In early 2020, Mitchell Karstetter’s new side business was just beginning to pick up steam. The Quincy, Wash., farmer and his family had been growing hemp on about 40 acres for the past year, looking to capitalize on the growing demand for CBD products with a venture called Columbia Basin Hemp. But then the pandemic... Continue Reading →
This time last year, the owners of Fiddle’s Coffee House in Wapato were admittedly a little spooked by the uncertain future brought on by COVID-19. Fidel Negrete and Efren Martinez had just opened the shop off West First Street and U.S. Highway 97 in November 2019 and they didn’t know how their business was going... Continue Reading →
Ana Bazadoni is proud of everything she has accomplished since moving to Yakima from Uruguay 18 years ago. Few people can say they have learned a new language, earned three college degrees, started two small businesses and raised twin boys — all while caring for an ill spouse — in such a short time. But... Continue Reading →
There’s still much work to be done, but the Vintage Valley Parkway extension project in Zillah is now less than nine months away from completion. Work on phase one of the extension, located north of Interstate 82 between Buena Road and the existing Vintage Valley Parkway, started early this year and could wrap up by the middle of... Continue Reading →
The availability of medical services in Selah has increased significantly this fall with the arrival of the Best Practices Healthcare Center off East Goodlander Road. A multi-specialty family medical clinic opened Nov. 2 on one side of the former Astria Health clinic at 715 N. Park Drive — which closed earlier this year — and... Continue Reading →
Heather Surginer has been a professional photographer for nearly 20 years, but until this month, she’s never had a studio that suits her as well as her current space in Viking Village. The owner of HK Photography opened her new Selah location on Nov. 6, and she couldn’t be happier. “Now, I’ve got room to... Continue Reading →
Long before there was an established wine industry in Washington state, Gary Cox was helping lay the groundwork when he was a graduate student at Washington State University. The Ellensburg, Wash., winemaker was among the volunteer wine-tasters who participated in the state’s original wine project, launched by legendary viticulturist Walter Clore in the mid-1970s. More... Continue Reading →
Just two months ago, Nana Kate’s owner Catherine Platt wasn’t sure how she was going to keep her Selah café and coffee shop open. She had already lost two-thirds of her typical revenue due to the statewide shutdown, and without being able to offer indoor seating for the foreseeable future, Platt’s business of seven years... Continue Reading →
Chris and Aubree Cherry felt like they were making a good decision last year when they moved to Selah to open a new Grocery Outlet. As the store prepares to celebrate its one-year anniversary next month, the young owner-operators say moving to Selah has proven to be not only the right decision, but also the... Continue Reading →
Family-owned businesses are a staple in the Yakima Valley economy, but only a select few have been around for more than 50 years. Count Selah Trailer Camper Sales among the lucky ones. The recreational trailer sales and service provider at 518 S. First St. opened in 1965 and is still going strong today. Their secret? ... Continue Reading →
When most people hear the word “hemp,” they typically think of CBD oil, textiles and heavy-duty clothing. CraftAg LLC is looking to add recreational smoking to the list of potential uses for marijuana’s cousin. The recently formed partnership between CraftAg Enterprises and Seneca Foods Corp. is set to release its first retail product this spring... Continue Reading →
The past month has been a trying time for every city and small town in America. Statewide stay-at-home orders due to the novel coronavirus outbreak have prevented people from patronizing local businesses, prompting some difficult decisions about the future. Many small business owners in the Yakima Valley aren’t sure if they are going to make... Continue Reading →
Anyone in the Yakima Valley who knows anything about good barbecue has likely heard of Slow Poke’s Grill & Smoke. But until recently, the only way you could sample Slow Poke’s meats and sides was to catch owners Dan Gamache and Brandon Perry at select catering events or nationally sanctioned barbecue competitions. That all changed... Continue Reading →
Gilbert Cellars has built up enough name recognition over the past 15 years that the brand would have no problem developing a following beyond the West Coast.But whenever the owners of the Central Washington winery consider ramping up production, they always prioritize their Yakima Valley roots. “We’ve had opportunities to open other tasting rooms outside... Continue Reading →
Nikki Samaniego enjoys the tasting room side of owning a winery. Pouring wine, talking with customers and sharing stories about the Yakima Valley are much more her speed than working out in the vineyards. The co-owner of Severino Cellars in Zillah, Wash., prefers to leave all of the dirty work to her husband and father.... Continue Reading →
A lot has changed since Buck Chan first started working at Keoki’s Oriental Restaurant nearly four decades ago. The city, its residents and their taste in food are all very different now than when Chan and his family emigrated to Yakima from China in 1980. One thing that has stayed the same, however, is Chan’s... Continue Reading →
If you haven’t stopped by the Double R Honey Farms shop in a while, now would be a good time to get reacquainted. The beekeeping supply store and honey retailer in Union Gap was remodeled earlier this year — and it’s creating kind of a buzz around town. “We wanted to make it a place... Continue Reading →
The owners of Nino’s Mexican Grill are ready to go big. But for now, they’re taking their expansion plans one step at a time. Joel and Claudia Navarro opened their popular Union Gap restaurant in 2013, and after six successful years, they started thinking about how to grow the business. Now that their children are... Continue Reading →
Blueline Manufacturing Inc. prefers to take a proactive approach to product development. Instead of waiting for their clients to identify the challenges they are seeing in the agricultural industry, owner Gregg Marrs and his team seek out potential issues so they can start delivering solutions. “We go out and find problems and then we solve... Continue Reading →
Twenty-five years into his internet service career, Forbes Mercy continues to innovate. Ever since bringing dial-up internet to Yakima back in 1994, the owner of Washington Broadband has successfully stayed ahead of the curve the entire time, keeping pace with — and in many ways, surpassing — industry behemoths such as Charter and CenturyLink. Over... Continue Reading →
Wine tourism in the Yakima Valley will soon be redefined if plans for a 317-acre multi-use development east of town continue to materialize. The Yakima County Planning Division signed off last month on plans for a winery-themed Master Planned Development Overlay resort that will feature more than 1,100 year-round or seasonal residential units, 150-200 apartments,... Continue Reading →
If you’re thinking about stopping by The Public House of Yakima for a beer, you should probably plan to wait a few. Owner Jim Williams and his staff of five have barely been keeping up with demand since the Northwest-inspired beer-and-food hangout opened Feb. 12 at 5703 Tieton Drive. “It’s been pretty nuts,” said Williams,... Continue Reading →
When Doug Granstrand bought Bill’s Place in 2010, the iconic Yakima bar looked nothing like it does today. The popular food-and-drink establishment on South Third Avenue — one of the longest-running bars in Yakima — needed more than a little TLC; it needed a complete overhaul. The current building at 206 S. Third St. opened... Continue Reading →
The Valicoff family has been growing produce in the Yakima Valley since the 1930s, but the company didn’t really hit its stride until the mid-1980s, when it became Valicoff Fruit Co. The family-owned apple, pear and stone fruit operation based in Wapato, Wash., started out growing vegetables under the name Valicoff Gardens before transitioning into... Continue Reading →
Family comes first at Evans Fruit Co., a 69-year-old growing and shipping operation based in Washington’s Yakima Valley. The company started small back in 1949, when Bill and Jeannette Evans planted their first 10-acre apple orchard in their late teen years. Over time, with the help of family and friends, Evans Fruit has become an... Continue Reading →
Not all kids who grow up in White Swan have the same employment opportunities as other Yakima Valley youths. But that doesn’t have to be the case. For the young people who live way out on the Yakama Nation reservation — about 35 miles southwest of Yakima — it’s nice to know that there is... Continue Reading →
Ten years ago, lingerie coffee stands were considered a pretty big deal in Yakima. Former Mayor Dave Edler and the City Council spent significant time on the issue, saying in 2009 that “bikini bars” should be regulated by the city’s Adult Business Ordinance. Code enforcement officials eventually targeted a stand on Yakima Avenue called Dream... Continue Reading →
This time last year, Hali Upson didn’t imagine herself owning a bar.She was working an 8-to-5 job and wasn’t thinking too much about her next opportunity. But then, in late August, the Silver Creek Bar & Grill in Moxee closed down. Upson and her boyfriend, Caleb Sluder, decided it was now or never. “I’m not... Continue Reading →
Jamie Muffett was beside himself last month when Yakima County officials announced that they would be pursuing cease-and-desist orders against cannabis-related businesses that operate in unincorporated areas of the county. The CEO of Sticky Budz, a Zillah-based producer and processor of recreational cannabis, is perplexed as to why the county continues to target a substance... Continue Reading →
West Valley Bar & Grill has become a second home to Jim and Roxanne Lowry over the past 29 years. The longtime owners of the popular neighborhood watering hole on South 80th Avenue spend so much time there that they no longer keep up with the hobbies of their youth. They don’t have children, so... Continue Reading →
Jamin Mohler is well versed in all areas of the funeral home business. From embalming to cremation to working with bereaved families, the owner of Brookside Funeral Home in Moxee has done — and seen — it all. In fact, Mohler has seen enough of what goes on behind the scenes in the industry that... Continue Reading →
They’ve still got crab legs. For nearly 40 years, the Sea Galley restaurant in Union Gap has been serving its Northwest-inspired steak and seafood menu. But that’s not all that has remained the same. Harkening back to the 1980s, owner Steve Hart still relies on the legendary “We’ve got crab legs” jingle in his radio... Continue Reading →
Doug Williams has spent 61 of his 69 years at Whistlin’ Jack Lodge, so he’s a little sentimental about the place. Williams’ parents, Helen and Bill, purchased the iconic, riverfront retreat in 1957 — when he was in the third grade — and moved the family from Yakima to the seven-acre property along U.S. Highway... Continue Reading →
When it comes to roasting coffee, there’s fresh and then there’s f-r-e-s-h. Mark Shervey is banking on the latter. The owner of MAK Daddy Coffee Roasters knows what fresh-roasted coffee is supposed to taste like, so he decided last year to share his life-changing discovery with the world. “Since I got hooked on coffee that... Continue Reading →
Changing your eating habits is never easy. But when you’ve been diagnosed with cancer, like Rodrigo Alcazar was last year, making healthy lifestyle choices becomes a little easier. Facing the most daunting challenge of his young life, Alcazar knew he needed to change his diet if he wanted to have a chance of beating the... Continue Reading →
The finished product is still more than a year away, but the vision is already taking shape. While there’s still much work to be done at Fortuity Cellars’ new event venue in Wapato, the owners have already begun welcoming the public to the grounds. Hosting a small family wedding in early August and a grand... Continue Reading →
When Tieton Cider Works began producing its renowned hard cider in 2008, the owners had no idea they were on the precipice of something really big. Ten years and more than a dozen varieties later, the Yakima-based hard cider operation has gone from producing around 100 cases a month to nearly 10 times that amount.... Continue Reading →
Paul Beveridge doesn’t just want to make brandy. He wants to distill the best brandy in the state, if not the Northwest. Since Washington state’s craft distillery law was introduced in 2007-08, the owner of Wilridge Vineyard, Winery & Distillery in Naches Heights has only been able to experiment with distilling some of his excess... Continue Reading →
Swede Hill Distilling has been around for long enough that owners Kevin and Pam Milford figured most Eastern Washington liquor connoisseurs had heard of them. But even after selling their Apple Pie Moonshine around the region for the past five years, the Milfords always seem to meet someone who isn’t yet familiar with their brand.... Continue Reading →
Sunnyside residents have a new hangout — for a few days a week, anyway.The Varietal Beer Co. taproom at 416 E. Edison Ave. opened its doors April 28 and is now serving beer Thursday through Saturday. The owners are hoping to expand their hours to Wednesday through Sunday this summer, but first they need to... Continue Reading →
Forty-five years goes by quicker than you think. Just ask Don Wagoner, the longtime owner of White Pass Garage in Yakima.Wagoner wasn’t even 30 years old when he purchased the well-known automotive service company at North 16th Avenue and Fruitvale Boulevard. He’s not around much these days, though he still stops in once in a... Continue Reading →
About a half-hour west of Yakima, along South Fork Cowiche Creek, sits a rustic summer cabin that has attracted its share of attention in recent years. The 800-square-foot mountain getaway has been a fixture for 30 years on Carol Mae’s 42-acre plot in the rugged terrain about 15 miles north of Tampico. But, as far... Continue Reading →
The plan has always been to keep growing. Whether Washington Fruit & Produce is acquiring new orchard land or adding to its packing and storage facilities, the Plath family continually keeps an eye on the future. Now that the century-old Yakima company has been in its River Road headquarters for more than seven years, it’s... Continue Reading →
All they wanted to do was brew some beer. The only problem for John Snyder and Jeff Perkins was that they didn’t know where to get their hands on any hops. Back in 2012, procuring the essential beer-making ingredient was far more difficult than it is today. So the two Central Washington University buddies —... Continue Reading →
Ryan Stonemetz is going all in on Granger. The Lower Valley businessman and high school wrestling coach is betting that the city’s geography and a close-knit youth sports community will combine to create a solid return on his recent investment, a long-vacant property off Bailey Avenue known as the Granger sheep sheds. Stonemetz purchased the... Continue Reading →
