Bellingham Business Journal, November 02, 2015

Vol. 23 No. 11

November 2015 New wine bar opening in challenging Arts District space [Page 8]

The Buzz Third quarter housing sales hit 10-year highs Housing sales and prices are up across much of Whatcom County. Also, the weak Canadian dollar has had some strange effects on the market for second homes in Birch Bay and east Whatcom County.

HOUSING, 14

Opportunity Council turns 50, appoints new executive director

The current and future leader of the local community action agency sat down with the BBJ to discuss the nonprofit’s past and future.

OPPORTUNITY COUNCIL, 4 Chinese investors based in Vancouver, B.C., bought CJ’s Beach House, shown above, and the Sea Links Golf Course for $2.35 million in 2012.

Patrick Starr, a real estate broker who represented the buyer, said Chinese investors are again interested in Whatcom County. [OLIVER LAZENBY PHOTO | THE BBJ]

Could Chinese investment return to Whatcom County?

Business owners: you can’t do it all on your own; use local resources.

Foreign investors spent millions on Whatcom County properties between 2011 and 2013

RESOURCES, 20

With China’s economy slumping more investment could be on the way In his office on Newmarket Street in the Barkley District, Patrick Starr entered search terms into an online real estate database and came up with a list of properties for sale for more than $4 million in King County.

An untrained eye might not have noticed the prevalence of the number eight in the listings. Properties appeared on the screen for $4,088,000, $6,088,000, 10,888,000, $5,488,880.

But to Starr, a Whatcom County commercial real estate broker with John L. Scott, the eights meant something. The number is lucky

in China; the properties are being marketed investors, said Mike Kent, a real estate consultoward Chinese investors looking for a safe tant in Blaine. Kent represented the sellers in investment, Starr said. many major sales.

He knows because, as perhaps the only Since then, Whatcom County hasn’t seen Chinese-speaking commercial real estate bro- any high profile transactions, he said. ker in the county, he also markets properties to Chinese investors.

In a two-year period ending in July 2013, Investment, PAGE 16 Starr represented Chinese investors who bought more than $25 million in highpriced commercial real estate, including the Birch Bay Waterslides, Horizon at Semiahmoo, and Sea Links Golf Course and CJ’s Beach House in Birch Bay. WE SELL AND BUY: • Refurbished and Pre-Owned Apple iPads, iPhones and iPods At that time, the majority of sales in • Refurbished and Pre-Owned Barcode Scanners, Printers, Parts, north Whatcom County went to foreign

Self management is today’s management.

MANAGEMENT, 22

MOBILE TECHNOLOGY COMPANY Batteries and Accessories • We offer a quality pre-owned product for a fraction of the cost of new!

WE REPAIR (touch screens, LCD, battery replacement and more):

• Apple iPads and iPhones • Barcode Scanners, Printers • We offer quality one-time flat-rate repairs as well as annual repair contracts

OTHER SERVICES:

• Rent/Lease both small and large quantities of iPads, iPods and Barcode Scanning Equipment • Battery management/refurbishment program for barcode scanners

LOCATION

7044 Portal Way Box 120 Unit K4, Ferndale WA 98248

1443396

BY OLIVER LAZENBY The Bellingham Business Journal

Business toolkit

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November 2015

Contents

When you need a Jumbo mortgage, we have options and flexibility If you plan to purchase or refinance a higher-priced property, our jumbo mortgage options may help you make the most of today’s inviting home prices and low interest rates.

Whether you want to purchase or refinance a primary residence or a second/vacation home, we have versatile financing options to meet your needs.

Call us to explore your options.

A home for sale in the Lettered Streets neighborhood. Home sales are slow in Bellingham due to a supply shortage, real estate agents said. OLIVER LAZENBY PHOTO | THE BBJ

Larry W. Evans

[14] Third quarter housing report

Branch Manager 360-738-2376

More houses sold in July, August and September than any third quarter in the last 10 years. Real estate professionals working in Birch Bay and east Whatcom County say that Canadians are selling their second homes due to the weak loonie.

NMLSR ID 856141

Connect with us On Twitter @BBJToday

Anndi D. Pena

Home Mortgage Consultant 360-738-2363

NMLSR ID 413608

Ross Schram von Haupt

Home Mortgage Consultant 360-746-4050

NMLSR ID 1026086

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

[8] Wine and art Armed with a history of successful ventures, owners of a new cafe and wine bar have a plan to succeed in a challenging space.

NMLSR ID 404824

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

[4] Opportunity Council turns 50 The community action agency marks 50 years of serving low-income families and individuals in Whatcom, Skagit and Island counties.

[7] McNett bought by Canadian competitor Barry Weafer

Home Mortgage Consultant 360-647-0897

Brandon C. Mankle

Reah Marie Dewell

NMLSR ID 634610

NMLSR ID 156730

Home Mortgage Consultant NMLSR ID 420701 360-738-2362

Retiring owners of McNett, a Bellingham-based outdoor gear manufacturer, sold the company to Coghlan’s, a competitor based in Winnipeg, Manitoba.

[3] Business Briefs [6] Market Indicators [9] People on the Move

Home Mortgage Consultant 360-384-4975

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[17] Public Records [20] Business Toolkit

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November 2015

BUSINESS BRIEFS Michael’s Books is looking for a new owner Michael’s Books may not be closing after all.

Michael Elmer, owner of the shop at 109 Grand Ave., announced in early October that the bookstore would close at the end of the year because his wife got a job in Vancouver, Washington, and they’re moving.

Since announcing the closer, some interested buyers came forward and Elmer is hoping to find a new owner, he announced on the businesses’ Facebook page.

Elmer opened the store 32 years ago. It specializes in rare and out-of-print books.

Fairhaven Pharmacy closed, new tenant coming in 2016 The Fairhaven Pharmacy closed on Oct. 20, after 126 years in business.

Owner Rob Johansen is retiring after running the business for 45 years. He tried to sell the pharmacy, but the increasing cost of drugs and dealing with the companies that process prescription requests has made the business less viable over the years, he said.

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Prices have increased in the last 18 months and some drugs now cost more than 100 times what they used to, Johansen said.

Meanwhile, the amount the pharmacy gets per transaction has generally decreased.

Local attorney Dean Brett owns the building, on the corner of Harris and 12th St. at 1115 Harris Ave. Brett said he already has a new tenant lined up for the building, though he wouldn’t say who.

Finding a business owner interested in the space, at one of the busiest intersections in Fairhaven, wasn’t hard, he said.

“It’s a great location. It’s an iconic building,” he said.

Brett expects after some remodeling the new tenant will open for business at the beginning of 2016.

New women’s clothing boutique open in the Herald Building Rhiannon Troutman realized a long-term goal last month when she opened Fringe Boutique, a women’s clothing store at 1147 N. State St., in the Herald Building.

The 1,300-square-foot store has a “fashion-forward” focus with

products geared toward women under 40, Troutman said. She described her store’s products as “women’s clothing for work and play with a bohemian twist.” In addition to clothes, the store carries jewelry, handbags, scarves, throw blankets, pendant lights, glassware, body products and other fashion products and home items, many of which are locally made.

Troutman is a downtown retail and clothing veteran. Her resume includes time at Bellingham stores including Naked Clothing, Sojourn, and Black Market Boutique. Most recently, she managed Mi Shoes.

Gary’s Plumbing and Heating moves, expands Gary and Mary Gibb, owners of Gary’s Plumbing and Heating, recently moved their company to 4760 Pacific Highway, between Bellingham and Ferndale. The new location includes office space, two shops, parking for fleet vehicles, and an employee training room on two acres.

“We chose this particular site— along Interstate 5—because it greatly increases our visibility and makes it easier for our crews to serve residential and commercial customers in Bellingham, Ferndale, Birch Bay and Blaine,” Gary Gibb said in a press release.

The company also recently hired more plumbing technicians to expand after-hours service. The company now has 15 employees and offers plumbing repair 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

Found Leather Goods launches new website Found Leather Goods, a handmade leather bags and accessories company, launched a new website and expanded its product line.

Nicki Lang started the Fairhavenbased business six years ago. At that time, all materials—down to the thread—were repurposed or second-hand, according to a press release from the company.

After running the business on her own for the past six years, Lang recently took on Leah Macaleer as a founder and co-owner.

Learn more at www.foundleathergoods.com.

Firehouse Cafe reopens The Firehouse Cafe, at 1314 Harris Ave., in Fairhaven, reopened in September under new management after being closed since April. Aaron and Kate Walters are now in charge of the cafe. Formers owners Matt Christman and his wife still own the facility and run the Firehouse Performing Arts Center in the same building, Aaron Walters

said in an email. The cafe serves coffee and baked goods.

Interfaith changes name to Unity Care NW Interfaith Community Health Center changed its name to Unity Care NW at the beginning of October. The nonprofit is providing a growing number of clients with medical, dental, pharmacy and behavioral health services, the organization said in a press release.

To meet growing demand, Unity Care NW plans to open a new clinic in spring 2016 that will increase its adult dental and behavioral health capacity. Unity Care NW is $300,000 away from its goal of raising $2.2 million for the facility, at 1616 Cornwall Ave., in Bellingham.

New downtown law firm focuses on immigration law Boundary Bay Law Corp opened downtown at 1015 Railroad Ave. Suite 101. The firm, led by Nick Berning and Spencer McGrath-Agg, focuses on immigration law—helping clients obtain U.S. permanent residence, employment authorization and waivers of admissibility. Learn more at www.boundarybaylaw. com.

United Way of Whatcom County unitedwaywhatcom.org

CHANGE WON’T HAPPEN WITHOUT YOU

With every donation to our Community Impact Fund we are increasing caps & gowns, ensuring a place to call home, and supporting safe and healthy lifestyles for all.

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November 2015

OPPORTUNITY COUNCIL TURNS 50

The group’s current and future executive directors reflect on 50 years of fighting poverty and discuss what’s next for the community action agency The Opportunity Council will celebrate its 50th anniversary in November—that is, 50 years of providing housing assistance, free meals, education, training and other services to poor individuals and families.

The organization started in 1965, after Lyndon Johnson’s Economic Recovery Act of 1964 created funding for similar organizations, called community action agencies, throughout the country.

The nonprofit has evolved in response to the recession, adding about 50 employees in the last eight years and creating new departments and consolidating others. More change is coming— In January, Greg Winter will take over as executive director.

Current executive director Dave Finet, who started leading the organization in 2006, is retiring. Winter started at the Opportunity Council in 2008 and currently leads the Whatcom

Homeless Services Center, one of the organization’s six departments.

The Opportunity Council takes a threepronged approach to providing services for those in need, Finet said.

“First you have to stabilize folks who are in crisis,” he said. “Then you work with them to develop skills to exit poverty and you work in the community to help create pathways out of poverty.”

In practice, that means the Opportunity Council’s services range from emergency housing and home energy services to early childhood education programs and job training.

“We’re providing, on one hand, emergency services to help someone pay their heating bill or to get shelter,” Finet said. “On the other hand we’re looking at creating

systemic change. Our goal is that the kids in our early learning programs will not be our clients later on. We’re working both ends towards the middle.”

With the organization’s birthday approaching, the current and future directors sat down to talk about what has made the organization Greg Winter, left, will take over as executive direc- successful, what challenges it tor of the Opportunity Council next year. Dave has overcome, and what the future holds.

Finet, right, has led the organization since 2006.

BBJ: What Opportunity Council accomplishments are you most proud of?

[OLIVER LAZENBY PHOTO | THE BELLINGHAM BUSINESS JOURNAL]

“Even though the economy has turned around for a lot of folks, things haven’t turned around for those folks at the bottom of the economic spectrum.”

DAVE FINET EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR THE OPPORTUNITY COUNCIL WWIB AD TO COME

Finet: For me three things come to mind. First is the work we’ve done around early childhood education, including building relationships with the seven school districts in Whatcom County to help us achieve our goal of preparing children for school. Another would be the impact we’ve had on

a national level around energy efficiency with our low-income weatherization program. We’ve weatherized more than 7,000 households; we’ve saved literally millions of dollars and helped create healthier living environments for a lot of people. The third is we’ve made a significant impact on policy and legislation that has improved lives and helped meet basic needs.

Winter: I’m really proud of the work the Opportunity Council and community has done in reducing veteran homelessness.

We really put a lot of focus on reducing the number of veterans living on the street or struggling with the housing crisis. The result of that has been a more than 60 percent decrease in veteran homelessness, which is a pretty big deal.

Opportunity Council, PAGE 7

Congratulations

WINNER

2015

BY OLIVER LAZENBY The Bellingham Business Journal

Emily O’Connor

Emily O’Connor has been the Executive Director of Lydia Place since March 2012. Established in 1989, the mission of Lydia Place is to support all people in established independence by providing housing, supportive services, advocacy, education and by raising awareness of the faces and causes of homelessness. To that end, they provide transitional housing for homeless women with children and permanent supportive housing for homeless individuals and families.

WHATCOM WOMEN IN Bellingham/ Whatcom County’s Premier Women’s Networking Group | Since 1978 BUSINESS 1444610

LEADERSHIP • PROFESSIONALISM MENTORING • COMMUNITY

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November 2015

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November 2015

Market Indicators

Jobs: Unemployment rate at at multi-year low Bankruptcies

Unemployment rate

September 2015: 5.4 % September 2014: 6.3 %

September 2015 total: 30 Annual change: - 6.25 %

Includes non-seasonally adjusted figures in Whatcom County

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

40

8%

30

7%

September 2015: 62.5% September 2014: 63.1%

Includes non-seasonally adjusted figures for Washington state

70%

Chapters 11,13 Chapter 7

35

Labor force participation rate

67.5%

25 20

65%

15

6%

10

62.5%

5

5%

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

0

2015

J F MAM J J A S O N D J F MAM J J A S 2014

SOURCE: WASHINGTON STATE EMPLOYMENT SECURITY DEPARTMENT

60%

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

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

2013

2015

2014

2015

SOURCE: U.S. BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS

Spending: Big projects cause spike in permit values Sales-tax distribution

Includes monthly averages (Canada-to-U.S.) at market closing

$1.0

2015

2014

$2M

September 2015: $46,807,828 September 2014: $8,139,761

September 2015: $0.75 September 2014: $0.91

Includes basic and optional local sales tax to Bellingham

$2.5M

Building-permit values

Canadian dollar

September 2015: $1,816,297.4 Annual change: +3.27%

$50M $40M

$0.8

$30M

$1.5M

$0.6

$1M

$0.4

$20M

$0.5M

$0.2

$10M

$0

J

F

M

A

M

J

J

A

S

O

N

D

SOURCE: WASHINGTON STATE DEPARTMENT OF REVENUE

$0

J F MAM J J A S O N D J F MAM J J A S 2014

$0

SOURCE: BANK OF CANADA

J F MAM J J A S O N D J F MAM J J A S

2014

2015

2015

SOURCE: CITY OF BELLINGHAM

Housing: Market cooling after a hot summer Housing sale prices

350K

Average price

600

Median price

500

250K

J F MAM J J A S O N D J F MAM J J A S 2015

2014

Delinquency rate: July 2015: 1.81 % July 2014: 2.62% Foreclosure rate: July 2015: 0.64 % July 2014: 1.00%

Closed, September 2015: 328 Annual change: + 10.81 % Pending, September 2015: 357 Annual change: + 1.71 %

300K

200K

Foreclosures & delinquencies

Housing sales

Average: September 2015: $301,189 September 2014: $282,648 Median: September 2015: $275,000 September 2014: $257,800

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

Pending sales Closed sales

400 300

2%

200

1%

100

Delinquency rate

4% 3%

J F MAM J J A S O N D J F MAM J J A S

2014

SOURCE: NORTHWEST MULTIPLE LISTINGS SERVICE

5%

2015

SOURCE: NORTHWEST MULTIPLE LISTINGS SERVICE

0

Foreclosure rate

J F MAM J J A S O N D J F MAM J A S O N D J F MAM J J

2013

2014

2015

SOURCE: CORELOGIC

Other factors: Border traffic took a dive in August Cruise terminal traffic

Airport traffic Includes total passengers flying from Bellingham International Airport

80K 60K

2015

5,000

2014

4,000

2013

50K 40K 20K

M

SOURCE: PORT OF BELLINGHAM

A

M

J

J

A

S

O

N

D

2014

1.5M

3,000

0

F

2015

1.75M 1.25M 1M 0.75M

1,000

10K

Includes southbound passengers crossings into Whatcom County

2M

2,000

30K

J

August 2015: 1,379,048 Year-over-year: ďż˝ 21.53 %

Includes inbound and outbound passengers at Bellingham Cruise Terminal

70K

0

Border traffic

September 2015: 2,289 September 2014: 2,207

September 2015: 28,764 Annual change: - 25.22%

0.5M 0.25M

J FMAM J J A S OND J FMAM J J A S OND J FMAM J J A S 2013

SOURCE: PORT OF BELLINGHAM

2014

2015

0

J

F

M

A

M

J

J

SOURCE: WWU BORDER POLICY RESEARCH INSTITUTE

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.

A

S

O

N

D

November 2015

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OPPORTUNITY COUNCIL, FROM 4 BBJ: Greg, do you plan to make any immediate changes when you take over as executive director?

Winter: Right now we’re in the middle of a strategic planning process with our board. The executive team at the Opportunity Council and members of the board of directors are planning out the future. So while I don’t imagine that there’s going to be any huge change in direction or mission, there may be areas of concentration that we want to focus on given what’s going on in the larger community and what our research shows.

There may be some tweaks.

Finet: One thing about the environment that we work in is that the situations change all the time for the people we serve. We adapt to whatever changes the people we serve face.

BBJ: Dave, how has the Opportunity Council changed since 2006, when you took over as executive director?

Finet: It has changed in terms of the scope of services. Since I came on in 2006 we took on the challenge of the Whatcom Homeless Service Center and Greg came on to direct it.

Winter: The homeless services center is a centralized point of access for about 20 different homeless housing programs. We try to match people who are homeless to housing opportunities that are available in these different programs. They range from specialized emergency shelter programs to transitional housing programs to permanent housing programs. We use the private rental market as well as specialized nonprofit owned housing.

Finet: The Whatcom County Homeless Services Center was a shift in how we looked at providing home-

less services in Whatcom County.

We’ve also consolidated a couple of our departments at the agency and created a more robust early childhood services department. Early Learning and Family Services was two different departments that came together.

Since 2006 the recession was the biggest challenge and Opportunity Council as an organization went through some significant growth with federal and some state funding. The real challenge has been that, even though the economy has turned around for a lot of folks, things haven’t turned around for those folks at the bottom of the economic spectrum. A lot of those folks on the lower end of the economic spectrum are making less money. We’ve continued to see a high demand for our services.

Another big shift we’ve made is that about four years ago we started managing the East Whatcom Regional Resource Center out of Kendall. That has been really successful. We have a couple early learning classrooms out there and we really engage with the community in terms of providing services where people live.

BBJ: What challenges is the Opportunity Council currently facing?

Winter: Housing is one area where the economic factors have changed quite a bit. We have really low vacancy rates and rapidly escalating rents.

That has created a challenge both for the people we serve, of course, as well as for us in delivering services.

It’s harder to find inexpensive rental units for our clients, which is part of the service we provide.

We are seeing more rental housing being built but it’s not very affordable housing. Having more units will still help long-term—some people who can afford them will move into those more expensive units because they

have amenities and other nice features. That will open up some lowerpriced units closer to the people we serve.

Housing is one of those crosscutting issues. It is something that’s weighing very heavily on my mind and on our partner organizations as well. I’m sure it will emerge from our strategic planning process as an area of continued focus.

BBJ: Are you optimistic about the future?

Winter: I’m very optimistic about our mission. We have a great track record of delivering really vital services to the community. And i’m optimistic because we innovate and find better and more cost-effective ways of doing things. Am I optimistic about the future of the economy and how the people that we serve will fare under that future? That’s a big unknown to me. The growth in income inequality is something that I’m very concerned about as it relates to our mission and the people we serve.

Finet: I think we get better and better all the time at the work we do.

I’m really optimistic about the Opportunity Council and its effectiveness because I think it’s the right time to have Greg come on as executive director. Greg and the current departmental leadership is really doing a great job of innovating their services to look at the whole person and the whole family.

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

Whatcom County unemployment rate dropped to 5.4 percent in September

BY OLIVER LAZENBY The Bellingham Business Journal Whatcom County’s unemployment rate dropped from 5.7 percent in August to to 5.4 percent in September, according to the newest monthly report from the state Employment Security Department.

Most of the new jobs were in construction, according to the report.

Whatcom County had a 5.4 percent unemployment rate this April but the rate rose throughout the summer, hitting a peak of 6 percent in July.

The rate is down almost a full percentage point from last September, when it was 6.3 percent. Since then, the construction sector has grown the fastest, with the professional and business services, and leisure and hospitality sectors coming in at a close second and third.

In total, the county gained 2,400 nonfarm jobs in the last year, 2,000 of those are in the private sector and 400 are in government, according to the report.

The county’s civilian labor force — the number of people 16 and older who are not in the military and either have a job or are seeking a job— grew by 518 people to 100,047 in the last year.

The state’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate dropped from 5.3 in August to 5.2 in September.

The county numbers from the Employment Security Department are not seasonally adjusted and therefore should not be compared directly to the statewide rate, the department warns.

San Juan County had the lowest unemployment rate in the state in September, at 3.8 percent. King County’s rate was 3.9 percent. Ferry County, in northeast Washington, had an unemployment rate of 9.1 percent, the state’s highest.

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

Outdoor gear manufacturer McNett bought by Canadian competitor

BY OLIVER LAZENBY The Bellingham Business Journal McNett Corporation, an outdoor gear manufacturer based in Bellingham, was purchased by one of its biggest competitors, the company announced on October 9.

Coghlan’s LTD of Winnipeg, Manitoba, bought 100 percent of McNett from its founders and owners, Nancy and Duane McNett. The companies’ wouldn’t disclose the deal’s financial terms.

The acquisition won’t immediately change anything for McNett’s 45 employees in Bellingham, said Gerald Craft, the company’s consumer marketing director. McNett CEO Travis Huisman and COO Liz Mathias will con-

tinue to lead the company.

“They like the way we do business,” Craft said about Coghlan’s.

“For right now they’re going to let us do our thing and oversee the whole operation.”

The McNett name will likely fade away over time and the company will emphasize its brands: Gear Aid, Outgo, McNett Tactical and M Essentials.

Coghlan’s —like McNett— makes a range of products for camping, hunting, and other outdoor activities. Wal-Mart and REI carry Coghlan’s stoves, cooking utensils, camp chairs, flashlights, tent stakes, knives and other gear.

“I can almost guarantee that if you enjoy the outdoors you’ve purchased a Coghlan’s product,” Craft said. “Coghlan’s was prob-

ably one of our biggest competitors.”

Nancy and Duane McNett founded the company in 1980 and are retiring to spend more time with their family, Craft said.

They started planning the transition years ago and have slowlystepped away from the company’s day-to-day operations, Craft said.

Nancy and Duane McNett fielded a lot of offers for the business and they felt that Coghlan’s was the right fit for McNett’s brands and employees, Craft said.

“There were other possibilities,” he said. “Their biggest goals were to make the sale and make sure that everyone still had a job.”

The two companies started discussing the deal about six months ago, said Diane Solvason, spokes-

person for Coghlan’s.

Solvason said there isn’t much overlap in the two companies’ products. Coghlan’s makes more than 500 products that are mostly geared toward family camping, while McNett carries more specialized products such as tactical and dive gear.

“A few items overlap,” she said.

“Even though we’re both in the same industry we target different segments.”

With the merger complete, Coghlan’s biggest competitors are Coleman and Blue Sky Gear, Solvason said.

Coghlan’s employs 28 people, all in Winnipeg. Rob Coghlan leads the company. His father Norm Coghlan founded it in 1959.

Duane and Nancy McNett still own part of Aquamira, makers of water filters and other water purification products, Craft said.

Aquamira is based in Logan, Utah. They also still own the building that houses McNett’s offices and manufacturing facility, at 1411 Meador Ave., in Bellingham.

“By no means will this be the last time we see Duane and Nancy,” Craft said.

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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November 2015

Bellingham restaurateurs open cafe in challenging location

Versatility could be key to running Artifacts Cafe & Wine Bar in “postage stamp-sized” space

BY OLIVER LAZENBY The Bellingham Business Journal The Whatcom Museum’s Board of Directors has had a hard time keeping a tenant in the tiny cafe in the Lightcatcher Building at 250 Flora St., home to the Family Interactive Gallery.

Three restaurants opened and closed inside the 600-square-foot space in the Arts District in the last six years.

Despite the space’s history, the board has high hopes for its new tenant—a cafe and wine bar operated by local entrepreneurs with successful ventures on their resumes.

Jeff Wicklund, who opened Purple Smile Wines in Fairhaven in 2005, will open Artifacts Cafe & Wine Bar in mid-November.

Wicklund and the rest of the ownership team think versatility will make the space work—Artifacts isn’t

The cafe space inside the Whatcom Museum’s Lightcatcher Buliding has been a challenge for past tenants. Artifacts Cafe & Wine Bar, owned by several local restaurateurs, will open there in mid-November. [OLIVER LAZENBY PHOTO | THE BBJ]

just a cafe and wine bar, but a home base for Wicklund’s well-established wine club and a space for private events and parties.

The museum board was impressed by Wicklund— who is known as “Wick” to friends and associates—said Christina Claassen, mar-

keting and public relations manager for the museum.

“It’s certainly a challenging space,” Claassen said.

“Because Wick already is

Coming Soon!

Winter 2015

known in the community and has had success with Purple Smile and his son has the Real McCoy, people were favorable to his proposal.”

Wicklund’s son, Brandon Wicklund, owns The Real McCoy Home Bar & Kitchen two blocks west of Artifacts at 114 Prospect St. Brandon Wicklund is a partner in the business, and the Real McCoy kitchen will serve as a commissary kitchen for Artifacts. Other partners in the business are Jim McClure and Lisa Michelle-Thomson.

Wicklund closed Purple Smile Wines in 2014 after rent increased, but still runs the wine club that was the foundation of Purple Smile.

He has been looking for a new space since Purple Smile Wines closed.

Past businesses in the museum space struggled with its size, Claassen said.

It’s small kitchen almost necessitates having an off-

site kitchen for food preparation.

A cafe called Twofiftyflora left the space late last year. Owner Arlene Mantha still operates Twofiftyflora out of a commissary kitchen on Railroad Street, but is now focusing on catering and wholesale baking, she said.

“The space is gorgeous and we loved being there but it did not have a suitable kitchen to support our growing catering and baking,” she said in an email.

“We had to get an additional commissary kitchen and it was a lot of back and forth.”

Other recent restaurants in the space included Cheese Meat(s) Beer and the Light Catcher Cafe.

In addition to the versatility and connections that Wicklund hopes will make

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WINE BAR, FROM 8 Artifacts thrive, he thinks he has a different philosophy than previous tenants, he said.

“A business shouldn’t rely on museum traffic, they should be bringing business to the museum,” he said.

“It’s very symbiotic. There isn’t a really cool museum in the world that doesn’t have a wine bar.”

Wicklund is a “cork dork” who started working with wine in 1996 when he opened a Snohomish County wine shop called Wicked Cellars. Nine years later, he moved to Bellingham to open Purple Smile Wines.

At Purple Smile Wines, Wicklund’s wine club accounted for about 75 percent of revenue, he said. He hopes the club will be similarly important at Artifacts, he said.

Wicklund picks several wines a months from around the world for his wine club members. At monthly wine pick-up nights, Wicklund holds wine tastings and members compare notes on their favorite bottles.

“They want to be

9

The Bellingham Business Journal

immersed in the world of wine and they want someone to be the tour guide,” he said. “I‘ve devoted a big chunk of my life to that pursuit.”

At it’s peak, Wicklund’s club had about 500 members he said. After closing Purple Smile Wines, Wicklund continued his wine club under the name Wicked Wine and Supper Club.

He is currently rebuilding membership, and has about 40 members, he said.

Artifacts’ menu has an emphasis on convenience and items that can be taken to go, a concept that’s well-known to chef Lisa Michelle-Thomson. Thomson helped open Peqish, a fresh made grab-and-go food business in downtown Vancouver, B.C., in 2014.

The store’s pre-packaged food has a twist—it’s handmade with an emphasis on fresh ingredients.

The Artifacts staff will serve most menu items in Mason jars, which the menu refers to as “pots.”

They will serve hot pots such as ziti and cheese, and beef and bean chili; soup pots, including spicy Asian

pork vegetable soup; as well as sweet pots, nibble pots and salad pots. Artifacts’ website calls this system user-friendly, eco-friendly and low waste.

The cafe, which is furnished with wine racks reaching toward a tall ceiling and long tables looking out over the building’s courtyard and, can seat 17.

Space in the courtyard and on the sidewalk on Grand Avenue more than doubles the inside seating.

The Lightcatcher Building’s namesake 37-foot-tall glass wall wraps around the cafe’s courtyard seating.

Wicklund looks forward to introducing customers to the light catching wall and the unique space, he said.

“It’s a grossly underappreciated and underused facility,” he said. “It’s beautifully done.”

Artifacts will be open from “10 a.m. until close” Tuesday through Saturday, and noon to five on Sunday, Wicklund said.

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

People On The Move Port of Bellingham selects new aviation director The Port of Bellingham announced today that it hired Sunil Harman to be the Bellingham airport’s new director.

Harman has more than 30 years of experience developing and managing airports.

He has worked at airports including John F. Kennedy International Airport and LaGuardia Airport in New York, Miami International Airport and San Diego International Airport.

Most recently, he directed Okaloosa Regional Airport on the Gulf Coast of Florida.

Nonprofits April Claxton joined the staff of Recreation Northwest as program director.

Claxton is a co-founder of the outdoor recreation promotion organization and has volunteered with Recreation Northwest for the past two and a half years,

according to a press release.

Claxton will continue her work building April Claxton and implementing programs, writing grants and performing general organizational management for the organization, according to the press release.

Hospitality The Chrysalis Inn and Spa hired Sandy Sallee as new spa director. Sallee will manage the spa team, guest relations, service menu development and promotional events for the upscale Bellingham hotel.

Sallee’s professional experience includes operating a health club in Lake Chelan, attending massage school, operating Sandy Sallee a wellness

center in Edmonds, and most recently, she was spa manager for Campbell’s Resort in Lake Chelan. She was instrumental in opening and managing the spa at the Chrysalis’ then-sister property, the Majestic Inn & Spa in Anacortes, in 2003 according to a press release.

Architects Zervas Architects added Karin Bostanci to its team.

The 12-person architectural and interior design firm hired Bostanci for her keen sense of detail, innovation, and ability to work in a fast-paced industry, according to a press release from the company.

Bostanci recently moved to Bellingham from New York, where she worked for an architecture firm.

She studied urban design and architecture studies at New York University and graduated with a bachelor’s degree in 2004. She earned a Master of Science degree from the Pratt Institute in New York in 2009, studying interior design.

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The Bellingham Business Journal

Business Births

Fairhaven business takes new approach to treating eating disorders With eating disorders on the rise, Flourish Food and Body takes multidisciplinary approach

BY OLIVER LAZENBY The Bellingham Business Journal One spring day Deena Rathkamp approached Sarah Voth at Western Washington University’s Student Health Center, where Rathkamp worked as a counselor and Voth as a dietician. They both worked with students suffering from eating disorders.

“Hey Sarah, I’ve been thinking…” Rathkamp said.

Voth finished her sentence: “About opening a practice together?”

They moved quickly and on July 1 opened Flourish Food and Body, their practice where Rathkamp, a clinical psychologist, and Voth, a certified eating disorder dietitian, work together.

They knew Bellingham needed more eating disorder treatment from their work at Western, Voth said.

Western’s student health center has a short-term model for treating eating disorders, Rathkamp said.

They tried to start treatment with patients and then refer them off-campus for long-term help. But there weren’t many offcampus providers to refer patients to and therapists who specialized in eating disorders rarely had open-

ings, Rathkamp said.

“Deena and I were both feeling sort of inundated with people who were seeking help for eating disorders on campus,” Voth said.

The same day Rathkamp pitched the idea to Voth, they found office space for rent in the second floor of Fairhaven’s new South Bay Suites building, across the street from the Fairhaven Village Inn. That space, at 1140 10th St., is now their businesses’ home.

Together, they treat both the physical and emotional aspects of anorexia, bulimia, binge eating and compulsive overeating disorders. They both see their own clients independently, but they strive to work together to treat their patients with eating disorders.

“I find when Sarah and I are working together as part of this team, people get better faster,” Rathkamp said.

Voth helps people listen to their bodies and what their hunger tells them about eating, she said, and Rathkamp works with patients on the emotional triggers that led to developing an eating disorder in the first place.

Starting a business required learning new skills, which Voth and

10 percent of the population—will suffer from an eating disorders in their life, according to the National Eating Disorder Association. And the problem is worse on college campuses, according to the association.

Judging by what Voth and Rathkamp have seen so far, Bellingham is not an exception to the statistics.

“I think we continue to see this rise in food and body dissatisfaction,” Voth said. “It’s amazing how much access to information we have. With that, I feel like we’re more confused than ever about how to eat and how to nourish our bodies.”

Deena Rathkamp, left, and Sarah Voth opened Flourish Food and Body in July. Before opening the practice they both worked at Western Washington University’s Student Health Center. [OLIVER LAZENBY PHOTO | THE BBJ] Rathkamp have learned on the fly, they said. Getting credentials for insurance companies was one of the biggest challenges, and they’re still waiting for final approval from some. But Rathkamp said the business, as well as her private practice, is on its way toward being profitable as they build their caseloads.

“It’s gone amazingly well so far. I was so anxious to leave all the benefits and the job security,” Rathkamp said. “It was a huge leap of faith and it is going to be fine.”

Voth still works on campus four days a week but Rathkamp left her job at Western altogether. Her whole income depends on

the business, and she’s the main earner in her family, she said.

Their quick success is bittersweet. Thirty million people in the U.S.—nearly

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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The Bellingham Business Journal

November 2015

Sponsored content provided by Loni Rahm, and Bellingham Whatcom County Tourism.

We are heading into the holidays – full steam ahead!

A time for family, friends, festivities, food, and fun. seat exercises) while flying.

USA Today encourages travelers to leave an itinerary and emergency contact information with a trusted friend or neighbor. If you are traveling internationally, scan a copy of your passport and email it to yourself. You can also make a photo copy and keep it in a separate location from your original.

The Red Cross reminds you that it is flu season so keep in mind that everything you touch has been (or will be) touched by someone else.

Wash your hands often and carry hand sanitizer and anti-bacterial wipes.

The Washington State Patrol (and

other law enforcement agencies) cautions you to focus attention on your driving. Buckle up, slow down to accommodate the increased traffic flow, don’t drink and drive and avoid distractions such as cell phones and text messages.

The Fire Department recommend you have a fully stocked emergency kit which includes a first-aid kit, reflective warning signs, blankets, non-perishable food, a tire gauge, a flashlight (with extra batteries), bottled water, and depending upon your route, a small hatchet or snow shovel.

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It’s also the busiest travel season of the great tips to help make your trip more year which can lead to angst if things enjoyable. Make sure your vehicle go awry. is properly maintained – including Since the ultimate goal of holiday checking your battery, windshield travel is to reach your destination wiper fluid and tires in advance of your safely and enjoy the time away trip. Keep your gas tank topped and from home, many trip experts have your cell phone fully charged. And provided volumes of informative tips of course, have roadside assistance about booking early, saving money, contact information on hand in case and getting from point “A” to point “B” an incident occurs on the road.

They also encourage travelers to in a calm and comfortable manner. map your route in advance, noting Here are a few of their reminders.

The Frugal Shopper encourages alternative routes and side roads as you to book at least three weeks in options if primary routes get jammed advance when purchasing a flight; and up. There are several traffic flow indicates that typically Tuesdays and / accident apps you can load onto Wednesdays offer the best air fares. your phone to avoid traffic snarls but They also encourage air travelers to be prepared for busier than normal fly the actual day of the holiday and traffic on popular routes. Leave early extend your stay if possible to avoid in the morning whenever possible which is traditionally the slowest the day before/day after crush.

U.S. News urges travelers to allow traffic times.

The Huffington Post has also plenty of extra time to get to the airport. Lines will be long and compiled tips to keep you safe, sane patience short, and the last thing you and healthy while traveling. They include remembering to eat well and want to do is miss your flight.

Consider shipping extra luggage stay hydrated. Dehydration can cause and gifts in advance. If you do put gifts road fatigue and sluggishness so bring in your carry-on or checked luggage, a water bottle and try to drink a glass wait to wrap them until you’ve arrived of water for every caffeinated beverage at your destination so they can easily you consume. Keep your circulation going with regular rest breaks when be inspected by TSA if necessary.

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

An Update from the Bellingham/Whatcom Chamber of Commerce & Industry

Chamber partners with Google to put our cities #OnTheMap By: Shelli Jones How often do you Google a business to find their location, phone number or hours of operation? For most of us, the answer is “all the time.” Have you noticed that some businesses have detailed information in the right-hand margin (see below) while others do not?

You may think that those businesses paid a fee to have that information in such an easily accessible format. After all, when you want to call or visit a business, the listing has the info you’re looking for without having to search for it on that company’s website. It is especially helpful when using Google Maps. Would you be surprised to learn that the business listing is free for all businesses?

When Google approached the Bellingham/Whatcom Chamber of Commerce to partner with them to increase Bellingham and Whatcom County’s business exposure on the search engine through this free program, Chamber President/CEO Guy Occhiogrosso gladly agreed.

“According to Google, businesses that effectively use online business listings are two times more likely to create jobs and are expected to grow 40% faster than those who don’t use business listings. “When the Chamber was

approached by Google, we saw this as a program that will infuse economic vitality into our communities. And I saw it as a program the Chamber of Commerce should be spearheading,” said Bellingham/Whatcom Chamber of Commerce President & CEO Guy Occhiogrosso.

Occhiogrosso continued, “Every business is entitled to a free business listing on Google which includes Google maps. That listing helps people find business addresses and directions, their hours of operation, and their phone number. If this one, simple, free program can increase the number of jobs and revenue in Whatcom County, then we will gladly help local businesses get “on the map” with Google.”

“Since we serve as the regional Chamber of Commerce for Whatcom County, we will be responsible for the outreach to all of the cities and unincorporated regions in the county including: Bellingham, Ferndale, Lynden, Point Roberts, Blaine, Birch Bay, Sumas, Custer, Kendall, Maple Falls, Deming, Everson, Nooksack, Glacier, Lummi Island and Sudden Valley. We intend to partner with the other eight Chambers in the county to help extend the outreach to every corner of the county,” said Occhiogrosso.

Google reports that 97% of consumers search the web for local goods and services and four in five consumers search online for store hours and directions, but only 37% of businesses have claimed a local business listing on a search engine. “That’s a lot of room for growth,” said Occhiogrosso.

“Getting a business’ info online is free and easy. All you need to do is go to www.gybo.com and search for your business’s listing. If your listing in missing or inaccurate, you’ll need to log into your Google account. If you don’t have a Google account, you can quickly create one.

If you run the search and find that you have a listing, Google will provide suggestions for improving your listing and call your attention to anything that is missing—like your phone number or hours of operation.

Before you can edit your listing, you must have the authority to make

changes to your company’s listing.

Google will verify by calling your business with the verification code which will then allow you to edit the listing and add photos of your company’s exterior and interior or products. In addition, if your business is not verified, your listing will not appear on Google Maps.

“The Chamber will be holding workshops throughout the county to help local businesses understand the benefits of a complete Google listing and help them achieve it,” Shelli Jones, Bellingham/Whatcom Chamber Marketing Coordinator reported.

“We’ll also be adding promotional partners and volunteers to help spread the word,” Jones added.

If you have questions, please stop by the Bellingham/Whatcom Chamber of Commerce at 119 N. Commerce Street, Suite 110 and ask for Shelli.

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4. Keep your information up to date  Check back to manage reviews, add photos, update your info and more.  Download the Google My Business app for Android in the Google Play Store or for iOS in the App Store.  Use the app to update your business information directly from your mobile phone.  

14

The Bellingham Business Journal

November 2015

3Q housing sales hit 10-year highs across the county Prices are up, with an exception: second homes prices in Birch Bay, Nooksack fell as Canadians sell

BY OLIVER LAZENBY The Bellingham Business Journal More Whatcom County homes sold in the third quarter of 2015 than in any other third quarter in more than 10 years, according to a new report by Lylene Johnson of the Muljat Group. Johnson compiles and analyzes data from the Northwest Multiple Listings Service quarterly.

Countywide, 917 homes sold from July to September—12 percent more than the pre-recession third quarter peak of 818 in 2007, according to Johnson’s report.

Among the county’s major market areas, percentage increases in home sales were biggest in Birch Bay and Blaine where 114 homes sold between July and September, a 34.1 percent increase from last year. Sales in Sudden Valley increased 52.8 percent, but growth there hasn’t been steady and Johnson said it’s harder to draw conclusions from smaller markets.

In terms of total number of homes sold, Ferndale had the biggest year-over-year gains with 149 homes selling in the third quarter of this year. During the same period in 2014, 113 homes Ferndale homes sold.

Home prices are also increasing throughout the county, according to the third quarter data. Prices are growing fastest in Ferndale, where the median price

A home in the Lettered Streets neighborhood. Home sales in Bellingham are constricted by a lack of supply, real estate agent Lylene Johnson said. [OLIVER LAZENBY PHOTO | THE BELLINGHAM BUSINESS

JOURNAL]

went from $257,500 last year to $294,000 this year—a 14.2 percent increase. The current median price in Ferndale hasn’t yet surpassed the pre-recession peak of $321,000, according to Northwest Multiple Listings Service data.

Bellingham didn’t see the same gains in sales as the rest of the county over the last year. The number of third quarter sales increased 2.5 percent to 362. That’s the smallest increase in closed sales among the seven market areas in the county, accord-

ing to Johnson’s report. She said more homes aren’t selling in Bellingham due to a lack of supply.

Despite that lack of supply, the median price for closed sales in Bellingham isn’t rising as fast as it is in Ferndale and most other market areas. The median price for Bellingham homes sold during the summer months was $325,000, a 4.1 percent increase from summer 2014, according to the report. In Ferndale, the median selling price was up 14.2 percent over the previous year to $294,000.

Longer term, however, median prices for Bellingham homes have increased more than in the rest of the county. Median prices in Bellingham are up 2.2 percent from the pre-recession peak of $318,500 in 2007. By comparison, homes in Ferndale this summer sold for a median price that was 8.4 percent lower than Ferndale’s peak median price in summer 2006. In Lynden, summer closed sale prices were 7.1 percent lower than in summer 2006.

Countywide, supply remained flat throughout the third quarter of this year.

Monthly inventory, a measure of the amount of time it would take to sell all the homes currently on the market, fell steadily for more than a year until this summer.

Housing, PAGE 15

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November 2015

HOUSING, FROM 14 In September 2015, monthly inventory rose from 3.39 percent to 3.49 percent.

Many real estate professionals consider four to six months of inventory a balanced market, an amount Bellingham hasn’t had since February.

Canadian dollar affecting market for second homes The Canadian dollar’s drop in value against the U.S. dollar has changed the market for second homes in Whatcom County in the last year, according to several real estate agents.

Traditionally, Canadians have been a substantial part of the market for second homes near Mount Baker and Birch Bay. But in the last 30 months the loonie went from being nearly even with the U.S. dollar to being worth 77 cents, changing the value of Whatcom County property for Canadian buyers.

Maryann Angus, a Keller Williams broker working in the eastern part of the county, said the lack of Canadian buyers has been “almost devastating.”

“I have pending buyers who said until the exchange rate improves they’re not going to do anything,” she said.

Marty Kutschbach, a John L. Scott broker who has worked in Glacier and Maple Falls for 12 years, said Canadians have historically been a substantial chunk of his buyers and he’s currently seeing very few who are interested in buying.

On the other hand, wealthy Canadians are now willing to sell their Whatcom County properties for less, he said. A Canadian who bought a second home for $300,000 when the Canadian and U.S. dollar were equal could sell today for $300,000 today and walk away with $387,540 Canadian dollars.

“That has helped the market a little bit,” Kutschbach said. “Because some of them are willing to sell for less, that means someone with U.S. dollars can buy for less.”

Birch Bay/Blaine and the Nooksack Valley—two of the most popular areas for second homes—were the only areas where median prices for closed sales got cheaper in the last year, according to Johnson’s third quarter report.

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The Bellingham Business Journal

Some brokers have taken advantage of the dollar disparity to generate listings for themselves.

Joe Sulham, an agent with Fairhaven Realty, is talking Canadians into selling their Whatcom County vacation properties so that he can be their listing agent. Sulham works with title companies or browses county records to find properties owned by Canadians, he said. He then mails them to explain the extra money they’ll reap from the dollar disparity.

Sulham has had success with this, he said. Some of his clients who are selling now bought their properties when the scales were tipped the other way and the Canadian dollar was worth more than the U.S. dollar.

“The market isn’t as strong as it was in 2006, but Canadians can make more money,” Sulham said. “You could be selling it for less than you paid dollar-wise but still making money in the end.”

By the numbers Includes number of units sold, median and average sales prices and average days on market in Q3 2015. Percentage changes compare Q3 2015 to Q3 2014.

County total: Units sold: 917 (up 18.9 percent); Median price: $291,000 (up 4.9 percent); Average price: $323,036 (up 2.4 percent); Days on market: 68 (down 23.6 percent).

Bellingham: Units sold: 362 (up 2.5 percent); Median price: $325,500 (up 4.1. percent); Average price: $378,336 (up 3.5 percent);

Days on market: 45 (down 29.7 percent).

Birch Bay/Blaine: Units sold: 114 (up 34.1 percent); Median price: $253,500 (down 2.5 percent); Average price: $300,527 (down 1.2 percent); Days on market: 100 (down 27.0 percent).

Ferndale: Units sold: 143 (up 26.5 percent); Median price: $294,000 (up 14.2 percent); Average price: $312,237 (up 10.7 percent); Days on market: 77 (down 33.0 percent).

Lynden: Units sold: 76 (up 2.7 percent); Median price: $295,000 (up 4.4 percent); Average price: $303,638 ( up 1.2 percent); Days on market: 60 (down 33 percent).

Mount Baker: Units sold: 72 (up 24.1 percent); Median price: $193,950 (up 65.1

percent); Average price: $222,538 (up 36.7 percent); Days on market: 130 (down 1.6 percent).

Nooksack Valley: Units sold: 38 (up 2.7 percent); Median price: $228,500 (down 6.7 percent); Average price: $234,580 (down 21.6 percent); Days on market: 80 (up 12.7 percent).

Sudden Valley: Units sold: 55 (up 52.8 percent); Median price: $240,000 (up 4.9 percent); Average price: $249,936 (up 0.6 percent); Days on market: 59 (down 37.2 percent).

“The market isn’t as strong as it was in 2006, but Canadians can make more money.”

Source: Lylene Johnson of The Muljat Group.

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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16

The Bellingham Business Journal

November 2015

INVESTMENT, FROM 1

Chinese economy The purchases Chinese investors made from 2011 to 2013 were deals, Starr said, because the market for large commercial properties in Whatcom County was at a low point. Many of those high-profile deals were distressed sales. Also, Chinese investors based in B.C. benefited from a stronger Canadian dollar.

1983

Since then, the deals have slowed to a crawl as the local real estate market improved and the Canadian dollar lost value to the U.S. dollar.

But when China’s economy slowed earlier this year, Chinese investors began stashing their money outside China. According to a September report in Bloomberg Businessweek, data the news agency compiled showed that an estimated $141.66 billion left China in August 2015, up from $124.62 billion in July.

Much of it went to the U.S. “The U.S. dollar has always been seen as a safe haven around the world,” said James McCafferty, assistant director for Western Washington University’s Center for Economic and Business Research. “If I were to have substantial holdings in China and saw the economic indicators I would probably look for places where I could put it out of the decline.”

The money leaving China is going all over the world. Simon Henry, the CEO of Chinese real estate website Juwai, told CNBC in September that

2015

[OLIVER

the U.S. is the top market for his clients who want to invest overseas. New York and California get the most Chinese investment, followed by Washington, Florida, Michigan and Texas, he said.

Whatcom County’s proximity makes it popular with Starr’s clients in Vancouver, B.C., a Chinese enclave.

They can drive down, check on their properties, and drive back home, he said.

But the amount of money Chinese investors spend in Whatcom County is nothing compared to what’s happening in Los Angeles, San Francisco, New York, or Seattle.

“I don’t want to overstate it,” Starr said. “But per capita it’s an incredible amount of money.”

Kent, the Blaine real estate agent, said Chinese investors tend to be patient.

“While we may take a development parcel and plan on bringing development on within a matter of years Chinese investors are very methodical and often plan in decades or generations,” he said.

How or whether Chinese investment will affect the rest of the county’s economy depends on what investors buy and what sellers do with the cash. Whether Chinese market conditions will continue to make foreign investment worthwhile is also uncertain.

But Starr, who has in part built his career on Chinese investment in Whatcom County, thinks the surge in interest he’s seen recently is

just the beginning.

“I’ve been playing in this market for seven or eight years and at first I thought maybe it’s going to run its course,” Starr said. “But now I think it’s just getting going.”

Finding a niche Starr learned to speak Mandarin at Washington State University in the early 1990s. After graduating, he continued studying Chinese in Taiwan, where he found work as a manufacturing consultant. He helped U.S. companies find Asian factories to manufacture their products.

When he returned to the Northwest he continued doing the same work, which meant he had to travel more than he wanted.

“I thought about what I could do with the Chinese language here locally,” he said. “I started helping people look at real estate and realized there were a lot of Chinese people up here looking to buy real estate.”

Starr got a Certified Commercial Investment Member certification and started advertising properties in both English and Mandarin in 2007.

His style is casual—he doesn’t wear a three-piece suit to interact with buyers in big deals. Instead, he may wear a jacket over his lucky Hard Rock Cafe T-shirt. He prefers to build trust by calculating return on investment for his clients on a notepad with a Sharpie, rather than by driving an expensive car, he said.

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“Recently it hasn’t been that prevalent. Three years ago it was,” Kent said. “It’s not that it’s not happening, we just haven’t had any transactions of late.”

But changes in the Chinese economy could bring another wave of real estate investment to Whatcom County, Starr said. It’s already happening in Seattle, and in the last 6 months Starr has been busy making offers on behalf of Chinese investors. One recent offer he made for a Chinese client was on a residential property. The price: $800,000. “Gotta love that eight,” Starr said.

“I’m going crazy right now,” he said. “I’ve written so many offers in the last couple days.”

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In the eight years since he got into real estate he has represented Chinese investors in a couple dozen commercial real estate sales, ranging from $200,000 condos to an $8 million (another eight) office building in Seattle last month. All but about five of those transactions were in Whatcom County, he said.

When Starr first started marketing Whatcom County properties to Chinese investors, he thought he would be able to interest Chinese buyers living in or near Vancouver, B.C. But now, he’s getting interest in buyers who are actually in China, he said. Those buyers aren’t affected by the Canadian dollar’s decline.

The new Chinese interest comes with new hazards.

“What you run into a lot is a guy who claims to have all the money in the world, but wants a 120-day feasibility study period—a time window where the property is off the market,” Starr said. “That window can give him time to try to market the property in China and find a buyer in China for that property.”

Starr recently listed a commercial property for $9.6 million, then later found his listing converted entirely to Mandarin in an advertisement on a Chinese website with a new price— $20 million, he said. If the fraudulent buyer doesn’t flip the property during the feasibility study they won’t close the deal, costing Starr time.

He’s also run into xenophobia. Some people have an attitude that “the Chinese are taking us over,” Starr said. He takes a different view. Many of the projects bought by Chinese investors weren’t going to find a market in Whatcom County, he said.

“A lot of these were failed subdivisions where no one was working and permits were going to expire,” he said. “Here’s someone who is going to put the workers back to work.”

When Starr started marketing Whatcom County properties to Chinese speaking investors, he didn’t think he would ever have so much interest as he does now, he said. The recent interest from buyers who are actually in China surprised him.

“I always thought it would just be Chinese people via Vancouver,” Starr said. “I’d be lying if I said I thought the Chinese flight was going to be so huge.”

“I’d be lying if I said I thought the Chinese [capital] flight was going to be so huge.”

PATRICK STARR COMMERCIAL REAL ESTATE BROKER JOHN L. SCOTT

November 2015

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The Bellingham Business Journal

Public Records BUSINESS LICENSES Listings, which feature both new and renewed licenses in Bellingham, include business name, licensee name and the business’ physical address. Records are obtained from the City of Bellingham.

September licenses A & B Services, A & B Services, 1231 Newton St., Bellingham, WA 98229.

A Better Livity, A Better Livity, 2920 Elizabeth St., Bellingham, WA 98225.

Advanced Water Systems, Inc., Aws Two, Inc., 1975 Midway Ln, Bellingham, WA 98226.

Alisa Pheifer, Alisa Pheifer, 725 N State St., Bellingham, WA 98225.

Amber Brick, Amber Brick Llc, 5473 Guide Meridian Ste B & C, Bellingham, WA 98226.

Aqua Ink Design Co., Devin Littlefield, 1218 Kenoyer Dr., Bellingham, WA 98229.

Barbara K Rutherford, Barbara Kay Rutherford, 936 Nevada St., Bellingham, WA 98229.

Bellingham Angel Investors, A Nonprofit Corp., Bellingham Angel Investors, A Nonprofit Corp., 230 E Champion St., Bellingham, WA 98225.

Bellingham Beer Week, Aaron Michael Matson, 2628 Victor St., Bellingham, WA 98225.

Bellingham Community Chamber Orchestra, Bellingham Community Chamber Orchestra, 1601 F St., Bellingham, WA 98225.

Big Orange Tag, Garth J Haynes, 2819 Lafayette St., Bellingham, WA 98225.

Birchwood Auto Repair, Marvin R Sargent, 1601 Birchwood Ave., Bellingham, WA 98225.

Birchwood Women’s Health, Pllc, Birchwood Women’s Health, Pllc, 905 Squalicum Way Ste 104, Bellingham, WA 98225.

Blue Hill Building, Blue Hill Building Inc., 2309 Kulshan St., Bellingham, WA 98225.

Bmd Llc, Bmd Llc, 3956 Bancroft Rd., Bellingham, WA 98225.

Boulos Properties, Llc, Boulos Properties, Llc, 700 Ohio St., Bellingham, WA 98225.

Branch Enterprise, Llc, Branch Enterprise, Llc, 4073 Hannegan Rd., Bellingham, WA 98226.

Brice Arin Campman, Brice Arin Campman, 1131 Newton St., Bellingham, WA 98229.

Bridget M Gordon Licsw, Bridget Margaret Gordon, 1715 C St., Bellingham, WA 98225.

Brights Laundry And Cleaners, Sang Enterprises Inc., 3212 Northwest Ave., Bellingham, WA 98225.

Brock Grubb Consulting, Llc, Brock Grubb Consulting, Llc, 2606 Kentucky St., Bellingham, WA 98229.

Burns Realty, Burns Realty Llc, 2009 Iron St., Bellingham, WA 98225.

Burnt Man Records, Burnt Man Records Inc., 2505 Peabody St., Bellingham, WA 98225.

Cascade Arcade, C. Justin West, 1240 E Maple St. Ste 104, Bellingham, WA 98225.

Chapman’s Pile Driving, L.L.C., Chapman’s Pile Driving, L.L.C., 3512 Riley St., Bellingham, WA 98229.

Claudia Eisen Murphy, M.A., Lmhca, Claudia Eisen Murphy, 214 N Commercial St., Bellingham, WA 98225.

Clean Earth, Megan Leigh Dripps, 1018 14th St., Bellingham, WA 98225.

Cleaning With Aloha, Michael Paul Foster, 357 Holland Ave., Bellingham, WA 98226.

Colorbond Painting, William Edward Bounds, 2301 N Shore Rd., Bellingham, WA 98226.

Community Planning Consulting,

Community Planning Consulting Llc, 2309 Kulshan St., Bellingham, WA 98225.

Courageous Educational Services Llc., Courageous Educational Services Llc., 3216 Maryland Pl., Bellingham, WA 98226.

Creative Life Adventures Nw, Creative Life Adventures Nw Llc, 1893 Kelly Rd., Bellingham, WA 98226.

Crebli Llc, Crebli Llc, 1814 G St., Bellingham, WA 98225.

Daffadowndilly Dreams, Kristin Bethman, 1031 N State St., Bellingham, WA 98225.

Deep Peace Massage, Andreas Weinrich, 1111 W Holly St., Bellingham, WA 98225.

Dewine Systems Administration Llc, Dewine Systems Administration Llc, 132 S 41st St., Bellingham, WA 98229.

Dh Services, Dh Services Llc, 905 Orchid Pl., Bellingham, WA 98226.

Diamond Tattoo, Rose Andrea Ager, 2105 Queen St., Bellingham, WA 98229.

Dogskis, Robert R Rekunyk, 900 Iowa St., Bellingham, WA 98225.

Ece Reflections, Kimberly Ann Bogren Owen, 1444 Grant St., Bellingham, WA 98225.

Elite Cleaning Service, Preston Blair, 2596 N Shore Rd., Bellingham, WA 98226.

Eternity Premiere Photography, Edvard

Yelfimov, 339 Meadowbrook Ct.,Bellingham, WA 98226.

Euro Tailor, Galyna Phillips, [no address], Bellingham, WA 98225.

Eve-N-Annies’ American Bistro, Eve-NAnnies’American Bistro, 1945 Lake Whatcom Blvd, Bellingham, WA 98229.

Express Locations, Llc, Express Locations, Llc, 1225 E Sunset Dr. Ste 135, Bellingham, WA 98226.

Fairhaven Bohemian Bed And Breakfast, Todd K Edison, 1129 19th St., Bellingham, WA 98225.

Filingyourlife, Lavinia Reneau, 1435 Greenville Dr., Bellingham, WA 98226.

Finestrino Film, Llc., Finestrino Film Llc., 1137 Lingbloom Rd., Bellingham, WA 98226.

Fixco, Mitchell Kramer, 108 N 34th St., Bellingham, WA 98225.

Floerchinger Law Pllc, Floerchinger Law Pllc, 1365 Roy Rd., Bellingham, WA 98229.

Forward Engineering Services, Robert Vater, 2613 E Sunset Dr., Bellingham, WA 98226.

Fox Property Solutions, Fox Property Solutions, Llc, 3412 Crestline Pl., Bellingham, WA 98226.

Fringe, Fringe Boutique Llc, 1147 N State St., Bellingham, WA 98225.

Garden Room Design Llc, Garden Room

Design Llc, 1006 Harris Ave., Bellingham, WA 98225.

Geoffrey Hutchinson Veterinary Surgery Pllc, Geoffrey Hutchinson Veterinary Surgery Pllc, 317 Telegraph Rd., Bellingham, WA 98226.

Glp Construction, Gabriel Lott Paul, 2519 Pacific St., Bellingham, WA 98226.

Gluten Free Angel’s, Llc, Gluten Free Angel’s, Llc, 4260 Cordata Pkwy Ste 101, Bellingham, WA 98226.

Guardian Media, Jayson Korthuis, 1218 N

RECORDS, PAGE 18

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RECORDS, FROM 17 State St., Bellingham, WA 98225.

Hair With Karlee, Karlee Darlene Sirmans, 1215 Mill Ave., Bellingham, WA 98225.

Havasu Horse Project, Havasu Horse Project, 458 E Laurel Rd., Bellingham, WA 98226.

Here And There Co., Natasha Batts, 1 Doe Ct., Bellingham, WA 98229.

Hideout Campervans, Llc, Hideout Campervans, Llc, 205 S 41st St., Bellingham, WA 98229.

Hindsight Trading Company, Michael A Damoth, 1105 13th St., Bellingham, WA 98225.

Hoag Enterprises, Hoag Enterprises Llc, 311 E Holly St., Bellingham, WA 98225.

Hogan Finanical, Inc., Hogan Financial, Inc., 2122 Barkley Blvd Ste 200, Bellingham, WA 98226.

Hott Mess Llc, Hott Mess Llc, 2650 S Park Dr., Bellingham, WA 98225.

I.S.P.C. International Staffing & Paint Contractor, Kionia Stean, 3195 Racine St., Bellingham, WA 98226.

Inside Out Studio, Adrienne Denise Wrightson, 103 E Holly St., Bellingham, WA 98225.

Intuitive Therapeutics, Sara Marie Helm, 1012 Dupont St., Bellingham, WA 98225.

J Lindsay Consulting, Jocelyn Lindsay, 4223 Northridge Way, Bellingham, WA 98226.

Jaime’s Massage Studio, Jaime Bodven, 1209 11th St., Bellingham, WA 98225.

Jennifer Hayley Flood, Jennifer Hayley Flood, 805 W Orchard Dr., Bellingham, WA 98225.

John Edwin Foley, John Edwin Foley, 409 W Lake Samish Dr., Bellingham, WA 98229.

Joyce Ann Beelman, Joyce Ann Beelman, 2634 Ellis St., Bellingham, WA 98225.

Kimberly S. Nelson Bookkeeping Services, Kimberly Sharon Nelson, 800 Woodbine Way, Bellingham, WA 98229.

Kpspharmacog, Matthew E Krumpak, 319 S Forest St., Bellingham, WA 98225.

Landing Gear Luggage Llc, Landing Gear Luggage, Llc, 6 Bogey Ln., Bellingham, WA 98229.

Lhd, Inc., Lhd, Inc., 4321 Vining Rd, Bellingham, WA 98226.

Lil’ Whimzees, Valerie Gwen Adkins, 3557 Cedarville Rd., Bellingham, WA 98226.

Linda Clark, Linda D Clark, 2315 I St., Bellingham, WA 98225.

Little Baby Wren, Shelley Buyagawan, 2727 Mckenzie Ave., Bellingham, WA 98225.

Loralei Lounge Skin Care, Lori Meligne Thompson, 119 N Commercial St. Ste 430, Bellingham, WA 98225.

Loud Red Bees, Jennifer Karin Weeks, 2505 Monroe St., Bellingham, WA 98225.

M & D Landscape Design, Abraham Villafana, 1804 E Illinois St., Bellingham, WA 98226.

Margaret Meader, Margaret A Meader, 904 36th St., Bellingham, WA 98229.

Mcm Building Services, Michael C Menser, 2519 Yew St., Bellingham, WA 98226.

Mediation Nw, Llc, Mediation Nw Llc, 106 Bayside Pl., Bellingham, WA 98225.

Medical Consultants Network Llc, Medical Consultants Network Llc, 1400 King St., Bellingham Wa 98229.

Melissa’s Holistic Skin Care, Melissa Edrye Setum, 311 E Holly St., Bellingham, WA 98225.

Mike Vitt, Mike Vitt, 3520 Skylark Loop, Bellingham, WA 98226.

Miss Mandible Designs, Amanda M Cramer, 222 N Commercial St., Bellingham, WA 98225.

Monica’s Cleaning Services, Maria Luisa Figueroa, 2311 Woburn St., Bellingham, WA 98229.

Mpr Innovative Design, Michael Peter Richard, 2914 South Ave., Bellingham, WA 98225.

Mt Baker Growers, Hardip Nagra, 4905 Guide Meridian Rd.,Bellingham, WA 98226.

Mtp Services, Mtp Services, 5589 Guide Meridian, Bellingham, WA 98226.

Nana Pet Grooming, Hwa Sun Kim, 1212 Dupont St., Bellingham, WA 98225.

Netting Service Llc, Netting Service Llc, 804 Puget St., Bellingham, WA 98229.

Neuromastery Llc, Neuromastery Llc, 909 Harris

The Bellingham Business Journal

Ave., Bellingham, WA 98225.

North Coast Credit Union, North Coast Credit Union, 3250 Northwest Ave., Bellingham, WA 98225.

Northwest Sitters, Stephanie Janell Wiegand, 1711 Mt Baker Hwy, Bellingham, WA 98226.

Novatech, Brady John Geleynse, 1411 Bradley Ln., Bellingham, WA 98225.

Obi Enterprises, Obiora Allen Iwobi, 1610 34th St., Bellingham, WA 98229.

Out Here Productions, Trevor Weidenbacher, 819 14th St., Bellingham, WA 98225.

P And P Enterprises Llc, P And P Enterprises Llc, 1902 Midway Ln., Bellingham, WA 98226.

Pangea Ferments Llc, Pangea Ferments Llc, 2185 Alpine Way, Bellingham, WA 98226.

Pass Law, Pllc, Pass Law, Pllc, 2001 Eldridge Ave., Bellingham, WA 98225.

Penchant Press International L.L.C., Penchant Press International, L.L.C., 255 N Forest St., Bellingham, WA 98225.

Petals And Blooms, Favourite Things Llc, 5889 Crystal Springs Ln, Bellingham, WA 98226.

Petra Photography, Ashley Nicole Petronella, 3600 Sylvan Pl., Bellingham, WA 98226.

Qualtime Properties Llc, Qualtime Properties Llc, 913 Lakeway Dr., Bellingham, WA 98229.

Reflection Cleaning, Reflection Cleaning, 254 Sudden Valley Dr., Bellingham, WA 98229.

Remember When: Vintage, Antiques & Uniques, Laura H B Hale, 2 Prospect St., Bellingham, WA 98225.

Revive, Revive Igwt, Llc, 1 Bellis Fair Pkwy., Bellingham, WA 98225.

Rollin N’ Style, Maranda Roller, 375 Meadowbrook Ct., Bellingham, WA 98226.

Sameroom Situations, Sameroom Situations Llc, 241 N Garden St., Bellingham, WA 98225.

Samuel Hughes, Samuel Stover Hughes, 1313 1/2 Railroad Ave., Bellingham, WA 98225.

Savant Studios Inc., Savant Studios Inc., 2300 Xenia St., Bellingham, WA 98229.

Shawna Gilleland, Shawna Gilleland, 2833 W Maplewood Ave., Bellingham, WA 98225.

Shoshin Ryu Of Bellingham, Llc, Shoshin Ryu Of Bellingham, Llc, 1730 Mcabee Ln, Bellingham, WA 98226.

Sick Spider, Lorien Rose Lemieux Sheader, 3955 Primrose Ln., Bellingham, WA 98226.

Sidka Technologies, Llc, Sidka Technologies, Llc, 3930 Meridian St., Bellingham, WA 98226.

Simply Innovative Products, Simply Innovative Products, Llc. 117 Sea Pines Ln., Bellingham, WA 98229.

Snowfire Press, Snowfire Press Inc, 114 W Magnolia St., Bellingham, WA 98225.

Softwired, Softwired Llc, 5410 Bellaire Dr., Bellingham, WA 98226.

Sound Advisory, Isaac Vincent Holden, 748 Marine Dr., Bellingham, WA 98225.

Spiral Studios, Spiral Design Studios Llc, 1504 Marine Dr, Bellingham, WA 98225.

Starry Most, Kari Anne Humphreys, 2215 Alabama St., Bellingham, WA 98226.

State Farm Insurance, Tim Slesk Insurance Agency Incorporated, 2200 Rimland Dr. Ste 104, Bellingham, WA 98226.

Stivetech Llc, Stivetech Llc, 1716 E Sunset Dr., Bellingham, WA 98226.

Subway 64023, Grp Corporation, 3115 Old Fairhaven Pkwy, Bellingham, WA 98225.

The Filling Station, Avenue Bread & Deli, Inc., 1138 Finnegan Way Ste 311, Bellingham, WA 98225.

The O Contractor Services, Elizabeth A Oesterling, 1301 E. Woodstock Way, Bellingham, WA 98226.

The Real Property Appraiser And Consultant Pllc, The Real Property Appraiser And Consultant Pllc, 1305 W Clearbrook Dr., Bellingham, WA 98229.

The Silly Dilly, Dylan Markus Weber, 4252 Archer Dr., Bellingham, WA 98226.

Tommy Calderon Photography, Tomas Ysaias Calderon, 3631 S Heather Pl., Bellingham, WA 98226.

Trulight Painting Llc, Trulight Painting Llc, 2306 Mt Baker Hwy., Bellingham, WA 98226.

Twisted Auto Works, Luke D Bethman, 1031 N State St. Apt. 310, Bellingham, WA 98225.

Urban Forester Tree Service, Inc., Urban Forester Tree Service, Inc., 1155 N State St., Bellingham, WA

98225.

Walking Spirit, Elizabeth Grace, Elizabeth Castner, 27 Tumbling Water Dr., Bellingham, WA 98229.

Water Laboratory, Water Laboratory, 3111 Meridian St., Bellingham, WA 98225.

Wells Fargo Advisors, Wells Fargo Advisors, Llc, 1310 10th St, Bellingham, WA 98225.

Whatcom Coatings, Whatcom Coatings, 2955 Leeward Way, Bellingham, WA 98226.

Whatcom Open Book, Tamara N Schroeter, 4304 Samish Crest Dr., Bellingham, WA 98229.

Whatcom Sports Institute, Inc., Whatcom Sports Institute, Inc., Performance Physical Therapy, Bellingham, WA 98226.

Zeidner Charter Llc, Zeidner Charter Llc, 1135 Ellis St., Bellingham, WA 98225.

BUILDING PERMITS Includes commercial building activity in Bellingham with an estimated valuation listed at $10,000 or more. Records are obtained from the City of Bellingham’s Permit Center. Status updates on permits are available on the city’s website at http://pnw.cc/sVCen. 9/21/15 to 9/25/15 Issued permits 4400 Columbine Drive, $863,539 for foundation only: new 41,206-square-foot memory care facility: Silverado Care. Contractor: Dawson Construction Inc. Permit No.: BLD2015-00254. 9/21/15.

2219 Rimland Drive 411, $37,000 for tenant improvement: reconfigure existing office space.

Contractor: Scoboria Construction Inc., Permit No.: BLD2015-00393. 9/24/15.

2211 Rimland Drive 422, $88,000 for tenant improvement: modifications to existing office suite.

Contractor: Scoboria Construction Inc., Permit No.: BLD2015-00373. 9/24/15.

2219 Rimland Drive 407, $49,000 for tenant improvement: renovate existing office suite.

Contractor: Scoboria Construction Inc. Permit No.: BLD2015-00372. 9/24/15.

CV Western Washington University, $36,728,746 for commercial: complete renovation and addition: Carver Academic. Contractor: M A Mortenson Company.

Permit No.: BLD2014-00574. 9/24/15.

Pending applications 541 E Kellogg Road, $2,610,594 for multifamily: New 24-unit apartment building: Building A. Permit No.: BLD2015-00411. 9/21/15.

1151 Ellis St., $731,850 for tenant improvement: remodel of existing office building. Addition of new two-story entry and elevator. Permit No.: BLD201500414. 9/22/15.

1225 W Bakerview Road, $138,670 for commercial: replacement of walk-in cooler and freezer. Permit No.: BLD2015-00413. 9/22/15.

1145 E Sunset Drive 105, $200,000 for tenant improvement: remodel vacant space for new retail store. Contractor: Engineered Structures Inc. Permit No.: BLD2015-00416. 9/23/15.

1301 W Holly St., $23,000 for removing water damaged portico and constructing new entry portico.

Permit No.: BLD2015-00417. 9/24/15.

1225 E Sunset Drive 135, $86,000 for tenant improvement: new wireless retailer. Permit No.: BLD2015-00397. 9/24/15.

1030 Lakeway Drive, $4,000,000 for tenant improvement: new grocery retailer within existing shell. Permit No.: BLD2015-00334. 9/24/15.

2980 Squalicum Parkway 101-102. $450,000 for tenant improvement: interior remodel of existing office spaces, bathrooms and break room. Permit No.: BLD2015-00419. 9/25/15.

9/28/15 to 10/2/15 Issued permits 2508 Utter St., $10,000 for new 525-square-foot open-sided bike shed: Columbia Elementary School.

Permit No.: BLD2015-00408. 9/28/15.

3112 Newmarket St., No calculated valuation given for tenant improvement: add non-bearing interior walls for two offices for new tenant. Contractor: Scoboria Construction Inc. Permit No.: BLD2015-00405.

9/28/15.

4121 Stonecrest Court, $10,928 for new carport stalls 10-12. Contractor: Robinson Hardwood & Homes LLC. Permit No.: BLD2014-00538. 9/30/15.

4121 Stonecrest Court, $10,928 for new carport

November 2015

stalls 7-9. Contractor: Robinson Hardwood & Homes LLC. Permit No.: BLD2014-00537. 9/30/15.

4125 Arctic Ave., $154,000 for E-file: soldier pile retaining wall on the northwest corner of new Costco site. Contractor: Ferguson Construction. Permit No.: BLD2015-00403. 10/1/15.

1225 E Sunset Drive 135, $86,000 for E-file: tenant improvement: New wireless retailer: T-Mobile.

Contractor: Buehner Construction Inc. Permit No.: BLD2015-00379. 10/1/15.

19 Bellwether Way 101, $28,000 for tenant improvement: finish 1908-square-foot ground floor shell space for offices (7/2/15 amended plans from office space to massage and isopod rooms. Revised plumbing layout.) Permit No.: BLD2014-00241.

10/1/15.

808 W Bakerview Road, $92,191 for stormwater detention vault (vault #2). Contractor: Dawson Construction Inc. Permit No.: BLD2015-00285. 10/2/15.

804 W Bakerview Road, $79,191 for stormwater detention vault (vault #1). Contractor: Dawson Construction Inc. Permit No.: BLD2015-00285. 10/2/15.

804-812 W Bakerview Road, $18,000 for four new CMU retaining walls. Contractor: Dawson Construction Inc. Permit No.: BLD2015-00256. 10/2/15.

808 W Bakerview Road, $2,520,298 for new fourstory multifamily building: building C. Contractor: Dawson Construction Inc. Permit No.: BLD2015-00150.

10/2/15.

812 W Bakerview Road, $4,145,281 for new fourstory multifamily building: Building B. Contractor: Dawson Construction. Permit No.: BLD2015-00149.

10/2/15.

804 W Bakerview Road, $2,350,733 for new fourstory mixed-use building: building A. Contractor: Dawson Construction. Permit No.: BLD2015-00148.

10/2/15.

4107 Stonecrest Court 101 & 102, $201,169 for new two-story duplex. Contractor: Robinson Hardwood & Hames LLC. Permit No.: CMB2014. 00301.

Permit No.: CMB2014-00301. 9/29/15.

4109 Stonecrest Court 101 & 102, $202,713 for new two-story duplex. Contractor: Robinson Hardwood & Homes LLC. Permit No.: CMB2014-00300.

9/29/15.

4103 Stonecrest Court 101 & 102, $201,169 for new two-story duplex. Contractor: Robinson Hardwood & Homes LLC. Permit No.: CMB2014-00299.

9/29/15.

4101 Stonecrest Court 101 & 102, $202,713 for new two-story duplex. Contractor: Robinson Hardwood & Homes LLC. Permit No.: CMB2014-00298.

9/29/15.

510 Halleck St., $181,847 for new two-story townhouse with one-car attached garage. Contractor: PM Construction. Permit No.: CMB2014-00298.

9/29/15.

508 Halleck St., $181,185 for new two-story townhouse with one-car attached garage. Contractor: PM Construction. Permit No.: CMB2015-00134.

10/2/15.

502 Halleck St., $181,185 for new two-story townhouse with one-car attached garage. Contractor: PM Construction. Permit No.: CMB2015-00133.

10/2/15.

500 Halleck St., $181,147 for new two-story townhouse with one-car attached garage. Contractor: PM Construction. Permit No.: CMB2015-00132.

10/2/15.

Pending applications 1220 N Forest St., $700,000 for commercial: new retaining walls and stormwater facilities for parking lot expansion: Food Co-op. Contractor: Pearson Construction Corp. Permit No.: BLD2015-00420.

9/28/15.

1600 E Sunset Drive, $171,875 for new covered entry area and classroom addition to existing gymnasium: Bellingham Christian School. Permit No.: BLD2015-00422. 9/29/15.

1425 Railroad Ave., $25,000 for tenant improvement: remodel of existing space for new bar: The Local. Permit No.: BLD2015-00423. 9/30/15.

1125 12th St., $1,300,000 for new two-story commercial multi-tenant building. Shell only: Orca building. Permit No.: BLD2015-00427. 10/1/15.

2219 Rimland Drive 301, $524,000 for tenant improvement: remodel space for business offices: Regus. Permit No.: BLD2015-00426. 10/1/15.

10/5/15 to 10/9/15 Issued permits 1155 E Sunset Drive 105, $28,000 for tenant

improvement: renovate existing suite for new restaurant. Contractor: Braam Construction. Permit No.: BLD2015-00402. 10/5/15.

1301 W Holly St., $23,000 for multifamily: remove and replace entry portico (water damaged). Contractor: C H Hudson Inc. Permit No.: BLD2015-00417. 10/8/15.

2209 G St., $10,000 for multifamily: repairs to existing second floor decks and replace one door and one window each on two units. Contractor: Grummel Construction. Permit No.: BLD2015-00407. 10/8/15.

2219 Rimland Drive third floor, $14,000 for tenant improvement: modification to elevator lobby area on third floor. Contractor: Scoboria Construction Inc. Permit No.: BLD2015-00404. 10/8/15.

805 Viking Circle, $1,496,190 for new 16-unit multifamily building (building type E). Contractor: Dawson Construction Inc. Permit No.: BLD2015-00245.

10/8/15.

807 Viking Circle, $4,307,747 for new 32-unit multifamily building (building type C). Contractor: Dawson Construction Inc. Permit No.: BLD2015-00245.

10/8/15.

Pending applications 1225 W Bakerview Road, $138,670 for replacement of walk-in cooler and freezer. Permit No.: BLD201500413. 10/6/15.

3930 Meridian St. 104, $20,000 for tenant improvement for new cellphone repair and sales location. Contractor: Scoboria Construction Inc. Permit No.: BLD2015-00434. 10/7/15.

4400 Columbine Drive, $3,454,157 for new 41,206 square-foot memory care facility: Silverado Care. Contractor: Dawson Construction Inc. Permit No.: BLD2015-00255. 10/7/15.

1300 Commercial St., $350,000 for tenant improvement: creating office in existing space. Permit No.: BLD2015-00435. 10/9/15.

ES Western Washington University, $13,900 for alteration: add walls and door to create new office on sixth floor. Permit No.: BLD2015-00433. 10/9/2015.

115 W Kellogg Road, $100,000 for tenant improvement: combine multiple suites for new fitness center. Permit No.: BLD2015-00436. 10/9/15.

615 N Forest St., $410,980 for three new 1,000 square-foot townhouses with garages, front porches and rear decks. Permit No.: CMB2015-00273. 10/9/15.

10/12/15 to 10/16/15 Permits issued 794 Kentucky St., $38,780 for tenant improvement: new retail marijuana sales in previous restaurant space.

Contractor: Hindman Construction Inc. Permit No.: BLD2015-00406. 10/12/15.

1225 W Bakerview Road, $138,670 for commercial: replacement of walk-in cooler and freezer. Contractor: McCleery Construction LLC. Permit No.: BLD201500413. 10/14/15.

3930 Meridian St. 104, $20,000 for tenant improvement for new cellphone repair and sales location. Contractor: Scoboria Construction Inc. Permit No.: BLD2014-00434. 10/15/15.

2980 Squalicum Parkway 101-102, $450,000 for tenant improvement: interior remodel of existing offices spaces, bathrooms, and break room. Permit No.: BLD2015-00419. 10/15/15.

Pending applications 1231 N. Garden St., $45,000 for commercial: new canopy at entrance to building. Contractor: The Franklin Corporation. Permit No.: BLD2015-00437. 10/12/15.

800 Harris Ave., $2,500,000 for new mixed use building with nine townhouses and commercial shell.

Permit No.: BLD2015-00430. 10/13/15.

801 Samish Way, $278,000 for tenant improvement: conversion of existing church building into an office building. Contractor: Scoboria Construction Inc. Permit No.: BLD2015-00439. 10/14/15.

4233 Meridian St. 101, $15,000 for tenant improvement: new tenant space in existing building.

Permit No.: BLD2015-00371. 10/15/15.

3969 Hammer Drive, $22,000 for tenant improvement: adding nonstructural partition walls, replace doors and minor work for marijuana facility.

Permit No.: BLD2015-00441. 10/16/15.

1030 Lakeway Drive, $4,000,000 for tenant improvement: new grocery retailer within existing shell. Permit No.: BLD2015-00334. 10/16/15.

Demolition permits None with a value of more than $10,000 for this

RECORDS, PAGE 19

November 2015

RECORDS, FROM 19 date range.

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.

Issued licenses Punjabi Junction, 4370 Meridian St., Bellingham, WA 98226, received approval on a new license to serve beer/wine in a restaurant. License No.: 419897. 10/20/15.

Starvin Sam’s X1X, at 3310 Slater Road, Ferndale, WA 98248, received approval on an assumption to a license to sell beer/wine in a specialty shop. License No.: 365675.

10/19/15.

Green Dreamer, at 4055 Hammer Drive Suite 103, Bellingham, WA 98226, received approval on a new license to operate as a marijuana producer. License No.: 413469.

10/16/15.

2020 Solutions, at 2018 Iron St. Suite A, Bellingham, WA 98226, received approval on an addition/change of class/in lieu to a license to operate as a marijuana retailer.

License No.: 415470. 10/12/15.

Top Shelf Cannabis, at 3863 Hannegan Road, Bellingham, WA 98226, received approval on an addition/change of class/in lieu to a license to operate as a marijuana retailer. License No.: 414256. 10/12/15.

2020 Solutions on the Guide, at 5655 Guide Meridian Suite A, Bellingham, WA 98226, received approval on an addition/ change of class/in lieu to a license to operate as a marijuana retailer. License No.: 413314.

10/10/15.

Buds Sos, at 6061 Portal Way, Ferndale, WA 98248, received approval on an addition/ change of class/in lieu to a license to operate as a marijuana retailer. License No.: 413729.

10/9/15.

Green Leaf, at 4220 Meridian St. Suite 102, Bellingham, WA 98226, received approval on an addition/change of class/in lieu to a license to operate as a marijuana retailer.

License No.: 413886, 10/9/15.

W.C.W. Enterprises, at 3708 Mount Baker Highway, Everson, WA 98247, received approval on an addition/change of class/in lieu to a license to operate as a marijuana retailer. License No.: 415445. 10/9/15.

Crave’n Burgers & Brew, at 7471 Mount Baker Highway, Maple Falls, WA 98248, received approval on a new license to serve beer/wine in a restaurant and taproom.

License No.: 082945. 10/8/15.

Yorky’s Grocery III, at 1501 12th St., Bellingham, WA 98225, received approval on an addition/change of class/in lieu to a license to operate as a direct shipment receiver (in Washington only). License No.: 365061. 10/7/15.

Jun’s Sushi & Bento, at 202 E Holly St. Suite 110, Bellingham, WA 98225, applied for an assumption to a license to serve beer/ wine in a restaurant. License No.: 418555.

10/5/15.

Yo u n g ’s M a r ke t Co m p a ny o f Washington, at 2106 Pacific St. Suite 101-102, Bellingham, WA 98225, received approval on a new license to operate as a wine distributor. License No.: 419886.

10/5/15.

Artifacts Cafe & Wine Bar, at 250 Flora St., Bellingham, WA 98225, received approval on a new application to sell beer/ wine in a restaurant. License No.: 405020.

10/2/15.

Four Points By Sheraton Bellingham Hotel, at 714 Lakeway Drive, Bellingham, WA 98229, received approval on a change of tradename to a license to operate as a direct shipment receiver (in Washington only).

License No.: 362358. 9/30/15.

The Bellingham Business Journal Stones Throw Brewery, at 1009 Larrabee Ave., Bellingham, WA 98225, received approval on a new application to operate a microbrewery. License No.: 413051. 9/29/15.

Pending applications The Pastime Bar & Eatery, The Pastime Bar & Eatery Inc.; Rodny Lonquist, Christy Lonquist, applied for a new license to operate as a direct shipment receiver, serve spirits/ beer/wine in a restaurant lounge, and sell kegs to go at 658 Peace Portal Drive, Blaine, WA 98230. License No.: 350549. 10/15/15.

Elder Ridge Vineyards, William Ramsey and Sonia Ramsey, applied for a new license to operate a domestic winery at 5043 Elder Road, in Ferndale, WA 98248. License No.: 420240. 10/9/15.

Twin Sisters Creamery, Twin Sisters Creamery LLC; Lindsay Slevin, Jeff Slevin, applied for a new beer/wine specialty shop livense at 6202 Portal Way, Ferndale, WA 98248. License No.: 420241. 10/8/15.

The Green Barn, The Green Barn LLC; Timothy Burger, David Burger, Laura Burger applied for a new license to sell beer/wine/ spirits and hold beer and wine tastings in a grocery store at 211 Birch Lynden Road, Lynden, WA 98264. License No.: 420204.

10/6/15.

Drizzle Tasting Room, Dana Driscoll and Ross Driscoll applied for a new license to operate as a direct shipment receiver (in Washington), sell beer/wine off premises and in a restaurant at 420 front St., Lynden, WA 98264. License No.: 420233. 10/6/15.

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.

James & April Pierpont, $78,291.33, 2015-1001797, 10/19/15.

John & Leslie Brooks, $25,438.43, 20151001796, 10/19/15.

Montreal Jackson, $73,419.30, 20151001245, 10/13/15.

EMB Create Inc., $14,109.02, 20151001244, 10/13/15.

Reference Media Inc., $14,247.95, 20151001242, 10/13/15.

Mark Dooley & Hedy Hanni, $47,813.59, 2015-1001241, 10/13/15.

Schiesow & Drilias Inc., $52,310.14, 2015-1001239, 10/13/15.

GNA LLC, $23,974.91, 2015-1001238, 10/13/15.

Border Tire LLC, $30,460.66, 20151001237. 10/13/15.

Justin & Shannon Brost Jr., $49,082.08, 2015-1000558, 10/6/15.

Jose Ramirez, $48,299.73, 2015-1000557, 10/6/15.

Richard Reese, $27,875.21, 20151000556, 10/6/15.

Mission Realty LLC, $10,097.63, 20151000543, 10/6/15.

Steve & Lisa Kerzman, $31,456.62, 20151000542, 10/6/15.

C&H Management Services Inc, $10,663.06, 2015-1000177, 10/2/15.

Colleen Koch, $794,667.82, 20151000176, 10/2/15.

Darryl Gullikson, $18,091.56, 20150903123, 9/28/15.

Thomas Malterre & Alis Segersten, $40,299.87, 2015-0903122, 9/28/15.

Pete & Lisa Feenstra, $33,762.56, 20150903121, 9/28/15.

2015-1001798, 10/19/15.

Katherine Holmes, $5,817.80, 20151001248, 10/13/15.

Jose Puentes-Gamas, $25,038.67, 20151001247, 10/13/15.

Orcas Investors LLC, $19,110.00, 20151001246, 10/13/15.

Hindman Construction Inc., $12,212.45, 2015-1000549, 10/6/15.

Frederick Bartels, $300,949.51, 20151000546, 10/6/15.

Kodiak Mobile Installation Services, $176,990.20, 2015-1000545, 10/6/15.

Rusty & Kristen Reams, $19,647.57, 2015-1000544, 10/6/15.

Quality Gas LLC, $26,529.21, 20150903125, 9/28/15.

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.

Todango Corporation, $11,522.99, Labor and Industries, 15-2-01954-2, 10/21/15.

Terra Organica Inc., $12,059.36, Labor and Industries, 15-2-01955-1, 10/21/15.

Fraser Sand & Gravel Inc., $9,325.25, Labor and Industries, 15-2-01958-5, 10/21/15.

MTN Inc., $16,989.43, Labor & Industries, 15-2-01937-2, 10/20/15.

Summit Transportation, $57,695.36, Labor & Industries, 15-2-01938-1, 10/20/15.

Bakerview Construction Inc., $5,204.53, Labor and Industries, 15-2-01896-1, 10/13/15.

Ocean Grown Enterprises LLC, $9,317.98, Labor and Industries, 15-201899-6, 10/13/15.

Fairweather Management Corp., $19,656.02, Labor and Industries, 15-201851-1, 10/5/15.

Claassen Enterprises LLC, $13,227.88, Revenue, 15-2-01876-7, 10/7/15.

Ballard Auto Enterprises Inc., $9,682.70, Revenue, 15-2-01877-5, 10/7/15.

Champion Dr y wall, $5,212.46, Employment Security, 15-2-01888-1, 10/12/15.

BUSINESS BANKRUPTCIES Whatcom County business bankruptcies filed in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court, Western District of Washington.

None recorded in the last month.

Release of Federal Tax Liens Kestrel Homes Inc., $27,075.50, 20151001800, 10/19/15.

Elizabeth Welch, $334,652.03, 20151001799, 10/19/15.

Construction by Champion, $19,738.93,

Find more public records information online at BBJToday.com

19

20

The Bellingham Business Journal

November 2015

Business Toolkit

Being Resourceful: Business owners can’t do it all on their own

Support, education and respect define Affordable Care Act, has a right to by law. they had a great build a solid loan package that enabled the work that Becky Schayes and Carolyn them to get the start-up funding they were “We not only offer mothers personalized idea and like so seeking. The business opened its doors in Mathews do as business owners and health support and thorough education, but we many successful The Bellingham Business Journal October 2015 20 practitioners at Bellingham Center for can also perform June and is enjoying tremendous success. care medical evaluation and small business Schayes and Mathews said they plan to Healthy Motherhood (BCHM). I met this management of both the mother and baby owners, their keep working to ensure all mothers who dynamic team when they came to Western as needed. To have all this in one place is expertise, educaRECORDS, FROM 19 want help have access to BCHM’s services.

Washington University’s Small Business really unique,” Mathews said. BCHM adds tion and passion “Whether mothers choose us or not, Development Center for assistance. They growing community to its mission as well were focused on that’s OK,” Mathews said. “We just want needed help developing their business plan and offers a number of free community the mission of to make sure nobody falls through the and creating financial projections to supevents. Schayes reflected, “As women we their business. port their loan application the growth cracks.” Washington state government agencies and not meant to Bellingham, mother in isolation.

We& Deli, Avenue Bread & Deli Inc.; 9/15/15. They needed tenant improvement: remodel offor one-story Fairhaven are Pizza, at 1307 11th St., Avenue Bread building, addition approximately 2,000 square WA 98225, need locallywe in Whatcom County Superior receivedand approval on anaaddition/ John of Defreest and Wendy Defreest applied for a financing theirofbusiness needed.

SBDC feel similarly aboutCourt. deserve community other F r e d e r technical i c k TC B a rbusiness t e l s , $ 1 1 2 , 9 4 9 .At 1 6 ,thefiled C.J. Seitz feet to include classroom, therapeutic pool, and Listings includecommunity. taxpayer name(s), judgment lieu to a licenseus. to operate as new license to serve beer and wine in a restaurant 2150902269, 9/21/15.to effecSometimes, a client walks into the change of class/in our larger business Whether women around ” support associated patient changing/shower area. Permit amount, the state agency filing the judgment, a direct shipment receiver (in Washington only). at 444 Front St., Lynden, WA 98264, 9/9/15. office and you can see in almost no time local businesses arecase faced withand challenges, The 9/10/15. clinic is set in a charming, historic tively get their Schwiesow & Drilias Inc. a corporation, No.: BLD2015-00273.

9/15/15. originating number filing date.

License No.: 080359.

The Beachmedical at Birch Bay, The Beach at Birch Bay $9,823.46, 2150902270, that their proposal or idea would meet an or growth opportunities, want to listings make home and doesn’t feel like a typical business off9/21/15. the Judgments can later bewe lifted or paid; 794 Kentucky St., $38,780 for tenant Mt. Baker Homegrown, at 3929 Spur Ridge LLC; Kelly Koehn, Kenneth Russell,On Janet small Russell, $45,329, 9/21/15. only current as of their filing dates.

Records unmet community need with creative, sure thatare these business owners are aware office. “WeWAwant women beAnne Van Der Zalm, Peter Van Der John S Butler, ground.

The2150902271, first improvement: new retail marijuana sales.aPermit Randalland Sheriff, Lane #1, Bellingham, 98226, receivedto relax obtained from the programs Whatcom County business-savvy solution; of all theare resources and at Superior their comfortable as possible, thing we worked No.: BLD2015-00406.

9/16/15. that’s what hapZalm appliedsaid. for a new license tobusiness serve spirits, approval onasa new license to operate as a tier ” Mathews Court Clerk’s Office. beer and wine in a restaurant and lounge at 7876 1 marijuana producer.accepts License No.: 412500.health pened whenSt.,I met Schayes and Matthews. disposal to help ensure their business not BCHM all major insurance on was organizing Carlos & Pamela K Gonzalez, $56,536.90, 2508 Utter $10,000 for new 525-squareMehar Express LLC, $6,951.12, 15-2-01788-4, Birch Bay, Blaine, WA 98230. development License No.: 420092.

9/10/15. and offers other women’s healthcare 2150902275, 9/21/15. foot open-sided shed: ColumbiaSt., Elementary BCHM, at bike 1012 Dupont is a specialty only survives, but thrives. servicthe full financial 9/23/15.

9/2/15.

School. Permit No.: BLD2015-00408.

9/17/15. womBob’s Burgers and Brew, at 202 E. Holly St. contraception, Dodsonspicture Market,of $29,217.95, woman’s health clinic that provides es including primary care, their 2150902276, Eric Miller, $7,357.93, 15-2-01780-9, 9/22/15.

Suite 101, Bellingham, WA 98225, received Kombucha Town, Real McCoy Teas LLC; 9/21/15.

4125 Arctic Ave., $154,000 for soldier pile en’s health care and comprehensive breastexams, gynecology, miscarriage growing business. approval onannual an assumption to a license to serve and Christopher McCoy applied for a new license retaining wall on the northwest corner of new David Nixt, $9,154.37, 15-2-01782-5, 9/22/15.

Pierpont Investments 2 LLC, $58,472.03, feeding support education.

Mathews management.

“Healthy motherhood is license. License At the spirits/beer/wine in a restaurant and lounge.

Farmer’s Market No.: SBDC, 420092. we try and meet clients Costco site.

Permit No.:and BLD2015-00403.

9/17/15.

2150902277, 9/21/15.

G Star Transport LLC, $10,476.79, 15-2-01763License 400474.

9/2/15. the time and Schayes joined forces in March 2015 as No.:not just9/1/15. about your health during wherever they are in their stage of the Pierpont Investments 2 LLC, $21,494.72, 9, 9/22/15.

Genetics when 360, atyou 1975 Waybabies. #6, Mazatlan Seafood & Grill, Lourdes Medina De and help them grow – and a collaborative teamMARIJUANA of specialized nurses; areAlpine having It is about learning process LIQUOR AND 2150902278, 9/21/15.

Akers Drums, $5,293.87, 15-2-01755-8, Bellingham,your WA 98226, received approval Torres, Ernesto Alonso Torres Murillo applied a Mathews is an International Board Certihealth during youronentire experience achieve theirforpersonal and business goals 9/18/15.

LICENSES a new license to operate as a tier 1 marijuana new license to sell beer and wine in a restaurant fied Lactation Consultant and Schayes producer. an of being a woman. to provide along the way.

Release of Federal Tax Toandgo Corporation, $13,663.26, 15-2License No.: 417321.

9/1/15. Our goalsatis2012 Main St., Ferndale, WA 98248.

License Records include license activity in Whatcom Advanced Registered Nurse Practitioner. a place where we can welcome and sup“We had a decent start, but we’re both 01746-9, 9/16/15.

No.: 086085.

9/1/15.

L a keway I n n , at 714 La keway D r i ve, Liens County.

They determined are obtained fromto thedevelop Washington They were a pracport all women throughout their lifetime,” clinicians and didn’t have all the informaBromleys $10,278.43, 15-2-01683-7, Bellingham, WA 98229, received approval on a C.J. Seitz is the directorMarket, of Western Washington University’s State Liquor Control Board, online at www.liq.

Terry A financial Wolff, $26,433.53, 9/4/15. tice model that gave women access to high Schayes said. we needed to create projec- 2150803608, new application to operate as a direct shipment FEDERAL TAX tion LIENS Small Business Development Center in downtown wa.gov.

8/31/15. receiver (Washington only).

License No.: 352358. quality breastfeeding support; something When Schayes and Mathews shared their tions,” Mathews said.

Birch Bay Restaurant and Lounge LLC, Learn more at www.wwu.edu/sbdc. liens of $5, 000 or more issued by the R e f e r e n c e M e d i a I n c , $ 1 8 , 6 8Bellingham. issued permits 8/27/15. business plan with me, it wasTax 0.13, $5,917.36, 15-2-01686-1, 9/4/15. every woman deserves and, thanks to the clear that Internal Revenue Service.After Listingsseveral include meetings, we were able to

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The Saturna Sustainable Funds seek to and issuers that invest in companies demonstrate sustainable characteristics low risks in areas of the environment, with governance (“ESG”). social responsibility, and

Find out more

today.

www.saturnasustainab

le.com

Saturna Sustainable

Equity Fund

(SEEFX)

Saturna Sustainable

1395877

Bond Fund Please consider (SEBFX) an investment’s objectives, risks, important information charges and expenses carefully before summary prospectus about the Saturna Sustainable investing. For from www.saturnasustainable.coFunds, please obtain this and other and carefully Investing involves read m or by calling risk, including toll-free 1-800-728-8762.a free prospectus or possible loss of limit the securities principal. The they purchase Saturna Sustainable to those consistent opportunities Funds with sustainable and may affect performance. principles. This owned subsidiary Distributor: Saturna limits of Saturna Capital Brokerage Services, Corporation, investment adviser a whollyto the Saturna Sustainable Funds.

1395992

MOBILE TECHNOLOGY

WE SELL AND

WE REPAIR (touch screens,

• Apple iPads and iPhones • Barcode Scanners, Printers • We offer quality one-time flat-rate

OTHER SERVICES:

daily No minimum charge No monthly service charges* No transaction

each month

Bellingham 360.685.0080 Street Suite 104 2417 Meridian

1

Mount Vernon 360.419.0300 Suite 100 208 East Blackburn Production Anacortes Loan 360.755.3436 B 1015 14th St Suite

annual repair contracts

Production Oak Harbor Loan 360.720.2202 Blvd B-107 390 NE Midway SaviBank.com

PM 5/20/15 2:56

7044 Portal Way Box Ferndale WA 98248 120 Unit K4,

1418661

items processed

Burlington 360.707.2272 Boulevard 1854 S. Burlington

repairs as well as

and more):

LOCATION

1418726

*for the first 500

LCD, battery replacement

• Rent/Lease both small and large Barcode Scanning quantities of iPads, Equipment iPods and • Battery management/refu rbishment program for barcode scanners

With our us and our community. checking account is important to get a business Your business to Account you say goodbye Freedom Checkingefficiency. And you can and with simplicity fees.* checking account Savi.

Now that’s Business

savi-freedom-checking-9.833x12.75.indd

COMPANY

BUY: • Refurbished and Pre-Owned Apple • Refurbished and iPads, iPhones and Pre-Owned iPods Batteries and Accessories Barcode Scanners, Printers, Parts, • We offer a quality pre-owned product for a fraction of the cost of new!

with Be free of fees king Chec Freedombalance

2150803609, 8/31/15.

Brian M Watson, $16,108.29, 2150803610, 8/31/15.

K e n n e t h S h o e m a k e r, $ 3 9 , 6 1 5 . 5 1 , 2150803611, 8/31/15.

Glenn Scott, $58,246.19, 2150900703, 9/08/15.

Genevieve A James, $17,674.41, 2150901578, 9/15/15.

Domenic & Gillian Scianna, $20,092.81, 2150901579, 9/15/15.

Joe Shahan, $11,542.78, 2150901580, 9/15/15.

Robert & Kathleen Appel, $17,281.64, 2150901581, 9/15/15.

Custom Prescription Shoppe LLC, $29,176.06, 2150902272, 9/21/15.

Harlan L Maassen, $22,581.71, 2150902273, 9/21/15.

Startouch Inc., $34,628.82, 2150902274.

9/21/15.

Deric Willett Construction Inc., $19,568.98, 15-2-01687-0, 9/4/15.

BUSINESS BANKRUPTCIES

Build your own home

Whatcom County business bankruptcies filed

in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court, Western District on beautiful property in South Blaine. of Washington.

Michael G ar y Neria, estimated asset range:$100,001 to $500,000. Estimated liabilities: $500,001 to $1 million. Case No.: 15-15171-MLB. Date filed: 8/27/15.

Fernand Lopez De La Cruz, estimated assets: $0 to $50,000. estimated liabilities: $0 to $50,000. Case No.: 15-15629-MLB. Date filed: 9/21/15.

STATE TAX360-398-0223 JUDGMENTS Visit us at www.whatcomskagithousing.com

Tax judgments of $5, 000 or more issued by

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Get your daily business news on the web... ...including company profiles, breaking news reports, industry trends, commercial realestate development, regularly updated business licenses, liquor licenses, building permits, bankruptcies, tax liens, judgments, local roadwork reports, major property sales and more...

...all online at BBJToday.com

1444068

Our Church, at 4326 Pacific Highway Suite C, pending applications taxpayer name(s), lien amount, document Bellingham, WA 98226, received approval on a Kickin’ A Saloon & Dance Hall, Kickin’ A license to operate a tier 2 marijuana production Saloon & Dance Hall LLC; Jesslyn Anderson, number and filing date. Records are obtained locally from the Whatcom County Auditor’s facility. License No.: 417051. 9/22/15. applied for a new license to operate as a direct Office.

Perecan Farm, at 5373 Guide Meridian Road shipment receiver (In/out, in Washington only) David J Roberts, $28,499.33, 2150803605, Suite C4, Bellingham, WA 98226, received and nightclub at 5225 Industrial Place, Ferndale, 8/31/15. approval an additional fees to a license to operate WA 98248. License No.: 420162. 9/21/15.

Kent G Kok, $10,310.28, 2150803606, 8/31/15. a tier 1 marijuana production facility. License No.: Yorky’s Grocery III, Yorkston Oil Co., applied for 413667. 9/21/15.

Richard Phinney, $34,333.42, 2150803607, Advertise withof class/ in lieu to a license an addition/change Bob’s Burgers & Brew, at 819BELLINGHAM Cherry St., Sumas, to sell beer/wine in a grocery store, beer/cider 8/31/15.

THE BUSINESS JOURNAL WA 98265, received approval on an addition/ in growlers and operate as a direct shipment Pierpont Investments 2 LLC, $81,367.71, change of class/in lieu to a license to sell spirits/ receiver at Premiere 1501 12th St., Business Bellingham, WA 98225.

2150901573, 9/15/15.

Whatcom County’s beer/wine in a restaurant and lounge. License No.: Licensefor No.:over 365061.

Charles B Neff, $35,281.89, 2150901574, Publication 229/18/15. years!

078497. 9/16/15.

The Filling Station, Avenue Bread & Deli, Inc.; CHANGE9/15/15.

Reach out – increase sales and gain credibility!

Green Leaf, at 4220 Meridian St. Suite 102, John M. Defreest, Wendy W. Defreest, applied Schwiesow & Drilias Inc. a corporation, Bellingham, WA 98226, received approval on a for a new license to sell spirits/beer/wine in a $31,743.92, 2150901575, 9/15/15.

PRINT. IN PERSON. change of corporate officer to aIN license to operate ONLINE. restaurant and service bar at 1138 Finnegan Way Blue Sky Web Solutions LLC, $7,657.11, as a marijuana retailer. License No.: 413886.

Suite 311, Bellingham, WA 98225. License No.: 2150901576, 9/15/15.

9/15/15.

420153. 9/17/15.

Kelley Denman North State Street Market, at 902 N. State Jun’s Sushi & Bento, Jun’s Sushi & Bento Inc; Bryan W Erickson, $57,980.97, 2150901577, Senior Advertising Sales Consultant 9/15/15.

St. Suite 103, Bellingham, WA 98225, received Jun Won Bark, applied for an assumption to a kdenman@bbjtoday.com approval on an assumption to a license to sell beer Colin S Moore, $42,674.79, 2150901582, license to serve beer/wine in a restaurant at 202 • Office: 360.647.8805 and wine in a grocery store. License No.: 419311.

9/15/15.

E. Holly St.,Mobile: Suite 101,360.312.4380 Bellingham, WA 98225. www.bbjtoday.com 9/11/15.

License No.: 418555. 9/9/15.

Douglas B Hyde, $101,127.50, 2150901583,

November 2015

The Bellingham Business Journal

21

22

The Bellingham Business Journal

November 2015

Toolkit

In today’s workplace, management must come from within come to realize that people in the workplace don’t need to be controlled, they need to be inspired, respected, clearly directed and allowed to perform the roles they have been Mike assigned. But, and this is a big but, Cook that is not to say there is no need On for management.

Managers & Today the management must Employees come from within.

The employee must know how to manage themselves and that requires knowledge that many people have not even begun to acquire.

“Back in the day,” as they say, in an era that depended heavily on a workforce that was willing to do as it was told, “jobs” were really jobs, clearly defined, repetitive with limited sets of tasks that you could leave at the workplace when you left for the day.

Very few if any people talked about taking their work home with them. The tools were either bolted to the floor or too heavy

to take home and even if you could the materials used to perform your job were not found around the house. Employees needed to be supervised more than managed, since the repetitive nature of much of the work then was mind-numbing and likely less than inspiring. Not so much these days.

That is not to say that there is no repetitive work today. But in an economy that requires ever more control of costs, jobs have been bundled with other jobs to become areas of responsibility. Lots more interesting with room to create working routines and add a dash of the personal touch every now and then.

But back to the idea of people being unpredictable and the need for management—there is need today for management in our places of work but mostly it is selfmanagement. With jobs having grown laterally into areas of responsibility, what has occurred naturally is an increase in interdependency and the need for interpersonal skills at all levels.

Back when I worked final assembly at the Oldsmobile plant in Lansing, Michigan, I really didn’t need anyone else to help me put on the one large bolt that held the bumper to the frame. The only interdependency I experienced was with the guy who relieved me so I could use the restroom every so often. And believe me, given the

“

Meet today’s informed consumer.

fact that he only came with management permission, he was pretty important in my life.

Now I schedule my own workflow and develop my own working relationships and that means a lot more than knowing the guy at the next work station. I need to understand how I work best, how I prefer to receive information. Am I a reader or a talker? Do my co-workers know that? Will I read my emails daily, or do voicemails or texts get my attention first? Can I sit down with a co-worker and really have a conversation where I am interested in learning these things about them so I am meeting their needs?

If you are an employer today, if your employees do not have these skills they are costing you money. Knowing all these things is part of their job, not yours. If they need management or your help getting along with co-workers, you probably don’t need them. Among the costs we control today is the amount of management in our budgets, and the less the better—management is expensive.

Mike Cook lives in Anacortes. His columns appear on BBJToday.com every other Tuesday. He teaches in the MBA program at Western Washington University and also runs a CEO peer advisory group in the Bellingham area.

Every job is important

”

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1444606

Among the many pleasures in my life since moving from Rochester, New York, to northwest Washington in fall 2006 is my association with Western Washington University. In that time I have had several opportunities to guest lecture, as well as mentor undergraduate students. And in 2012 I began teaching a course called Managing Organizations And People in the various tracks of the MBA program at Western.

Working with students has been inspiring and therapeutic for me. A 30-year career as a management/leadership development coach and consultant left me, I have to admit, a bit charred around the edges—a common outcome of our workplaces, which are, let’s be honest, often not the most life-giving environments.

Among the many topics I touch on with students is a central theme I stick to and one that has a bracing effect on them. That theme is this: When it comes to people there is one thing you can count on—you don’t know what’s going to work until it does. There are no formulas!

Sometimes this has a disheartening effect on students but most often it is a challenge. As we continue to discuss and probe the notion of people being highly unpredictable it often dawns on students that they can forego any hope of learning how to control people. In fact, they

November 2015

The Bellingham Business Journal

23

Sustainability matters.

Your investments should reflect that.

The Saturna Sustainable Funds seek to invest in companies and issuers that demonstrate sustainable characteristics with low risks in areas of the environment, social responsibility, and governance (“ESG”).

Find out more today.

Saturna Sustainable Equity Fund (SEEFX)

www.saturnasustainable.com

Saturna Sustainable Bond Fund (SEBFX)

Please consider an investment’s objectives, risks, charges and expenses carefully before investing. For this and other important information about the Saturna Sustainable Funds, please obtain and carefully read a free prospectus or summary prospectus from www.saturnasustainable.com or by calling toll-free 1-800-728-8762.

1444575

Investing involves risk, including possible loss of principal. The Saturna Sustainable Funds limit the securities they purchase to those consistent with sustainable principles. This limits opportunities and may affect performance. Distributor: Saturna Brokerage Services, a whollyowned subsidiary of Saturna Capital Corporation, investment adviser to the Saturna Sustainable Funds.

24

The Bellingham Business Journal

Mike Morse, Morse Steel 4th generation owner Runner Sports dad

Each and every one of us is an original. Shaped by unique inuences that make us who we are today.

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November 2015