In an ongoing effort to accommodate the women of Friday Harbor, Curves has relocated to 535 Market St., suite B (next to Whidbey Island Bank). This convenient location is within walking distance of the town core and has ample parking. Hours are Monday/Wednesday/Friday, 6:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m.; Tuesday/Thursday, 7:30-11 a.m. and 3-6:30 p.m.; and Saturday, 9-11 a.m.
According to the numbers, the Friday Harbor business community would seem, overall, to be in good shape. But you’ll have a hard time convincing some Friday Harbor businesses of that.
We enter 2009 with many concerns about the local, state and national economy. But to understand our economic condition, we have to remember exactly how bad things have been to appreciate how well off most of us are today.
Dr. Edwin Dolan, resident of Lopez Island and author of books and articles on banking, monetary policy and environmental issues, leads a free seminar titled, “Understanding the Financial Crisis — Past, Present and Future Realities,” three days on three islands this month.
Washington State has launched a multi-agency streaming video that gives new and small businesses easy-to-understand basics on how to plan for, prepare and pay state business taxes and insurance premiums.
The next Chamber Downtown Forum will meet on Thursday, 8:30 a.m., at Whidbey Island Bank. Joy Sevier and Peggy Long, members of the Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors, will facilitate the meeting, continuing the topic “What can we do NOW to improve our local economy?”
The following local business people have been elected officers of the San Juan Island Chamber of Commerce for 2009 …
Boardwalk Bookstore will close its doors Dec. 31 after more than 35 years in business. Owner Bettye Hendrickson said the closure is not related to the economy, although the store has been for sale with no expressed interest. The closure will leave the town with three book stores: Griffin Bay Bookstore on Spring Street, Harbor Bookstore at Cannery Landing, and Serendipity on A Street.
Spirit Tree Gifts on Argyle Avenue is closing, its owner saying the store has “run out of resources” to keep operating. Spirit Tree’s owners described the store as “a multi-dimensional resource center for personal growth and spiritual enlightenment.” It sold local clay art, drums, handmade pillows, jewelry, mandalas, music and musical instruments, photography, sculpture, video art and wood art. It also sold books and self-awareness tools, and was a venue for meditation and yoga.
A new fitness center is opening on San Juan Island in January. The new gym, Xtreme Fitness San Juan Island, is located in the Beaverton Business Park, 70 Saltspring Road (3/4 of a mile past the library). It will feature a variety of fitness equipment in a 4,000-square-foot open floor plan.
‘My wife and I have just returned home from a wonderful day of Christmas shopping in Friday Harbor. Frankly, we do a lot of shopping online, as well as on the mainland, so we were in for a very pleasant surprise.’
After 18 years of providing medical care for the children of San Juan County, pediatrician Jeanne Olmsted has announced that she will no longer maintain a practice based on Orcas Island after Dec. 31.
Following is a message from Lynn Danaher that the Chamber of Commerce wanted to share in light of recent discussions about “What can we do NOW to help our local economy.”
