Southwest Washington Food Hub Wins Prestigious Economic Development Award for Economic Response & Recovery We’re thrilled to share that the Southwest Washington Food Hub has been honored with the 2025 Economic Response & Recovery Award by the Washington Economic Development Association (WEDA)—a recognition that highlights the incredible innovation, resilience, and impact of this regionally [...]
Simply Organic Cafe & Catering Opens at Agriculture Innovation Park The excitement was palpable as Simply Organic Cafe & Catering celebrated its grand opening at the Agriculture Innovation Park on March 13 with a ribbon-cutting ceremony that marked a new chapter for the beloved local business. Over the course of the weekend, the community [...]
Tall Grass, Big Impact: How Hexas is Growing the Future In the face of escalating environmental challenges, innovative solutions are imperative. Hexas Biomass, founded by Wendy Owens in May 2020, stands at the forefront of this innovation, offering sustainable, plant-based raw materials that serve as alternatives to wood, food crops for fuel, and fossil [...]
Locally Sourced Agriculture Supply Chain Brought to Life in Thurston County Brewery & Distillery Partners with Southwest Washington Growers Co-Op to Support the Local Economy Talking Cedar Brewery & Distillery, a tribally-owned destination popular with locals and visiting guests alike, has taken “shop local” to a new level, sourcing the grain [...]
Supporting Growth of Natural Product Businesses: Holy Lamb Organics In recent years, people have become attracted to more sustainable products that are free of unnecessary chemicals and harmful fillers. Turns out, our community is full of these amazing businesses that provide an array of products using natural ingredients and materials. The Thurston Economic [...]
Thurston EDC Staff Tour Island Enterprises In early September, Thurston EDC staff had the opportunity to tour several Island Enterprises Inc. (I.E.I.) enterprises, the economic development arm of the Squaxin Island Tribe. The tour helped the EDC get to know Island Enterprises Inc.’s business lines and staff, to develop a stronger relationship/partnership, look [...]
Business Spotlight: Windfall Architectural Products We recently sat down with Scott Royer of Windfall Architectural Products. Windfall manufactures products from sustainably-sourced materials, including salvaged wood. Learn more in our conversation below! Thurston EDC: Tell us a little about your company and what you make? Scott: Windfall Architectural Products is [...]
Photos by Doug Walker courtesy of Callisons. Investor Spotlight: Callisons Thurston EDC: Tell us a little about your company and what you make. Callisons: Callisons is a family-owned business lead by a fourth-generation member of the Callison family, Jim Burgett. We employ approximately 250 employees in Thurston and Lewis County. Our primary [...]
