Need some spice in your life?

Organic Spice Traders just opened! Their selection of organic products are of the highest standards of freshness, purity and quality. Organic Spice Traders is located at 1127 Broadway Plaza, Tacoma. http://www.organicspicetraders.com/index.cfm

BCRA is all a Twitter

Apple is using BCRA as their Design Firm case study and coming to do a photo shoot in their Tacoma office on the use of their iPads in marketing. For the latest, follow: @BCRADESIGN

On par for the U.S. Open

Reflect on the success of the U.S. Amateur and build on the excitement about the U.S. Open at Chambers Bay! Watch the video: http://rainiercountry.s3.amazonaws.com/rc_pc_amateur.wmv

Tacoma selected to participate in Creative Vitality Study

The City of Tacoma, led by the Tacoma Arts Commission, was one of five groups throughout Washington selected through a competitive application process to participate in a Creative Vitality Index (CVI) study led by the Washington State Arts Commission (WSAC) and WESTAF (Western States Arts Federation). The study is intended to explore how the CVI can inform and advance local efforts to define, support and advance the creative economy in communities across the state. http://www.arts.wa.gov/resources/creative-vitality-index.shtml.

Cool news!

Our very own Mayor Strickland is one of 15 individuals from across the country to have been appointed to the U.S. Small Business Administration's Council on Underserved Communities. Check it out... http://www.businessexaminer.com/blog/strickland-appointed-to-national-sba/

Seitel Systems branches out to Tacoma

Seitel Systems, an IT solutions company, recently opened a Tacoma branch on Pacific Ave. Seitel provides network, server, telecommunications, and desktop services that include system design, implementation and support. Welcome to Tacoma! Stay tuned for info about an open house. http://seitelsystems.com/

Wingman Brewers now at Red Hot

Wingman Brewers, a niche brewery located on the edge of Tacoma's Historic Brewery District, just held their first public tap! After a release party on April 21, Wingman beer is now available at the Red Hot.

Local businesses can learn how to build/maintain a website

At the April 28 Economic Gardening Workshop, local business owners can learn how to create a website quickly and inexpensively. This workshop is also helpful for those businesses that have an existing website but are having difficulty managing it.

The City’s Community and Economic Development Department will host the upcoming free Economic Gardening Workshop – “Build a Website with Ease” on April 28 at Evergreen State College – Tacoma Branch, 1210 Sixth Ave., Room 104.

Robbin Block, a 25 year marketing strategist and corporate renegade, will lead the session. She’s given hundreds of engaging presentations and is the author of “Social Persuasion: Making Sense of Social Media for Small Business.”

Tacoma business owners can choose between two free sessions and can register online:

• Morning Session (8:00-10:00am): http://buildwebsiteamsession.eventbrite.com


• Lunch Session (12:00– 2:00pm): http://buildwebsitelunchsession.eventbrite.com
  

For questions or to reserve a space by phone, please contact Christine Clifford at
253.573.2435 or cclifford@cityoftacoma.org.

New grocer coming to South Tacoma

Discount grocer WinCo Foods will open its South Tacoma store in just over a week. The employee-owned, Boise-based company has been renovating a former furniture store at 1913 S. 72nd St. for several months and will open its doors on April 17 at 9 a.m.

Opportunity for Tacoma bizz owners to plug-in

In response to the growing electric vehicle market, Federal stimulus grant funds are available to local business owners to install public customer charging stations. The Puget Sound area is one of a handful of regions that can take advantage of this opportunity. Businesses have until September 2011 to pursue the available grant funds to help the Puget Sound area plug-in to a new era of transportation innovation and reduce the fossil fuel costs and emissions. For more information, visit http://www.cityoftacoma.org/Page.aspx?hid=16469

Gibson's Frozen Yogurt Opens in Stadium District

Have the winter blahs? Go get some yogurt at the newly opened, self-serve Gibson Yogurt Shoppe. They use only YoCream® Frozen Yogurt, the healthful frozen yogurt with live and active cultures, produced locally here in the Pacific Northwest. New flavors and toppings change each week. The shop is just a block from Stadium High School in North Tacoma. http://gibsonsyogurt.com/

Wedding bells in your future?

Then don't miss the inaugural Wedding Walk this Sunday, Feb. 20 from noon to 6 p.m. Wedding Walk Tacoma is a one day event that will introduce prospective brides, grooms, wedding attendants and their family and friends to Tacoma, as a one-stop shopping destination for weddings, while sampling excellent food, wonderful beverages and touring Tacoma’s most beautiful places to get married.

Brides, grooms, friends and family are invited to walk the Downtown Tacoma Business District, stopping at the Marriott and Pacific Grill Event Center, then walking down Pacific Avenue to the Tacoma Art Museum, Union Station, and the History Museum before crossing the Chihuly Bridge to the Museum of Glass on the water.

For more information or to buy tickets, visit http://www.weddingwalktacoma.com/Purchase_Tickets.html.

Live, work and buy groceries downtown!

A lease has been signed and a date has been set: http://blog.thenewstribune.com/business/2011/02/15/its-official-grocery-store-will-open-this-summer-on-pacific-avenue-in-tacoma/

Yelp is loving Tacoma!

According to Yelp, Tacoma is the most romantic city in its database. http://bit.ly/YelpCupid

BE Green South Sound/ Shift Happens, Jan. 31

Like many business people, you may be intrigued by sustainability. You may be enticed by the savings offered by lean operations. You may want to know why your clients or customers are spending their money on green products and services. Maybe you want to save the planet. Maybe you plan to start small, and see where it goes from there.

Whatever compels you, this event will provide you with all the tools, information, free and low-costs resources, connections, and inspiration needed to propel your own sustainable business initiatives. This event is in collaboration with the Business Examiner Group, Pecha Kucha, ISIRIS, Go Local, The City of Tacoma and TacomaACTS.

Visit www.begreensouthsound.com for event details, speakers and to register.

Take Part in the Urban University

Thursday, Feb. 3, 2011
7:30 a.m. - 3:30 p.m.
William W. Philip Hall
University of Washington Tacoma campus

This dynamic forum will examine the role of urban universities, offering insights into how communities and universities interact, work together, and enable social and economic change. All events are free and open to the public; however advance registration is required. For a detailed schedule and to register go to: tacoma.uw.edu/events/urban

Free local government education sessions

For the seventh consecutive year, the City of Tacoma’s Neighborhood Council Office, in cooperation with the University of Washington Tacoma’s Urban Studies Program, is offering six free public sessions of the Government Leadership Institute (GLI) on Mondays from 5:30 to 7 p.m. on the UWT campus, Keystone Building Auditorium, 1900 Commerce St. No registration is required.

This year the GLI will focus on the theme: Planning the Economic Future of Tacoma. The purpose of these sessions is to provide an opportunity for the general public and students to share time in the classroom and educate each other about the impacts of various municipalities on the development of the city. It will also provide an opportunity for both citizens and students to consider real-life perspectives rather than hypothetical situations.

The following sessions will be provided, and will include presenters from various agencies and organizations:

• Jan. 24: Financing Development in Tacoma
• Jan. 31: Strengthening and Expanding the Local Labor Market
• Feb. 7: Human Capital Development in Tacoma
• Feb. 14: The Port and the City
• Feb. 28: Land Use Politics and Real Estate Development
• March 7: Urban Power and Decision-Making

For detailed information about each of these sessions, call Elton Gatewood at (253) 591-5229 or visit the Neighborhood Council's website.

New Tenant Downtown

Medical Imaging Northwest (MINW) and Diagnostic Imaging Northwest (DINW) corporate operations, currently housed in Lakewood, will soon move to a new downtown address in the Wells Fargo Building on Pacific Avenue. The MINW/DINW operations team supports 25 fellowship-trained, board-certified radiologists who provide sub-specialty professional services and onsite coverage in radiology departments. DINW represents the three joint-ventured, outpatient imaging centers under the name Diagnostic Imaging Northwest. For more information visit, http://www.minw.com/ or http://www.mydinw.com/

Microenterprise Community Forum

February 11, 2011 from 1 – 5 pm

Microenterprises can generate economic opportunity in the U.S. even during tough times. But to thrive, entrepreneurs and very small businesses often need support in the form of training, technical assistance and capital. This community forum will bring together people and organizations to explore support for microenterprise in Pierce County.

For registration and more information, visit: tacoma.uw.edu/clsr/microenterprise

Hilltop gets a new hot spot

Check out what's new in the Hilltop neighborhood: 1022 South, http://tmagazine.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/01/04/a-hilltop-apothecary-1022-south/