Business | The JOLT News Organization, A 501(c)(3) Nonprofit Organization

Local business leaders from around Thurston County talked about how employers can bring back an employee to work, as well as how to solve communication issues between teams and employees.

Business leaders talk about workplace communication and conflict in COVID-19

THURSTON COUNTY –– Local business leaders gathered remotely Thursday afternoon to talk about how employers reopen their businesses and how the coronavirus crisis affected communication for many local employees. more

By Madeline Shannon of JOLT | 8/13/20

Job fair scheduled online for Friday, Aug. 14

THURSTON COUNTY –– Employers in the Thurston County area who are eager to find new employees can register for a virtual space for an online job fair coming this Friday, Aug. 14, from 1:30-3:30 p.m. more

By Madeline Shannon of JOLT | 8/9/20

Thurston County business leaders spoke about child care and working families in the area at this week's Declassified meeting, a virtual meeting between business professionals in the area.

Local business leaders talk childcare and the workforce

OLYMPIA –– Business leaders gathered in this week’s “Declassified” meeting to discuss challenges to working families accessing local childcare and impacts to lack of access on the workforce in Thurston County. more

By Madeline Shannon of JOLT | 7/30/20

Nicole Barer, 16, started her own soap company, NRB's Beauty, in March. Her first quarter of sales was so successful, she said, that she wanted to host two pop-up shops this summer to celebrate.

Local girl launches successful soap company

OLYMPIA –– It started with sensitive skin and pretty soap. The then-10-year-old Olympia resident, Naomi Barer, would walk into a store that sold beautiful soaps that the sensitive-skinned Barer couldn’t use. more

By Madeline Shannon of JOLT | 7/26/20

Since the start of the pandemic shutdowns, Thurston EDC and Thurston Chamber of Commerce have held weekly Zoom conferences on topics of interest to business leaders.

Tourism improving in Thurston County since Safe Start Phase 3

THURSTON COUNTY –– Yesterday’s “Declassified” web conference offered perspectives on re-opening from the co-owner of Chelsea Farms Oyster Bar, a restaurant in downtown Olympia, the general manager of Great Wolf Lodge in Rochester and the CEO of Experience Olympia & Beyond, the official destination marketing organization of Thurston County. more

By Danny Stusser of JOLT | 7/17/20

Since the start of the COVID-19 shutdown, the Thurston Chamber and EDC have conducted a weekly webinar covering issues of interest to business owners and other local leaders.

County health director, business officials talk about local COVID-19 response

THURSTON COUNTY –– County Public Health Director Schelli Slaughter and business figures from the community gathered in a virtual meeting Thursday to discuss the resources available to local businesses responding to the COVID-19 pandemic, and resources available to local businesses if the pandemic continues to worsen in the greater Olympia metro area. more

By Madeline Shannon of JOLT | 7/2/20

Port of Olympia Executive Director Sam Gibboney updated the Tumwater City Council about a lease option on the port-owned New Market Industrial Campus, which port officials want to develop. Panattoni Development, a California-based industrial development firm, is interested in the property.

Concerns air over Port of Olympia’s New Market Industrial Campus

TUMWATER –– The Port of Olympia’s impending New Market Industrial Campus lease option came up for air again last night, this time in a Tumwater City Council meeting that saw some city council members expressing concern over whether or not the Port should develop that property. more

By Madeline Shannon of JOLT | 7/1/20

Numbers show tourism and county’s economic health closely linked

THURSTON COUNTY –– Tourist spending in Thurston County grew more than 25 percent between 2015 and 2019 according to data released this week by Tourism Economics, a national travel research firm. more

By Madeline Shannon of JOLT | 6/17/20

Thurston County Chamber will host "ribbon-tying" ceremonies as local businesses re-open after months of shutting their doors in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Thurston chamber of commerce celebrates businesses re-opening with “ribbon tying”

THURSTON COUNTY –– The Thurston County Chamber of Commerce (TCCC) started hosting “ribbon tying” events at local stores this week in an effort to celebrate the beginning of re-opening businesses. more

Madeline Shannon of JOLT | 6/12/20

Restaurant and retail staff will typically wear face masks in Phase 2 of Washington's Safe Start program.

Restaurants, retailers and services businesses are legal to re-open as of today

OLYMPIA, May 27, 2020 – Seventy-two days after Governor Jay Inslee’s statewide lockdown orders were issued, the Washington State Department of Health granted Thurston County permission to … more

by Danny Stusser | 5/27/20