DB: Swimmin' Holes

Rainier Connect Acquires HarborNet (21. August 2008, 13:59 by Derek) ~ ISP HQ

Rainier Connect, our neighbors on the north side of downtown Tacoma, announced today that they have acquired local Internet Service Provider HarborNet.

Rainier Connect will transition HarborNet customer accounts and services to Rainier Connect’s system and customers won’t see a change to their current services or email addresses. Walk-in customers will be helped at 805 Pacific Avenue in Tacoma until Rainier Connect’s permanent headquarters are renovated at 2516 South Holgate in Tacoma’s Brewery District.

So lets see…. they are getting a new HQ, they are going to be partnering with Click! to expand service, and are now absorbing local competitors? It would seem that this local, family-owned company is successfully taking over the Tacoma ISP territory.

Link to the Tacoma Daily Index

Harvest Your Beer Nut (21. August 2008, 11:53 by Caitlin) ~ Share Your Beer Garden Abundance

Remember the Weird Holiday back on June 19th when you planted your beer nut and gave it loving, ginger care in hopes of one day producing delicious nectar? Well, the day of truth has come.

Rusty George is inviting you to come and show off your harvest, and they’ll share their own. It’s been a long and (hopefully) fruitful summer. Now it’s time to party with Rusty George.

Details
August 22, 4:00 – 6:00 p.m.
732 Broadway, Suite 302
For more information, visit RustyGeorge.com.

933 Market on the Market - Again (21. August 2008, 10:17 by Derek) ~ Want it?

933 Market, the home of Club Juno, is for sale. Haven’t been there? Maybe you went to The Garage. No? Hmmm… well, for a mere $3.5 million, you could have 27,000 square feet of downtown building … on a very quiet block.

Link to CommercialMLS

Thank you, Morgan

Deja Vu - Another Delay for Foss Hotel (21. August 2008, 10:02 by Derek) ~ Where's The Sand?

The developers of the ever-changing Foss Waterway hotel are looking for another extension. The site, located between the Esplanade and Thea’s Landing, has morphed from a hotel to a hotel with condos to a hotel with fewer condos. According to The News Tribune, and as you’d probably suspect, it’s all about financing. The Foss Waterway Development Authority has an option to repurchase the property in order to find another developer, but it had to be exercised by August. I guess we’ll continue to wait …

Link to The News Tribune

Previously on Exit133

Bocce for Thursday - August 21st (20. August 2008, 17:59 by Derek) ~ Who's In?

Last week’s bocce game found us in People’s Park in the company of some rather … spirited individuals. That is easily one our favorite parks in the city to play bocce. With just a few more weeks to go, Justin took a commanding lead on the summer tourny with a victory. Tomorrow, the games continue.

Since it’s Third Thursday with all the goodness that comes with that, we’re playing downtown again. Of course, where should we play. Well, our stretch of grass from last time is a bit of a muddy mess. So, we’ll be heading to Fireman’s Park again. Except this time we’ll be starting closer to the totem pole. I’ve been told it’s rain or shine … well, there are a lot of options in the area if the rain gets to be a bit much.

All are welcome! We’ll teach you to play if needed.

Balls roll at 6:00 pm.

Current Standings

#1 Justin (21 points)
#2 Derek (15 points)
#3 Rick (12 points)
#4 Aaron (10 points)
#5 Mike H (9 points)
#5 Ann (9 points)
#7 Whitney (5 points)
#7 Michael Buchanan (5 points)
#9 Doug (3 points)
#9 Rob (3 points)

Abolins May Be Closing (20. August 2008, 16:30 by Derek) ~ Support Small Retail

The TNT is reporting that Abolins, the photographic supply, audio, and visual retailer, may be closing. The 40 year old Tacoma based shop is struggling to compete against big box retailers and a changing consumer. From the tone of the article, the inevitable is coming soon with the doors finally closing and layoffs just around the corner.

Abolins has been one of those shops that has been there for us. We’ve found obscure film gear. We’ve found A/V projectors. They’ve been part of Tacoma and we’ll miss them if they are to go. So … shop local!

Link to Abolins

Link to The News Tribune

Cross District Association's Summer Social - Tonight! (20. August 2008, 15:19 by Caitlin) ~ Rain, Rain Go Away

We know you were looking forward to the Cross District Association’s social – out on the pier of Silver Cloud Inn, enjoying the company of other small business owners and employees from Tacoma’s fourteen neighborhood business districts, enjoying the lovely summer weather … gah! They forgot to order the nice weather!

The Social has changed locations to an inside venue at the Tacoma Music Society. Tacoma’s Business District Associations attend this relaxed event to meet folks they don’t always have the opportunity to see. This is a great chance to mingle with small business owners – and due to the last-minute change, a great chance to stay dry as well.

Details
TONIGHT, August 20th, 6:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.
Tacoma Music Society
2101 N 30th St.

Historic Tacoma Builds Sustainability Effort (20. August 2008, 15:07 by Caitlin) ~ Salvaging Pieces of History

This story arrived as a press release a few days ago. Last week a block near Tacoma’s St. Joseph Hospital was being cleared for a surface parking lot. This work included demolishing a Hilltop 1916 bungalow. While architectural reuse is an easy option for folks in some cities, the industry is still relatively small in Tacoma. Historic Tacoma would have liked to save the entire house by moving it, but since this was not an option, they salvaged parts of the house by removing interior doors, trim, cabinets, and lighting hardware.

This project is part of Historic Tacoma’s efforts to encourage deconstruction to decrease landfill waste and re-use sustainable building materials. The combination of increasing wood prices and a greater awareness of recycling opportunities makes it practical to salvage old growth timber featured in many older homes.

If you would like to view or purchase parts salvaged from this and other houses, visit
Metropolitan Development Council’s ReHarvest Center
1113 St. Paul Ave.
For more information, call 253-531-5845.

If you know of a historic structure slated for demolition, contact info@historictacoma.net.