The Olympian
Play video
Video Reports
Local retailers and manufacturers
-
Indoor entertainment speeds upTUMWATER — Two South Sound couples are hoping to dispel the stereotypical image of a go-kart track as rinky-dink entertainment operated by a cigar-smoking owner.
-
Higher gasoline costs help, hurt Vince's Motorcycle Store
LACEY — You might suspect that Vince Palazzo's motorcycle business would be booming with the doubling in gasoline prices the past five years.
-
Olympia salon adds something for the men
OLYMPIA — A longtime downtown salon has added an option for men who might feel uncomfortable entering a salon or paying $40 for a haircut, business owner Elaine McConkey says.
-
Entertainment center comes to life
OLYMPIA — One of South Sound's newest entertainment centers is a combination of new and old activities that should appeal to people of all ages, business owner David Ostrand says.
-
Browsers’ Book Shop lives up to name
OLYMPIA — For nearly 25 years, Jenifer Stewart has kept alive an Olympia book-selling tradition that Russian immigrant Anna Blom started downtown in 1935.
-
Candle-seller's first year sees flooding, accolades
OLYMPIA — A business award nomination from a South Sound economic development group capped a busy first year for Blue Heron Candle Co., a gift and candle store in downtown Olympia.
-
Owner maintains Oskar’s tradition
LACEY — Before she was the owner, Peggy Scott was a frequent customer at Oskar's German & European Deli, dining on pretzels and cheese at the Lacey eatery.
-
Love of cleaning leads Uptown
OLYMPIA — Chad Conley's passion for clean cars finally resulted in an opportunity to run his own business.
-
Once CD Connection, now Boomerang
LACEY — Sales of used CDs have supported CD Connection in Lacey for most of its history, but to better reflect a broader range of products, the owners recently changed the name to Boomerang Entertainment.
-
Curtis Lumber boasts 69-year history
OLYMPIA — "We're just one little block of Olympia," assistant manager Robb Ballantine said about Curtis Lumber Co.
-
Sports store helps collections grow
TUMWATER — A Joe Montana jersey in a picture frame rests against Jesse Hodson's desk at work. A photo of the San Diego Chicken, a mascot for the San Diego Padres baseball team, diving toward home plate overlooks him on a bookshelf.
-
Soccer shop keeps eye on goal
OLYMPIA — It was soccer that lured Kathi Hamilton into her retail career. And it was Kurt Gress' love of the game that coaxed him to team up with Hamilton to run Olympia's Wembley Soccer Shop.
-
Concrete firm changed with times
TUMWATER — Scores of concrete-products distributors have sold items made by Pacific Coast Precast during its 50-year history.
-
Store gives clothes for women a second chance
OLYMPIA — Fine Consign, a women's clothing consignment business, made a successful transition from Yelm to downtown Olympia last year.
-
Danger Room Comics enjoys a quiet success
OLYMPIA — The owners of Danger Room Comics have worked hard to turn their business into a success.
