Fans of Infinite Soups (and who isn’t?), the downtown Tacoma soup emporium, went up on Kickstarter on Friday with a newly announced project: to open a second outlet in the Main Post Office (and former customs house federal courthouse) on A Street.
That’s where SOTA resides, and that’s right across from all the soup-hungry bankers and attorneys at Wells Fargo Plaza.
Here’s how it works. Infinite Soups needs to raise $5,300 by April 20. Donors commit to a donation (minimum of $1) and if the goal is reached, the money goes to the project. If not, not.
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The Semiahmoo Resort near Blaine closed down in December, but hope remains that the hotel will reopen under new ownership.

Here’s a story from our sister paper, the Bellingham Herald, explaining the latest developments:

A sale is pending, once again, for the Semiahmoo Hotel and two nearby golf courses.

While that sale could still fall through, it is firm enough to trigger the provision of federal labor law requiring 60 days’ notice to employees of a possible job loss, said Harry Chesnin, spokesman for the majority owner, the Upper Skagit Indian Tribe. He would not disclose the possible buyer.

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The Commons at Federal Way is planning an overhaul thanks to a capital investment from a group backed in part by basketball great Earvin “Magic” Johnson Jr.

The retired Los Angeles Lakers point guard’s company, Canyon-Johnson Urban Funds, is investing an undisclosed amount into Steadfast’s two Puget Sound area malls, The Commons and Everett Mall.

Plans for the remodeling are still in the infant stage, said a spokeswoman for the Steadfast Companies, the Southern California company that owns The Commons.

“We can’t really give more details now,” said Steadfast spokeswoman Emily Heidt.  “Plans are still in the works. We’re still …

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Gig Harbor’s redeveloped Point Fosdick Square gets another major tenant Monday when Applebee’s Grill and Bar opens its 28th Western Washington restaurant in the Safeway-owned shopping center.

The new restaurant is scheduled to open at 11 a.m. Monday at 4827 Point Fosdick Drive NW between Safeway and Kohl’s

The complex, which has been a shopping destination in Gig Harbor for decades, is remaking itself in a style compatible with its newer neighbor, Uptown Gig Harbor.

The family-friendly casual dining restaurant will be part of the nation’s largest casual dining franchise chain, Apple American Group.  The Ohio-based franchisee operates 438 Applebee’s …

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A South Sound grocer announced last year as a major retail anchor tenant for an ambitious Tacoma mixed use development has backed away from its commitment.

Marlene’s Market & Deli won’t be opening its third store in Point Ruston next year,  Marlene Beadle, the market’s founder, confirmed Monday.

“The family just didn’t want to do the risk,” said Beadle. “It just wasn’t the right timing for us.”

The market founder said she favored the expansion, but other family members thought the financial exposure was too great.

“We took a vote, and my side lost,” she said. “You just can’t fight …

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McMenamins has taken another step toward beginning work at the downtown Tacoma Elks Temple.

Earlier this month, the company picked up their building permit — one of the last steps during the pre-construction phase of any building project.

“We were very excited,” Sue Coffman of City of Tacoma’s permit center told me this afternoon after I called to check in.

I haven’t been able to connect with the Portland-based brewpub operator during the last few months, when I’ve been trying to find out when it might begin work in Tacoma. It lists an opening date of “late 2013″ on its …

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A plan to build a distillery and restaurant on the east side of Tacoma’s downtown Foss Waterway has fallen through.

The distillery’s developer, Riverhorse Inc., told city economic development officials this week  it will build the new facility in Kentucky instead of Tacoma.

Elly Walkowiak of Tacoma’s Economic Development Department said Friday that Riverhorse executives told the city they were unable to reach a satisfactory agreement to buy the site just north of the Murray Morgan Bridge.

That site  on East D Street is now occupied a dilapidated sheetmetal warehouse.  Riverhorse executives said they had planned to raze that building …

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The City of Tacoma and the Downtown Merchants Group will hold a free workshop tomorrow (Thursday) morning targeted at businesses dealing with the construction on Pacific Avenue.

Called “Bringing in the Green,” the seminar will be led by Kurt Jacobson, a marketing and communications veteran. Jacobson was president of Tacoma ad agency JayRay for decades before retiring in 2010.

This workshop begins at 8 a.m. in the lobby of the Pantages Theater, 901 Broadway. Topics will include developing positive messaging, encouraging employees to be business ambassadors and anticipating and handling customer questions or concerns, according to a city news release. …

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