Washington Trust for Historic Preservation

Excellence on Main Award

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Airways Brewing Company

Awardee: Alex and Dione Dittmar

Award: Entrepreneur of the Year

Year: 2015

City: Kent

Airways Brewing Company co-founders Alex and Dione Dittmar, along with their business partners Robby and Debbie Leviton, opened their original Brewery & Tap Room just outside of Kent’s historic district. Several years ago, these entrepreneurs expanded into downtown Kent with the Bistro. The space features a full kitchen serving lunch and dinner seven days a week and a huge outdoor patio with a stage and grill. Their presence extends beyond Washington as they export their award-winning beer to 37 states and Japan. They’ve won dozens of awards, including a gold medal at the Great American Beer Festival in Colorado for their Pre-Flight Pilsner.

Since it opened in 2011, the Bistro has become the go-to place in Kent for Washington craft brews and delicious food. It is often standing room only, and business has seen a 20% increase in revenue year after year; this has led to further expansion plans for 2015. Recently, an independent bakery opened next door, and the new outdoor space continues to generate exciting activity in the downtown core.

“Airways Brewing & Bistro has become a destination in historic downtown Kent,” said Sarah Hansen, former Washington State Main Street Program Coordinator. “Their commitment to the community and to making great beer extends beyond the boundaries of the Bistro, and we are thrilled to recognize their outstanding commitment to the Kent Downtown Partnership and the revitalization of downtown Kent.”

Excellence on Main Award

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Phoebe & Jonathan Carpenter Eells

Award: Entrepreneur of the Year

Year: 2020

City: Mount Vernon

Phoebe Carpenter Eells was a well-loved middle school teacher in 2009 when she rediscovered a love (and a knack!) for linocut block printing. She turned this hobby into a side hustle and, as sometimes happens when great passion and talent collide — 10 years later finds herself the owner of an historic downtown building and two flourishing businesses. If you want to keep up with Phoebe and Jonathon, her husband and business partner, you’ll have to lace up your sneakers.

After successfully making and selling art as a hobby, in 2012 Phoebe decided to turn her craft into full time work with business elSage Designs. She began vending at a local farmers market that summer, and within a few years, had expanded to multiple markets, regional craft shows, and wholesale production for retail outlets both local and out of state. The enterprise grew so much that in 2014 Jonathon also resigned his middle school teaching position to dedicate himself full time to the family venture. In 2016, the couple signed a lease on their first brick-and-mortar location downtown. Phoebe and Jonathon celebrated their one-year storefront anniversary by holding a pop-up makers market in their parking lot, complete with live music and a food truck. The event included a dozen other artisans, their way of paying it forward and encouraging others.

Like so much of what Phoebe and Jonathan touch, the market was successful, brought people together, enhanced the local economy, and catapulted them into a new business arm – regular artisan events known as Valley Made Markets.

Of course, that wasn’t all Phoebe and Jonathon were up to. In the last two years, the couple has purchased and renovated the historic building in which they were originally tenants, moved elSage to a prime retail location on Mount Vernon’s Main Street, and opened a second business (Fern Creative Coworking) in their newly renovated building. The coworking space realized a long-held recruitment priority of the Mount Vernon Downtown Association but even more importantly clearly filled a community need since initial membership subscriptions reached the equivalent of 8 FTEs – within one month of opening!

There is so much to admire about Phoebe and Jonathan – their grit, work ethic, love of family, and dedication to lifting others up.

Excellence on Main Award

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Lighted Tractor Parade

Awardee: Centralia Downtown Association

Award: Purposeful Promotion

Year: 2020

City: Centralia

Bringing people downtown is a mainstay of our revitalization work. We want locals and visitors to understand the history while enjoying the hum of a lively present. Events draw people downtown, but a truly outstanding promotion creates a one-of-a-kind experience. The Centralia Downtown Association’s Lighted Tractor Parade does exactly that! Held on the second Saturday in December, this holiday spectacular highlights Centralia’s agricultural heritage and showcases large and small businesses, farmers, civic groups, school groups, and local bands. It’s become a Centralia holiday tradition.

The Lighted Tractor Parade began 10 years ago with seven entries and a lot of doubters. Today, vehicle entries are capped at 90 and every available spot is filled within a few days. The parade lasts for over an hour, illuminating downtown streets with over 100,000 lights on creative and colorful floats, and is enjoyed by 15,000 spectators. Along with the grand marshal, always a local farmer, the Grinch accompanied by Whos from Whoville with huge, sculpted hair surprised and delighted the crowd last winter. Santa is always on the last entry – often on a sleigh pulled by eight giant Harleys decked out in dazzling lights.

The Lighted Tractor Parade is the kind of event where families, couples, and friends create treasured holiday memories. And its reputation is spreading. Local hotels book to capacity well in advance, and the downtown Centralia Amtrak station is hopping as people from all over the northwest come to marvel at the ingenuity and originality that goes into each entry. These visitors often arrive early to buy holiday gifts at downtown shops, bringing a splash of outside dollars into Centralia’s economy. Even with growing regional renown, the heart and soul of the event is the hard-working community of Centralia.

Excellence on Main Award

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Northwest Maritime Center

Award: Sustainable Future

Year: 2020

City: Port Townsend

Operating out of the first LEED Gold building on the Olympic Peninsula, the Northwest Maritime Center views environmental stewardship as integral to its mission as a nonprofit organization that awakens a sense of wonder, connection to, and understanding of the Puget Sound and the Pacific Northwest. From their buildings and interaction with the ecosystem to their programming and practices, Northwest Maritime Center walks the talk.

LEED designation in and of itself denotes a commitment to our shared sustainable future. The Northwest Maritime Center campus,

located at the intersection of downtown Port Townsend and Point Hudson, was designed to minimize impact on the environment, reduce energy and water use, lower operating costs, and make the most efficient use of materials and resources. The campus includes solar panels, a super-efficient water pump system, and electric car charging stations. The Center’s dock – which is often used by historic vessels, recreators, and students – was part of a coastal restoration initiative to protect the Port Townsend bay ecosystem.

The Center hosts an extraordinary number of programs, events, and educational opportunities each year, including Marine Thrift, which takes usable boat parts out of the waste stream; the renowned Wooden Board Festival; and hands-on environmental education opportunities known as the Salish Sea Expeditions Program – just to name a few. Northwesterners of all ages benefit from the Center’s programming that connects us to our maritime heritage and a strong sense of place.

The local community is also buoyed by having Northwest Maritime Center as a neighbor. In addition to the beautiful event facility, educational offerings, and waterfront access, the Center is also leading a community-wide charge to adopt sustainable approaches to operating venues and events. They look at all aspects of their business practice – down to the use of plastic cups and other single-use products – and continually strive break down barriers and find creative solutions. Their example and their willingness to mentor others benefit and inspire fellow organizations, the city, and residents to do the same.

Excellence on Main Award

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Waterfront Farmers Market

Awardee: City of Gig Harbor, Gig Harbor Downtown Waterfront Alliance, and numerous volunteers!

Award: Community Partnership

Year: 2020

City: Gig Harbor

In 2015 a partnership was struck between the City of Gig Harbor and the Gig Harbor Downtown Waterfront Alliance to create a Waterfront Farmers Market. It had a meaningful but modest goal to connect people to fresh produce, but within the last five years has developed into a hub for everyone from farmers and entrepreneurs to nonprofits and musicians. One of the market’s greatest accomplishments is also its greatest asset – 250 volunteers who make the market a reality on Thursdays throughout the summer.

For five seasons running, the Waterfront Farmers Market has had a dedicated Market Manager, Heidi Gerling, responsible for the development of that strong volunteer network which has proven key to its success. Held in Skansie Brothers Park right along the water, the park provides a beautiful space for market-goers – but not an easy spot for farmers and vendors to unload. Cue the volunteers!

Vendors are greeted curbside every week by a group of volunteers, ready to help unload the vendor’s goods and displays and ensure each vendor has all the set-up assistance they require. When unloading is complete, the vendor drives their car to an off-site parking location where a volunteer-run shuttle service meets them to return them to the market site. The reverse service is provided at the end of the market. The partnership is a win-win – vendors love having the help, and the volunteer group of the week gets a booth to showcase their community involvement. In 2019, this included the Rotary Club of Gig Harbor, Harbor History Museum, Millville Pizza, Gig Harbor Canoe and Kayak Club, Gig Harbor Mid-Day Rotary, and the Gig Harbor Dragon Boat Team — to name a few.

Thanks to the positive partnerships between the Alliance, the City, Pierce Transit’s Summer Trolley, farmers, vendors, and volunteers, the Waterfront Farmers Market has grown into a vibrant weekly event with live entertainment, children’s activities, cooking demos, local history and more.

These partnerships have proven indispensable as the Alliance staff, volunteers, and vendors have made necessary accommodations to open the market amidst public health concerns this summer. The market continues to prove its value as an essential economic driver and community space in Gig Harbor.

Excellence on Main Award

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Belmont Building

Awardee: Kirk Nesbeitt, Marya Sessions, and Enrique Ferreyros

Award: Bricks & Mortar Rehabilitation

Year: 2020

City: Port Townsend

On the nomination for Port Townsend’s National Register district designation, the 1889 Sterming Block was noted for its prime example of High Victorian Italianate architecture in a smaller commercial building thanks to its corbeled frieze, straight cornice and projecting bay windows.

The Belmont Building, as it is now known, was a hard-working saloon up until Prohibition. Next it served as a real estate and insurance office, shoe store, confectionery and tobacco shop. Most recently it’s been home to hotel rooms and a restaurant featuring local seafood and a bar that was a gathering place for locals. It came to exemplify a busy, multi-faceted waterfront property, but lately this Victorian pearl had lost its luster.

The building name letters had fallen off the front façade, a dark entrance made the building appear closed even when it was open to welcome customers, and the brickwork was failing. The renaissance of The Belmont began with its purchase in December 2017 by new owners who began looking for ways to restore it to its former glory.

Owners Kirk Nesbeitt, Marya Sessions, and Enrique Ferreyros found that path forward through private funding and a Port Townsend Main Street HUD Revolving Loan for the front façade. Restoring a Victorian building from the ground up is a huge challenge, with all the headaches and joys you can imagine – from wind blowing through the crumbling brick walls to pulling up old carpet to reveal beautiful hardwood floors. Rehabilitation work included re-pointing the brick exterior, copper roofs on the bay window to replace shingles, rebuilt parapets, roof repair, and extensive woodwork on the windows including saving the rope & pulley system. The crew updated everything from the basement up, including completely refreshed hotel rooms and a beautiful new deck overlooking the waterfront to replace the storm-worn one.

Kirk, Marya, and Enrique rallied their resources and local experts like Studio STL for design work and general contractor G. Little to bring the shine back to The Belmont. Their rehabilitation restored its elegance and style–the historic Belmont is an architectural gem in Port Townsend.

Excellence on Main Award

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Barb Smith

Award: Leadership on Main

Year: 2019

City: Kent

A leader is someone who inspires others, who lifts others up and provides them with the direction, resources, and freedom to accomplish their goals and be part of the team. For these reasons, and many more, we are pleased to recognize Barb Smith with our 2019 Leadership on Main Award.

Barb was hired as the Executive Director of the Kent Downtown Partnership in May of 2009 and will be celebrating a successful ten years and a well-deserved retirement later this summer. Under her leadership, KDP has improved the appearance of downtown, created and honed its promotions, developed a solid fundraising strategy, and successfully recruited small businesses to the district.

While none of this is insignificant, if you ask me, Barb’s greatest legacy in Kent is the team that she has developed, led, and inspired over the years. She has become a student of the Main Street Approach and worked to educate the KDP board and volunteers about its merits. While she is integrally involved in all of KDP’s committees, she has mastered the art of leading volunteers by empowering them to be creative, productive, and focused on what inspires each of them to serve.

Barb has emphasized partnerships in everything she has done for KDP – the great relationships the program has with the city, downtown business and property owners, volunteers, and donors can all be credited to Barb’s relationship-oriented approach to community revitalization.

Barb loves to celebrate her people and their successes. She is quick to acknowledge the hard work of others and slow to take any credit for herself. It is this type of leadership that leaves a true legacy. KDP is an organization with many leaders, not just one – and each of them has risen to the occasion because they have been inspired by Barb.

As long-time volunteer Greg Haffner puts it, “Barb has organized us, inspired us, motivated us and kept us focused on improving Downtown Kent and preserving the history there. The pride within the organization reflects Barb’s leadership and is visible downtown.”

Excellence on Main Award

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Downtown Sounds

Awardee: Downtown Bellingham Partnership

Award: Purposeful Promotion

Year: 2019

City: Bellingham

In 2019, downtown Bellingham will be celebrating its 15th annual Downtown Sounds summer concert series. Firmly cemented as downtown Bellingham’s hottest summer attraction, this free, urban music festival activates two full city blocks for five consecutive Wednesdays in July and August, showcasing high-quality bands, local food, award-winning beer and cider, and activities for the entire family.

Like any successful program, Downtown Sounds has become a positive, impactful event through careful curation and strong partnerships over the last 15 years. The concert series started in an underutilized alley in 2005 with goals that it has held firm ever since: to foster a sense of community, to create equitable access to culture and arts, and to encourage creative use of existing space.
The Downtown Bellingham Partnership has coordinated the series since its inception. Local businesses, like The Wild Buffalo music venue and a stage/sound/lighting company called Groove Merchant Northwest, have been crucial and reliable partners over the last 15 years.

As the series became more and more popular, it inevitably grew into larger spaces downtown, making its way to Bay Street in the heart of downtown Bellingham’s Arts District. More partners also came on board, including SPARK Museum and Boundary Bay Brewery, which donates product to the beer garden. By 2015, up to 3,000 people were attending each concert and the event expanded its footprint yet again, making more room for the “Family Alley” and other features to engage the community.

Over the years, Downtown Sounds as grown tremendously, but also very intentionally. With nearly 1,000 volunteer hours going into the event, over 15,000 people visiting downtown Bellingham for the concerts each summer, and over $100,000 in gross income, Downtown Sounds has stayed remarkably true to its originally goals of fostering community, creating equitable access to the arts, and encouraging creative use of space. We commend the Downtown Bellingham Partnership and their partners on 15 years of creating space for people to experience the joy of being in community together.

Excellence on Main Award

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Paving the Way to a Brighter Future

Awardee: Port Townsend Main Street Program

Award: Outstanding Special Project

Year: 2019

City: Port Townsend

Anyone who has been part of a major street rebuild knows the negative impact it can have on the district’s businesses. The general impression from locals and visitors that they “should just avoid downtown during construction” can take a dramatic toll. Port Townsend was facing their third major construction project in a ten-year span, and the Port Townsend Main Street Program knew they had to be extremely proactive in order to help their small business community survive the six-month stretch in 2018 during which Water Street, their Main Street, would be torn up.

The Main Street Program mobilized volunteers, community partners and business owners to create a multi-faceted communication and marketing strategy. Planning began a full year before the Water Street Enhancement Project broke ground by gathering input from business owners. Their requests included retail promotions, downtown greeters, a trivia game to generate foot traffic, a map and promotion of transit options. Between the City and a grant from First Federal Community Foundation, the team secured $60,000 to implement the plan that included the merchants’ ideas as well as print and online marketing, electric taxi rides free to the public, coupon books and reusable totes, historic walking tours, and more.

Yet another part of the Main Street Program’s strategic effort to support their businesses during construction was Port Townsend’s successful application to host our state conference, RevitalizeWA, which generated nearly $140,000 in local spending, a major boost during the peak of construction.

Whereas some businesses projected 40% profit loss during construction, the reality was that many businesses reported they were down only as much as 8% and some reported no losses at all during the six-month period. The district also saw four new business open and one business expansion during construction!

The campaign resulted in major relief to the small businesses and brought energy and optimism to the construction experience. Because of the new public spaces and streetscape some businesses are now reporting up to 20% increase in sales above preconstruction numbers. This was possible because people worked together to make the best of a challenging time – which has led to an even more beautiful downtown for all.

Excellence on Main Award

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Kris Nelson

Award: Excellence on Main Award

Year: 2019

City: Port Townsend

Each year the Excellence on Main selection committee chooses one exceptional person or project that most embodies the Main Street spirit to receive our top award. If you tell Kris Nelson of Port Townsend that owning four successful restaurants, employing more than seventy people, giving generously to her community, and serving as a leader in her local Main Street program – all while being an avid traveler and Zumba instructor – makes her exceptional, she’d say, “I thought that’s just what people did.” Kris’s level of energy for and dedication to her downtown district is nothing short of extraordinary.

Let’s start with Kris as an entrepreneur and downtown property owner – she has owned Sirens Pub, a local institution, for 18 years and has seen growth each year. Her other restaurants – Alchemy Bistro and Wine Bar, The Old Whiskey Mill, and her newest establishment, The In-Between – are all located in the heart of downtown Port Townsend.

As an employer, Kris cultivates her staff and pushes them to become entrepreneurs themselves, often serving as an informal adviser to them. Kris’s personal philosophy is “you are only as good as the people around you, and you should give them the opportunity to be their best.”

Kris has served for 11 years on the board of the Jefferson County Chamber and 6 years on the board of the Port Townsend Main Street Program, of which she is currently board president. Her past civic service has included leadership roles on city council, the planning commission, and the community foundation board. She is exceedingly generous with the profits from her businesses, supporting many festivals, organizations, and arts programs.

Kris has been instrumental in many of the Port Townsend Main Street Program’s initiatives over the last several years – from the Water Street construction project and bringing RevitalizeWA to town to chairing the team that oversees the downtown loan program and participating on the Creative Districts planning committee, and much more – Kris is continuously striving to make her community more prosperous and vibrant.

People sometimes say they are too busy to volunteer in service to their community; they may say “their plate is full.” Then there’s Kris. Port Townsend is fortunate to have her vision, energy, and community spirit light up their town.

Excellence on Main Award

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Justin Dennis

Award: Entrepreneur of the Year

Year: 2018

City: Gig Harbor

Justin Dennis approached the Gig Harbor Downtown Waterfront Alliance in Spring 2017 to present his proposed product – succulent planters utilizing recycled Cougar Gold cheese tins – for sale at the Gig Harbor Waterfront Farmers Market. Justin received coaching from his father, Chet Dennis, prior to the presentation, including advice to “be sure to look them in the eye when you are talking to them”. His product was approved by the jury and Justin set to work preparing to be a vendor at the market that summer.

Justin had found his inspiration after visiting the WSU Creamery in Pullman and seeing a large stack of empty tins. With guidance from his parents, Justin has taken responsibility for every aspect of the business, including putting together his plan, buying supplies, meeting permit requirements, managing multiple methods of payment, and social media promotions. Each week spent at his “WSU Table Plants by Justin” booth included different learning opportunities on topics such as salesmanship and taxes.

The Waterfront Alliance staff were impressed by Justin’s creativity and commitment. He arrived on time for set-up, and always had his booth taken down quickly at the end of each market day.

Justin’s goal is to create a “Kids’ Farmers Market Booth” at the market so that other young people can join him. He is actively working toward this goal, as well as on introducing new products into his own line. In addition to his budding entrepreneurship, Justin has also shown himself to have a philanthropic nature; he sold his planters at Gig Harbor’s Girls Night Out, and donated $1 from every sale to a local charity.

Main Streets are, at their best, places for people of all ages to learn, explore, challenge themselves, and engage in their local economy. We are delighted to recognize Justin for his entrepreneurial and community-minded spirit.