The proliferation of smartphones provides businesses with new opportunities to be more relevant and helpful to consumers. Text messaging and mobile social media are rapidly becoming key to promoting business and getting the word out on events and special offers.

Panelists includes Michele Graves, Edmonds Community College Public Information Officer; Jeremy Baker, Owner of JTB Internet Marketing and Greg Urban, Owner of Ideas Unfold.

Graves is a communications specialist and journalist with 15 years experience in writing and editing, publications, media relations, Web content, and new media. She is the voice behind the college’s e-newsletter, blog, and Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, Google+, and Pinterest accounts.

Baker, owner of JTB Internet Marketing, helps businesses build databases of targeted groups of customers who are interested in receiving updates & special offers/coupons via text messaging which results in new customers & increased frequency of transactions.

Urban, owner of Ideas Unfold, specializes in Web design, photography and graphic design. He works with client on various aspects of marketing, including branding, building brand loyalty, visual marketing services and graphic design.

Building landlord Bill Wilson of Wilson Investments said he has been working out of his warehouse since the incident, but the office is being re-carpeted and he will be moving back in next week. Other businesses, including Alberto’s Churros and Edmonds Autobody, have been “operating at less than full capacity” — able to use some parts of their office space but not others, Wilson said. The only business that escaped damage was MS Helping Hands.

Wilson said he expects all of the businesses to be able to fully use their office space by the end of next week.

Alyssa Cave and Lara Prado, foreground, apply makeup on guests. (Photo courtesy of FemCity)

Rachael Krebsbach preps for her headshot. (Photo by Janette Turner)

Femfessionals/FemCity Seattle came to town Saturday with a networking brunch and professional photography event. According to Chapter President Amalia Martino, the sold-out event was held in town because she lives and works here. “I love Edmonds,” said Martino, “and am passionate about introducing our little gem of a town to others. “ She also brought on the Northwest Women’s Business Center as promotional partner for the event.  “They’re based in Everett, so Edmonds made geographic sense.”

Saturday’s event met the group’s mission of connecting success-minded women in innovative ways. The 36 women attendees were treated to makeup and styling, and received headshots by Jennifer McKinney. Brunch sponsors included Waterfront Coffee Company, Caffe Ladro, Neuro Drinks, Pop Chips, Coffee-Mate, Chocolat Vitale. Styling was provided by Kelly Statema’s Jamberry nails and Lynn Weber’s Cabi clothing line.

“As a PR professional, networking is essential in my work life and I tend to enjoy it personally as well,” Martino said.  “I want to create opportunities for professional women to connect at events that are welcoming and a good use of time. I want women to walk away knowing that they got something out of it.” The group also gave back to the local community with a raffle that raised money for Domestic Violence Services of Snohomish County.

The next opportunity to get involved with FemCity is May 16, at a Trends for Treehouse benefit. Entering the code “FEMCITY” here reduces the ticket price by $10.

– By Janette Turner

Skip Madsen

Celebrate Seattle Beer Week in Edmonds by visiting American Brewing Co. in the Harbor Square Business Complex this Wednesday, starting at 6 p.m.

For a small fee, you can try to “Score on Skip” — taking  three shots on goal against brewmeister Skip Madsen. If you score, you’ll win something cool from American Brewing Company and bragging rights.

The brewery will have a special beer that night — a Chili American Blonde, spiced with 3 different roasted peppers. Plus hot dogs and a cask of the US vs Them Pale Ale.

Troy McClelland

About 60 people attended the meeting in the Plaza Room Friday.

A “Who’s Who” list of business, government and community leaders filled the Edmonds Library Plaza Room at lunch Friday to learn more about the Economic Alliance Snohomish County and its efforts to support existing businesses and expand economic development opportunities.

Representatives of the year-old Alliance have been traveling throughout Snohomish County to educate community leaders about their mission, which President and CEO Troy McClelland described as “advocacy, development and connection.” Friday’s meeting was co-sponsored by the Port of Edmonds, the Edmonds Chamber of Commerce and Swedish/Edmonds Hospital, and is part of new Mayor Dave Earling’s commitment to ensure that Edmonds becomes “a player in the long-term economic health of Snohomish County.”

The event drew a group of more than 60 people representing many sectors of Edmonds — from the Mayor and City Councilmembers and Port Commissioners to Swedish/Edmonds CEO David Jaffe, Arista Wine Cellars owner David Arista, Edmonds Center for the Arts Executive Director Joe Mclalwain and Chamber of Commerce President Ron Clyborne.

“We have a variety of businesses in our community,” Earling said in introducing the program. “And it’s not just big businesses that are here. We have a lot of people who own their own shop and maybe have only one employee, but they’re part of our economic engine here too and we want to be able to call attention to that.”

Long-time Edmonds resident Dick Van Hollebeke, who also chairs the Edmonds Community College Board, called the Alliance “the best news I’ve heard” since moving to Edmonds 35 years ago.”There’s more enthusiasm and can-do spirit in this room than I’ve seen in a long time. It’s like Edmonds is finally waking up to its potential, and its potential is going to be formed by collaborations.”

McClelland said the Economic Alliance — created through a merger of the South Snohomish and Greater Everett Chambers of Commerce and the Snohomish County Economic Development Council –was aimed at creating a regional Snohomish County organization “that was as concerned with the south as it was concerned with the north as it was concerned with the east.”

The goal is “to have partnerships throughout the whole county” that can influence everything from lobbying efforts at the state and federal level to business recruitment, McClelland said.

He cited as an example the efforts of the Alliance to ensure that the University of Washington Bothell campus got a third building. “That’s a big deal for the South County,” McClelland said. “Thirty percent of the students at (UW) Bothell come from Snohomish County; of that 30 percent, 25 percent…are south of 128th Street. They come from Edmonds, they come from Bothell, they come from everywhere south.”

McClelland noted that the Alliance focuses both on retaining existing businesses and recruiting new companies to the area. He described a business near Mountlake Terrace that was thinking about moving its company to Texas because it couldn’t find the training resources needed for its workers. The Alliance stepped in to assist and saved 1,500 jobs from moving out of the area, McClelland said.

He also mentioned the importance of protecting the county’s base business — aerospace. “The (Boeing) 777 X line alone is estimated to throw off $700 million in wages a year, $600 (million) of it spent in or around Snohomish County,” McClelland said. Snohomish County has real competition from other states that are attracting aerospace, including South Carolina and Texas, and to remain competitive the county must ensure “that we have a business environment where a company like Boeing would want to stay.”

Earling took the opportunity to remind his captive audience of the developments already in progress or on the horizon in Edmonds. For starters, Old Milltown has a new owner and is beginning to fill up with businesses. In addition, the Port of Edmonds “is very interested in redeveloping Harbor Square, and that has gigantic potential for our community,” Earling said. “With a railroad station just across the street, we know that if the Port puts together a project and the citizens approve it, we could have a mixed-use area down there that would be a real economic driver for our community.”

The Port proposal coupled with the potential sale of Antique Mall means it’s possible for Edmonds to begin to develop “the true potential of our harbor area,” Earling said.

Edmonds Green rendering from the Behar Company.

“But the discussion can’t just be about downtown Edmonds,” the mayor added, mentioning recent development at Westgate and also a new long-range concept from the Behar Company to redevelop the corner of 220th Street Southwest and Highway 99. Called Edmonds Green, the mixed-use plan is described as a transit-oriented urban village where residents and business workers “will enjoy short swift commutes, and in many cases, will be able to live within walking distance from where they work.”

The 450,000-square-foot concept includes 237 residential units and 70,000 square feet of office area.

The area of 220th and Highway 99 is a hub for commuters traveling to major employers such as Swedish/Edmonds and Premera Blue Cross in Mountlake Terrace, and Earling said that as the City of Edmonds representative on the Sound Transit Board, he was able to ensure that Sound Transit will consider the possibility of including an additional stop at 220th Street for the light rail extension north to Lynnwood.

A year after the Ace Hardware store closed in Old Milltown, downtown Edmonds is getting another hardware store — and it’s at the expense of Richmond Beach.

Our friends at Shoreline Area News reported early Tuesday that Tweedy and Popp Ace Hardware in Richmond Beach is closing its store May 13, and the owners will open a new store in Old Milltown. The new store will not be an Ace store but an independent store — Edmonds Hardware and Paint, Shoreline Area News said.

“The merchandise will be tailored to the needs and requests of the neighborhood rather than by national sales advertising campaigns.”

An unrelated Ace Hardware left Old Milltown when the weight of the paint began to stress the floor. The new Edmonds Hardware and Paint will be in a different part of Old Milltown.

The new store will open at 201 5th Ave. S., Suite 206 on Aug. 1.

The event will feature a collection of jewelry from the Georgian, Victorian, Edwardian, Art Deco, Retro and Cocktail periods plus contemporary, exotic and signed pieces.

On hand will be sales associate Kim Zirbes, who has a passion for antique and estate jewelry and has spent over 30 years studying the Georgian, Victorian, Edwardian, and Arts and Crafts jewelry time periods.

You are invited to network and learn about area businesses without storefronts. Portofino Pizza & Pasta will cater the event.

Participating businesses include:
-John’s Lawns
-Shangri-La Massage Therapy
-Art of eBay
-Take Shape for Life
-Sno-King Carpet & Upholstery Cleaners
-Merchant Service Group
-Mobile Excellence, LLC
-Magic Photo
-Promotional Marketing Services, Inc.
-Sound Anti-Aging Solutions
-My Edmonds News.com
-American Benefits Corporation
-Port of Edmonds
-Portofino Pizza & Pasta

“We initially opened as a scrapbook store, but in the last year we have been focusing on bringing in more products for the card makers and the mixed media artists, and will continue to bring in the latest and the greatest for all paper crafters,” Snyder said.

“Vintage is hot right now,” she added, indicating her large line of Tim Holtz products, including his signature inks, paints, stamps, paper, and embellishments. She also recommends Holtz’s website for projects and how-to videos.

Snyder recently completed certification training for her line of Copic markers, known by designers, anime artists and enthusiasts for shadowing, blending and air-brushing results. The markers, which she carries in 144 colors, can be refilled at her filling station. Copic classes start late May at her store and cover basic through intermediate techniques, including lighting, shading and realistic tones for skin and hair – something regular markers have difficulty doing.

For more information, sign up for the newsletter at www.urbanscrapbooker.com or email brooke@urbanscrapbooker.com.

Urban Scrapbooker is located at 9810 Edmonds Way, and Saturday’s event runs 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Troy McClelland, President & CEO of Economic Alliance Snohomish County, will be on hand to discuss the Alliance’s vision and what they are working on in the economic development arena. The meeting will be in the Plaza Room above the Edmonds Library,  650 Main St. The goal is to introduce the Alliance to South Snohomish County business leaders and to get feedback and views on what Edmonds/South Snohomish County needs to maximize the area’s economic development potential.

“It is important for Edmonds and South Snohomish County to become a player in the long-term economic health of Snohomish County,” Mayor Dave Earling said.

For more information about the forum, contact Carolyn LaFave, the Mayor’s executive assistant, at 425-771-0247 or by email at carolyn.lafave@edmondswa.gov.