Published December 2000

Business Briefs

Windermere gives $7,500
to charitable groups
Sales associates and staff with Windermere Real Estate’s Snohomish Group offices recently teamed up with the Windermere Foundation to award $5,000 to the Assistance League of Everett and $2,500 to the Interfaith Association, according to a news release.

The funds given to the Assistance League of Everett will be used for Operation School Bell, a program that helps children of low-income families get school clothing and supplies. The Interfaith Association donation will be used to provide emergency shelter services to families and children.

RV dealership plans to stay in Marysville
The RV Outlet Supermall in Marysville has re-signed its lease on nearly four acres of land next to Interstate 5, Sales Manager Ken Houck said.

The RV dealer, which has sites in south Everett, Port Orchard, and Las Vegas, Nev., had planned to close the Marysville site to cut overhead costs but was able to negotiate a new lease, Houck said, adding that another site may close in the future.

In the meantime, the dealership is busy quashing the old “lost our lease” ads and generating a new marketing campaign, Houck said.

Gift, craft shop sets
December grand opening
Artisans Well, a gift and fine-craft shop, will celebrate its grand opening Dec. 7 through Dec. 10, and will host a ribbon-cutting ceremony at 6 p.m. Dec. 7.

The shop at 18920 28th Ave. W., Suite H, in Lynnwood offers work by regional and national artisans as well as providing a venue for them to share their expertise with others through a schedule of classes set to launch next month.

Artisans Well’s inaugural gallery will showcase Pacific Northwest artists including Kurt McVay and Denise Cole, according to a news release.

“The Pacific Northwest is home to some of the nation’s most well-known and internationally respected artisans,” said owner Jean Hales, formerly vice president of the Everett Area Chamber of Commerce. “Our area is renowned for its innovations in glass and jewelry design.”

“Guests to Artisans Well can expect to experience invigorating and inspiring work — and classes that stretch the imagination — each time they visit,” Hales said.

Holiday hours are 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Saturday and 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday. For more information, call 425-774-WELL.

A.G. Edwards offers tax-planning guide
Tax time is just around the corner, and A.G. Edwards’ free annual tax-planning guide, Tax Saver, is here to help.

“Tax Saver offers up-to-date information and analysis of several tax proposals under consideration, but more importantly, provides numerous tax-saving tips that you can take advantage of right away,” said Doug Reilly, branch manager of the A.G. Edwards Edmonds office. “The publication also includes important tax deadlines and investment strategies to help you keep more of what you earn.”

To receive Tax Saver, call the Edmonds office at 425-670-2757 or visit the company’s Web site, agedwards.com.

Skagit State Bank expands into Arlington
Skagit State Bank is expanding farther into Snohomish County with the construction of its newest branch, on 204th Street NE, a block east of Highway 9, in Arlington.

Construction, which began in October, is expected to be completed by mid-February, said Cheryl Bishop, co-CEO of the bank.

This will be the bank’s second Snohomish County branch, following the February 1994 opening of an office in Stanwood.

“We think the I-5 corridor is a good fit for Skagit State Bank,” Bishop said about the expansion, adding that there has been a lot of growth in the Arlington area.

Skagit State Bank is headquartered in Burlington.

EdCC Foundation gets
$55,000 scholarship boost
More than $55,000 was presented to the Edmonds Community College Foundation as seed money for 2001-2002 scholarships by Foundation board member Judy Chermak at the 11th annual college Foundation scholarship dinner last month.

The dinner is held each year to honor scholarship donors and recipients for the current academic year. This year, the Foundation granted more than $210,000 in scholarships and grants, providing higher-education access to more than 170 students, a 30 percent increase over last year.

For more information about the Foundation, contact Executive Director Larry Johnson at 425-640-1884 or foundation@edcc.edu.

Businesses honored for hiring, encouraging disabled
At the 10th annual Supported Employment Conference held recently, area businesses were recognized for their efforts in hiring workers with disabilities and ensuring their success on the job through such things as installing special equipment or providing ongoing training.

Honorees included: Hearthside of Snohomish, Arby’s restaurant in Bellingham, Eddie Bauer Customer Center in Bothell, DSHS in Mount Vernon, Intermec Corp. in Everett, Marysville Care Center, Technical Services Inc. of Oak Harbor, Parkway Nursing Home of Snohomish, El Gitano restaurant in Burlington, Weller’s restaurant in Arlington and Shari’s restaurant in Bellingham.

Athletic club to expand
The Silver Lake Club in south Everett plans to add swimming, basketball, aerobics and fitness programs to its existing tennis program when it undergoes renovations next year.

The club, which changed its name from Columbia Tennis Club to reflect the upcoming renovation, is offering charter memberships with reduced dues for the first 500 members, according to a news release.

“Location is often the most important consideration for our members,” said Cy Oskoui, owner of Columbia Athletic Clubs, adding that the Silver Lake Club can be reached easily from Lynnwood, Everett, Bothell and Snohomish.

For more information, call 425-745-1617 or visit the Columbia Athletic Club Web site, www.columbiaathletic.com.

Frontier Bank grows
with Interbancorp merger
The parent company of Frontier Bank is acquiring a small King County bank holding company.

Frontier Financial Corp. recently said it would take over Interbancorp Inc. in a stock swap valued at about $11 million. The deal is expected to close in early 2001.

Interbancorp is based in Duvall. It operates Valley Community Bank of Duvall and Kirkland Bank of Commerce. It recently received regulatory approval to open a third office at Totem Lake.

The deal still must be approved by regulators.

This is the third merger for Frontier in the past two years. When completed, the bank will have 36 offices in eight Western Washington counties and total assets of more than $1.7 billion.

Datacom-Textron merger
sparks spinoff plans
Datacom-Textron will merge with a Southern California subsidiary of its parent company, officials have announced. But the move doesn’t mean that all the employees are leaving.

Although Datacom will no longer exist as an Everett company, a portion of its employees plan to spin off a new local company that will continue to produce a line of network testing equipment called Legacy, said Dennis Horwitz, a spokesman for California-based Rifocs Corp., which makes similar equipment for fiber-optic testing.

Details about the new company were not available at press time.

The merger will combine Datacom’s work in the area of test equipment for copper-cable local area networks with the operations of Rifocs, Horwitz said. Datacom had about 60 employees when merger negotiations began. However, because “we have been unable to get people to move to this area,” only about 10 to 15 employees will join Rifocs.

Business women’s group
plans Christmas celebration
All women in Snohomish County are invited to Greater Port Gardner Bay Business and Professional Women’s Christmas Party, Potluck and Gift Exchange beginning at 6 p.m. Dec. 11 at 3307 Grand Ave.

The club requests a favorite dish and gift costing no more than $10, although not a requirement. Call 425-355-3415 or 425-355-8805 for reservations.

Hotel changes name
to Lynnwood Landmark Inn
The former Best Western Inn at 4300 Alderwood Mall Blvd. recently ended its affiliation with the international hotel chain and is now the Lynnwood Landmark Inn, said John Edwards, General Manager of the hotel.

The hotel “pulled the Best Western flag ... so that we can take and put the franchise fees and money back into the property,” Edwards said.

For information or reservations, call the Lynnwood Landmark Inn at 425-775-7447 or 800-775-0805.

Puget Sound thrift earns five-star rating
Washington Federal Savings received its 48th consecutive five-star rating from BauerFinancial Reports Inc. The Seattle-based thrift has a branch in Edmonds.

PUD signs power contract
The Snohomish County PUD recently signed a new contract with the Bonneville Power Administration in which the federal agency will supply nearly 85 percent of the utility district’s electricity.

The contract is good news because it assures the district of “a resource that provides continued predictability in terms of costs and minimizes risk,” PUD General Manager Paul Elias said.

Assistant General Manager John White said he expects wholesale power under the new contract to cost between 2.7 cents and 2.9 cents per kilowatt hour — more than the current 2.5 cents the PUD pays now. The number does not reflect the actual price customers will pay because distribution costs have not been considered.

Under the new PUD-BPA contract, a block of power will be bought at a fixed rate for five years, with allowances for adjustments if BPA costs change. Remaining power is priced at an adjustable rate, which depends on when and how much water flows down the Columbia and Snake rivers.

Success magazine gives
The Maids high marks
The Maids International Inc., a residential-cleaning franchise, has been ranked No. 5 out of 400 franchise systems researched by Success magazine for this year’s “Franchise Gold 200” edition.

“It’s great that we were rated so highly in a nationally recognized and prestigious magazine,” Everett-based franchisee Dianne Bjorn said in a news release.

The Nebraska-based company was judged on financial performance, corporate management, growth and stability, the franchiser/franchisee relationship and the opportunity to buy additional units at a reasonable cost.

For more information about The Maids, call Bjorn’s office, which serves south Snohomish and north King counties, at 425-353-8618 or visit the company’s Web site, www.maids.com.

New businesses, locations
n Advanced Care Animal Clinic, headed by Dr. Milray Howell, recently opened at 16820 Smokey Point Blvd., Suite 2, Arlington.

n Lee Dennie, formerly with the North Star Farm in Arlington, has opened a horse barn specializing in hunters and jumpers. Pacific Ridge Training is located at 1116 83rd Ave. SE. For information, call 425-377-8930.

n Barclay’s North Inc. and its affiliated companies have moved to 10515 20th St. SE, Suite 100, Everett. The phone number remains the same, 425-334-4040.

n U-Save Auto Rental has opened at 9430 State Ave. in Marysville.

n Paul Davis Restoration has opened an office at 914 164th St. SE in Mill Creek. The Florida-based company specializes in repairing buildings damaged by fire or water.

n Stewart Title of Snohomish County has opened an escrow office at 4630 200th St. SW in Lynnwood.

n Hair stylist Van Do has opened Mai Lynn Hair Design at 1526 Seventh St. in Marysville. For information or an appointment, call 360-659-1114.

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