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Photo business kicks off in La Conner
Kirsten Morse Photography and Digital Services is now operating out of La Conner. Along with professional photography services, the company offers life celebration DVD shows, at-home digital camera/computer training and comprehensive custom digital photo projects.
Kirsten grew up in Skagit County and began her passion with photography while at Mount Vernon High School in the early ’80s. In college, she studied computer programming and graphic arts.
Morse’s specialty is in creating DVD shows to celebrate one’s life through pictures, video, sounds and music. Combining her photos and family photos, Morse creates a “living” keepsake in the form of a DVD.
Morse and her husband, Kevin Morse, are delighted to return to the Skagit Valley with their three children and three dogs.
Neighborhood Mortgage opens branch in Lynden
A Lynden branch of Neighborhood Mortgage opened in October at Bender Plaza. Dan Harrell of Lynden is owner and manager of the branch.
Neighborhood Mortgage offers a wide range of real estate loans designed to meet the needs of customers at every level of credit worthiness. The Lynden branch also serves commercial clients seeking to purchase or refinance their business or investment property.“We work with over 100 different lenders that we’ve selected for their quality service and competitive rates,” Harrell said. “Each has a different niche, enabling us to obtain the best possible rate or arrange a loan in many cases where a single financial institution can’t deliver.”Harrell, along with Tammy Yoder, are loan officers at the Lynden branch. Yoder, a longtime Lynden resident, has 10 years of experience as a sales and marketing account executive.
Neighborhood Mortgage is locally owned by Bill and Anny Havland with headquarters in Bellingham.
Corporate Gifts Northwest ready for business
Bob and Peggy Prince, founders and former owners of Cascade Candy Company in La Conner launched a venture called Corporate Gifts Northwest. The company serves businesses of all sizes by helping them build long-term relationships with their customers, vendors and employees. Corporate Gifts Northwest will work with each customer and company to develop a personalized program to utilize throughout the year.
Northwest Handspun Yarns opens retail store
Nancy Bjerke opened Northwest Handspun Yarns in October in downtown Bellingham. The store offers yarns, fiber, and much more. Bjerke has presented weekly knitting and spinning classes for the last five years and the move into the 1,400-square-foot Douglas Building allows them to expand class offerings and selection of products.”We are adding weaving classes,” Bjerke said. “We also will provide yarns, natural and chemical dyes, fibers for spinning and felting, and a large book collection, plus equipment such as spinning wheels, looms and drum carders. Northwest Handspun Yarns will appeal to anyone with interest in knitting, weaving, crocheting, felting and spinning.”
Deli opens in Fairhaven
All American Deli & Ice Cream & Espresso opened last month in Fairhaven’s new 12th Street Village in Bellingham.The restaurant, owned and operated by Robert and Kate Jones of Lynden, is located at the corner of Old Fairhaven Parkway and 12th Street. The Deli’s menu includes deli-style sandwiches, fresh salads and soup, 28 flavors of ice cream and frozen yogurt, and baked goods. Organic coffee will be used for a full line of espresso products.All American Deli is launching a reading program in cooperation with local schools and home-school parents. Students who read five books that are verified by their teacher can submit a form for a free scoop of ice cream or a small frozen yogurt.
Private investigator launches business
Joan Carpenter, a private investigator focusing on background profiles of prospective employees and business partners, recently launched Carpenter Investigations in Lynden.Carpenter has several years of experience conducting domestic and international background investigations for the gaming industry. Her clients have included the Mirage, MGM and Treasure Island casinos in Las Vegas and tribal casinos in California.“Whether you’re considering hiring a person or doing business with somebody, it’s critical to know enough about that person before entrusting them with access to your money, financial data or customers,” Carpenter said. “Also, any entity providing healthcare, childcare or eldercare services should perform due diligence before leaving an employee alone with vulnerable clients. Background investigations are more affordable than most people realize, especially when considering the potential damage that could be caused by an unscrupulous employee, business partner or prospective buyer of your business.”
Boston Pizza opens flagship
Boston’s Gourmet Pizza opened a flagship restaurant and sports bar last month in what used to be the south parking lot of Bellis Fair Mall in Bellingham. This location is expected to be the first of seven opened in the state of Washington over the next five years, by a family from B.C., which owns and operates the stores as Belcana, Inc. Featuring a fusion of style, Boston’s is considered one of the fastest growing and unique concepts of its type in North America.
Sisters to reopen family business
A longtime family business reopened early this month in Deming.
Susie O’Connor and Kathy Hillard, co-owners of Carol’s Girls Catering, had closed their catering business at 5415 Mt. Baker Highway, but opened Carol’s Girls Café.
Before O’Connor and Hillard started their catering company five years ago, their parents, Bill and Carol Vander Yacht, operated Carol’s Coffee Cup in the same Deming location for 27 years. The new diner will have homemade breakfast and lunch fare and a drive-up area for lattes. The restaurant will seat about 30 people and have a deck in the summers.
One of the additions is the car-side Pickup Service.
Print Shop opens
Whidbey Island native, Robert Carr, opened his own print shop in October in Bellingham. Carr brought more than 15 years’ experience in the copying business to his new endeavor. Poor Rob’s Copy and Design, at 3201 Northwest Avenue in Bellingham offers color copying, bindery, business card and form design, faxing, Fed-Ex and DHL delivery.
Business owner excels in triathlons
Maureen “Mo” Trainor, owner of Bellingham’s Train-Or-Tri store that specializes in products for tri-athletes, recently proved that she knows what it takes to excel in the sport.Trainor, 38, placed first among all women in the 2005 Clydesdale World Championships, held September 18 in Miami, Florida.
Trainor launched Train-Or-Tri this summer on James Street. The store offers bicycles, clothing, shoes, and accessories tailored to the needs of amateur and elite tri-athletes. Train-Or-Tri, which also offers a broad selection of nutritional products for all athletes, already is attracting triathletes from Seattle to Vancouver, B.C.“Many tri-athletes become frustrated when they order products online and discover the products don’t fit properly or meet the tri-athlete’s needs,” Trainor said. “Since there’s been a surge of interest in triathlons, I determined there was a customer base large enough to support Train-Or-Tri.”
Firm opens new branch
Bellevue-based Washington Asset Management last month opened a Bellingham branch in the Gateway Center at 1313 E. Maple Street.
The financial services firm will be managed by Bellingham resident Richard W. Zagelow, who’s managed both corporate and individual accounts at Dain Bosworth, Key Bank and Morgan Stanley.
Washington Asset Management offers securities through The Concord Equity Group LLC.
Georgie Girls have grand opening
Georgie Girls, established by Dianna Guevara and her three daughters, Rheanna, Lindi and Erica, had their grand opening in October at 1421 Cornwall Avenue.
The female-fashions retail store features a wide range of clothing and jewelry.
With the age range, and diversity in political, and social causes represented by the business owners you can be sure that there is something in the store to suit every woman. Dianna and her daughters are active in the local community. Dianna loves all forms of sport, Erica is an avid soccer player, Rheanna’s passion is surfing the waves and Lindi is the artist of the family. You can admire her work yourself – she painted the mural that runs the length of the store.
Birch launches construction collection
Birch Equipment, with locations in Whatcom and Skagit counties, recently created a new line of equipment for tots and tweens to add to their grown up fleet – toys.
They are now offering reproductions of construction related toys, trucks and clothing just for kids. Birch Equipment has been locally owned since 1972 and serves homeowners and contractors with over 145,000 pieces of equipment in their inventory, the largest in Northwest Washington.
Pampered Pets opens in Burlington
Pampered PetsJoyce Ramey and her husband Doug opened their new business, Pampered Pets & Grooming, in Burlington. Their groomer, Bobbie Schmidt, has been in the business for almost 20 years, grooming cats and dogs at Chuckanut Valley Vet clinic for the last five.The Rameys own D & J Estates in Burlington, but were eager to add something new and different to the community – grooming and retail of different and high end pet supplies. They offer therapeutic water massage for the senior pets, specialize in natural and environmental friendly products and pet couture and jewelry.
Extreme Storage opens
Extreme StorageUnits large enough to contain boats, cars and motor homes are nearly ready for occupancy at Extreme Storage in Bellingham’s Irongate District.The 28 units in the first two buildings will be completed by the end of this year, according to owner Rick McCauley of McCauley Properties, Inc. Construction of a third building with 14 more units will start in 2006.The units are being sold rather than rented and start in price at $95,000. Twenty had been reserved through September as people realize they can save money while protecting their valuable assets. “Like a condominium, owners can rent their units for a market rate above what their loan payments would be,” McCauley said.Bellingham is the first site for Extreme Storage, which will start building facilities in Anacortes and Chelan in 2006.
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