Please mark your calendar for our next White Center Business District Mixer meeting on Monday, June 13, 6-7:30pm at the Salvadorean Bakery (1719 Roxbury Ave SW). Light dinner and translation will be provided. Here is the agenda:

1.      Update from the May 14, 2011 Spring Clean. For the business district, our volunteers picked up liter, planted edibles, painted a mural, and planted shrubs. Does anyone want to lead a regular clean-up for our business district? The CDA can supply trash pickers, garbage bags and gloves.

2.      We will have a robust discussion on a Shopper Card, including a food guide that the CDA and the Chamber are working together. We need your ideas to design and promote it.

3.      We have designed a resource guide for businesses to include important contact info for organizations/government entities that serve small businesses. We need your input to see if it will be useful to you. Are there other information you want to see in there?

4.      We have commissioned a local artist to work with our graphic designer to paint and print an art poster. The theme of this poster is our brand: “White Center - Growing a Global Village”. We will give each of you one to hang at your business. We will have a discussion to follow on what else we can do to promote our business district brand.

5.      We will hear update on the issue of medical marijuana in White Center.

6.      Anyone interested in the idea of opening a bike shop in White Center? With the impending closure of the Alaskan Viaduct, there will be incentives to use alternative transportation. Come hear presentations on both topics.

Questions? Please contact Nhan Nguyen - nhan@wccda.org.

StartZone’s Networking Night comes to White Center this Wednesday! Join StartZone on May 4th, from 6-7:30pm at StartZone members Michael and Elizabeth Gordon’s restaurant Uncle Mike’s BBQ (9640A 16th Ave SW Seattle, WA  98106).

Michael Gordon completed the Small Business Entrepreneurship Certificate of Completion Program, here at Highline Community College. Michael and his wife, Elizabeth, then joined the StartZone program and received help in finalizing a business plan and working out the details for the launch of their new BBQ restaurant.

Uncle Mike’s opened in August 2010 and has introduced the finest in barbecue flavor to the people of the Pacific Northwest. A Family friendly environment, with a menu of mouthwatering, down home cooking, and superlicious smoked goodness for meat-eaters, vegetarians & vegans - all while serving you with a smile!

Visit the website to see all the mouth-watering dishes on their menu, www.unclemikesbbq.com

Wednesday May 4

6:00pm - 7:30pm

9640A 16th Ave SW Seattle, WA  98106

Have the opportunity to hear The Gordon’s story, try some YUMMY BBQ food, and meet, mix and mingle with StartZone members who are starting or growing small businesses in Southwest King County and others in the local business community. This event is open to the public and is a FREE event. Please encourage anyone else you know to attend.

To sign up please call (206) 878-3710 X3388 Or Email: startzone@highline.edu

Brionne Corbray of the GAME Collective - one of the medical marijuana dispensaries to open in White Center - addresses questions from the audience at last night's White Center Business District Mixer, held at 3.14 Bakery. Photo courtesy of the White Center CDA's Twitter account, which was tweeted as the event happened.

Last night’s White Center Business District Mixer event was successful, complete with community announcements, networking and great food from Banh 88 Restaurant and 3.14 Bakery. The hot button topic around medical marijuana dispensaries opening up in the business district was also addressed. Brionne Corbray from the G.A.M.E. Collective and Chris Cody from Herbal Legends were on hand to introduce themselves and to address any questions/concerns regarding their businesses. Overall safety was a large concern, with other topics around legislation and operations.

Here is a statement from the White Center CDA board of directors regarding these businesses:

The CDA supports new businesses that contribute to a healthy, robust economy in White Center. We support businesses that operate responsibly, follow the existing laws and serve our community. With the new medical marijuana dispensaries open in the downtown core, we offer the same support. Just like other community-minded businesses, we’d love to see active community participation from medical marijuana dispensaries, including but not limited to: participation in regular CDA business mixers, Chamber of Commerce meetings, contributions to community events, in-kind support of community projects and other volunteerism efforts so they are part of the White Center revitalization efforts.

However, if after careful watch we gather data and see a negative impact on our community, such as over dispensing or illegal/wrongful prescription abuse, the CDA may change this position. We recognize the varied emotion these businesses elicit amongst our community and look forward to working with the new owners, the White Center Chamber of Commerce and other organizations to work toward a positive outcome.

LEGISLATIVE UPDATE, 4/21/11: Senate Sends Medical Marijuana Bill to Gov. Gregoire

Roller Derby is back in White Center! Click on image to enlarge.

Community members and business owners spent the evening attending the White Center CDA’s Business Seminar at Chase Bank on March 7 to gather information, resources, picking up tips from special guest speakers on how to manage and find news ways to develop an existing business or a new business.

Our White Center Business District Mixer is tonight, 6:00pm-7:30pm at 3.14 Bakery on 16th. See you there!

Today’s lunch: Zippy’s “The Last Gasp” burger - two patties, a hot link, bacon, a fried egg, special sauce, cheese and lettuce. You might want to grab one of these specialty burgers by the end of tomorrow’s close of business. Zippy’s Giant Burgers will be moving to White Center, with a grand opening date of April 25. Welcome to White Center!

Here’s an update from our original business mixer post. See you at 3.14 Bakery!

(CLICK IMAGE TO ENLARGE)

Photo: SOPI Village groundbreaking event, Sept. 2010, taken by Patrick Robinson.

We are proud to share with you the accomplishments from last year and give a preview of our 2011 work. Next up is Neighborhood Revitalization. We will report out on our Community Building work tomorrow!

Neighborhood Revitalization: Our “Place” based work (the physical neighborhood)

Our Goal:   The physical neighborhood supports families through diverse types of affordable housing, safe and walkable streets, vibrant and active businesses and improved public amenities.

In 2011, our work includes our Neighborhood business district program- focused on related strategies to market and develop local business and economic prosperity. Our Fresh Marketplace Initiative supports local produce markets and healthy eating and active living amongst diverse families. Spring Clean is a 400+volunteer, 20-project  annual community event to clean up the neighborhood. And our Affordable Housing/community development work will see the grand opening of an affordable 30-unit rental project, Strength of Place Village, in Fall 2011, as well as the feasibility of a commercial/community real estate project.  It will incorporate an affordable commercial space component, as well as the development of an equity policy agenda to underscore White Center’s changing needs.

2010 Successes:

Provided and/or connected 140 White Center businesses to technical assistance.

Healthy Food Gift Certificate program in partnership with the White Center Food Bank distributed $20,000 worth of produce at two White Center markets to clients in need.

Distributed 14 façade improvement matching grants to local businesses to improve look and safety of their business.

Facilitated business owners’ choice of “Growing a Global Village” as their business district brand.

Broke ground on a $10M new construction project, Strength of Place Village, with Capitol Hill Housing, Delridge Neighborhoods Development Association and the CDA.

From the desk of our Neighborhood Revitalization program manager, Nhan Nguyen:

Please save Tuesday, April 19, 6-7:30pm on your calendar to attend the White Center Business District Mixer Meeting.

We will hear reports on current business improvement projects:

Annual White Center Spring Clean Event (May 14, 2011): drawing over 400 volunteers completing about 20 projects throughout the community. Registration is currently open; a fun event for the entire family. Volunteers received free “I heart White Center” t-shirt, breakfast, lunch and entertainment.

Social media marketing: assistance to businesses to set up business Facebook account

Business Resource Guide: a brochure to assist existing and new businesses finding relevant resources from governmental and private agencies

Shopper Incentive Card: guide to find discounts and good deals in White Center.

As you may have heard, two medical marijuana dispensaries are opening in White Center. I have invited the owner of one of these businesses, the G.A.M.E Collective, to attend our mixer meeting and he has accepted. We have invited folks from the health organizations, law enforcements, and social service organizations to attend as well. Folks have different opinions when it comes to medical marijuana businesses so I believe it’s helpful to have an informative discussion. I’ll frame the discussion on the effects they may have on our business district in term of economic development and clean and safe issues.

New businesses are opening in our business district:

Opening of the South Gate Roller Rink: http://whitecenternow.com/2011/04/08/southgate-roller-rink-is-open-scenes-from-opening-night/

Upcoming opening of Zippy’s Giant Burger: http://zippysgiantburgers.com/

VN Market and Trading Company, LLC - a new food store on 16th Avenue

At any rate, we are building on great momentum in the White Center community; let’s keep it strong:

http://www.westseattleherald.com/2011/02/07/news/update-white-center-business-district-mixer-focus

White Center CDA's Community Building program manager Ian Dapiaoen visited the Rat City Roller Girls booth at this year's Emerald City Comic Con. We can't guarantee that there will be any Zombie Rat City Roller Girls there tonight or this weekend, but that would be pretty cool.

White Center’s very own Southgate Roller Rink opens tonight! Here’s their current schedule:

***Schedule Effective April 7th, 2011***

Free Skate Rental if needed during all skate sessions

Tuesday

8:30pm-11:00pm Adult Night 18+ $6.00

Thursday

8:30pm-11:00pm Adult Night 18+ $6.00

Friday

7:30pm-11:00pm Teen Night $7.50

Saturday

1:00pm-4:30pm Family Skate $6.50

7:30pm-11:00pm All Ages Skate $7.50

Sunday

12:00pm-1:00pm Beginner Skate Class $10.00

(Includes 1:00-4:30 Family Skate following the class)

1:00pm-4:30pm Family Skate $6.50

7:30pm-10:00pm All Ages Derby Skate $6.00