Tacoma Shop Owner Sets Example for the Nation

Today, the 70th anniversary of the bombing of Pearl Harbor and the beginning of our country's involvement in World War II, we ought to be thinking about the strength of our nation. It is not what it used to be. If you are one of the millions of Americans joining the movement to help rebuild our economy and create job, by buying holiday gifts made only in the U.S.A., you should know about The Pacific Northwest Shop in Tacoma's Proctor Business District, whether or not you live in the area. This bustling business on the corner of 27th and Proctor could make you believe in prosperity again.

The last time I stopped in to do a little shopping, in addition to plenty of customers, owner Bill Evans had stacks of packages as high as his counter ready to ship to destinations all across the country, or possibly the world. "That's just from today," he told me. And the day was far from over.

This business success couldn't happen to a nicer guy. But the best part is that what is good for Evans, is also good for many others here in the Pacific Northwest. His sales certainly impact the 250 or so regional artists, artisans, small scale food producers, authors, vintners, and those who run cottage industries, all of whom supply his wares, and all of whom he knows personally. 

He hopes they, in turn, will spend their profits locally. Keeping money circulating in the Northwest economy puts a smile on his face, and mine too, especially when I find the perfect gift. That could be homemade soap, food items, art glass, books, pottery, jewelry, smoked salmon, Washinton State wine, or any of countless other high quality products he sells. You can see them all on his website, here.

Just as ABC News reported in a story this week, (watch the video here,) people all over the country are taking this Buy American movement seriously, with tangible results: newly created jobs. If we start to realize the impact of our choices and our collective power as millions of consumers, maybe things will turn around. We're a nation of strong, smart people, and change will come thanks to grassroots efforts. Let's all make it a point to buy American goods, thereby creating American jobs. It all starts in your own home town. Evans does his part with enthusiasm.

Long before "Buy American" became a slogan and a cause, Evans actively advocated not only this idea, but also the "Buy Local" movement.  But no matter what your motives, the goods he sells offer enough reason to shop there, regardless of where you live. In addition to the brisk mail order business he does through his website, where orders over $100 ship free, local shoppers can make their selections and have him ship the package for them.

So, does Evans have a trade secret? How does the Pacific Northwest Shop do so well in today's economy? The answer is simple, and it's no secret. In fact, he flaunts his philosophy to the world.

"Hey, did you see my sign in the window?" he asked me. Since I'd approached the building from the east, I had not, but I went outside and around the corner and there on the side facing 27th I saw the reasons for his success spelled out, along with the attitude of gratitude that attracts so many customers to his store.

It says, "THANKS FOR SUPPORTING OUR SMALL, FAMILY-OWNED, INDEPENDENT BUSINESS. HAPPY HOLIDAYS!"

You're welcome. And here's my thanks to retailers like Bill Evans and all of you who are choosing to BUY AMERICAN AND BUY LOCAL. I can't think of a better way to show your patriotism.

Good Life Northwest Holiday Gift Guide

The rainwater gurgles through the downspouts outside my window here in Tacoma on this dark night of Dec. 9, 2010. But here in my cozy office, what do I care? If you read my previous post, you know I'm happily home in the Northwest again and working on my promised list of gift ideas. You won't see these items in any newspaper insert or TV ad.

Here they are, in no particular order.

1. A RAIN BARREL   No joke. Check this one out. It's the gift that keeps on giving year 'round. I wrote a blog post about Dan Borba's rain barrels in 2009. Note: GUYS-- I wouldn't recommend this one for your wife or girl friend unless she has specifically requested one. It could definitely land you in "the doghouse." (However, maybe I should ask Dan himself how this gift goes over with the ladies. I've noticed that he's always smiling. Hmmmm...)AND THEY'RE ON SALE THROUGH THE END OF DECEMBER.
REG. $85, NOW ONLY $70 PLUS TAX WITH FREE DELIVERY IN TACOMA!

2. THE FYDDEYE GUIDE TO AMERICA'S MARITIME HISTORY by Joe Follansbee is  NOW AVAILABLE ON KINDLE for only $6.99. Here's a great gift for anyone, anywhere, with an interest in old ships, lighthouses, maritime museums, etc. across the nation. Perfect for people who like to explore the nation or for arm chair travelers. Read some online reviews, including mine, here.

3. A HAND-CRAFTED GIFT FROM "BEYOND THE BEACH"  Barry Crust, of University Place, Washington, makes one-of-a-kind walking sticks, canes, sculptures and birdhouses from Northwest woods, including driftwood. Here's my profile of him on University Place Patch. His original wood-burned designs accent his creations.

4. Anything, absolutely anything, from the PACIFIC NORTHWEST SHOP I love the way the owner, Bill Evans, supports Northwest artists, artisans, food producers, authors, musicians, and more by seeking out and choosing to carry the things they create. Delight everyone on your list. His mail order business is booming, even in our current economy, so order soon.

5. A TIBBE-LINE or two, or three. For those who want to live "green," here's a way to dry clothes, indoors or out, using hangers instead of a conventional clothesline and clothespins. It's perfect for RV owners, college kids, traveling by car, small apartments, and VERY reasonably priced. Here's my blog post about inventor Rose Marie Pacheco.

6. I don't want to say I've saved "the best for last" because these are all great ideas that I personally recommend, but if you know people who love birds (and that is most of us) be sure to see the exciting offerings in the CORNELL UNIVERSITY LAB OF ORNITHOLOGY "Gift Guide for Bird Lovers."  How about the world's only mobile application for locating birds? Or maybe you'll choose birding guides with digital birds songs built in, or an illustrated weekly planner.

There you have it, dear readers. I hope you have fun looking at these links and considering buying something different as you shop for gifts this year. Don't delay!

Thanks for reading. Please come back soon.

Sister Cities International Film Festival is Best Bargain of 2010

You'd never expect ticket prices for a popular annual event to go DOWN by almost half, but that's the case in Tacoma. It's time again for the Sister Cities International Film Festival at the Blue Mouse Theater in the Proctor District. It begins on Thursday February 4 and continues each Thursday through April 8. For years the festival has meant a special night at the movies. It always offered a different foreign film each week, live entertainment and food representing the countries of each of Tacoma's many sister cities around the world. Tickets were $18 per film, and worth it. Now the price is a mere $10 per film, or $90 for all ten. That's a bargain on top of a bargain. So what changed? Not much.

"This year we're not doing the food," said Bill Evans, owner of the Pacific Northwest Shop and a strong supporter of the festival. It sounds like the organizers are right on track. The food was nice to have, but in my opinion only a small, and by no means essential, part of this attractive package. The idea was to preserve the integrity of the festival's film offerings, continue the live onstage entertainment that accompanies each showing, and make the price more affordable in our current economy.

Even if you don't get a taste of the food, how often do you get a taste of what's happening in film making in countries like Japan, South Africa, Israel, Taiwan, Russia, Cuba, South Korea, Norway, and the Philippines? Add to that the live performances from different cultures and you have an enlightening and entertaining event. Remember, we're all part of the big human family, so get to know Tacoma's "sisters."

I'm proud that Tacoma has this great event, thanks to major sponsors like the City of Tacoma, the Tacoma Arts Commission, Sister Cities International, the Port of Tacoma, and the Blue Mouse Theater, as well as generous individuals who recognize its value to our community and the entire region. I can't wait to attend it again and encourage all of you to treat yourselves to something different and delightful. And if you don't live here, it's worth the trip.

Tickets can easily be purchased online by going to the Sister Cities International Film Festival website. There you can learn all the details, see the schedule, read a synopsis of each film, and order individually by clicking on the link under each title. But don't forget that if you buy the season ticket package, one is free. You can also stop in at the Blue Mouse Theater on Proctor Street between 26th and 27th on N. Proctor, or the Pacific Northwest Shop , on the corner of 27th and N. Proctor, to buy your tickets. And if you hurry, you can get in on even more bargains during Bill's annual sale.

See you at the movies.

The Best Christmas Shopping in the Northwest- (plus a FREE GIFT for you)

Forget about Santa’s workshop at the North Pole. The best gifts are made right here in the Pacific Northwest, and they’re waiting for you in an old brick building on the corner of 27th and Proctor, in Tacoma, Washington. It’s the Pacific Northwest Shop, one of my favorite places any time of year, but especially now. (Read on to find out about the totally FREE gift you’ll get just for coming in.) I stopped by today, greeted by the bell on the door, and a pretty display of lighted trees in the window, and owner Bill Evans. “Well hello there, Candace!” he said, while giving his usual caring attention to customers, employees, and boxes of new merchandise that keep arriving. I call him a friend, but so do hundreds of other local people, so it’s always “old home week” in the shop. Those four walls contain not only the bounty of the Northwest, but the spirit of this place as well: natural beauty, good taste, friendliness and warmth.


Every year I send gifts with a regional flavor and flare to places as distant as Denmark. It’s easy to find something special at Bill’s shop. If you’re reading this but don’t live near Tacoma you can even browse the vast selection on line and read about the products and their makers. I picked up a basket at the door (that is, a REAL basket, not a dirty plastic one) and started selecting gifts I wish someone would buy for me, and that could mean anything in the store.





Specialty foods tempt shoppers immediately. There’s smoked wild Pacific salmon from Kasilof Fish Company, local preserves, dried fruit, extraordinary chocolate, coffees and teas (try Enchanted Teas made right in Tacoma), soup and baking mixes, Dan the Sausage Man summer sausage, and novelties like Space Needle Pasta, or Huckleberry Salt Water Taffy. I wish I could mention them all. How about a Washington State wine? Delights like these end up in specially chosen or custom made signature gift boxes the shop sends out each year by the hundreds, if not thousands, all over the country. They do the packing and even take them to the post office for you. I love thinking of recipients in far away states, or right in town, opening one of those collections of treasures.



Man cannot live by delicacies alone, but must also feed the soul with art. I am madly in love with the exquisite fused copper and glass creations of Jones Glassworks in Seattle, with their classically Northwest salmon theme. “It’s two brothers, the Jones brothers,” Bill said. Knowing about the vendors means a lot to him. I relished the richly colored pottery by northwest potter Mark Hudak, and tiles by Paul Lewing. These combine form with function, but the shop carries framed artwork as well, with subjects like regional scenery, Native American images, maritime, etc. The artwork extends to greeting cards, calendars and more. How could I forget the jewelry? Oh my! Those silver pieces in Northwest Native American designs call to me every time, and I've bought a lot of the Jody Coyote earrings.


If you love art glass, in addition to Jones Glassworks’ wonders, you'll find a huge selection from Glass Eye Studio. Made from the ash of Mount Saint Helens, these gems are arranged in front of a south-facing window like one huge kaleidoscope in every color and pattern imaginable. Impressive bowls and vases sit on shelves, but for only $22 you can buy one of the hundreds of glass balls displayed hanging or heaped in a trunk. Call them Christmas ornaments if you wish, but I’d hang one in a sunny window all year around, and they’re always available.



Books make great gifts and the Pacific Northwest Shop is loaded with titles from local authors, on a variety of regional subjects: cooking, travel, nature, history, and more, including one written by the store’s owner Bill Evans himself, along with historian Caroline Gallacci. It’s a fascinating history, from the popular Images of America Series, called "Tacoma’s Proctor District".



What makes this shop so special is Bill himself. He loves supporting local artists, artisans, writers, photographers, and cottage industries, especially in small towns, with products ranging from foods, like Thorp Prairie Corn Bread to natural soaps and lotions of which he has a large selection. “Look at this,” he said, holding up a bar of handmade soap. “Shepards Soap Company, in Shelton, Washington. Aren’t these great?” What’s also great is the way Bill knows his vendors personally and sincerely wants to help their businesses succeed. ( I too, wish I had space to mention everyone by name.) You can feel the warm and giving spirit of this shopkeeper permeating the store, so if you need a dose of Christmas cheer, unique Northwest gifts, and old-fashioned customer service from a great staff, come on in, and… (here’s the surprise) If you tell him you read this blog post on Good Life Northwest he’ll give you a FREE package of Rocca Thins chocolate coated buttercrunch candy.

Hey Santa, you’d better watch out! With a red hat and a beard, this guy could have your job.

The Best Northwest Gardening Book Ever

If you’re a perfectly organized person don’t bother reading this. It’s for the rest of you, the ones (not me, of course) who have experienced things like getting out of the shower fifteen minutes before needing to leave the house, and discovering they had no clean underwear because they forgot to put that laundry in the dryer. Our lives are so busy. We can all use a little help keeping on track now and then, in order to get done the things we really need do. That includes gardening chores. It’s easy to “forget” about, or just not find the time for, all those important seasonal tasks that people with great gardens do. If only a little voice inside us would guide us. In some cases it takes more than the subtle voice of conscience … more like the megaphone yell of no-fail, clear-cut directions.

I think I’ve found just the thing in a great book by local Pacific Northwest gardening experts, Mary Robson and Christina Pfeiffer. It’s called Gardening in Washington & Oregon, subtitled Month by Month-What To Do Each Month To Have a Beautiful Garden All Year, published by Cool Springs Press. This book is one of the best on the market because of the vast amount of information it contains specifically applicable to our region, and especially because of the way it’s organized. After twenty-two pages of great general gardening know-how, the ten chapters begin, each one focused on a single category, everything from Chapter One on annuals & biennials to Chapters Ten on vines and ground covers. In between are chapters on roses, shrubs, trees, lawns, etc., even houseplants. Then it gets better. Each of those chapters is organized month by month. That’s right. No more excuses or confusion. Now you can turn the page on your calendar and then the page in your book, to find out exactly what you should be doing for your plants during that particular month in this particular region.

Believe it or not, there is yet another layer of organization. For each plant group and each month, you’ll find the following headings: Planning, Planting, Care, Watering, Fertilizing, Grooming, and Problems. I suspect that the last topic, “Problems”, is needed the least, if readers actually follow all this customized advice as given. Then there are the final pages listing garden resources on the web, public gardens, a bibliography and more, including a “Meet the Authors” page. (Robson and Pfeiffer have truly impressive credentials.) If you have any gardeners on your Christmas list, including yourself, buy this book. I got mine at the Pacific Northwest Shop in Tacoma's Proctor business district, but it's widely available. Just think how nice it will be to pour a up of coffee on a cold winter day and spend some time looking at all those gorgeous garden pictures, while vowing to keep the yard up perfectly in 2009. Now remember to start the dryer and don’t let any dust gather on your Martha Stewart Living magazine sitting on the coffee table, but do take time to read, enjoy and put to use, this innovative gardening book. You may not have your entire life perfectly organized, but you CAN be a perfectly organized gardener. They made it easy.

Her Dream Will "Flourish" in This Tiny Space

“Could this be the world’s smallest store?” I asked Carol Pruitt, at the threshold of her shop. She’d just welcomed me in, but my sense of delight made me pause to absorb the atmosphere. “It feels like I’m a little girl, back in my playhouse.”

This petite woman, with her sparkling eyes and a smile as charming as the space, knew it was a compliment. In one second an understanding connected us. Carol saw that I too, appreciate the magic of all things miniature. Whether it would make the Guinness Book of World Records or not, she didn’t know. But she agreed that although you can run a business on a laptop, when it comes to a real brick-and-mortar enterprise (which this literally is) it must be a contender for “Smallest Store Ever”. It measures 5’9” x 11’6”.

“Flourish” is the name of this exceptionally little boutique. You will find it in the southwest corner of the old brick building on Proctor and 27th, in Tacoma, the building that houses Bill Evans’ landmark Pacific Northwest Shop. It’s tucked in behind the trees along 27th, right next to the corner door that goes upstairs. At a glance the charming multi-paned window and shingle sign will make you think of an Irish pub. So many times I had peeked in through the glass, but Flourish is only open on Saturdays, for now.

Finally I stood among the treasures I’d longed to see up close. Cheerful light from the old-fashioned window fell across her displays of gorgeous jewelry, gifts, and “necessities” as she calls them: the little decorative items that give our homes a special charm and express our taste. Looking around, I could tell a lot about Carol Pruitt‘s sense of style, by seeing what she loves. Cast iron wall hangers in bird designs are strewn with handmade jewelry and more. Miniature artwork, even scaled down pillows, garden décor, and countless other bits of adornment, are artfully arranged on the walls and surfaces.

It’s obvious that Carol is one who appreciates the little things in life, as much as she appreciates life itself. She’s had some rough times. During a family vacation with her husband and four children, of middle school and high school age, he suddenly and unexpectedly died. Her loving partner and the life they’d known, was gone. Tragedy can destroy a person, but as a mother Carol had to go on. She eventually realized that on her own, she needed to find a way to not only survive, but to “flourish”.

“The name has a double meaning.” she explained to me. “When we wear jewelry it’s kind of a ‘flourish’ on our body, and the word is also an expression of that need I had.”

Carol’s background laid the foundation for a dream. She has a degree in graphic design from the University of Washington, and an eye for beauty. Jewelry her daughter had found during a trip to Italy inspired the artist within, and before long she was collecting beads and creating one-of-a-kind pieces which she first sold from a booth at the Proctor Arts Fest. That was about five years ago. But all that time Carol kept walking by that intriguing space in the brick building and dreaming of having her own shop.

There is a real power in focusing on your dreams. Whatever we visualize, seriously concentrate on, and infuse thoughts of with energy, will be manifested in our lives. It helped that her philosophy is one of living in a state of gratitude, exploration, and discovery, of having a real appreciation of life. Carol’s ideas set the future in motion.

The space she envisioned as a shop had been used for a fish broker’s office for awhile, and had also been storage for the Pacific Northwest Shop. But Carol had a vision, and she went into Bill’s store and asked them to please let her know if the space EVER became available. The mysteries of the Universe being what they are, it wasn’t long before she got a call and her dream of a shop called “Flourish” began to take shape. Everything began to work in her favor. Friends have been generous and supportive and all kinds of good things have come her way. She’s attracted a lot of attention and started taking consignments, featuring local artists and offering something for everyone. For all of this, Carol feels gratitude everyday.

On the Saturday morning when I finally got to visit Flourish, the adjacent Proctor Farmers Market on 27th overflowed with shoppers and Carol’s tiny store felt like a natural extension of the scene. Like a magician pulling rabbits from a hat, she’d opened the door and her treasure trove of delights expanded out onto the sidewalk, so much so that I wondered how it had all fit inside. In the winter, the weather won’t permit this luxury, but for now you find yourself drawn from across the street, to her alluring displays.

As business picks up, and I know it will, Carol plans to be open much more than one day a week. But for now, her limited schedule feels to me like it makes the whole thing more rare and precious. It’s like every Saturday is the equivalent to the short season for Copper River Salmon, when you make sure you don’t miss the chance to enjoy a special treat.

Flourish is located at 3901 N. 27th, Tacoma, Washington. If you like to discover unique places and meet people with that are filled with charismatic enthusiasm for life and all the beauty it has to offer, don’t miss this little gem. The old saying, “Two’s company and three is a crowd.” might apply, but remember what this business represents: with the right attitude, and effort, in small but significant ways, we can all learn to flourish.