Washington Trust for Historic Preservation

Excellence on Main Award

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Port Townsend Creative District

Awardee: Port Townsend Main Street Program

Award: Economic Opportunity

Year: 2024

City: Port Townsend

The Economic Opportunity Award is an award that recognizes enhancement efforts that have improved the economic vitality of the district including job creation and retention, sales growth, and more. The Port Townsend Main Street Program has been named the 2024 Economic Opportunity Award recipient for its work supporting local artists as part of its Creative District.

Established in 2020 through a partnership with the Washington State Arts Commission (ArtsWA), the Port Townsend Creative District is now managed by the Port Townsend Main Street Program. A dedicated team of nonprofits, city representatives, and Port Townsend Main Street staff and volunteers meet monthly as part of the Port Townsend Creative District subcommittee. The subcommittee’s efforts have already resulted in wayfinding, art markers, and a plaza lighting project, not to mention artist-centered events including the Soundcheck Music and Arts Festival.

In 2023, the subcommittee took things to the next level by conducting a widespread survey of the creative community, hiring AdvisArts to facilitate the creation of three- to five-year plan, and coordinating monthly artists’ working group meetings and two community convenings to help shape that plan. Those efforts resulted in: 1) an arts and culture plan, which established six goals to drive the Creative District and unify partners; 2) the development of a comprehensive cultural inventory tool to track Port Townsend’s many creative assets; and 3) the creation of an artist directory to help entrepreneurs establish an online presence, connect with fellow creatives, and promote events.

“In addition to being a model for community-led economic strategy, Port Townsend’s Creative District reminds us that placemaking, promotions—especially those that prioritize paying creatives—and partnership all create economic opportunity,” noted Washington State Main Street Program Director Breanne Durham at the Excellence on Main ceremony.

Excellence on Main Award

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Steve Broman

Award: Leadership on Main

Year: 2024

City: Mount Vernon

The Leadership on Main Award is an award that recognizes an individual who has shown extraordinary dedication to his or her local Main Street over a significant period of time. Steve Broman has been named the 2024 Leadership on Main Award recipient for his contributions as a community leader, property owner, mentor, and Main Street supporter.

After moving to Mount Vernon in 1976, Steve purchased a gift store downtown. His focus quickly shifted to real estate, and he began a decades-long practice of buying empty buildings, finding a good mix of tenants, and remodeling to suit—a practice that has resulted in the restoration of seven historic buildings in Mount Vernon and benefited dozens of entrepreneurs, many of whom are now property owners themselves.

Steve’s responsiveness to his tenants’ goals, not to mention to the ideas and connections pitched by Mount Vernon Downtown Association’s over the years, has been a hallmark of his impact in Mount Vernon. There are many examples of tenants whom Steve has supported and gently coached from upper-story single-room start-ups, to street-level employers of multiple people, to on their own way to building ownership.

“Steve is someone who prioritizes relationships in every aspect of his life, to the benefit of his business endeavors as well as his community,” noted Washington State Main Street Program Director Breanne Durham at the Excellence on Main ceremony. “Tonight, we celebrate Steve Broman as an economic engine, a cultivator of future property owners, a steward of historic buildings—and, most of all, as a leader on his Main Street.”

Excellence on Main Award

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Startin’s Repair

Award: Excellence on Main Award

Year: 2024

City: LaCrosse

The Excellence on Main Award is an award that recognizes outstanding projects and people that reflect an attitude of perseverance and dedication to community revitalization in Washington. Startin’s Repair has been named the 2024 Excellence on Main Award recipient not only for the importance of their business to LaCrosse but for their many contributions to the community over the decades.

Startin’s Repair opened in 1965, when Gayle and Nancy Startin saw the need for a one-stop shop that could meet all the demands of both farmers and townspeople. In 1978, they moved to their current location on Main Street and soon after added well repair to their offerings and their son Eric and daughter-in-law Lois to the payroll. Eric and Lois bought out the business in 1997 when Gayle and Nancy retired, and their own son Buggy and daughter-in-law Chelsey joined the team.

Startin’s Repair has evolved to respond to the needs of the community. In the early 2000s, when the local hardware store was demolished by a fire, Startin’s modified their building to include hardware sales. Today, without Startin’s, you’d have to travel to Colfax, 35 miles away, for hardware supplies; to Pullman, 50 miles away, for lumber, sheetrock, and insulation; and equally as far for auto repairs.

Through their business and as individuals, the Startin family has been fully invested in LaCrosse for generations. They are active board members for many community groups, chairpersons and sponsors for LaCrosse events, and the visionaries that added lights over Main Street. On top of all that, Eric and Buggy are active members of the local volunteer fire department.

“With a population of just over 300, LaCrosse is the nation’s third smallest Main Street community. Their story is one of grit and determination,” noted Washington State Main Street Program Director Breanne Durham at the Excellence on Main ceremony. “The Startin family and their always-evolving business both embody LaCrosse’s inspiring story and have been at the heart of it the entire time.”

Excellence on Main Award

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Raman Arora

Award: Entrepreneur of the Year

Year: 2024

City: Kent

The Entrepreneur of the Year Award is an annual award that recognizes the innovation, dedication, and entrepreneurial spirit of our state’s entrepreneurs and small businesses. Kent’s Raman Arora was named 2024 Entrepreneur of the Year for her hard work not only as a small business owner but in supporting her community.

Growing up in the Punjab region of India, Raman Arora knew early on that her passion and drive would lead her toward someday owning her own business. After high school, Raman left her family in India to pursue her ambitions in London. When London proved too expensive, Raman set out again, this time to Washington. Raman was specifically drawn to Kent because of its small town community spirit and historic downtown. She worked at Dairy Queen and then for many years at downtown Kent’s Wild Wheat Bakery & Café, saving her earnings and working toward her dream of owning her own restaurant.

On April 1, 2024, Raman took ownership of Maggie’s on Meeker, a Kent institution with a legacy of female ownership. Since taking the helm, Raman has been dedicated to making Maggie’s a community gathering place, and in return, the community has rallied around her. Many customers have assisted with repairs and painting and have become her biggest champions.

“Raman embodies the spirit of entrepreneurship through her determination, dedication to excellence, and commitment to her employees and her community,” said Washington State Main Street Program Director Breanne Durham at the Excellence on Main ceremony. “The Kent community and all of Washington State celebrate your accomplishment and thank you for your courage.”

Excellence on Main Award

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Cadwell Building

Awardee: Kittitas County Historical Society

Award: Bricks & Mortar Rehabilitation

Year: 2024

City: Ellensburg

The Brick & Mortar Award is an award that recognizes building owners or projects that positively impact preservation efforts. The Kittitas County Historical Society has been named the 2024 Brick & Mortar Award recipient for its outstanding preservation of the Cadwell Building, an icon of Ellensburg’s historic downtown.

Built in 1889, the Cadwell Building was constructed after the Great Ellensburg Fire, made of soft Ellensburg brick and other locally sourced materials. The building, known for its “horseshoe” windows, has been home to dry goods and grocers, car dealerships, and furniture and music stores over the years before being purchased by the Kittitas County Historical Society in 1974 for the museum’s permanent home. Shortly after the museum moved in, the Cadwell Building became a contributing building to the Downtown Ellensburg Historic District, which was placed on the National Register in 1977.

Over the years, the Kittitas County Historical Society has been able to address repairs to the building on an as-needed basis. But the larger-ticket deferred maintenance was stacking up, and it was time to take on a major capital project. Phase I addressed the highest priority: the exterior brick masonry. Repair and repointing commenced, along with the removal of an unbraced, damaged chimney (and salvage of brick!) and the rebuild of an over-height unreinforced parapet. Storefronts were repaired, and windows and doorways were addressed to improve energy efficiency. While seismic and other improvements are yet to come, the completion of Phase I is worthy of celebration: a nonprofit organization stewarding a cornerstone historic property while managing their own operations is quite a feat.

“In their nomination of this project, the Ellensburg Downtown Association specifically noted Museum Director Sadie Thayer’s profound commitment to connecting the community with the region’s history and stories, which wouldn’t have a home without the Cadwell Building,” noted Washington State Main Street Program Director Breanne Durham at the Excellence on Main ceremony.

Excellence on Main Award

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Heritage Court

Awardee: Colville Together

Award: Places for People

Year: 2024

City: Colville

The Places for People Award is an award that recognizes projects that create inclusive spaces and invite community engagement year-round. Colville Together has been named the 2024 Places for People Award recipient for its recent efforts to reinvigorate Heritage Court as a community hub.

Located in the heart of downtown Colville, Heritage Court had seen various improvements over the years but remained underutilized. Colville Together joined forces with the City of Colville, Tri County Economic Development District, and the Colville Chamber of Commerce to change that. They programmed the space with local artists, music, and businesses on Fourth Fridays during the summer months. In addition to inviting the community to spend time downtown, these events centered local food and art entrepreneurs, as well as brick-and-mortar businesses nearby.

Artist Chris Bovey was commissioned to create a Colville postcard mural on the main wall of the gathering space, creatively depicting aspects of Colville’s culture and heritage in each letter. To make Heritage Court inviting year-round, shade umbrellas were installed to combat heat and propane heaters to extend comfort into the cooler months. Free wi-fi made the space digital-friendly, appealing to all generations. Elementary students created ornaments to adorn Heritage Court’s new holiday tree. Throughout the transformation of the space, resources—funding, partners, and volunteers—were sought, including a successful $50,000 T-Mobile Hometown Grant which made many of the physical improvements possible.

“With their continuous, incremental touch on Heritage Court, Colville didn’t just activate an underutilized space—they brought their community together by creating a vibrant, inclusive community hub,” noted Washington State Main Street Program Director Breanne Durham at the Excellence on Main ceremony.

Excellence on Main Award

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Bivouac Cellars

Award: Bricks & Mortar Rehabilitation

Year: 2024

City: Chelan

The Brick & Mortar Award is an award that recognizes building owners or projects that positively impact preservation efforts. Bivouac Cellars has been named the 2024 Brick & Mortar Award recipient for its outstanding preservation efforts and creative use of commercial space.

Living in Europe more than 25 years ago as army lieutenants, Kris and Kevin Smith experienced the magic created when wine is shared with good company and beautiful spaces. Deployed in faraway places, bivouacked under the stars, they dreamed of someday creating their own magical space. Cut to 2023, when Kris and Kevin sought to open their own wine tasting room in the midst of Chelan’s already well-established wine industry and in the face of downtown Chelan’s lack of available square footage.

Undeterred, and determined to locate in the heart of downtown, Kris and Kevin worked closely with the owners of a downtown restaurant to lease and renovate the building’s basement, navigating both the city permitting process and liquor control requirements. Because the basement was to be a separate business serving alcohol, they couldn’t use the restaurant entrance, so Kris and Kevin pivoted to develop the alley entrance and leaned into the “speakeasy” theme. They also worked to preserve the interior of the building, making use of the basement’s historic features—leaving the large wood beams exposed, framing the space’s unique alcove seating.

“Bivouac Cellars has added a taste of Chelan’s wine industry in the heart of downtown,” noted Washington State Main Street Program Director Breanne Durham at the Excellence on Main ceremony. “It has also sparked possibility for other nooks and crannies—in Chelan and beyond—that could be activated to create more interest and viability in historic buildings.”

Excellence on Main Award

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Founder’s Day

Awardee: Centralia Downtown Association

Award: Purposeful Promotion

Year: 2024

City: Centralia

The Purposeful Promotion Award is an award that recognizes creative, effective promotional campaigns that celebrate and attract visitors and residents to the downtown or neighborhood commercial district. The Centralia Downtown Association (CDA) has been named the 2024 Purposeful Promotion Award recipient for their newly created Founders Day event, which celebrates Centralia’s founder George Washington and his example of community leadership.

In 1850, George Washington, the son of a Black slave, made his way across the Oregon Trail from Missouri. He settled near the confluence of the Skookumchuck and Chehalis Rivers, and by 1875, George and his wife Mary Jane had filed the plat that established the town of Centerville, now called Centralia. George not only founded the town but led it for decades to come, sustaining it through dire economic times. His leadership shaped what it means to be a Centralian to this day.

Starting in August 2017, Centralia celebrated the bicentennial of George’s birth with a year-long celebration, culminating in the dedication of a bronze statue of George and Mary Jane in Washington Park. At that time, the Centralia Downtown Association played a hand in the bicentennial celebration; years later, during the pandemic, the CDA noticed that George’s story was being forgotten. Accordingly, the CDA submitted a Founders Day proclamation request to City Council and launched an annual downtown event to continue preserving George’s legacy.

Centralia’s inaugural Founders Day event was held on August 12, 2023. The CDA brought together local historians, musicians, businesses, and educational partners to create an event that served to educate, celebrate, and promote their community’s history and heritage. The event was organized by more than 25 volunteers and attracted 150 attendees.

“George’s example of compassionate leadership, hard work, partnership, and tenacity lives on,” noted Washington State Main Street Program Director Breanne Durham at the Excellence on Main ceremony. “The many partners and volunteers who came together to honor him through Founders Day did so with George’s legacy in mind—to promote community pride and unity.”

Excellence on Main Award

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Camas Culture Art Block

Award: Outstanding Special Project

Year: 2024

City: Camas

The Outstanding Special Project Award is an annual award that recognizes great projects or activities that affect a downtown or neighborhood commercial district’s revitalization efforts. The Downtown Camas Association (DCA) has been named the 2024 Outstanding Special Project Award recipient for their work creating the Camas Culture Art Block in collaboration with artist Maria Navarro Alejandres and educator Miranda Wakeman.

After trying for years to add colorful art panels to downtown Camas’ Fifth Avenue, the Downtown Camas Association connected with Maria Navarro Alejandres, who herself dreamed of celebrating her Mexican heritage through the creation of a mural in downtown Camas. When Maria and her art teacher Miranda Wakeman met with the DCA in fall of 2023, the visions merged and evolved from a single mural to an “art block” concept where more cultural expression through art could be showcased and celebrated. The DCA secured space for the art block by partnering with Ziply Fiber to install panels on the side of their Fifth Avenue building.

The DCA also worked with Maria and Mrs. Wakeman to create a call for artists that went out to high school students in Camas, inviting them to submit art that celebrated their cultures. Six art pieces were ultimately juried and selected, representing six student-artists’ self-identified cultures, including Mexican, Chinese, Indian, LGBTQ+, car culture, and anime. On May 17, 2024, a ribbon-cutting and art unveiling drew more than 100 people to Fifth Avenue. The reception that followed focused on the artists, their families, and the cultures they celebrate through their art. The artist’s statements—about their culture and what it means to them—are available online and linked through a QR code on the wall.

“Tonight, we celebrate the Camas Culture Art Block for creatively activating space and building partnerships,” noted Washington Main Street Director Breanne Durham at the Excellence on Main ceremony. “We also celebrate Maria—for her leadership, vision, and initiative.”

Excellence on Main Award

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Bloom Team

Awardee: Downtown Aberdeen Association

Award: Organizational Excellence

Year: 2024

City: Aberdeen

The Organizational Excellence Award is an award that recognizes excellence in building a strong downtown revitalization organization while achieving consensus and cooperation among stakeholder groups. The Downtown Aberdeen Association has been named the 2024 Organizational Excellence Award recipient for its hard-working Bloom Team, cheering up downtown Aberdeen.

As a rural community whose identity and economy were for many decades centered around the timber industry, Aberdeen saw economic opportunities become scarce after the closure of its mill. These changes also affected residents’ sense of pride. But in 2014, two residents by the names of Bobbi McCracken and Bette Worth approached the city’s Parks and Recreation director with an idea to spruce up the image and mentality of downtown Aberdeen through a downtown beautification program, and the Bloom Team was born. Bobbi and Bette began recruiting additional volunteers and launched a letter campaign to raise funds.

A decade later, the partnership with Parks and Rec is still in place, and the Bloom Team is a core program of the Downtown Aberdeen Association. Bloom Team volunteers plant and maintain 150 hanging baskets and 120 sidewalk pots that are vibrant in all four seasons. Pink flowers are now a downtown Aberdeen trademark, as are the pink vests worn by the enthusiastic and volunteers. The Bloom Team doesn’t view the flowers as a Band-Aid to the very real challenges facing the district but rather a visible symbol of civic pride and an invitation to come together to care for the community.

“Bobbi and Bette’s leadership over the years has set a tone in downtown Aberdeen,” noted Washington State Main Street Program Director Breanne Durham at the Excellence on Main ceremony. “With a clear purpose to strengthen community bonds, create welcoming opportunities for others to get involved, and show appreciation to fellow volunteers, Bobbi and Bette have planted a lot of flowers and seeds of hope.”

Excellence on Main Award

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Canton Café

Award: Legacy on Main

Year: 2024

City: Aberdeen

The Legacy on Main Award is an award that recognizes a small business that has stood the test of time and impacted generations of community members. The Canton Café has been named the 2024 Legacy on Main Award recipient not only for its longevity but for its many contributions to the community.

The Canton Café was established in 1920 by Benny Lock, whose family still runs the restaurant. His son, Sing Lee, succeeded him, and Sing Lee’s son, Gar See Lee, succeeded him. Today, Gar See, his wife Angela, and their son Lenny manage the restaurant together. Many other family members have been part of the café’s story over the years, as have countless neighbors who have found employment, company, or a warm meal under its roof.

Over the century of its existence, numerous changes have swirled around the café, including global events like world wars and economic crises, as well as more localized uncertainty as Aberdeen and the surrounding area adjusted painfully to the declining timber industry. Through all those changes, the Canton Café has been a constant—to some, a beacon. It is a Grays Harbor family favorite, a late-night stop for Aberdeen’s still-rocking music scene, and today, the oldest continuously operating Chinese restaurant in Washington State.

“We need places that ground us, places that feel familiar and house our memories, places we can count on,” noted Washington State Main Street Program Director Breanne Durham at the Excellence on Main ceremony. “Tonight, we celebrate Benny Lock’s legacy and the Lee family’s ongoing gift to Grey’s Harbor—because that’s what a legacy business can be, a gift to its community.”