Tenino business raises its profile, supermarket changes labels, and dance center grows
In the words of co-owner Jenni Bourdon, a product that got its start about three years ago has “taken on a life of its own,” and is now set to be produced in downtown Tenino in a new processing space.
The product is called Wild Heart Sipping Vinegar and it will be produced at 291 Sussex Ave. W. starting April 1, she said. The space also will be used as a commercial kitchen and will host artists and culinary events.
Three years ago, the sipping vinegars, which were launched at Tenino’s Sandstone Distillery, were viewed as little more than cocktail mixers (you can still enjoy them that way), but they also can be used in sauces and dressings and for baking.
The vinegars are sold at 12 farmers markets, including in Olympia, as well as 16-18 retail locations, and are distributed to all but three states in the country, Bourdon said. The product also can be purchased online or found at the Ralph’s and Bayview Thriftway stores.
In 2020, the business produced 10,000 bottles of sipping vinegars. This year it’s expected to grow to 17,000 bottles, she said.
That growth was made possible because Bourdon entered an emerging food contest — a contest that attracted more than 100 contestants — and Wild Heart took second place and its $5,000 prize.
That money was invested in processing equipment to help Wild Heart grow to that 17,000 bottle level, she said. The business also employs a full- and part-time staff of four, Bourdon said.
For more about Wild Heart, go to https://www.wildheartsippingvinegar.com/
Other business happenings
Next month, don’t be surprised if you see a Safeway where an Albertsons used to be at Littlerock and Trosper roads in Tumwater.
That’s because work has started to convert the Albertsons into a Safeway. A store employee says it will become Safeway by the end of the month.
The change isn’t much of a transition these days: Safeway operates as a banner of Albertsons Companies, the second largest supermarket chain in the United States, behind Kroger.
A check of downtown Olympia shows that the restaurant Our Table, which was profiled by The Olympian in 2016, appears to have closed.
And Johansen Olympia Dance Center, long located on Jefferson between Fourth and Fifth avenues, has expanded into the adjacent Fourth Avenue space once occupied by Orca Books.
Orca Books has not closed, but has moved to 315 Fifth Ave. SE.
If you know of a retailer, restaurant, coffee shop or other business that is opening, closing, expanding, remodeling, or changing its focus, send an email to reporter Rolf Boone at rboone@theolympian.com.
This story was originally published March 5, 2021 at 5:45 AM.
