Stop work order slows area eatery, a new floral shop opens and an escape room is coming
A restaurant called Yummy Crab, which is moving into the former Izzy’s restaurant space in Olympia, has been issued a stop work order by the city of Olympia for unpermitted work.
A check of the property at the corner of Lilly Road and Pacific Avenue shows a stop work order attached to the front doors of the business. That order was issued May 20.
A contact for the new Yummy Crab could not be reached, but The Olympian did hear from two city building officials, including Tim Smith, the interim director of the city’s community planning and development department.
Smith said they were doing interior work on the business without a commercial tenant improvement permit. More specifically, they were working on walls and lighting without that permit, building official Erik Jensen said.
Both said this step sometimes gets overlooked by new business owners focused on other areas, but it’s an important step for the health and safety of the restaurant, they said.
Smith said the commercial tenant improvement permit application was submitted to the city on July 16.
Other business happenings
Genevieve Ruth Bryenton has opened a business in a familiar spot — at the Evergreen Valley Lavender farm, which is owned by her parents. It’s located south of Yelm Highway and east of Meridian Road.
About 45 days ago, a shop was built to house her business, The Flower & Vine, which is a combination floral shop — selling flowers and greens — as well as a workspace for those wanting to learn floral design and a gift shop, she said.
The Thurston County Chamber of Commerce hosted a ribbon-cutting for the business on Thursday. She also recently received a Thurston Green Small Business of the Year award, which recognizes environmentally friendly businesses.
“You take care of the land and it takes care of you,” she said.
She buys her greens and flowers from local sources, including Ladyberry farms in the Boston Harbor area.
The business is open the same hours as the farm, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Thursdays through Saturdays, until Aug. 3. However, she plans to be open Fridays and Saturdays in the fall, have pop-up business activity around the holidays and continue to have weekly workshops.
The Flower & Vine is at 9733 Evergreen Valley Road SE.
Do you like the escape room experience, where you and your friends team up to solve a riddle to get out of a room? Well, one is opening soon in Yelm called Quark & Odo’s Escape Room Experience, according to the Yelm Chamber of Commerce and website information. The Olympian was unable to reach the owner.
According to the website, the business expects to open this month. How does it work?
“Quark & Odo’s is an escape game room experience where players are ‘locked’ in a room and must solve puzzles, find clues, and work together to escape within a set amount of time. Each room has a unique theme and story you won’t find anywhere else,” the site reads.
Downtown Olympia already has an escape room business called Exit Puzzles at 109 Fifth Ave. SW.
Providence St. Peter Hospital in Olympia was named a top hospital in the region and No. 13 in the state by U.S. News and World Report, Providence Swedish announced in a news release.
The hospital also was recognized as high performing in nine specialty or procedural areas, including heart bypass surgery, hip replacement, knee replacement, pneumonia, stroke and maternity.
For the 2024-25 rankings and ratings, U.S. News evaluated more than 4,500 hospitals across 15 specialties and 20 procedures and conditions, according to the release.
“This recognition validates the commitment and hard work of the nearly 5,000 Providence caregivers here in South Puget Sound, along with independent physicians, the Providence Medical Group, and the hospitals coming together to care for our patients,” said Providence South Puget Sound Chief Executive Darin Goss in a statement. “Honors such as this in so many areas across the care continuum wouldn’t be possible without collaboration. It is a testament of the high-quality care we provide to our patients right here close to home.”
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 July 26, 2024 at 5:00 AM.
