Fathers, Sons, and the Business of Legacy: A Father's Day Story with Andrew and Cameron Barkis Some legacies are built with spreadsheets and strategies. Others, with sweat, shared values, and Sunday dinners. For Andrew and Cameron Barkis, the legacy of Hometown Property Management is a little of all of it. What began as a [...]
Business Spotlight: Ace Flooring Repair - Laying the Groundwork for the Next Generation When Gerry Levy walks into a room, he sees more than just a damaged floor—he sees a chance to solve a problem, to help a homeowner breathe a little easier, and to carry on a trade that’s been in his family [...]
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 [...]
Thurston County Ranked Among Nation’s Best for Economic Growth and Equity Great news for our region—Olympia, Lacey, and Tumwater have been recognized as the 8th best-performing economy in the nation, according to the Milken Institute’s 2025 Best-Performing Cities Report! This marks a climb from last year’s ranking at #9, reinforcing what many of us [...]
2024 Reflections and Opportunities In 2024, the combined programs and initiatives of the EDC and our Center for Business & Innovation made a significant impact on the local economy: $71.1 million in total economic impact 380 jobs created $25.9 million in total labor income generated Since 2019, our efforts have collectively resulted in: $997.2 [...]
Request for Proposals: Brand Assessment and Rebranding Facilitation for Thurston EDC The Thurston Economic Development Council and its Center for Business & Innovation, collectively known as Thurston EDC, is seeking proposals from qualified branding and marketing firms to facilitate a comprehensive brand assessment and rebranding process. The selected firm will work closely with EDC’s [...]
This is Why We Do This... The Thurston EDC can be described as an organization that is dedicated and committed to promoting and building a strong economy. Our founding documents identify that we are an organization that supports a diverse and vibrant economy—and that we are accessible to the business and entrepreneurial community. From our humble [...]
Lacey MakerSpace Seeks Community Support After Significant Loss FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: September 24, 2024 On Thursday, September 19, the Lacey MakerSpace experienced a devastating break-in, resulting in the theft of approximately $20,000 worth of essential equipment. This theft has created a significant disruption to our services and our ability to support the local community. [...]
