds”. The funding model is based upon an assessment on the 5 key tourism industry business sectors: lodging, restaurants, retail, attractions and transportation. Each sector will be assessed incrementally to collectively provide a percentage of the overall State-wide destination marketing campaign – projected at a minimum of $7.5 million annually. This is still substan-
tially below the money invested by British Columbia, Oregon, California, Alaska and
2015 session, and help guide decisions and activities. Bellingham Whatcom County
other states/provinces vying for Washington’s tourism market share. Our nearest budgetary travel competitor is the State of Montana who has doubled their destination marketing investment to $18 million while Washington’s marketing has lay dormant. The proposed funding level will allow WTA and tourism partners to finally begin preparing the framework of a consistent ongoing marketing plan for tourism promotion which has been absent for the past three plus years. Regional meetings are being held throughout the state to encourage involvement in the conversation, learn about proposed legislation which will be presented during the
Tourism is hosting an informational presentation for its membership on Wednesday, December 17th, 5:00 p.m. at the Best Western PLUS Lakeway Inn. If you have questions or would like to RSVP, please contact Loni@ bellingham.org The final step in redevelopment of a state-wide tourism marketing plan will be the anticipated passage of legislation for collection and disbursement of the assessments. Four of the five key business sectors would pay an annual one-time assessment ranging from $100 to $3,500. This would be collected by the Secretary of State’s corporate reporting system. Lodging is proposed at 15-cents per room night to be collected by
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the Department of Revenue’s existing system of collecting and distributing lodging taxes. Tourism industry partners will be holding their 5th Annual WTA Summit and Day in Olympia on February 12, 2015. In years past, several hundred
people from across the state have gathered to discuss tourism topics and issues of potential impact. This year, the goal will be to garner the support necessary to approve the funding program developed by WTA to implement the tourism marketing
plan. Given the lack of fiscal impact on the state itself, we anticipate overwhelming approval. For additional information, please visit watourismalliance.com
14
The Bellingham Business Journal
SOCKS, FROM 12 Shaklee said. “People don’t have to spend a long time thinking about their willingness to spend $10 on a pair of socks they’re going to wear or give as a gift. If you think about the cost per wear or the cost per smile, it’s a pretty good deal.” Shaklee came to Bellingham in 2011 after her husband, who works at ConocoPhillips, got transferred. They moved to town in late fall and Shaklee opened her second sock store two weeks after driving across the country. “Before we even had furniture at our house, the store was open,” Shaklee said. “I didn’t want to pass up the holidays. A lot of time you’re only really profiting in those last months of the year. To say the holiday season matters is an understatement — it is critical.” Shaklee said her transition into the downtown business community was smoothed by her husband’s cousin, Django Bohren. At the time, Bohren owned Merch-Bot, a novelty toy store that closed in 2013. “Merch Bot was pretty established at the time when they decided to open so I was able to help her out with the eccentricities of running a business downtown,” Bohren said. “It takes some introductions to become a fast friend of the downtown businesses.” Shaklee’s commitment to socks impressed Bohren, who said if he ran the store, he would have “polluted” it with other products. “It’s very focused. I think choosing the right product is a big part of making a business like that work,” Bohren said. “She just throws herself into whatever she’s working on and it works really well. “ ModSock took off fast. Bohren said the store’s sales outpaced Merch Bot’s within a year. “People have really embraced the store,” Shaklee said. “I think Bellingham likes to show its personality and socks are a way to do that.” When Shaklee started selling unique socks, most of the brands she carried were
small and some of them were just rolling out their first lines. Now, many of them have grown and are more widely available. Even big-box stores are starting to carry more interesting socks. Shaklee started designing her own brand in 2013 because she likes drawing designs and she wanted to have a unique product. “I like the idea of anything being possible on socks,” Shaklee said. “There are certain themes I wanted to see on socks and I enjoy the creative process.” Shaklee’s second order of her wholesale line was much bigger than the first, with 16 new styles, in addition to second runs of many of the 12 original styles. She sent socks to about 80 wholesalers — the first line went to about 30 — and she’s hoping to open accounts on the East Coast. “That is the nature of business. You evolve or you die.” Shaklee said. “I see a need, not at this moment necessarily but in the future, to have that income channel to continue to be a business.” Because of the amount of socks in the new line, Shaklee needed to have them made at two different factories. Her socks are manufactured in South Korea. Shaklee would prefer to have them made in the U.S., but U.S. manufacturers don’t have knitting machines with enough needles to make her intricate designs, she said. So communication can be difficult, and shipping samples back and forth takes time. Shaklee liked the factory’s samples for the second line and by the time the order finally arrived she wasn’t nervous, she said. She even opened the boxes herself. Shaklee sliced through the packing tape and inspected the most complicated pair in the line first — a pair of light blue socks with a wood grain pattern. One sock has an owl with outstretched wings on it, and the other sock has two owls huddled together on a tree branch. They looked how she expected. Surrounded by 22,000 pairs of socks, Shaklee was another step ahead of the competition.
December 2014
Above: Uraina Shaklee models socks from her own line. Shaklee also owns a sock store in Ellicotville, New York, called the Purple Doorknob. OLIVER LAZENBY PHOTO | THE BBJ Below: ModSock brand socks hang at ModSock. OLIVER LAZENBY PHOTO | THE BBJ
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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December 2014
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Single-family home construction supports a strong economy even more than multifamily
H
omeownership supports healthy communities, and home construction has a major impact on local economies – as noted in a Nov. 19 presentation by Gary Schlossberg, vice president and senior economist for Wells Capital Management. Home construction is directly responsible for about 5 percent of any local economy, Mr. Schlossberg pointed out. But the multiplier effect of home construction is much larger – supporting 15 percent or more. National Association of Home Builders research echoes that thought: Historically, residential investment has averaged roughly 5% of the Gross National Product while housing services have averaged between 12% and 13%, for a combined 17% to 18% of GDP. The lessor-known fact Mr. Schlossberg raised at his recent Whatcom County presentation is that singlefamily homes have a much greater impact on an economy than do multi-family projects. The NAHB reports these national estimates for 2014, using U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis statistics: • Building an average single-family home: supports 2.97 jobs, creates $110,957 in taxes. • Building an average rental apartment: 1.13 jobs, $42,383 in taxes. • $100,000 spent on remodeling: 0.89 jobs, $29,779 in taxes.
Jobs and Taxes The “jobs” statistics are given in full-time equivalents (enough work to keep one worker employed for a full year based on average hours worked per week in the relevant industry). The term “taxes” is used for revenue paid to all levels of government—federal, state, county, municipal, school district, etc. The tax estimates include various fees and charges, such as residential permit and impact fees. Single-family homes’ impact has much to do with the trickle-down or multiplier effect of home construction. It takes more than a car-
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penter to build a home. And once a home is built, the owner continues to spend, investing in projects that help support other businesses in the community. The most obvious impacts of new construction are the jobs generated for construction workers. In a recent NAHB survey, two-thirds of single-family builders said they subcontracted out more than 75 percent of their construction work. Often these subcontractors are small, even one-person operations. Usually these are locally owned small businesses employing our neighbors. At the regional and national level, the impact is broad-based, as jobs are generated in the industries that produce lumber, concrete, lighting fixtures, heating equipment, and other products that go into a home or remodeling project. More jobs are generated in the process of transporting, storing and selling these projects. Still others are generated for professionals such as architects, engineers, real estate agents, lawyers, and accountants who provide services to home builders, home buyers, and remodelers. Single- vs. multi-family construction NAHB research supports Mr. Schlossberg’s point that singlefamily homes have greater economic impact than multi-family. By using national averages for key inputs like value of the homes, and taxes and fees collected by local governments, NAHB has estimated the economic impacts of building 100 single-family and 100 multifamily homes in a typical metropolitan area. The estimated one-year local impacts of building 100 singlefamily homes in a typical metro area include: • $21.1 million in local income, •$2.2 million in taxes and other revenue for local governments, and • 324 local jobs. Annually recurring impacts of
building 100 single-family include:
• $3.1 million in local income, • $743,000 in taxes and other revenue for local governments, and • 53 local jobs.
Compare this to the estimated one-year local impacts of building 100 rental apartments in a typical metro area: • $7.9 million in local income, • $827,000 in taxes and other revenue for local governments, and • 122 local jobs. And additional annually recurring impacts of building 100 rental apartments in a typical metro area: • $2.3 million in local income, • $395,000 in taxes and other revenue for local governments, and • 32 local jobs. The actual dollar figures undoubtedly differ for Whatcom County. The NAHB research assumes that new single-family homes built in a typical metro area have an aver-
age price of $321,000 – which is the price of a starter home in Bellingham; that they’re built on a lot for which the average value of the raw land is $40,000 – typical lots in Bellingham sell for $100,000 or more; and that SFHs require the builder and developer to pay an average of $7,915 in impact, permit, and other fees to local governments – in Bellingham, these run $25,000$30,000. While these local numbers have a negative impact on housing affordability, the comparison stands. Single-family homes benefit not only the homeowner, they help create a healthy economy and a healthy community. And single-family homes provide an even greater stimulus to the economy than multi-family homes. Let’s continue to search out ways to provide more single-family homes in our community.
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December 2014
Bellingham solar panel manufacturer opening Minnesota plant BY OLIVER LAZENBY The Bellingham Business Journal After three years of rapid growth in Bellingham, solar panel manufacturer Itek Energy is planning a new facility in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Itek Energy started in September 2011 with a handful of employees. They produced 2.1 megawatts of solar capacity in 2012. Now, the company has 74 employees, and they expect to produce 12.2 megawatts of capacity by the end of the year, Itek Energy vice president Kelly Samson said. By opening a facility in Minnesota, Samson said the company hopes to grow with the Midwest market for solar energy. The company picked Minnesota because it’s one of several states that offers tax credits for purchasing locally-made solar panels. The facility will open in early 2015 with four employees, Itek Energy president and founding principal John Flanagan said.
At first, the new facility won’t produce entire solar modules. Instead, they will receive laminates — panels of glass and solar cells — from the Bellingham facility. Employees in Minneapolis will install frames and junction boxes, which contain the module’s wiring system. Before the frames and junction boxes are installed, laminates are about half an inch think. Stacked together, they will be efficient to ship to Minnesota. Within 18 months, the Minnesota facility will be doing all parts of the manufacturing process, Samson said. Itek’s 40,000 square foot headquarters, at 3886 Hammer Drive in the Irongate Neighborhood, is bursting at the seams. “It’s kind of mindblowing actually, to see where we are now,” Karl Unterschuetz, the company’s business development manager, said. “This year we tripled on last year.” Though Itek Energy is expanding to the midwest, Flanagan said the company’s leadership intends to keep its headquarters in Bellingham.
An Itek Energy employee inspects a solar panel at company headquarters in the Irongate neighborhood. OLIVER LAZENBY PHOTO | THE BELLINGHAM BUSINESS JOURNAL
People On The Move Karen Stout has been named to the Bowman Distinguished Professorship in Leadership and will be director of the Karen W. Morse Institute for Leadership at Western Karen Stout Washington University, the school announced. Jack and Jo Ann Bowman endowed the Bowman Distinguished Professorship in Leadership. The professorship is dedicated to curricular innovation, teaching, and scholarship that advances the understanding and application of
leadership, according to a press release. Edge Logistics & Tranpsort of Blaine hired Kyle Voigt as regional sales manager. Voigt has worked in sales for the last eight years, and he has four years of management experience, according to a press release. He will be responsible for customer service and generating sales. Voigt is from Bellingham, and he graduated from Meridian High Kyle Voigt School
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before attending Whatcom Community College. Edge Logistics ships around the United States, but specializes in shipping to and from Canada. They also operate one of the fastest-growing parcel receiving facilities in Blaine, according to the release. Amy Blackwood, former community relations manager for Launching Success Learning Store, is joining Village Books/Paper Dreams as digital marketing manager. She will oversee eNewsletters and websites for the company, as well as all social media, according to a press release Blackwood has writing and editing experience in the retail world, including work for retail trade publications. “We’re excited to have Amy join us,” said Village Books/ Paper Dreams general manager Paul Hanson, in Amy Blackthe press wood
release. “I’ve had the pleasure of getting to know Amy in a writing group and greatly respect her talent and energy. We think she’ll be a great addition to our marketing Team.” Envy Salon hired Kristin Dionne, a hair stylist with more than 10 years of experience. Dionne has experience styling hair for runway shows and Kristin Dionne editorial photography, and her work has been featured in national publications including Sophisticate’s Hairstyle Guide Dionne moved to Whatcom County from the East Coast because of her love for the outdoors and snowboarding, according to a press release.
December 2014
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The Bellingham Business Journal
Left: A BMW motorcycle at Edge Logistics’ warehouse. Edge Logistics is one of the biggest package receiving businesses in Blaine. They receive large items including cars and pallets stacked with goods. OLIVER LAZENBY PHOTO | THE BELLINGHAM BUSINESS JOURNAL Above: Hagen’s of Blaine, on Peace Portal Drive, is one of Blaine’s oldest package receiving businesses. Peace Portal Drive, the main street in downtown Blaine, has several businesses that receive and store packages. OLIVER LAZENBY PHOTO | THE BELLINGHAM BUSINESS JOURNAL
PACKAGES| CONTINUED FROM PAGE ONE
Package receiving businesses prepare for holiday season they just get waved through without paying duties and taxes,” said Roger Benetti, owner of Pulse Packages on Peace Portal Drive. “They’ve seemed really lax since I opened the business.” It can even be faster for Canadians to pick up a package in the U.S. and take it through customs themselves rather than to have a shipping company do it for them, Benetti said. Parcel receiving businesses aren’t new in Blaine, but the industry exploded in the last three years, with eight or nine new businesses opening, said Carroll Solomon, board member of the Blaine Chamber of Commerce. The chamber keeps a list of the official businesses, but Solomon said it doesn’t include some small businesses that people operate out of their homes. Parcel receiving businesses exist in U.S. border towns from coast to coast. Vancouver, B.C., is the closest major Canadian city to the U.S. Border, so Whatcom County has a lot of these businesses. Lynden and Sumas also have package receiving businesses, but not as many as Blaine. Benetti lives in South Surrey, B.C., and has worked in Blaine for 15 years. When he started shopping online, he saved 30 to 50 percent by having his stuff shipped to Blaine, he said.
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“The main reason I think people are doing it is value,” Benetti said. “The other big thing is there are different products down here that you can’t even get in Canada.” With online shopping and the market for package receiving businesses growing, Benetti opened Pulse Packages two years ago. It was an easy opportunity, he said, because he had extra space in the building he owns for operating his other Blaine-based business, Rach Incorporated, which sells uniforms to government institutions and international schools. Benetti’s customers are 99 percent Canadian, and they pick up everything from shoes and clothes to bicycles, camera equipment and car parts. Most customers live near Vancouver, B.C., but Benetti has one customer who lives in Whistler, B.C., more than three hours and 130 miles away. Benetti expects business to double after Thanksgiving, when people start shopping online for holiday gifts. Online shopping, especially for holiday gifts, continues to grow nationally. USPS expects to deliver 12 percent more packages this year between Thanksgiving and New Year’s Eve than it did last year, according to its website. For his service of receiving packages and storing them for up to 30 days with no extra charge, Benetti charges
$2.50 per package. “It’s a good business. It’s different for me since it’s an add-on business. My overhead and stuff is covered by my other business, so it’s easier to make a profit charging $2.50,” he said. Pulse Package’s pricing is typical of these businesses. Prices for a package under 100 pounds vary, but most businesses charge $2.50 to $5.00. For packages that weigh more than 100 pounds, Benetti usually directs his customers to one of the bigger receiving businesses in town—Edge Logistics. The package receiving section of Edge Logistics’ 90,000 square-foot warehouse has two 20-foot-tall steel racks stacked with cardboard packages. In between, there’s a 6-foot-tall pile of boxes that owners Dennis and Pamela Wilson said will become a brown mountain in December. Edge Logistics accepts big packages for both businesses and people. Four truck wheels and tires are stacked at one end of Edge’s receiving area, and a 500-pound BMW motorcycle balances on its kickstand nearby. They even get vintage cars on occasion, Dennis Wilson said.
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PACKAGES, FROM 17 Heavier packages at Edge Logistics cost $18. Unlike the storefront businesses on Peace Portal Drive, Edge Logistics, in the industrial area east of town, has forklifts and three loading docks. Dennis and Pamela Wilson started their parcel receiving business five years ago. They already ran a shipping company that moved freight from Seattle to Vancouver, B.C., so they had warehouse space. Now, package receiving is about 25 percent of their business, Wilson said. They know the hassles involved in shipping commercial freight across the border. There’s paperwork, goods and sales tax, harmonized sales tax, maintaining records of the transaction, getting a licensed broker to clear the items. Pamela and Dennis Wilson do that stuff everyday for their shipping business. Pamela Wilson blames the process for her gray hair. When Canadians take their packages back to Canada, they don’t have to deal with any of that. In the five years since Edge Logistics started receiving packages, they went from getting a few packages a day to about 800 a day last December. They expect to do even more business this December. On average, the number of packages they receive has increased about 75 percent each year. Dennis Wilson said starting the enterprise is one of the best decisions they’ve made with Edge Logistics. Edge Logistics’ ability to handle large packages and freight sets them apart from most other receiving businesses in Blaine, Dennis Wilson said. But they handle small packages as well. They charge $5 to pick up a packages less than 100 pounds. “It blew me away when this thing really started to kick in a couple years ago. I would work at the front desk just so I could get a better handle on it,” Dennis Wilson said. “One gal waited in line at the border for 45 minutes, and she was getting a box of specialized candy for a wedding. I asked if it was worth it and she said ‘Oh God yeah.’” Dennis Wilson once saw a man open his package and pull out a telephoto camera lens. The owner said it would have cost $600 in Canada. By ordering from a U.S. company and having it shipped to Blaine
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The Bellingham Business Journal for free, the customer said he paid $350. “For him, he’d gladly wait in line for an hour,” Dennis Wilson said. “A number of these Canadians come down and say ‘we’d love to support our country but there are times when you just can’t.’” Like Pulse Packages, much of Edge Logistics’ business comes in a month-long burst between Thanksgiving and New Year’s Eve. To prepare for December, they added more shelves to the warehouse, extended their hours to be open on Sundays, and hired three more warehouse employees. They’re currently open six days a week, but they’re planning to be open seven days a week soon, they said. On December mornings, people form a line at the door before the warehouse opens. Edge Logistics stores packages for up to 30 days without charging an extra fee, so holiday shoppers let their orders accumulate. “They come down here and give us their name and account number and we’ll go and grab it,” Dennis Wilson said. “Sometimes it’s one box, sometimes its five, 10 or 15, and off they go.” After waiting in line for 30 minutes to cross the border into Blaine, Sarita Minhas of Surrey stopped at Edge Logistics to pick up a package of makeup her daughter ordered on Amazon. Afterward, she continued south to shop at Bellis Fair Mall in Bellingham. Minhas hadn’t used a parcel receiving service before, but she said she might for holiday shopping. “I’d say the majority of people [in Surrey] don’t know about this,” she said. “They just shop on Canadian websites.” Dennis Wilson thinks parcel receiving businesses continue to grow for two reasons: more Canadians are finding out about these businesses and more people are shopping online and getting free shipping. “As long as these stores like Amazon and Target are competing against each other and offering free shipping, we are the benefactor,” he said.
Oliver Lazenby, associate editor of The Bellingham Business Journal, can be reached at 360-647-8805, Ext. 5052, or olazenby@bbjtoday.com.
December 2014
Jordan Rawls, warehouse manager at Edge Logistics, clears a path in the warehouse. Edge Logistics owners expects the number of packages they handle to double in December. OLIVER LAZENBY PHOTO | THE BELLINGHAM BUSINESS JOURNAL
Fifteen percent of Vancouver metro area residents have a U.S. mailbox, according to study BY OLIVER LAZENBY The Bellingham Business Journal Many Vancouver, B.C., metropolitan area residents ship mail and small packages to the U.S. so frequently that it’s worthwhile to rent a permanent mail box. A 2013 survey by Insights West, a Canadian market research company, found that 15 percent of Vancouver-area and Fraser Valley residents had a U.S. mailbox for picking up online orders. The Vancouver metropolitan area had a population of 2.3 million as of the 2011 Canadian Census. Fifteen percent of that
is 345,000—more than triple the population of Bellingham. The study surveyed 810 people. The sample size may be small, but the statistic didn’t surprise Deborah Crump, supervisor at the Blaine Post Office, where Post Office boxes cost $40 for six months and fill with a steady flow of packages from Amazon. “We have a lot of Canadian customers,” she said. “From talking to the clerks who work in this office who have been here a while, I can tell you that that’s always been the case at this office.”
December 2014
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The Bellingham Business Journal
Public Records BUSINESS LICENSES Listings, which feature both new and renewed licenses, include business name, licensee name and the business’ physical address. Records are obtained from the City of Bellingham. 7ize, 7ize L.L.C. 4257 Wintergreen Ln, Bellingham, WA 98226. A New Pebble Counseling, Ryan Charles Strunk, 3000 Meridian St., Bellingham,WA 98225. Adam Richardson Windshields, Adam Scott Richardson, 3209 Plymouth Dr., Bellingham,WA 98225. Age-Well Llc, Age-Well Llc, 3118 Mcleod Road, Bellingham, WA 98225. Allies, Allies, Llc, 1337 Lincoln St., Ste 3, Bellingham, WA 98229. Altertech, Vincent Charles Rozycki III, 2419 Huron St., Bellingham, WA 98229. Amy’s Tree Store, Amy Kathleen Banasky, 314 E. Holly St., Suite 208b, Bellingham, WA 98225. Andalou Books, Kari Neumeyer, 1021 32nd St., Bellingham, WA 98225. Ava Genevieve Music, Ava G Sakowski, 1840 Emerald Lake Way, Bellingham, WA 98226. Avalon, Atu Ix Inc, 1330 Railroad Ave., Bellingham, WA 98225. B&D Francis Holdings, Llc, B&D Francis Holdings, Llc, 468 W. Horton Rd., Bellingham, WA 98226. B&D Francis Investments, Llc, B&D Francis Investments, Llc, 468 W. Horton Rd., Bellingham, WA 98226. Balaam Associates Inc, Balaam Associates Inc, 2524 Meridian St., Bellingham, WA 98225. Banner Creations. William Banner Rowley, 2834 Verona St., Bellingham, WA 98226. Beefy Bone Biscuits, Heavenly Bites For Dogs, 2412 Queen St., Apt 101, Bellingham, WA 98225. Bellingham Community Free School, Bellingham Community Free School, 920 24th St., Bellingham, WA 98225. Bellingham Urology, Bellingham Urology, 2165 N. Shore Rd., Bellingham, WA 98226. Beths Place, Bethany Joy Gwinner, 314 E. Holly St., Bellingham, WA 98225. Bk Ventures, L.L.C., Bk Ventures, L.L.C., 1015 Samish Way, Bellingham, WA 98229. Blazonworks, Blaise Carey, 2011 Ponderosa Ct., Bellingham, WA 98229. Blossor Real Estate Services, Inc., Blossor Real Estate Services, Inc., 2211 Rimland Dr Ste 230, Bellingham, WA 98226. Bulldog Broker Inc, Bulldog Broker Inc, 913 Lakeway Dr., Bellingham, WA 98229. Caring Hearts In Home Care, Heather Jean Evers, 2 Lost Lake Ln., Bellingham, WA 98229. Chocolate Nirvana, Liana Jo Smith, 1211 Pleasant Ln., Bellingham, WA 98226. Chuck-A-Bus, Chuck-A-Bus, 810 16th St., Bellingham, WA 98225. Cindy Lynn Lane, Cindy Lynn Lane, 2221 G St., Bellingham, WA 98225. Coast Mountain Fly Guide Services Llc, Coast Mountain Fly Guide Services Llc, 2416 Dean Ave., Bellingham, WA 98225. Cosmos Cafe & Catering Llc, Cosmos Cafe & Catering, 1151 N. State St., Bellingham, WA 98225. Crave King, Reginald Gaines,, 2402 Pacific St., Apt 1, Bellingham, WA 98229. Custom Clouds, Chris Bowen, 2826 Undine St., Bellingham, WA 98226. Debbie Lee Schlichemeyer, Debbie Lee Schlichemeyer 2 Bogey Lane, Bellingham, WA 98229. Don Hammons Real Estate, Don Alan Hammons, 2211 Rimland Drive, Suite 124, Bellingham, WA 98226.
Doorstep Pet Supply, Inc., Doorstep Pet Supply Inc, 3975 Irongate Road, Suite 102, Bellingham, WA 98226. Dustin Stephens, Dustin Stephens, 1112 Newell St., Bellingham, WA 98225. Dyrland Productions, Michael Jay Dyrland, 940 Yew St., Bellingham, WA 98229 . Eagle Ridge Construction, Llc, Eagle Ridge Construction,Llc, 925 Mahogany Ave., Apt 204, Bellingham, WA 98226. Edwin Love Consulting, Edwin Alan Love, 2208 Henry St., Bellingham, WA 98225. Elite Exclusives Inc, Elite Exclusives Inc, 1821 Valencia St., Bellingham, WA 98229. Elkins Inc., Elkins Inc., 2435 Strider Ln Ste 104, Bellingham, WA 98226. Ers International, Llc, Ers International, Llc, 851 Coho Way Ste 301, Bellingham, WA 98225. Esser Reiner, Esser Reiner, 4629 Wade St., Bellingham, WA 98226. Fair Trade Furniture Llc, Fair Trade Furniture Llc, 424 W. Bakerview Rd, Ste 109, Bellingham, WA 98226. Fast Dispatch Services, Toby King Metzler, 2224 Donovan Ave.,Bellingham, WA 98225. Frontier Consulting, Cynthia Marie Scott, 911 W. Indiana St., Bellingham, WA 98225. Grass Roots Collective Llc, Grass Roots Collective, 2200 Pacific St., Bellingham, WA 98229. Green Dreamer, Green Dreamer, L.L.C., 4055 Hammer Dr., Ste 103, Bellingham, WA 98226. Happyplace Llc, Happy Place Llc, 4503 Lakeway Dr., Bellingham, WA 98229. Hardware Sales, Hardware Sales Inc, 2034 James St., Bellingham, WA 98225. Harvest Llc, Harvest Llc, 1242 E. Racine St., Bellingham, WA 98229. Heather Lynn Harmony, Heather Lynn Harmony, 851 Democrat St., Bellingham, WA 98229. High Society Trimmers, High Society Trimmers, 1401 Barkley Blvd, Bellingham, WA 98226. Hydrology Northwest, Inc., Hydrology Northwest, Inc., 1441 Island View Dr., Bellingham, WA 98225. Iassist Llc., Iassist, 825 38th St., Bellingham, WA 98229. Images 24, Ruth I Sanpietro, Lost Fork Ln., Bellingham, WA 98229. Imaginative Solutions L.L.C., Imaginative Solutions L.L.C. 2627 S. Harbor Loop Drive, Bellingham, WA 98229. Jackson Hewitt Tax Service, Tax Services Of America, Inc., 4420 Meridian St., Bellingham, WA 98226. Jc Towing & Transport, Jonathan Charles Cargill, 3449 Ruth Road, Bellingham, WA 98226. John Christophe Shaughnessy. John Christophe Shaughnessy. 1611 W. Connecticut St., Bellingham, WA 98225. K & S Embroidery, Sandra Lee Mock, 2400 Donovan Ave., Bellingham, WA 98225. Kailin James Law Office, Kailin James, 1200 Dupont St., Ste 1d, Bellingham, WA 98225. Karma And Kaos, Kimberly Kristin Davis, 314 E. Holly St., Ste 100, Bellingham, WA 98225. Kate Smith Design And Consulting, Kate Dewey Smith, 411 Willow Road, Bellingham, WA 98225. Kate Studio, Katherine Piros, 639 Hunters Pointe Dr., Bellingham, WA 98225. Kim Burke, Hair Designer. Kimberly Karen Burke. 1805 Mill Ave., Bellingham, WA 98225. Kimchee Cab, John Donahue, 3930 Keystone Way, Bellingham, WA 98226. Lazy One. Stitch Counts (USA), Llc, One Bellis Fair Parkway, Bellingham, WA 98226. Lcs Biotechnology L.L.C., Lcs
Biotechnology L.L.C., 3080 Sundown View Ln., Bellingham, WA 98226. Logan, Mason & Associates, L.L.C., Logan, Mason & Associates, L.L.C., 306 N. Commercial St., Bellingham, WA 98225. Loqu8, Inc., Loqu8, 1200 Harris Ave., Ste 413, Bellingham, WA 98225. Lotus Moon Beads, Lotus Moon Jewelry Llc, 2552 Lummi View Dr., Bellingham, WA 98226. Marfa Marketing, Llc, Marfa Marketing, Llc, 807 10th St., Bellingham, WA 98225. Mauro’s Taxi Service, Luciano Federico Mauro, 2765 Lake Whatcom Blvd, Bellingham, WA 98229. Mei Hua Chinese School, Mei Hua Chinese School, 2200 F St., Bellingham, WA 98225. Micro Management, Microliving, Llc, 1016 Coronado Ave., Bellingham, WA 98229. Morris Originals Llc, Morris Originals Llc, 1119 N Shore Dr. Bellingham, WA 98228. Mozza, Mozza Llc, 410 W. Bakerview Rd, Ste 108, Bellingham, WA 98226. N2 Publishing, Dogleg Communications L.L.C., 527 W. Lake Samish Dr., Bellingham, WA 98229. Neighborhood Youth Centers, Neighborhood, Youth Centers, 910 F Street, Bellingham, WA 98225. Northwest Hydrogeo Consultants, Douglas Scott Dillenberger, 1 Lake Louise Drive Unit 42, Bellingham, WA 98229. Northwest Innovative Nutrition Inc., Northwest Innovative Nutrition Inc., 1305 11th St., Ste 202, Bellingham, WA 98225. Northwest Marine Industries, Llc, Northwest Marine Industries Llc, 809 Harris Ave., Building 6, Bellingham, WA 98225. Olio Media Group, Olio Media Group, 1210 Samish Way, Bellingham, WA 98229. Open Kitchen Llc, Open Kitchen Llc, 1330 N. State St., Bellingham, WA 98225. Open Learning, David A Czuba, 2726 Vallette St., Bellingham, WA 98225. Operation Doing More, Operation Doing More, 2633 Goshen Rd., Bellingham, WA 98226. P.B. Higgins Company, Peter Bartholome Higgins, 3075 Ferry Ave., Apt. D103, Bellingham, WA 98225. Painter W/ Integrity, Kenneth B. Brooks, 4146 Pacific Hwy., Bellingham, WA 98226. Pak-A-Nut Self Storage, H & I Holdings, L.L.C., 840 Marine Dr., Bellingham,WA 98225. Patti Rowlson Consulting, Inc., Patti Rowlson Consulting, Inc., 2950 Newmarket St., Bellingham, WA 98226. Paul Richmond, Law Office Of Paul Richmond, 1751 Emerald Lake Way, Bellingham, 98226. Payroll By Credit Card Inc., Payroll By Credit Card Inc., 114 W. Magnolia St., Bellingham, WA 98225. Pekingaming, Isaac Marconis, 3208 Carrington Way, Bellingham, WA 98226. Petal And Coast, Llc, Petal And Coast, Llc, 3025 Northwest Ave., Bellingham, WA 98225. Planet Konscious, Paula Krizan, 516 High St., Bellingham, WA 98225. Plowgirl, Kimberly Benton, 3021 Goshen Rd, Bellingham, WA 98226. PNW Construction & Consulting, Llc, Pnw Construction & Consulting, Llc, 920 N. Shore Dr., Bellingham, WA 98229. Pnw Handyman, Llc, Pnw Handyman, Llc, 920 N Shore Dr., Bellingham, WA 98229 Ponderosa Yoga And Dance, Rebecca Ann Williams, 2319 Dean Ave., Bellingham, WA 98225. Puzzle Piece Therapy, Amanda Adams, 1210 Indian St., Bellingham, WA 98225. Quakeready Llc, Quakeready Llc, 887 Chuckanut Dr., Bellingham, WA 98229. Rad’s Sauce. Rad’s Sauce Llc, 3045 Lakeshore Rd., Bellingham, WA 98226.
Real Deals Of Bellingham, Smithson Enterprises, Llc, 4073 Hannegan Rd Bellingham, WA 98226. Real Solutions Consulting Group, L.L.C., Real Solutions Consulting Group L.L.C., 1448 Sweetbay Ct, Bellingham, WA 98225. Refreshed. Shelmire Llc, 91730, 1 Bellis Fair Pkwy, Bellingham, WA 98226. Remod Homes. Remod Homes Llc. 3787 Greenville St., Bellingham, WA 98226. Rental Home Renovators Llc, Rental Home Renovators, 2026 Woburn St., Bellingham, WA 98229. Rg Health, Pllc, Rg Health, Pllc, 3615 Larrabee Ave., Bellingham, WA 98229. Rise N Shine Cleaning Services Llc, Rise N Shine Cleaning Services Llc, 4224 Dewey Rd, Bellingham, WA 98226. Road-IQ, Llc, Road Iq, Llc, 2183 Alpine Way, Bellingham, WA 98229. Rondys, Inc., Rondys, Inc., 1301 W Oregon St., Bellingham, WA 98225. Russell Capital Management, L.L.C., Russell Capital Management, L.L.C., 2118 James St., Bellingham, WA 98225. Say It Better, Jennifer Dodge, 1654 Bayon Rd., Bellingham, WA 98225. Sea Holly Beauty Company, Llc, Sea Holly Beauty Company, Llc, 2833 W. Maplewood Ave., Bellingham, WA 98225. Shafa Works, Parisa Natalia Shafa, 1321 Indian St., Bellingham, WA 98225. Skid Steer Genius Llc, Skid Steer Genius Llc, 2316 E. Bakerview Rd., Bellingham, WA 98226. Sky Pilot Custom Skis, Alexander E Turner, 5091 Mission Rd, Bellingham, WA 98226. Slab Design / Build, Inc., Slab Design / Build, Inc. 1208 Bay St., Ste 102, Bellingham,
WA 98225. Steel Structures Detailing Inc., Steel Structures Detailing Inc., 2925 Niagara St., Bellingham, WA 98226. Stepping Stones Learning Center, Anntanette Hardman Redwine, 2514 Erie St., Bellingham, WA 98226. Stumblebum Brewery, Don’t Come Down Llc, 3483 Robertson Rd, Bellingham, WA 98226. Sunlight, Magic, Moonbeams, Linda Sue Goggin, 2400 Eldridge Ave., Bellingham, WA 98225 Superior Supplements Llc, Superior Supplements Llc, 2184 Wildflower Ct, Bellingham, WA 98229. Swanson Photography Llc, Swanson Photography Llc, 1721 St Paul Ln., Bellingham, WA 98229. Tall Girl Enterprises, Heidi Haidle-Sorgen, 2821 W. Maplewood Ave., Bellingham, WA 98226. Taste Of India, Gandham Enterprizes, Llc, 3930 Meridian St., Ste 107, Bellingham, WA 98226. The Herbal Artist Llc, The Herbal Artist Llc, 2624 Queen St., Bellingham, WA 98226. The Vine Worship Centre, Apostolic Assembly Of The Faith In Christ Jesus, 1510 Alabama St., Bellingham, WA 98229. Theresa O’connor, Lmp, Theresa Marie O’connor, 2301 Williams St., Bellingham, WA 98225. Thomson Law, Llc, Thomson Law, Llc, 21 Bellwether Way, Suite 108, Bellingham, WA 98225. Tracie Lynn Smith, Lmhc, Atr-Bc, Tracie Lynn Smith, 115 W. Magnolia St., Ste 204, Bellingham, WA 98225. Tree Of Life Intuitive Consulting And
Bodywork, Catherine Lee Boland, 112 Ohio St., Ste 21,6 Bellingham, WA 98225. Veterans Fitness Center, Michael Blair, 250 N. State St., Bellingham, WA 98225. Von Smith Insurance, Inc. Von Smith Insurance, Inc., 3217 Firwood Ave., Bellingham, WA 98225. Windchimes Tattoo. Michael David Copley. 118 E/ Magnolia St., Bellingham, WA 98225. Work Doctor, Inc., Work Doctor, Inc., 3319 Brandywine Court, Bellingham, WA 98226.
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. 11/10/14 to 11/14/14 ISSUED PERMITS 2075 Barkley Boulevard 220, $19,000 for tenant improvement: divide existing suite 220 into two suites: 220 and 222. Contractor: Scoboria Construction, Inc. Permit No.: BLD2014-00504. 11/10/14. 1321 Cornwall Ave, $60,000 for tenant improvement: expand retail use and add snack and game room: ECX LLC (ecigExpress). Permit No.: BLD2014-00459. 11/13/14. 2503-2505 Valencia St., $363,199 for new two-story duplex with attached garages. Contractor: DJ & DJ Contracting Inc. Permit No.: CMB2014-00266. 11/12/14. PENDING APPLICATIONS
RECORDS, PAGE 20
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The Bellingham Business Journal
RECORDS, FROM 19 1220 N. State St., $10,000 for tenant improvement: create new opening between 1212 & 1220 N State St., to expand existing restaurant/bar; new restroom on Mezzanine level: The Shakedown. Permit No.: BLD2014-00533. 11/10/14. 3821 Primrose Lane, $2,555,378 for new four-story, 28-unit multifamily building. Permit No.:BLD2014-00473. 11/10/14. 125 Samish Way, $1,269,614 for commercial: new Walgreen’s pharmacy with drive-thru. Permit No.: BLD2014-00399. 11/12/14. 3111 Newmarket St, $17,000 for tenant improvement: rearrangement of interior walls of existing 2,134-square-feet suite. Permit No.: BLD201400535. 11/14/14. 3000 Lindbergh Ave, $292,000 for commercial: remodel of classroom into chemistry lab. Permit No.: BLD2014-00449. 11/14/14. 4121 Stonecrest Court, $197,860 for new two-story duplex. Permit No.: CMB2014-00304. 11/14/14. 4121 Stonecrest Court, $201,168 for new two-story duplex. Permit No.: CMB2014-00303. 11/14/14. 4121 Stonecrest Court, $201,168 for new two-story duplex. Permit No.: CMB2014-00302. 11/14/14. 4121 Stonecrest Court, $201,168 for new two-story duplex. Permit No.: CMB2014-00301. 11/14/14. 4121 Stonecrest Court, $202,657 for new two-story duplex. Permit No.: CMB2014-00300. 11/14/14. 4121 Stonecrest Court, $201,168 for new two-story duplex. Permit No.: CMB2014-00299. 11/14/14. 4121 Stonecrest Court, $202,657 for new two-story duplex. Permit No.: CMB2014-00298. 11/14/14. 4121 Stonecrest Court, $201,168 for new two-story duplex. Permit No.: CMB2014-00298. 11/14/14. 11/3/14 to 11/7/14 ISSUED PERMITS 1015 Harris Ave., $13,056 for commercial: install concession penthouse on roof. Contractor: Pearson Construction Corp. Permit No.: BLD2014-00269. 11/3/14. 2430 James St., $75,000 for tenant improvement: remodel for new restaurant tenant: Over Easy. Permit No.: BLD2014-00523. 11/4/14. 607 E. Holly St., $20,000 for commercial: enclose a two-car garage into an unheated storage room. Contractor: Pioneer Human Services. Permit No.: BLD2014-00517. 11/5/14. 107 Chuckanut Drive N., $31,000 for commercial: interior remodel and porch addition as well as parking modifications. Contractor: Landmark Enterprises Inc., Permit No.: BLD2014-00326. 11/5/14. 310 Lakeway Drive, $76,580 for commercial addition to existing gas station: Lakeway Chevron. Contractor: Z Construction Inc. Permit No.: BLD201400463. 11/7/14. Pending applications 4201 Meridian St., 107, $200,000 for tenant improvement: indoor trampoline park. Contractor: R M Construction & Interior Design Inc. Permit No.: BLD2014-00530. 11/3/14. 1026 N. Forest St., $60,000 for tenant improvement: interior only repair/replacement of existing showers on 2nd and 3rd floor, mic. framing work associated with installation of new ventilation system. Permit No.: BLD2014-00443. 11/6/14. DEMOLITION PERMITS 125 Samish Way, no estimated value given for commercial: demolition and site work to accommodate future new retail and tenant improvement for retail drug store: Walgreen’s. Contractor: Robertson & Olson Construction Inc. Permit No.: DEM2014-00054. 11/5/14. 10/27/14 to 10/31/14 ISSUED PERMITS 4120 Irongate Road, $575,000 for commercial: remodel & addition for metal blasting and painting
company in former bug spraying business space: PCI. ContractorL The Franklin Corporation. Permit No.: BLD2014-00406. 10/28/14. 3811 Primrose Lane, $1,346,302 for new threestory, 15-unit multifamily building. Permit No.: BLD2014-00472. 10/29/14. 2227 Midway Lane, $15,000 for commercial: install narrow aisle pallet racking for chemical storage. Contractor: Raymond Handling Concepts. Permit No.: BLD2014-00394. 10/29/14. 2720 W. Maplewood Ave., Building 4, $460,509 for new two-story, six-unit multifamily building., Contractor: Z Construction. Permit No.: BLD201400334. 10//29/14. 2720 W. Maplewood Ave., Building 3, $460,509 for new two-story, six-unit multifamily building. Contractor: Z Construction. Permit No.: BLD201400333. 10/29/14. 2720 W. Maplewood Ave., Building 2, $460,509 for new two-story, six-unit multifamily building. Contractor: Z Construction. Permit No.: BLD201400332. 10/29/14. 2720 W. Maplewood Ave., Building 1, $460,216 for new two-story, six-unit multifamily building. Contractor: Z Construction. 4111 Bakerview Spur Admin (Whatcom Transportation Authority), $38,000 for commercial: install new concrete pit for bus lift. Contractor: Stremeler Gravel Inc. Permit No.: BLD201400489. 10/30/14. 3773 E. Mcleod Road, $400,000 for educational: replacement of existing skyroof translucent panels: new flashing and sheet metal work: installation of new structural x-bracing and purlins. Contractor: Deamor Associates Inc. Permit No.: BLD2014-00375. 10/30/14. PENDING APPLICATIONS 3930 Meridian St. 102, $145,000 for tenant improvement: interior remodel for new Domino’s Pizza Bakery. Contractor: Sharp Construction LLC. Permit No.: BLD2014-00524. 10/27/14. 2430 James St., $75,000 for tenant improvement: remodel for new restaurant tenant. Permit No.: BLD2014-00523. 10/27/14. 400 E. Mcleod Road, $281,526 for new commercial shell building. Permit No.: BLD2014-00439. 10/27/14. 310 Lakeway Drive, $76,580 for commercial addition to existing gas station: Lakeway Chevron. Permit No.: BLD2014-00463. 10/27/14. 4151 Meridian St., Suite 106, $30,000 for tenant improvement: interior remodel for restaurant: divide restroom into two restrooms; install new walls and plumbing. Permit No.: BLD2014-00506. 10/28/14. 2007 N. State St., $20,000 for commercial: replace existing torch down roofing with TPO and insulation. Contractor: Oracle Contracting Services. Permit No.: BLD2014-00528. 10/31/14. 201 Prospect St., $148,000 for commercial: removal of existing built up roofing and replace with new insulation and TPO membrane. Permit No.: BLD201400527. 10/31/14. 218 N. Samish Way, $300,000 for commercial: new single story commercial building with two tenant spaces. Permit No.: BLD2014-00529. 10/31/14. 10/21/14 to 10/24/14 ISSUED PERMITS 1600 Carolina St., $1,200,083 for commercial: new 16,178 square-foot, two-story office and warehouse building. Contractor: Slab Design Build Inc., Permit No.: BLD2014-00363. 10/20/14. 505 32nd St., Suite 103, $60,000 for restaurant expansion into adjacent vacant restaurant space: Tandoori Bites. Contractor: Z Construction. Permit No.: BLD2014-00493. 10/21/14. 310 E. Magnolia St., $624,240 for a new two-story office building to replace existing one-story building. Contractor: The Franklin Corporation. Permit No.: BLD2014-00387. 10/22/14. 3715 Irongate Road, $175,000 for tenant improvement: interior remodel of existing building: Mt Baker Vapor. Contractor: Wieve LLC. Permit No.: BLD2014-00360. 10/22/14.
557 W. Bakerview Road., $2,776,759 for new mixed-use development with 42-unit apartment buildings and three commercial spaces. Contractor: Arrow Construction & Excavation Inc. Permit No.: BLD2014-00057. 10/22/14. PENDING APPLICATIONS 2901 Connelly Ave., B101, $150,000 for tenant improvement: remodel office and storage spaces on basement level for childcare center; includes new exterior accessible ramp and re-striped parking. Contractor: The Franklin Corporation, Permit No.: BLD2014-00516, 10/21/14. 920 Lakeway Drive, $486,916 for commercial: expansion of Fred Meyer fuel center. Permit No.: BLD2014-00358. 10/22/14. 607 E. Holly St., $20,000 for commercial: enclose a two-car carport into an unheated storage room. Permit No.:BLD2014-00517. 10/23/14. 180 E. Kellogg Road, $25,000 for removing and replacing second floor decks and ground floor patios, siding, flashing, moulding: Spring Creek Apartments. Permit No.: BLD2014-00499. 10/23/14. 184 E. Kellogg Road, $25,000 for removing and replacing second floor decks and ground floor patios, siding, flashing, moulding: Spring Creek Apartments. Permit No.: BLD2014-00498. 10/23/14. 188 E. Kellogg Road, $25,000 for removing and replacing second floor decks and ground floor patios, siding, flashing, moulding: Spring Creek Apartments. Permit No.: BLD2014-00497. 10/23/14. 178 E. Kellogg Road, $25,000 for removing and replacing second floor decks and ground floor patios, siding, flashing, moulding: Spring Creek Apartments. Permit No.: BLD2014-00496. 10/23/14. 176 E. Kellogg Road, $25,000 for removing and replacing second floor decks and ground floor patios, siding, flashing, moulding: Spring Creek Apartments. Permit No.: BLD2014-00495. 10/23/14. 107 Chuckanut Drive N., $31,000 for commercial: interior remodel and porch addition as well as parking modifications. Permit No.: BLD2014-00326. 10/21/14. 2075 Barkley Boulevard 240, $144,000 for remodel of portions of two existing medical office spaces for new tenant (plumbing, mechanical, electrical and fire permits deferred): NW Eye Surgeons. Permit No.: BLD2014-00520. 10/24/14. 3121 Squalicum Parkway, $1,300,000 for commercial: ten unit, 3,800-square-foot addition and interior renovation of an existing skilled nursing facility. Permit No.: BLD2014-00519. 10/24/14. DEMOLITION PERMITS 310 E. Magnolia St., [No estimated value given] for total demolition of single story, 600-square-foot salon building. Contractor: The Franklin Corporation. Permit No.: DEM2014-00055. 10/22/14.
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. 11/4/14 to 11/20/14 NEW LICENSE APPLICATIONS Taste of India, Gandham Enterprizes LLC; Davinder & Kewal Gandham, applied for a new license to serve spirits/beer/wine in a restaurant and service bar at 3930 Meridian St. Suite 107, Bellingham, WA 98226. License No.: 072758. 11/20/14. Over Easy, Seattle’s Egg-ceptional Restaurant Venture; James N. and Colleen D. Bohnett, applied for a new license to serve beer/wine in a restaurant at 2430 James St., Bellingham, WA 98225. License No.: 418797. 11/17/14. Little Tokyo, SHP Corp; Hyunjoo Jung and Sunny Park applied for a new license to serve beer/wine in a restaurant at 2915 Newmarket St., Suite 101, Bellingham, WA 98226. License No.: 418810. 11/13/14. Nok’s Thai Cuisine, Choice Interprises; Suporn Intaniwade applied for a new license to serve beer/ wine in a restaurant at 1213 Dupont St., Bellingham,
December 2014 WA 98225. License No.: 082425. 11/12/14. RECENTLY APPROVED LICENSES Haggen Market Street Catering, at 210 36th St., Suite A, Bellingham, WA 98225, received approval on a new license to operate as a direct shipment receiver. License No.: 081103. 11/17/14. Zenta Garden, at 2750 E. Peace Portal Drive Suite E, Blaine, WA 98230, received approval on a new license to operate as a tier 2 marijuana producer. License No.: 413722. 11/7/14. DISCONTINUED LICENSES No licenses were discontinued between 10/22/14 and 11/3/14. 10/22/14 to 11/3/14 NEW LICENSE APPLICATIONS Dark Tower Games, Dark Tower Games LLC, Catherine Williams and Nathaniel Harris, applied for a new snack bar/direct shipment receiver license for 1431 Railroad Ave., Bellingham, WA 98225. License No.: 418776. 11/3/14. Dimitri’s Greek & Italian Restaurant, Kretan Inc and Konstantinos Theodorakakos applied for an assumption to a license to serve spirits/beer/wine in a restaurant and lounge at 2020 Main St., Suite 101, Ferndale, WA 98248. License No.: 089042. 10/30/14. Cosmos Cafe & Catering, Cinnamon Berg, Micheal Berg and Jamison Rogayan applied for a new license to sell beer and wine in a restaurant at 1151 N. State St., Bellingham, WA 98225. License No.: 418748. 10/30 14. Dylan’s Shipping Station, [no applicants listed] applied for an addition/change of class/in lieu to a license to sell beer/wine in a grocery store at 423 Tyee Drive, Point Roberts, WA 98281. License No.: 070662. 10/29/14. RECENTLY APPROVED LICENSES Bakecation, at 470 W. second St., Suite 106, Sumas, WA 98295, received approval on a new license to operate as a marijuana processor. License No.: 412219. 11/3/14. W.C.W. Enterprises, at 3708 Mt. Baker Highway, Everson, WA 98247, received a new license to operate as a marijuana retailer. License No.: 415445. 11/3/14. 2020 Solutions on the Guide, at 5655 Guide Meridian, Suite A, Bellingham, WA 98226, received approval to sell marijuana in a retail store. License No.: 413314. 10/30/14. Crescendo Chocolate, at 4055 Hammer Drive, Bellingham, WA 98226, received approval on a new application to sell marijuana in a retail store. License No.: 412617. 10/28/14. DISCONTINUED LICENSES No licenses were discontinued between 10/22/14 and 11/3/14.
BANKRUPTCIES No business bankruptcies from Whatcom County were reported last month.
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. Parkway Chevron LLC, $18,050.84, 2141002667, 10/27/14. Gregory Koch, $17,453.75, 2141002668, 10/27/14. Downtown Bobs LLC, $14,904.92, 214002669, 10/27/14. Babes Place Inc, $15,433.12, 2141002939, 10/29/14. David Dutcher, $56855.69, 2141002940, 10/29/14. Kenneth Salapatek, $162,244.39, 2141100119, 11/3/14. Frank Sova, $31,055.03, 2141100120, 11/3/14. North County Lawn Care, $51,049.51, 2141100716, 11/10/14. Larry & Melloney Ward, $27,737.77, 2141100717,
11/10/14. Downtown Bobs LLC, $26,502, 2141100718, 11/10/14. Connect Communications, $14,292.67, 2141100719, 11/17/14. Wayne Arrington, $59.054.98, 2141101300, 11/17/14. Lenny Warren, $55,715.96, 2141101300, 11/17/14. Clark & Beverly Casey, $42,918.33, 2141101302, 11/17/14. Clark Casey, $117,624.25, 2141101303, 11/17/14. Laurel Tarasenko, $9,854.18, 2141101304, 11/17/14. Kodiak Mobile Installation Ser vices Incorporated, $176,990.20, 11/17/14.
RELEASES OF FEDERAL TAX LIENS
Jeffrey Fullner, $5,256.25, 2141002670, 10/27/14. Brent Berwick, $8,425.03, 2141100123, 11/3/14. Harper Marine Incorporated, $1,512.81, 11/3/14. Brent Berwick, $19,131.76, 2141100125, 11/3/14. Virgina Rutherford, $36,795.77, 2141100126, 11/3/14. James Peterson, $121,113.55, 2141100720, 11/10/14. Vitamin G Inc, $14,417.45, 2141100721, 11/10/14. P & P Excavating LLC, $26,707.81, 2141100722, 11/10/14. James Springer, $7,010.72, 2141100724, 11/10/14.
STATE TAX JUDGMENTS
Tax judgments of $5, 000 or more issued by Washington state government agencies and filed locally in Whatcom County Superior Court. Listings include taxpayer name(s), judgment amount, the state agency filing the judgment, originating case number and filing date. Judgments can later be lifted or paid; listings are only current as of their filing dates. Records are obtained from the Whatcom County Superior Court Clerk’s Office. Weston Hauling, $24,036.17, Labor & Industries, 14-2-02487-4, 11/18/14. Matthew Aamot, $12,607.59, Department of Revenue, 14-2-02475-1, 11/17/14. JA Griffin Inc, $5,126.17, Department of RRevenue, 14-2-02476-9, 11/17/14. Rutledge Embroidery Corporation, $17,365.50, Department of Revenue, 14-2-02478-5, 11/17/14. Florencio Cruz, $8,806.15, Labor & Industries, 14-202423-8, 11/5/14. NW Choice Construction, $17,978.13, Labor & Industries, 14-2-02424-6, 11/5/14. American Logistics LLC, $15,130.04, Labor & Industries, 14-2-02427-1, 11/5/14. The Big Fat Fish Company, $10,636.03, Department of Revenue, 14-2-0239302, 10/31/14. Modern Interiors, $6,693.56, Labor & Industries, 14-2-02370-3, 10/28/14. Harjinder Gandham, Buorth Oy, $5,403.71, Labor & Industries, 14-2-02372-0, 10/28/14. Eli Paulson, $6,920.66, Labor & Industries, 14-202373-8, 10/28/14. Vicki and Terry Bell, $36,986.99, Labor & Industries, 14-2-02374-6, 10/28/14. Integrity Solutions NE LLC, $21,092.98, Department of Revenue, 14-2-02341-0, 10/23/14. JNG Bloom Inc, $19,176.77, Department of Revenue, 14-2-02338-0, 10/23/14. Vanderpol Building Components, $6,404.35, Department of Revenue, 14-2-02340-1, 10/23/14.
View more public records online at BBJToday.com.
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December 2014
21
The Bellingham Business Journal
Business Toolkit
How to protect your business from holiday malware
Black Friday and Cyber Monday continue to be huge shopping spectacles. Brick and mortar stores are now opening on Thanksgiving Day, and Cyber Monday deals are extending through the following week. As these holiday shopping deals begin to appear, more and more people are shopping online. This puts them at risk to find more than just holiday deals on the web – many will fall victim to holiday malware. It’s no secret that malware is a growing concern for corporate networks, and increased non-business traffic during the holiday shopping season can compound the issue. The result creates an ideal environment for email and web-based phishing attacks that lead directly to malware. Some of the most successful attacks come from fake FedEx and UPS emails, which will probably be more prevalent during this holiday season. We’ve all seen the emails: “Your package has shipped. Click here to for tracking information.” Only, the link doesn’t lead to FedEx or UPS – it leads to malicious malware. These email phishing attempts are prevalent enough that FedEx and UPS both now offer samples of the latest attacks for consumer awareness. The most damaging of the malware received in these
Mike Sullivan OnTech Tips and Trends
following these steps: •
emails is Cryptowall. Cryptowall takes down entire networks by encrypting files and then demanding a ransom be paid to have them unencrypted. It may also warn users that the decryption key will be deleted after a certain time period to pressure the user into paying sooner. The attacker may demand hundreds of US dollars in payment and the amount may increase after a specified time period. Even if the user pays the ransom, there’s no guarantee that the attacker will provide the decryption key needed to unlock their files. Users can take steps to protect themselves and their data against Cryptowall and other malware by
Have current backups of your data. This is perhaps
•
•
•
the most important aspect of protection. If your files are infected, you will not be able to get them back unless you have backups to restore them from. Use a business-class firewall to protect your network from attack. Devices like WatchGuard XTM firewalls have protection from advanced malware and zero day threats. Use an antivirus and make sure it’s up to date. These can help defend against ransomware as it blocks suspicious links and attachments in email messages. Be careful where you click. Even if you are expecting packages, be wary of any email that directs you to a link where you have to download anything.
Mike Sullivan is a network and systems administrator at Tech Help. He helps Whatcom County business owners manage their IT so they can focus on their businesses. Learn more about Sullivan and the Tech Help team by visiting www. gotechhelp.com. Reach him directly at mike@gotechhelp.com.
The last word on trust for owners, managers and employers
Preparing for this post, it occurred to me that for many thoughtful people there are three truths about trust and no common definition. The three truths are: 1. If I trust, I can count on being disappointed. 2. If I do not trust, my life will likely be safe but it will feel more like surviving than thriving. 3. If I am up to anything of consequence—anything that will really make
any difference— then I will need the involvement of others. Therefore, trusting is a foregone conclusion: I will trust or I will accomplish very little in this lifetime. With the Mike above three truths in mind, Cook you would do well to establish On a tolerance for Managers & disappointment. If this sounds Employees paradoxical to you I empathize. It appears that there is always a paradox to be dealt with where trust is involved, especially if you insist on defining trust as having anything to do with someone else’s behavior. Unfortunately, in my experience most people do create their definition of trust in terms of the behaviors of others. According to them you must “earn their trust” or some other such nonsense! While it may seem counter intuitive, as in the case of the Peter Block quote above, there is considerable power in defining trust in reference to oneself. This opportunity is too often neglected at great personal loss and is dealt with masterfully in the book “Trust Agents: Using the Web to Build Influence, Improve Reputation, and
COOK, PAGE 22
RELATIONSHIPS THAT LAST A LIFETIME
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Imagine being at work, in any workplace, and not trusting people. I don’t necessarily mean specific people, I mean people in general. Unfortunately, I think many of us are there unconsciously. This reality is covered up with “handy stories” justifying behavior that might otherwise be considered paranoid. I think you know the stories I mean, they usually include some element of “well you can never be too careful,” or “if you want something done right do it yourself.” These and similar “stories” are versions of how to avoid depending on or being vulnerable with others. “Trust is more an attitude about myself, an estimate of my own capacities, my own ability to handle whatever comes up. If I do not trust someone, a more accurate statement might be that I am not happy with the way I act or feel when I am around this person. It is my sense of being out of control that bothers me…” - Peter Block, Author of ‘Community: The Structure of Belonging’
“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
(360) 734-2043
22
The Bellingham Business Journal
December 2014
TOOLKIT
COOK, FROM 21
Earn Trust.” Consider this: A definition of trust that is filled with power is a function of my relationship with myself. Do I have the confidence in myself to deal with whatever comes my way? Can I interact successfully with various personalities? Can I rely on employees, co-workers or managers who clearly have superior subject knowledge to my own? Can I honor my intentions when interacting with people of differing agendas? And most importantly, can I count on myself to respond and deliver without excuses even when someone has let me down? This perspective on trust gives reason to think that you can be effective no matter what and no matter who is involved. And make no mistake about it, trust, like we often say about beauty, is in the eye of the beholder…it is a perspective. By adopting this perspective you place the responsibility for trust in your own lap. Your power comes
from the fact that there never was anything you could do about anyone else’s behavior except to ask for what you wanted and hold them to account for what they said they would do. I was blessed to have a manager who operated with me in this fashion early in my career. I made mistakes and each time he dealt with the situation gracefully and responsibly. If he had delegated something to me and it did not get done well he always held himself to account for having allowed me the opportunity to either meet his expectations, or let him down. This is not to say that he did not hold me to account; he did, and from our discussions around my accountabilities I learned from my mistakes. His trusting that he could deal with whatever mistake I might make allowed me the freedom to bring the best I had to offer and rapidly learn what worked and what did not. Of course, like any truly great manager his trust
in me cost him in the end; I was promoted and moved on. And of course, he trusted that whoever took my place would eventually be exactly what he needed, until they moved on as well. Where have you abdicated your responsibility for trust? When will you take it back?
Mike Cook lives in Anacortes. His columns appear on BBJToday.com every other Tuesday. He publishes a semi-weekly blog at www.heartofengagement.com and also facilitates a monthly business book reading group at Village Books.
How to use email as an “owned” marketing platform they want so delivery is predictable. Owned platforms, like email marketing, are a good thing for many industries, as long as marketers have access to a generous database of email addresses to deliver their content to. Other marketing platforms, like Facebook, allow someone else to control the distribution of a content. Users may be able to quickly reach a large audience, but the powers that be at Facebook decide if and when user content will be shared, and they decide who it will be shown to. They also control how much it will cost to deliver that content (which can change at any time). Since the user does not control distribution, and delivery may not be predictable, Facebook is not considered to be a platform that is owned by the user. Make sense? Email marketing is a solid example of an owned platform, but it may not be right for every business, so let’s Book your all day meeting at The Chrysalis Inn dig a bit deeper.
Experts have predicted that 2015 may be a good year for businesses to ramp up the use of “owned marketing platforms,” especially if Facebook has been their main marketing tool in recent years. That prediction has small business owners and marketing professionals wondering if, when or how they should increase the use of owned platforms. What is an owned platform? It’s a marketing tool that allows users to fully control the distribution of content. Users get to deliver content when they want, and to whom
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Is email marketing right for your business? First and foremost it’s important to think about how easy it would be to collect email addresses from consumers to develop a distribution list. Building a distribution list can be a real challenge for some, and it can be naturally easy for others, mainly based on their industry. An example of a business where email marketing can work well would be a clothing consignment store where a consignor agreement is signed by each and every person that drops off merchandise. On that form, consignors provide their email address
and check a box that gives permission for the store to send them emails about sales and events (obtaining permission is very important!). The signup process is easy and it can be seamlessly integrated into a regular business activity—it feels like a natural extension of the business. With this type of retail busiPatti ness, the store has the potential to collect dozens of email Rowlson addresses from consumers each week. Those contacts can then On Social be added to an email marketMedia & ing tool like MailChimp (free) or Constant Contact (very Marketing affordable). Emails can then be sent out to encourage existing customers to return again and again to shop or consign more items at the store. Health clubs, art studios, membership organizations and tourism companies are also examples of industries where email marketing would make sense. They typically have access to a generous number of consumers each week and those consumers usually fill out paperwork to sign up for programs. It’s possible to easily integrate email marketing permissions into that process.
Not a new concept, but worth a second look Email marketing is definitely not a new concept, but if you feel like this owned marketing platform has been nudged to the sidelines while your business focused time and resources on other options, it may be worth a second look as you’re making plans for 2015. With increasing ease of use and integrated features like social share buttons and analytics, email marketing can be a great way to reach out to your customers while maintaining control over content and distribution.
Patti Rowlson is a marketing consultant and social media manager at PR Consulting, Inc. Learn more about small-business marketing by visiting www. pattirowlson.com.
December 2014
23
The Bellingham Business Journal
Chamber member profile – Making the connection: GearSpoke networks owners with renters
By Alex Peterson
Have you ever had a project to do in the yard or around the house that requires a specific tool you don’t have and would only use once? Or have you ever wanted to go on a backpacking trip, but don’t want to spend hundreds of dollars on a backpack you won’t use very often? If so, you’re in luck.
Until recently, you would only have a few options: rent from a store, borrow from a friend, or just buy the item and let it collect dust when you’re done with it. Now you can use a service called GearSpoke that lets you rent out an item that you don’t use a lot, or connects you with owners who want to rent that item to you.
GearSpoke is a peer-to-peer rental startup that allows anyone to rent anything to anyone else. Based on the idea of Collaborative Consumption, the same idea that made websites like Airbnb or Taskrabbit popular, GearSpoke establishes a connection between the person providing the rental and the renter.
“GearSpoke can help people experience everything that Washington state has to offer in the realm of outdoor activities, or even chores in your household,” said Marketing Account Manager Mikaela Burkhart. “People can log onto our website with the intent of renting something they need so they can go have fun with their friends, or clean out the gutters on their own house by renting a ladder.”
Started in Anchorage, Alaska, by a group of MBA students, GearSpoke was conceived at an event called 3DS, or 3-Day Startup, in March 2011. The students were tasked with developing a company concept to pitch to local business leaders in three days, working all day and night to get it done. After the event, a portion of the group decided to try to get the company going. GearSpoke also
took second place at the Alaska Business Plan Competition in 2011. “James Thompson, a Whatcom County native, heard about it and had to be a part of it,” Burkhart said. “He purchased GearSpoke in 2014 and moved its operation to Bellingham. We’ve just been having a great time starting a very strong collaborative community; having people rent outdoor equipment or even tools from each other.” It’s safer than the alternatives such as Craigslist, and less expensive than using a rental company. Renters and owners review one another after each transaction. If an owner had a bad experience with a renter, the next owner they try to rent from can see that on their profile. “We think it’s a lot safer to have this online chat system,” Burkhart said. “While you’re researching to find some outdoor equipment, like a backpack, you can find one and message the owner. You can talk to them, get to know them to make sure they’re a reliable source, and look at comments. You really thoroughly research this person before even exchanging anything.”
owners, but it also handles the payment system. They charge a small percentage of the transaction to act as the facilitator and listing service. Though people may be wary to use their credit card information online, GearSpoke uses the safest system to avoid anyone’s personal information being stolen – once they charge your card, they don’t store the information. “We don’t save any credit card information, so once you enter it you’re going to have to re-enter it every time,” Burkhart said. “You register your credit card, and money is not even exchanged until people review each other. The person needs to pay before they rent and then they can’t even return the rental until their review is done, which allows for people to get their review.” As part of its dedication to providing a platform for safe and reliable transactions, GearSpoke has a rental agreement form on its website for renters and owners to establish liability and have the agreement documented. Should anything happen to an
Because GearSpoke is community based, it relies on reviews to let future owners know who is a reliable renter and vice versa. It requires that each party review the other before money can be transacted. Renters pay the agreed upon fee before renting, GearSpoke holds the money for the duration of the transaction, the renter reviews the owner and returns the item, and the owner reviews the renter to complete the transaction. All other logistics, such as drop-off and pick-up, are up to the renter and owner. As a third party, GearSpoke is the resource that connects renters with
GearSpoke Forklift
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item during the transaction, the agreement can be used in small claims court.
“GearSpoke is really just the platform,” Burkhart said. “When it comes to liability, that’s up to the renter and owner to determine.”
GearSpoke encourages its users to be as descriptive as possible in their profiles, so other users can get to know who they are renting to and from. This helps differentiate GearSpoke from Craigslist or other services because you are able to familiarize yourself with the other person before the transaction even takes place. Who knows, you may even make a new friend.
GearSpoke can also be a quick process if you’re in a time crunch. Once a renter has sent a message to someone about their rental item, the owner can message back and set up a meeting time and place within minutes.
“The rental process can take place within an hour,” Burkhart said. “It really comes down to you choosing what to rent. And your message is sent to their email. It says, ‘Hey, somebody wants to rent this,’ they can log on and say, ‘Sure, not a problem. You want to do it this evening?’ and it’s done that day.”
Because the owners renting their items don’t have to worry about paying overhead like a rental company, they can set their prices much lower. The owners determine the price to rent an item for a day, which means the renters can get expensive items for much cheaper.
The owner-determined pricing allows people to try new things for a relatively inexpensive trial. Want to go skiing with some friends? Skis in Whatcom County are available for as little as $10. Need a backpacking pack from REI? One is available for just $5 on GearSpoke. You can even rent a vacuum sealer for food or other items for just $5 per day. “We do have some interesting things on there,” Burkhart said. “We have a scissor lift, some different tools. This gentleman owns a significant amount of tools and never uses them, so he has everything from a forklift to a screwdriver. I think there’s even a calking gun on there, which is interesting. You can rent anything you want just as long as it’s not a human life form.” •
Chamber celebrates Annual Award Winners By: Shelli Jones Every December, the Bellingham/ Whatcom Chamber of Commerce honors member businesses and members of the business community for their achievements. The award winners will be honored at the 10th Annual Awards Dinner will be held on Thursday, December 4th at the Best Western Lakeway Inn. The chamber has already announced several winners. The 2014 Nonprofit of the Year is the Whatcom Dispute Resolution Center
December 2014
(WDRC). They received a number of nominations from the public and people associated with their services. One nomination from WDRC board member Joan Cervisi read, “The WDRC is an organization with great integrity that helps community members resolve conflict in a peaceful way regardless of their ability to pay. This provides upward mobility for clients because they are educated in ways to handle conflict in more effective ways. They also work in the schools to teach children how to deal with conflict.” The 2014 Green Business of the Year is Western Washington University (WWU). WWU has shown their dedication to the planet in a number of ways. Their Sustainability Office oversees a variety of green initiatives including adding a solar array to the Environmental Studies building, the installation of water bottle refilling stations to encourage use of reusable water bottles, engaging in green office tools, sustainable transportation, and “sweater days” where they turn down the heat to 68 degrees. WWU also has projects called “The Outback Farm” which serves as an experiential learning program employing sustainable land use practices and “WWU Zero Waste” which is designed to eliminate all recyclable and compostable waste. The Young Professional of the Year is awarded to a member of the Whatcom Young Professions (WYPs)—a chamber program founded eight years ago designed to attract young professionals and people who are in their first five years of business.
Proud Sponsor 2014 Nonprofit of the Year Award
RAM Construction http://ramconstruction-wa.com/
2013 Woman of the Year winner Orphalee Smith of Orphalee Smith CPA with award sponsor and presenter Shaiza Damji of SpringHill Suites by Marriott. – © Genaro Photography
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The Bellingham Business Journal
The 2014 Young Professional of the Year, as voted by the WYPs members, is Travis Rhone of Whatcom Land Title. Rhone has been a member of WYPs for two years and has consistently attended events and introduced new professionals to the organization. He is extremely well connected in the community and partakes in a number of activities including organizing charity events to benefit the Food Bank, volunteering at his local church and participating on a committee for the Whatcom County Association of Realtors, an organization that advocates for the rights of land and property owners.
The chamber is introducing a new award this year—the Millie Deford Chamber Ambassador of the Year award. Millie Deford served as the Chamber’s lead ambassador for many years. She founded and developed the chamber’s monthly networking breakfast into the premier networking event that it
is today. She attended all of the chamber’s important functions and supplemented the chamber’s staff whenever she was needed. “Millie passed away in February 2014, and this award is one way that we can keep her legacy alive and honor her service to our organization and the community,” said Bellingham/Whatcom Chamber of Commerce President & CEO Guy Occhiogrosso. This year, we’ll be presenting the “Millie” to Cale Luna of Advance Solutions Technologies. Cale has served as the lead ambassador for four years and has been involved as a chamber ambassador since 2002. Like Millie, Cale has selflessly served at chamber activities and events, organized ambassadors to volunteer for events, and volunteered his time to help out at the chamber. “You always see Cale at the chamber’s monthly networking breakfasts, business after business and member
THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSORS Large Business of the Year sponsor: Alaska Airlines
of the week presentations. He’s a vital part of the team!” said Occhiogrosso. In addition to these awards, the chamber will be announcing the winner of the
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Business of the Year ASmall Solutionist Exploration Consulting Angel’s Cleaning Service award, the Large Business of Applies Manufacturing the Year award, the Man of the Barker & Associates Birch Bay Waterslides Year and the Woman of the Buffalo Wild Wings Year at the Burlington Coat awards Factory ceremony Chuckanut Feline Center on December 4th. • Cranberry Digital Insurance Erin Baker’s Wholesale Baked Goods Farmers insurance/ Vwich Financial Plan Inc. GearSpoke Greenwoods Photographic Arts Health Insurance Solutions Hoh Indian Tribe Independent Financial Group Image Mill, Inc. Legacy Creative Ventures The Mahoney Group Marine Corps League Detachment 1335 Michael Benzikry & Associates Mill Creek Sports Mozza Mt. Baker Vapor Northstar Stone & Landscape Supply Northwest Benefit Solutions Opus Performing Arts Over Easy Restaurant Queen City Plating Rosario Skin Clinic Safeway Sales Leakage Consulting Say it better Sean D. Riley Insurance Agency Total Rental Center Vern Fonk Insurance Whatcom Marketing
New Members
New Members
J
oin uswelcoming: in welcoming: Join us in
A Solutionist Exploration Consulting Angel’s Cleaning Service Applies Manufacturing Barker & Associates Birch Bay Waterslides Buffalo Wild Wings Burlington Coat Factory Chuckanut Feline Center Cranberry Digital Insurance Erin Baker’s Wholesale Baked Goods Farmers insurance/ Vwich Financial Plan Inc. GearSpoke Greenwoods Photographic Arts Health Insurance Solutions Hoh Indian Tribe Independent Financial Group Image Mill, Inc. Legacy Creative Ventures The Mahoney Group Marine Corps League Detachment 1335 Michael Benzikry & Associates Mill Creek Sports Mozza Mt. Baker Vapor Northstar Stone & Landscape Supply Northwest Benefit Solutions Opus Performing Arts Over Easy Restaurant Queen City Plating Rosario Skin Clinic Safeway Sales Leakage Consulting Say it better Sean D. Riley Insurance Agency Total Rental Center Vern Fonk Insurance Whatcom Marketing
Small Business of the Year sponsor: VSH Certified Public Accountants Green Business of the Year sponsor: BP Cherry Point Nonprofit of the Year sponsor: Ram Construction Woman of the Year sponsor: Alcoa Intalco Works Man of the Year sponsor: Peoples Bank Mille Deford Chamber Ambassador of the Year sponsor: Best Western Plus Lakeway Inn Young Professional of the Year sponsor: Skagit Bank Wine sponsor: Print & Copy Factory Reception sponsor: Heritage Bank
DESIGN | WEB | MAIL
We were honored to be the 2005 winners of the Small Business of the Year Award. Print & Copy Factory wouldn’t exist without the support of the members of this community. It has been a profound privilege to have been acknowledged in such an empowering way.
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December 2014
Chamber Members of the Week September AAA Washington 4280 Meridian St., Ste. 106, Bellingham (360) 733-2740 www.washington.aaa.com
Care Medical Group 4280 Meridian St., Ste. 120, Bellingham (360) 734-4300 www.caremg.com
Cordata Family Dentist 147 W Kellogg Rd., Bellingham (360) 734-6300
Trinity Western University 143 W Kellogg Rd., Bellingham (360) 527-0222 www.twubellingham.com
www.site.thecordatafamilydentist.com
October Kucumber Skin Lounge 436 W Bakerview Rd., Bellingham (360) 738-7197 www.kucumberskinlounge.com
Neighborhood Mortgage 432 W. Bakerview Rd., #101, Bellingham (360) 671-8044 www.neighborhoodmortgage.net
La Quinta Inn & Suites 1063 W Bakerview Rd., Bellingham (360) 738-7088 www.laquintabellingham.com
SpringHill Suites by Marriott 4040 Northwest Ave., Bellingham (360) 714-9600 www.marriott.com
November Louis Auto and Residential Glass 1512 N. State St., Bellingham (360) 734-3840 www.louisautoglass.com/ Bellingham.html
The Bellingham Herald 1155 N State St., Bellingham (360) 676-2660 www.bellinghamherald.com
Whatcom Family YMCA 1256 N State St., Bellingham (360) 733-8630 www.whatcomymca.org
Key Bank 1221 N. State St., Bellingham (360) 676-6317 https://www.key.com
December 2014
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The Bellingham Business Journal
Brokerage • Mutual Funds • Roth 401(k)
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You know it’s your people that make your company successful. They are the face your customers see. They are the architects who make your future a reality. They ensure your success. You have the vision to share the rewards of everyone’s work. Saturna Capital has the 401(k) plan to help make managing those rewards easier. Ask us how. Please consider an investment’s objectives, risks, charges, and expenses carefully before investing. For free prospectuses, summary prospectuses, and brochures that contain this and other important information on Saturna’s no-load mutual funds and other investment products, please visit www.saturna.com or call toll-free 1-800-SATURNA. Please read the prospectuses, summary prospectuses, and brochures carefully before investing. Distributor: Saturna Brokerage Services, member FINRA/SIPC and a wholly owned subsidiary of Saturna Capital Corporation, 1300 North State Street, Bellingham, WA 98225. $750 Annual Trust Fee (plus 0.25% of year end plan assets, with a 0.25% credit on year-end plan assets in affiliated mutual funds). Self-directed brokerage accounts subject to commissions on trades. Investments in mutual funds are subject to ongoing expenses. See a fund’s prospectus or summary prospectus for details.
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In our new Barkley Village store, we put a spotlight on local businesses. This season, we are pleased to showcase the creations of Anne-Marie Faiola, Soap Queen and founder of Bramble Berry Soap Making Supplies. Her latest project is Handmade Beauty Box, a subscription service that delivers do-it-yourself beauty and spa projects right to your doorstep. Surprise someone (yourself included) with the gift of handmade goodness.
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Sold exclusively at our store at 3102 Newmarket Street, Monday-Thursday 9-5, Friday 9-6, and handmadebeautybox.com. Questions? Call us at 360-937-0901
December 2014