When engaging in outdoor recreation, participants should take care to respect Whatcom wildlife. Photo credit: Justin Pedigo | FC Photography.
The sun is shining, the weather is warm and we live in one of the most beautiful places on Earth. What could be better? It’s going to be a great weekend with plenty of fun things to enjoy. Here are a few ideas of what to do in and around Bellingham August 10—12. And don’t forget to check out our full events calendar for all the fun happenings in Whatcom County.
WhatcomTalk aims to be your source for positive information and events happening in Bellingham, Ferndale, Lynden and throughout Whatcom County. If you have a suggestion for a post, send us a note at submit@whatcomtalk.com. For more events and to learn what’s happening in Bellingham and the surrounding area, visit our events calendar. To submit an event of your own, visit our events calendar and click on the green “Post Your Event” button.
More than $5 million dollars are still available to help income-eligible Puget Sound Energy customers pay their energy bills. The financial assistance comes from PSE’s Home Energy Lifeline Program (HELP) to eligible customers in Island, King, Kitsap, Kittitas, Lewis, Pierce, Skagit, Snohomish, Thurston and Whatcom counties who need assistance paying their PSE electric and natural gas bills.
Since the start of the year, 31,000 PSE customers have received a total of $13.8 million through PSE’s HELP.
“This assistance is available for customers who may need it, and we want to make sure they know about it,” said Greg Zeller, PSE director of Customer Care. “We are encouraging anyone who is income-eligible to contact their community agency to apply for this available assistance; they are expecting you.”
The 11 regional community action agencies that process bill-payment assistance applications for PSE customers report they are ready to help thousands of additional households throughout the summer. Depending on income and household size, a qualified PSE customer can receive up to $1,000 in PSE utility-bill credits.
To make an appointment to ask for HELP assistance, PSE customers can find the community-action agency nearest them by calling 1-866-223-5425 or viewing a list of agencies on pse.com/assistance.
Here is a breakdown of the amount of available HELP bill-payment assistance funds by agency.
Agency name
Amount of available 2018 HELP funds
(As of Aug. 1)
WTA will provide free rides on all buses (except Route 80X to Mount Vernon) from August 12 through August 18, 2018.
For riders headed to the Northwest Washington Fair, WTA is also offering a special 10:00 p.m. bus from the fairgrounds back to Bellingham. This 10:00 p.m. bus will depart from a bus stop across the street from the fairgrounds, between Bank of the Pacific and Fairside Drive. It will make two stops: Cordata Station, located near Whatcom Community College, and downtown’s Bellingham Station. Like all rides during Free Fare Week, rides on this special 10:00 p.m. bus are free.
In addition to the special 10:00 p.m. bus, WTA’s Route 26 provides bus service to the fairgrounds, departing from Cordata Station between the hours of 6:20 a.m. and 8:20 p.m. on weekdays. On Saturdays, Route 26 departs Cordata station between the hours of 8:50 a.m. and 5:50 p.m. In between Route 26’s regularly scheduled “last trip” back to Bellingham and the special 10:00 p.m. bus, WTA will also offer an additional departure of Route 26, departing the fair at 9:06 p.m.
Riders wishing to park and ride can park for free at WTA’s Cordata Station. Parking is first come, first served, and overnight parking is not allowed.
For more information, passengers can call 360-676-7433 or visit ridewta.com.
Mia Gover is Satori Bellingham's lead medical cannabis consultant and also a lead budtender. Photo courtesy: Mia Gover.
Mia Gover’s cannabis career started almost by accident. In 2015, she took a break from classes at Western Washington University to work in retail in her hometown of Spokane, Washington. When Gover’s bosses wouldn’t approve her pink hair, she began looking for a new job. Working at a weed shop sounded fun and she was soon employed by Satori Spokane, the company’s original location.
Gover, a senior at Western Washington University, is tailoring her degree at Fairhaven College to help her be as successful as possible in the cannabis industry. Photo courtesy: Mia Gover.
Gover also worked at a high school, which made her feel like she was leading a double life (picture Breaking Bad’s Walter White). “I was just so scared that somebody’s parents would be like, ‘This girl sells weed! We’ve got to get her out!’” says the 24-year-old.
Luckily, her fears never materialized. In 2016, she became one of Satori’s medical marijuana consultants, helping patients understand the medical system and get needed resources. She says the new role helped her realize marijuana’s community impact beyond just getting high.
“There are real people out there who need this information,” she says. “And they also need the community, because people can’t do it by themselves. A lot of these people are really sick and they need an in-home caretaker or they need someone to manage their medications for them. So it takes a lot of extra help that just doesn’t exist under the current legislation.”
Let’s Get Medicated
Washington approved medical marijuana in 1998 under Initiative 692. It allowed for the sale, growth and use of pot for certain ailments, but lacked licenses and many regulations, including accountability for pesticides, heavy metals or mycotoxins in marijuana growing.
When Initiative 502 legalized recreational marijuana and pesticide testing in 2012, it didn’t make any actual changes to the 1998 law. But I-502’s stringent regulations posed a threat to the majority of extant medical cannabis businesses in Washington at the time.
Gover, seen here at Seattle’s House of Cultivar indoor marijuana farm, is passionate about getting people the knowledge they need to utilize medical cannabis effectively. Photo courtesy: Mia Gover.
In July 2016, Senate Bill 5052 passed, integrating the medical cannabis industry into I-502. This created another issue for medical cannabis users: while patients could grow their own weed, it was still illegal to obtain plants and seeds from licensed farms.
That flaw was eventually fixed in July 2017, allowing medical marijuana patients with authorization cards to buy plants, clones and seeds directly from licensed I-502 production farms. Registered medical marijuana patients can grow up to six plants and possess up to eight ounces of usable cannabis from those plants. Satori spearheaded the effort to put medical marijuana patients in touch with marijuana farms.
Satori began contacting farms while Gover was still in Spokane. Many farmers worried about making a mistake selling to patients and, as a result, hadn’t begun the process. Gover put together a document with legal guidelines and definitions, including a plant sourcing registry. Currently, nine farms – including Whatcom County’s Mt. Baker Growers and Oh McDonald Farms – provide medical patients with materials.
Gover gives the document to interested patients upon request, although each person is ultimately responsible for calling the farm and visiting in-person to obtain growing supplies.
“My goal is to give people the tools they need to go and do that themselves,” Gover says.
Being Mindful
Gover ultimately spent two years in Spokane during her college break. She relocated to Bellingham in September 2017 after the new Satori opened there, re-enrolling in classes at Western. Her degree program at WWU’s Fairhaven College combines her background in education, social justice and creative language for use in the cannabis industry. Although cannabis education isn’t an official field of study yet, Gover intends to be one of the first to focus their efforts in the area.
She’s already started by establishing a new consultation room at Satori’s Center for Mindful Use. Here she provides information to anyone curious if medical marijuana is right for them. To Gover, “mindful cannabis use” means using in a way that improves quality and function of life. How to achieve that experience is unique for each individual.
Mia Gover is Satori Bellingham’s lead medical cannabis consultant and also a lead budtender. Photo courtesy: Mia Gover.
“Everybody’s body chemistry is different,” she says. “Cannabis is also a very unique plant; there’s lots of different varieties that are all chemically unique, as well. It’s true with regular users that every person’s reaction and body are different; it’s especially true with medical users, because the consequences are a lot more steep if somebody has a bad reaction.”
She’s noticed many medical patients also take opiates or barbiturates. These substances often sap vigor from life. Cannabis can be a catalyst to help them taper or get off those medications.
“A lot of people feel like they don’t really have a choice,” she says. “So, I think a lot of people choose medical cannabis for that reason; because they want to take back that control.”
The consultation room is a safe space where patients – whom Gover says are often older and disconnected from the current science and culture of cannabis – can ask questions and receive information. It’s also a solution for many budtenders who struggle to answer serious medical questions on the sales floor because they aren’t medically certified and can’t legally discuss a patient’s medical history.
“As more people get interested and want to come to ground zero to learn about medical cannabis, I want there to be a private space where myself or one of the other consultants can give them full attention,” Gover says.
Consultation appointments began in June and are already adding up. Gover hopes inquiries will continue to increase as more medical cannabis knowledge is given to the public.
Gover is looking forward to her senior year at Western. She plans to remain in Bellingham following graduation, continuing her work for Satori as a shift lead budtender and lead medical consultant.
“I just feel really lucky to be here,” she says. “A lot of people got into this because they were patients in the beginning or they used to grow. I didn’t have any connections like that in the beginning; I just was really eager to come and be part of something new.”
Materials can be reused in a variety of ways, like this greenhouse and solar panel from Itek. Photo courtesy: The RE Store.
Each year, American manufacturers send 7.6 billion tons of usable material to landfills – so much material, in fact, that it could build enough homes to fill two-and-a-half Bellinghams in a single year. But many of these materials are far from trash. Many can be reused.
PVC tubing is useful for a variety of projects. Photo courtesy: The RE Store.
This is why Bellingham’s The RE Store has launched a new Manufacturing Waste Diversion program. The goal is to assist local manufacturers, at no cost to them, in keeping their waste out of landfills, allowing The RE Store to sell these items at steeply discounted rates.
Tim O’ Donnell, The RE Store’s program development manager, runs the new program with support from auxiliary staff. He works through Whatcom and Skagit counties to identify and contact potential participants. If a business is interested, O’Donnell performs a waste assessment to figure out which materials can be re-used.
Those materials can include off-spec raw materials to byproducts of the manufacturing process, as well as packing or shipping materials. From pre-fabricated furniture parts to pre-cast stone and concrete products, there’s a wealth of possibility for waste diversion.
Picking up pallets from Itek. Photo courtesy: The RE Store.
“I’m just scratching the surface,” O’ Donnell says of the program’s potential scope. “It’s pretty amazing how much is out there.”
For participating businesses, the program is a no-brainer: it lowers disposal costs, saves labor costs on waste processing, frees up valuable warehouse and storage space, and provides a tax write-off for the donated materials.
The program began in 2014 with a partnership between The RE Store and Itek Energy, a Bellingham-based solar panel manufacturer. Itek was dumping hundreds of sheets of imperfect glass that failed their quality control standards, but through the program has now saved $35,000 in labor costs and disposal fees, all while allowing The RE Store to make $98,000 in sales for their Community Jobs Training Program.
The excess solar glass, some 118,000 pounds of it, has been sold to community members, finding use in outdoor showers and greenhouses, among other projects. In addition to glass, Itek is designating plastic spools, wood pallets and packing materials for future diversion.
Picking up solar glass at Itek. Photo courtesy: The RE Store.
O’Donnell says four other businesses are currently participating, including a kitchen cabinet maker donating flawed cabinet pieces, a twine and rope manufacturer giving away old backstock, a furniture maker parting with odd hardwood cuts, and another goods manufacturer providing off-spec fiberglass and medium-density fiberboard (MDF).
Once the materials are picked up, courtesy of The RE Store, they’re sold at very low price points to The RE Store’s customers. O’Donnell says to look for the white-colored tags on materials, indicating they’re from the program.
The program is supported through a three-year, $100,000 grant from the M.J. Murdock Charitable Trust of Vancouver, Washington. O’Donnell would like to add a team of people to the project and hopes, once the grant ends, the program can continue as a self-sustaining entity. Since January, The RE Store has diverted more than 80,000 pounds of materials representing about $57,000 of value.
Materials can be reused in a variety of ways, like this greenhouse and solar panel from Itek. Photo courtesy: The RE Store.
For local businesses, O’Donnell says the most important part is to keep an open mind to what’s being designated to sit in a landfill.
“Don’t assume everything is trash,” he says. “I get a lot of surprised looks from manufacturers when I say, ‘Someone might actually buy that piece of plastic.’ Keep an open mind, give it a chance.”
The community’s long-awaited access to the downtown waterfront is now open to the public. Bellingham’s newest park was partially opened earlier this summer while contractors remained on site completing minor items of work. The park is now complete and the city invites everyone to come on down and enjoy this new space. An official grand opening event is planned for later this summer.
Bellingham’s downtown waterfront will be a gathering place for all. Photo courtesy: The City of Bellingham.
Located off Roeder Avenue and adjacent to Whatcom Waterway, the one-acre park includes a play area, walking paths, native plants, open lawn, beach access and the city’s newest art piece, “Waypoint,” which is also the park’s namesake.
Waypoint, formerly known as the “acid ball,” is a 30-foot diameter globe that was used as a relief system to draw liquid and gas from digester tanks (sometimes referred to as the “rocket ships”) to maintain a constant pressure while wood chips were being cooked in acid at high temperatures and pressures. As the main art feature for the park, it was embellished with glass beads and transformed into “Waypoint” by Mutuus Studio of Burien, Washington to help celebrate the industrial heritage of Bellingham’s downtown waterfront. The glass beads reflect light back to the source the same way traffic signs and pavement markings reflect back to occupants of a car. Bring your flashlights or use the flash on your phone to check out this phenomenon in person!
Kids will love the new play space. Photo courtesy: The City of Bellingham.
The park also includes the newly renovated Central Avenue pier, which was converted from a street to a pedestrian and bicycle promenade and is the main entrance to the park. Enjoy scenic views of Whatcom Waterway and Lummi Island from this newly renovated waterfront structure.
Next to the park and connecting to Central Avenue pier is the historic Granary Building. Work is underway by a private developer to remodel the Granary, and it is projected for completion later in 2018. The building will accommodate shops, restaurants and upper-story offices.
Other improvements to the waterfront include the addition of Granary Street and Laurel Street Avenue, which will connect Roeder to Cornwall with an arterial street, including a dedicated cycle track. Construction of these streets is anticipated to be complete in 2019.
The Acid Ball is particularly spectacular when illuminated at night. Photo courtesy: The City of Bellingham.
This project is funded by Greenway 3 Levy funds, State of Washington Department of Commerce Brownfield Grant, real estate excise taxes and park impact fees. Construction of the park and pier are expected to cost about $3.8 million.
This project is just the first of the 33 acres of parks planned for the former industrial site.
For more information, visit cob.org.
Take a stroll through the park. Photo courtesy: The City of Bellingham.
Let the kids burn off some energy playing on the logs. Photo courtesy: The City of Bellingham.
This is a remarkable community space. Photo courtesy: The City of Bellingham.
The dinner will be hosted at Bow Hill Blueberries farm. Photo courtesy: The Chrysalis Inn & Spa.
Who doesn’t have fond memories of gorging on blueberries as a kid? There’s nothing better than picking them fresh off the bush and enjoying the mellow burst of tartness cascading across your tongue. I recall wandering around with a bowlful of blueberries in the sunshine, missing a step with excitement and watching all those delicious berries bounce along the ground. Luckily, they hold their shape unbelievably well for something so small.
This photo was taken at The Chrysalis’ Scotch Pairing Dinner. Photo courtesy: The Chrysalis Inn & Spa.
The Chrysalis Inn & Spa is taking those childhood memories to the next level with a brand new experience. Doug Elliott, Executive Chef of Keenan’s at the Pier, has joined with a team of wine aficionados to create an amazing Wine Pairing Dinner Menu featuring the blueberry. The dinner is in partnership with Bow Hill Blueberries and will take place on August 20 at their farm. RSVP by August 12 to get a seat at the table.
As one of the oldest family-run blueberry farms in Skagit Valley, this partnership is about more than just the berries. Established in 1947, Bow Hill Blueberries features a farm store offering blueberries, jam, dried berries, vinegar and sauces, which are all produced in small batches on the farm. The farm specializes in heirloom berries and offers over 4,500 bushes that are a combination of Rubel, Stanley, Jersey and Blue Crop. Bow Hill also offers a You-Pick option for the community to enjoy the experience of harvesting berries on their beautiful farm.
The Wine Pairing Dinner will take place during Bow Hill Blueberries’ harvest season. “I was just excited about the summer and all the local goods,” says Elliott. “I always get jazzed about Skagit valley produce and everything in Whatcom County.”
Chef Doug prepares to receive a fresh shipment of fish at the dock. Photo courtesy: The Chrysalis Inn & Spa.
Elliott’s relationship with blueberries goes way back. He fondly recalls trying to sneak blueberries from a neighbor’s bush as a kid; if he got caught, he had to help pick them. His love for blueberries runs so deep, it only took him ten minutes to craft a creative five-course menu featuring the berry in every dish.
“I toured the [Bow Hill Blueberries] facility and the venue, and I thought it would be a great place on a summer evening to have some food and wine,” says Elliott. “It’s exhilarating, it’s gorgeous and it’s in the Skagit flatlands, except you see the Chuckanut Mountains. It’s an amazing venue and I’m excited to make a lot of great food.”
Elliott’s exceptional food is crafted with care and the freshest local ingredients at Keenan’s at the Pier. He and his team work to deliver an unforgettable experience to every guest.
The dinner will be hosted at Bow Hill Blueberries farm. Photo courtesy: The Chrysalis Inn & Spa.
“We work with as many local vendors as we can – fresh caught fish, blueberries, all of it,” says Chris Caldwell, Director of Sales and Marketing at The Chrysalis Inn & Spa. She’s excited to continue creating events based on local products. They previously hosted a rosé pairing and a scotch-pairing, and are looking forward to another pairing dinner menu as soon as November.
The team at Keenan’s at the Pier and The Chrysalis Inn & Spa are proud to offer top-notch experiences at an affordable price. Their last pairing event was only $79 and this five-course, in-depth experience is only $119.
This food is not to miss. This menu item was featured in a previous pairing dinner. Photo courtesy: The Chrysalis Inn & Spa.
“You’ll have an exceptional experience,” says Elliot. “There are a lot of meals we put forth that, if I was in Seattle, would have a different price ticket. We keep things really reasonable for the quality and the type of food we offer.”
The menu features a variety of flavors and opportunities to try out new wines. It’s enhanced by the backdrop of Bow Hill Blueberries’ farm and the ambiance of a natural setting.
“I’ve been obsessed with food my whole life,” Elliott says. “There’s nothing better than good food.”
“Paired with wine,” adds Caldwell with a laugh.
The five-course Wine Pairing Dinner Menu will include:
Chef Doug sources his fish fresh from the sea. Photo courtesy: The Chrysalis Inn & Spa.
Raven Breads Vollkornbrot crostini,
Gothberg Farms Chevre, house smoked salmon, pickled blueberry chutney.
Gilbert Cellars-Rose of Mourvedre and Grenache
Grilled Elk and Jalapeno Sausage,
Baby Greens with white balsamic dressing, Samish Bay Vache, blueberry mesquite glaze.
Tamarack Cellars-Merlot Columbia Valley
Halibut with wild rice pilaf,
Smoked blueberry compote.
Baer Winery-Unoaked Chardonnay
Venison Rib chop,
Don’t miss the chef’s carefully curated menu. This morsel was featured in a past pairing dinner. Photo courtesy: The Chrysalis Inn & Spa.
Pickled red onions, roasted baby potato, blueberry barbecue sauce.
Savage Grace “Cot”- Boushey Vineyards, Yakima Valley
Don’t miss the opportunity to explore Bow Hill Blueberries and let your taste buds revel in well-paired wines and exceptional food. Book your seat by August 12 by calling 360-392-5506.
Budtender Kelly Ryan has worked at 2020's Iron Street location since March 2016. "Everyone deserves to have a good experience with cannabis," she says. Photo credit: Matt Benoit.
What makes Disneyland more than just an amusement park? What makes Starbucks more than just a coffee shop? What makes one cannabis retailer different than all the others? For 2020 Solutions, the distinction is in its genuine spirit of service. Budtenders at all three of their Bellingham locations go the extra mile to determine what you need to ensure that your best cannabis experience begins at 2020.
Budtenders at 2020 locations are plentiful, helping customers find the best cannabis experience possible. Photo credit: Matt Benoit.
Aaron Nelson, 2020’s Director of Actualization, says visiting a 2020 location is about never feeling rushed or crowded. It’s about feeling comfortable and interacting with professional, knowledgeable and caring budtenders.
“You can take as much time as you want,” he says. “If you want to come in and spend two minutes or if you want to spend two hours, we’re staffed to accommodate that.”
The flagship 2020 store at 2018 Iron Street was among the first dozen recreational dispensaries in Washington, opening in July 2014. A second 2020 store opened that October at 5655 Guide Meridian. The third location, at 4770 Pacific Highway, followed in April 2017. The company also has two Eastern Washington locations, in Ephrata and Sprague.
Nelson says all five locations follow the same principles of service: They don’t just say they’re there to serve the customer, they truly embody it.
Flat-screen monitor menus hang from the walls at 2020 Solutions’ Iron Street store. There are no shortage of options, and if overwhelmed, budtenders are happy to help narrow things down for you. Photo credit: Matt Benoit.
With more budtenders per location than competitors, all 2020 stores are staffed to provide little to no wait time. They also offer demonstrations on equipment, from vaporizers to grinders. All 2020 stores carry a superb selection of glass pipes and, because of 2020’s buying strategy, can offer glass at lower prices. Their full-time buying team is always on the lookout for what’s new in the cannabis marketplace and they also take requests for specific products.
“We really want to take service to that next level,” Nelson says. “Where, if you want something, we’ll do everything we can to get it.”
The company also offers one of the most generous rewards programs in the industry, allowing members to earn 10 percent back on each purchase. That means for every $100 you spend, you get $10 to spend the next time you visit.
“It’s kind of like having a bank account of money that you can spend on pot,” Nelson says with a laugh.
The times they are a-changing
2020 Solutions has a wide variety of strains to choose from and employs a full-time buying team to see what’s new in the cannabis marketplace. Photo credit: Matt Benoit.
Although legal marijuana feels commonplace to many Washingtonians, Nelson says some people are still trying to wrap their heads around it.
“We still have those people that walk in and just go ‘wow,’” he says. “But we’re also seeing a shift in the conversation with people who were totally anti-cannabis before.”
That includes Nelson’s parents, who are in their 70s and once staunchly against cannabis. Nelson gave them a CBD-based (non-psychoactive) topical lotion for aches and pains. His father didn’t even want to take the sample home but he eventually relented, using it on his hips and shoulders.
“They were just shocked at how well it worked,” he says. “Then they said it should be legal in all 50 states! (And then asked for more!)”
Realizing you can get relief from cannabis without getting high, Nelson says, is dawning on many people.
There’s no shortage of reasonably-priced glass at 2020 Solutions’ three Bellingham locations. Photo credit: Matt Benoit.
The 2020 budtenders put those who’ve never visited a dispensary – or even tried cannabis – at ease. They provide answers to questions in a safe and friendly space.
“It’s not like an opium den, where there’s smoke coming out of somebody’s basement,” he says of visiting a 2020 dispensary. “It’s a real professional environment with a warm, comforting atmosphere.”
The company’s budtenders pride themselves on being as up-to-date as possible in this ever-changing industry. Knowledge is a cornerstone of their business philosophy. To that end, they now offer a weekly educational class, “Cannabis Talk,” every Wednesday evening at 6:45 p.m. at their North Bellingham location at 5655 Guide Meridian, next to the Hilltop restaurant. Weekly topics can be found on the events page of their website.
‘Reefer Madness’ No More
Budtender Kelly Ryan has worked at 2020’s Iron Street location since March 2016. “Everyone deserves to have a good experience with cannabis,” she says. Photo credit: Matt Benoit.
On a Friday afternoon, customers fill 2020’s Iron Street location, eagerly selecting products for the weekend. It looks like a well-lit jewelry store but glass countertops reveal pipes, lighters, bongs and bubblers instead of rings and pendants. On one wall, a large flat-screen monitor is so full of cannabis options it looks like an airport departures and arrivals board.
Standing in front of the monitor is 26-year-old budtender Kelly Ryan, who left an unfulfilling desk job several years ago to work in the cannabis industry. Ryan says 2020’s budtenders are quick to make first-time store visitors comfortable, helping them navigate the huge selection of products to find what’s perfect for them.
“Everyone deserves to have a good experience with cannabis,” she says. “You have to put the customer first.”
For Ryan, one of the most fulfilling aspects of her job is seeing people overcome the negative side effects of opiates or pharmaceuticals with cannabis use. Additionally, she’s watched chemo patients regaining their appetite and says her father has found relief of his chronic knee pain by using a topical CBD cream.
“To see something that at one point was so demonized, ‘devil’s lettuce’ and ‘reefer madness,’ to actually helping and promoting people’s wellness, is so awesome,” she says. “I really couldn’t imagine working anywhere else.”
For more information about 2020 Solutions, call 360-734-2020 or visit www.2020-solutions.com.
Warning: Marijuana products may be purchased or possessed only by persons 21 years of age or older. This product has intoxicating effects and may be habit forming. Smoking is hazardous to your health. There may be health risks associated with consumption of this product and should not be used by women that are pregnant or breastfeeding. For use only by adults twenty-one and older. Keep out of reach of children. Marijuana can impair concentration, coordination and judgment. Do not operate a vehicle or machinery under the influence of this drug.
Roger Jobs has a lifelong passion for cars. Photo courtesy: Roger Jobs.
When Roger Jobs first started as an entry-level car salesman, few could have guessed he would rise to own one of the top Porsche, Audi and Volkswagen dealerships in the country. Yet, that’s exactly what this gifted entrepreneur did – and he had a lot of fun along the way.
Roger Jobs passion for cars led him to amateur racing. Photo courtesy: Roger Jobs.
Born and raised in Seattle, Jobs attended the University of Washington before serving in-country in the U.S. Airforce during the Vietnam War. Afterward, he attended Highline Community College and returned to the University of Washington. He was interested in pre-med but dropped out to pursue other passions. “Like Bill Gates did at the University of Washington, I didn’t graduate,” Jobs says with a laugh.
Young Jobs found employment as a car salesman in Everett with Humphry Volkswagen Porsche Audi, selling the same brands he does over three decades later. “I needed a job,” he says.
Jobs thinks the decision was inspired not just by need, but also by his positive memories of new cars. As a child, Jobs’ father purchased a new car every year. He and his family enjoyed the shiny new vehicles. “He didn’t come from a wealthy family,” Jobs recalls of his father, “but he would go in and negotiate a really good deal. Then he would sell it again within the year for a really close price to what he got it for. He was sort of a car guy and, whether I knew it or not at the time, it piqued my interest in the car business.”
Roger Jobs purchased his first sports car in 1972 – a Triumph TR6. His passion for sports cars led him to amateur racing. From 1972 to 1980, Jobs spent his spare time on the track, competing in races around the Pacific Northwest from Seattle to Portland, to the Mission Raceway in Canada. He loved every minute of it – and he was good, too. He was the Pacific Northwest Stock Champion in 1976. “This was the most competitive because everybody had to drive an equal car,” he says.
Roger has many good memories from his time on the track. Photo courtesy: Roger Jobs.
According to Jobs, “Racing is a bit like golf.” Each track is unique and offers a different experience. “It’s always the challenge of doing your best,” he says. Also, much like golf, amateur racing is a passion sport and Jobs’ passion was undeniable.
In the late 1970s, the cost of racing began to accelerate as quickly as the vehicles themselves, tripling in just five years due to high inflation and other factors. “The reward was the enjoyment of it and your accomplishment as a driver,” Jobs says, “but economically it was very expensive. I think when tires got to be $100 apiece, I didn’t need to go to the track anymore.”
His love for racing was far from over, however. Just a few years ago, Jobs went to the 24 Hours of Le Mans race in Le Mans, France.
Throughout, Jobs continued to sell cars. He enjoyed interacting with a variety of people and helping them find the vehicle they needed. “It’s a people business,” he says.
Jobs still works with customers who have been buying cars from him since the ’70s. His gift for helping people allowed him to grow from sales to management. In 1985, he purchased a small A-frame chalet on Samish Way; a one-car showroom with a lot and 12 employees.
From there, Jobs continued to build his business, moving to his current Iowa Street location in 2001 and constructing a new building four years ago. Today they’ve been in business for 32 years – a remarkable feat for any industry – and have 64 employees. Several of his original employees stayed with the company, a few recently retiring and one still employed. “We have good longevity of employees,” Jobs says. “There’s not a lot of turnover. We try to make it as easy to work here as it is to buy a car here.”
From his original racer to the new Audis he sells today, Roger Jobs has a need for speed. Photo courtesy: Roger Jobs.
Roger credits the company’s longevity to strong customer service and a top-notch team. “Everyone that works here is an integral part of the whole delivery and service process, from the porters washing cars to the car detailers,” he says. “You have to pay attention and touch all the bases every time.”
He also credits his success to the local community. “It’s been great to have community support since we first started,” he says.
And Jobs loves giving back to that community. When Roger Jobs Motors moved into its current building, they vacated a modular home office. Jobs saw potential. “I didn’t want a good building to go to waste if it was possible to use it,” he says.
He donated the building to Habitat for Humanity, along with an in-kind donation for relocating it. Habitat converted the house into a home on Kendall’s Poppy Lane for a family who lost theirs to a fire. The donation was life-changing for the new owner and his seven children.
Roger Jobs Motors also supports nearly 50 local charities through annual auction donations. The most popular item is a three-day Porsche for the Weekend, which non-profits often combine with hotel packages. “It’s a big revenue generator for them to be able to do that,” Jobs says. “It’s in the thousands of dollars.”
Roger Jobs has led a fascinating life full of adventure. From military service to car racing, he has been unafraid to take risks and try new things. Throughout, he built a thriving local business which, well, let’s just say they’ve come a long way since the A-Frame.
All seven colors of the Unity Rainbow and some of the 300 volunteers' handprints can be found at the end of the project. Photo credit: Jared Jones-Valentine.
My husband hardly ever calls me when he’s driving, but on a recent Monday morning – July 23, to be exact – he did. “There’s a rainbow!” he exclaimed. He knows how much I love rainbows.
Ben Mann’s work at the corner of Birchwood and Northwest initiated this arts corridor project. Photo credit: Marla Bronstein.
I ran to the window. “Where?” I asked. “The sky is completely clear.”
“No,” he continued. “It’s the bridge.”
The Coal Mine Bridge welcomes those traveling on Northwest Avenue as you enter the Birchwood Neighborhood. He and I had driven the bridge a few days earlier and noticed people scraping, wiping, washing and later painting black on the metal that protected the overpass. We thought it was just being refurbished.
I zipped up the road. It’s beautiful! I could not believe the transition in four days.
I went home and scoured the internet for information on what this was all about and hit pay dirt when I found the group’s Facebook page. After a few messages, I had the opportunity to talk to some of the organizers and participants of the Coal Mine Bridge Unity Project.
Tiona Shuffelen, who hosts the group’s Facebook page, helps with promotion, volunteer organization and raising funds. She pointed me to Kelly Morgan, the current President of the Birchwood Neighborhood Association. (BNA)
Kelly, a teacher at Birchwood Elementary, speaks passionately about her love and appreciation for her diverse neighborhood. She told me the project would not have happened at all if it weren’t for Bellingham City Council member April Barker. April is also a resident of the Birchwood neighborhood and was President of the BNA prior to Kelly. Under April’s leadership, the BNA board became more proactive with regard to raising the aesthetic of the neighborhood, as well as improving the connections within the neighborhood community as a response to cultural and economic differences, with the goal to connect diverse neighbors and enhance the beauty of the immediate area.
The fourteen proud and tired Team captains. Photo credit: Jared Jones-Valentine.
The BNA board met with planning students from WWU for several visioning meetings to determine goals they wanted for the neighborhood and how to achieve them. Neighbors and business owners fully participated. The Board brought in the Bellingham Arts Commission and talked about creating an arts corridor from the roundabout at McLeod to the Coal Mine Bridge.
They first completed a project at the corner of Birchwood and Northwest which had been in disrepair and was attracting unwelcome activity. Kelly wrote a grant to fund upgrades to the corner of Birchwood and Northwest Avenue. A metal sculpture archway built by BTC welcomes people to the neighborhood, as does commissioned work by local artist Ben Mann. Neighbors landscaped the grounds and currently maintain it in work teams, pursuant to their agreement with the City of Bellingham.
April and Mayor Kelli Linville had a conversation about the Birchwood neighborhood and agreed they wanted to add something painted like a rainbow because, they agreed, rainbows make people happy. April, a customer of the Barber Shack, was talking with owner Jared Jones-Valentine one day about her conversation with the mayor. They looked out the window from his shop.
Students from BTC helped fabricate this welcome arch. Photo credit: Marla Bronstein.
“What about the bridge?” she said.
He thought about it for a split second. “Sure!”
Without hesitation, she replied, “Great, head it up.”
Jared committed to getting the bridge project done by the end of July. (He was between projects and is currently working on refurbishing the Salvation Army Children’s camp on Lummi Island.) As a single dad who raised four kids, two of whom live in Whatcom County, he believes in giving back. He’s also a natural philanthropist and community leader.
Jared coordinated 14 teams, involving more than 300 volunteers that included neighbors, bikers, passersby and homeless members of the community who participated in the prep and painting. Volunteers ranged in age from a four-year-old painter to a woman in her 80s who was handling the sandblaster. He solicited donations of food, water, painting and cleaning supplies from Haggen’s, Sherwin Williams, Bellingham Salvation Army, To & Go, Hops N Headz and others.
Jared was surprised and pleased by how quickly a diverse group of people jumped on board this project. Jared’s cousin coordinated friends from the American Legion Riders Peace Arch Post 86 to do the prep work. The project provided a powerful opportunity for members of the community to work, laugh and create together.
Painting teams wore Birchwood Neighborhood t-shirts and tie-dye, and some were wearing fairy wings. The hope was to make it fun for those who drove by and saw people working on the project. Even if people weren’t working on the bridge, they could still be engaged in the fun.
Rainbows grace both sides of Northwest on the Coal Mine Bridge. Photo credit: Marla Bronstein.
Fundraising stickers to help pay for the project, as well as ongoing bridge maintenance, are available for sale at the Barber Shack. They were also available for sale at the Pride Parade, which understandably led to the confusion that the bridge design is just a “gay rainbow.” The ultimate message that organizers hope to convey with the project is that it’s a Unity Bridge. The rainbow does not represent solely the LGBTQ community. “There are six colors on the gay flag; we used the seven traditional colors of the rainbow discussed in the Bible,” Jared explained. “To make it all-inclusive.”
Organizers are grateful that everyone worked together well and for the community’s amazing response. Rainbows make everyone happy. At one end of the bridge, you’ll notice handprints of some (not all) of the 300 volunteers who worked on the project.
The next project for the BNA is a temporary installation on the old Albertson’s property. The new buyer does not plan to develop it immediately, so three young local artists will be painting on the wood covering the windows at the store. This will take place at the next Birchwood International Market on August 31. There will also be an area for the community to paint on part of the space which will remain until the space is developed.
All seven colors of the Unity Rainbow and some of the 300 volunteers’ handprints can be found at the end of the project. Photo credit: Jared Jones-Valentine.
Kelly believes the work of the BNA has affected how people who live there feel about their neighborhood. It has also improved the perception of the area by the extended community, making living there more desirable.
The feedback so far has been overwhelmingly positive. April Barker says the most consistent feedback she has received is, “It just makes me smile.” If you haven’t driven or walked the bridge yet, I encourage you to do so. You might just find yourself smiling, too.
