Review Bainbridge Island
OUT OF THIS WORLD: Spacecraft set to land on Bainbridge. A9
FRIDAY, MAY 16, 2014 | Vol. 114, No. 20 | WWW.BAINBRIDGEREVIEW.COM | 75¢
Sticky business
BHS grad cooks up a passion for peanut butter
City council approves temporary rules for marijuana businesses OFFICIALS WANT MORE TIME TO CREATE PERMANENT REGULATIONS BY CECILIA GARZA Bainbridge Island Review
Luciano Marano | Bainbridge Island Review
Austin Ingalls, owner and founder of Jammin’ PB, with several of his trademark flavors of artisan peanut butter inside Bay Hay and Feed. The old-fashioned farm store is one of several locations, including the Bainbridge farmers market, where Jammin’ PB can be purchased in addition to www.jamminpb.com.
Entrepreneur finds new endeavor a little bit nuts BY LUCIANO MARANO Bainbridge Island Review
It was not so very long ago that Austin Ingalls was just a regular guy enjoying his favorite peanut butterand-Tabasco sandwich, minding his own business. Now, barely two years later, his business needs a little more minding as his “Jammin’ PB” artisan peanut butter is enjoyed by many fans of creative comfort food around the state and even some cities as far away as Las Vegas, Nevada and Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. “I try to be out there and unique, not something that you’d usually see in peanut butter,” Ingalls said. “I think what makes Jammin’ PB different is this unique spin on a comfort food,” he said. “We’re offering flavors that people can recognize, and adding it to a comfort food.” Some of the unique things Ingalls has added to peanut butter have resulted in his four staple labels:
chocolate coconut, honey chipotle, maple bacon and, his newest flavor, white chocolate macadamia nut. While some of these flavor combos might seem a little radical, Ingalls said he spends a lot of time considering how ingredients will work together before trying anything in the kitchen. “You need to put in recognizable flavors,” he explained. “People understand maple and bacon, people understand chocolate and coconut. Those are flavor profiles that people, once they see it on the jar, they’re like, ‘I have an idea of
what that flavor is, just add peanut butter.’” As for the genesis of his business plan, his much-loved peanut butterand-Tabasco sandwich, Ingalls said he finally realized that he could’t be the only person who would enjoy such a thing. “It actually started in college,” said the 2005 Bainbridge High School graduate. “I was never a big peanut butterand-jelly fan, I’ve always liked everything spicy. It hit me, ‘How come nobody’s ever made spicy peanut butter?’ I should just cut out the [mixing] steps, then I’d have spicy peanut butter to begin with. I did a quick internet search, this was back in 2008, just to see if somebody had done it. I found one company that made a ‘Hot and Spicy’ peanut butter, so I was like, ‘It’s been done, so I can’t do it. Everything’s obviously already been done, so I’m not an TURN TO PEANUT | A20
Bainbridge marijuana businesses may have to wait until November for city officials to establish permanent, reliable regulations. Following a public hearing that invited a range of opinions, the Bainbridge Island City Council voted unanimously on more temporary regulations for new marijuana enterprises on the island. “Our intent is to revisit this ordinance and probably to reorganize it and to continue the discussion,” said Councilman Val Tollefson. “This is mechanically what we decided to do to be able to have more time to work on this,” he said. The ordinance will limit marijuana retail to neighborhood service centers Rolling
Bay, Island Center and Lynwood Center. Marijuana growing businesses will only be allowed in the business/ industrial zone on Day Road. Marijuana processing will likewise be limited to the business/industrial zone, and collective gardens will be banned citywide. The new ordinance will sunset Nov. 12, at which time the council said they will reopen the discussion. Despite the unanimous vote, the council was divided during this week’s meeting on where and how marijuana businesses should be regulated. A final decision came only after extensive discussion and a closed-door executive session on how the council could legally buy more time. TURN TO MARIJUANA | A8
Merchants meet with city to discuss sidewalk retail uses BY CECILIA GARZA Bainbridge Island Review
Shop owners can rest easy knowing the city supports retail on downtown Winslow sidewalks. City Manager Doug Schulze met with downtown merchants Wednesday afternoon to discuss the city’s pending ordinance to permit sidewalk retail. “We tried to write this in a way that what exists out there today isn’t impacted,” Schulze said. Last month, city staff asked the Bainbridge Island City Council for policy direction to maintain Winslow’s pedestrian flow amidst outdoor dining and merchandise displays.
The council agreed that it supported outdoor business as long as there is a five-foot clearance for sidewalk use. Schulze explained to shop owners Wednesday that while no business is currently violating the fivefoot requirement, state law requires a permit process for a public space. Also, Schulze said, the ordinance will give city staff a better understanding of how to address citizen complaints. Some merchants welcomed the new rules. “I agree it would be nice to have it settled, so that I don’t have to continue to be TURN TO SIDEWALK | A21