This Goodwill store is closing (and residents are not happy), plus Lacey burger site opens
Goodwill Outlet on Martin Way in Olympia will close Sunday, Nov. 10, a spokesman confirmed in a statement for The Olympian.
That decision has prompted the creation of an online petition to keep the location open. More than 370 people have signed the petition, the Change.org site shows .
"As a disabled individual with limited income, this store has been my lifeline for affordable household essentials like bath towels, pillowcases and kitchen towels," one person writes. "Without access to a car or alternative affordable shopping options like garage sales, the Goodwill Outlet is not just a store for me — it's an essential part of my life."
Why is the store closing? Here's what spokesman London Wambeam had to say:
"We are taking steps to improve our retail thrift store operations so that we can continue offering free job training and career support services to people in our community. To position our organization for ongoing success and support of our mission services, we have decided to not renew the lease on our Lacey Outlet Store."
Wambeam refers to it as the "Lacey" store, although it's in Olympia at 4014 Martin Way E. He added that the 13 employees who work at the store have all been offered employment opportunities within Goodwill.
Thurston County still has the following Goodwill locations:
Olympia: 400 Cooper Point Road SW.
Downtown Olympia: Blue Boutique, 534 Capitol Way S.
Lacey: 4800 Yelm Highway SE.
Lacey: 1145 Galaxy Drive NE.
Burger place opens
Katsu Burger has opened in Lacey Downs Plaza, which is also home to the Lacey post office.
The business currently is in its soft opening phase with a grand opening and ribbon cutting planned for Nov. 18, said Christopher Poetter, media director for the Seattle area chain of restaurants.
Although the hours are not official, the new Katsu location is open, for now, from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. seven days a week, he said.
More regional Providence layoffs
Employment Security Department has received notifications about Providence Medical Group layoffs in the region, the state announced.
In Vancouver, Washington, Providence Medical Group occupational medicine will close by the end of the year, affecting nine workers, according to the state information.
In the larger Battleground, Camas and Vancouver area, all of which are in Clark County, Providence Medical Group-related closures will affect 106 employees by year's end.
These announcements follow on the heels of Providence Swedish South Puget Sound's announcement that they are closing services and clinics tied to physical and occupational therapy in Thurston and Lewis counties.
Breweries win awards
Two Thurston County breweries have won awards in the 11th annual Washington Beer Awards for 2024.
"This year 100 Washington breweries received recognition of gold, silver, and bronze medals in 70 award category groupings," the news release reads.
The local winners:
Triceratops Brewing Co. in Tumwater won gold for its strawberry lemonade hard seltzer.
Matchless Brewing, also in Tumwater, won gold for its Thurston County Stout.
Elma hospital gets more money
Summit Pacific Medical Foundation has received a $320,000 grant from Timberland Bank and the Federal Home Loan Bank of Des Moines for medical equipment.
"This grant will ensure that our medical center has the critical equipment necessary for our upcoming hospital addition," said Brad Thomas, director of Summit Pacific Foundation, in a statement. "These funds are specifically earmarked to purchase an MRI machine for our Diagnostic Imaging department, a key part of our ongoing expansion."
Summit Pacific Medical Center broke ground on its expansion project in early 2024, aiming for completion by spring 2026.
In addition to the $320,000, Summit Pacific has secured about $60 million in revenue bonds for the expansion project.
Tumwater project
A developer is proposing a 57-acre mixed-use site with commercial and residential elements at 2413 73rd Ave. SW and 7516 Prine Drive SW, according to city of Tumwater information.
The project is in the pre-submission stages.
Providence to cut 55 jobs, shut down some outpatient therapy and related services
Shake your booty in Lacey, downtown florist remodels and more businesses opening in county
Burger biz coming to Lacey, Craft District cider site will close, and pharmacy expands
