A brisk demand from energy companies and holiday businesses for temporary workers gave Tacoma-based labor provider TrueBlue Inc. an earnings boost in the fourth quarter, the company reported today.

TrueBlue’s net income was up 91 percent for the fourth quarter of 2011 to $7.56 million from $3.96 million in the fourth quarter of 2010. Revenues during last year’s fourth quarter were $350.2 million, up 12 percent from the same period a year earlier. Adjusted for the one-week shorter accounting period in 2011, revenues were up 22 percent, the company said.

For the entire year, net income was up 55.2 percent …

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The company whose name is synonymous with on-line commerce, Seattle’s Amazon.com, may soon open a physical store to test its prowess at on-the-ground retailing.

That’s the report from Internet site Good E-Reader, which says insiders have told it Amazon will open a prototype of a retail store in Seattle before the holidays this year.

The store would follow the example of Apple and Microsoft, both of which have opened a series of trendy stores in shopping centers and on retail streets.

The store wouldn’t attempt to stock the full range of Amazon’s merchandise — such a store would be as …

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If you want a say in what the City of Tacoma plans for the future of Hilltop’s Martin Luther King Jr. business district, there’s a meeting this week you should attend.

The city is inviting local residents to offer their input on how the area that extends from Division Avenue to South 25th Street along along Martin Luther King Jr. Way should be developed. The meeting is set for 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. Thursday at the Evergreen State Community College, Tacoma Campus, 1210 6th Ave., Room 105.

That area includes two major medical campuses, MultiCare Medical Center and St. …

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Today’s Sunday Business section featured a report on the Tacoma business community’s reaction to proposed changes to city code when it comes to large-scale retail businesses.

Part of that report referenced a 2006 study published by the American Planning Association that outlines best practices for governments when it comes to big box stores. I included a few references to it in my story, but the report is really interesting. I thought some readers might want to read it, too.

A copy of that 69-page report is below.

UPDATE, Feb. 6, 10:55 a.m.: The American Planning Association has asked that …

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Big-box stores and other large retail development would face a new set of hurdles before being allowed to build in Tacoma, under proposed rules presented Tuesday to the City Council.

Tacoma should create a new, “conditional use permit” requirement for development larger than 45,000-square-feet, about the size of Tacoma’s Best Buy store, according to recommendations from the city’s Planning Commission. In addition, such developments also would be required to have more review of parking, site layout, traffic and plans for building re-use should it become vacant.

Finally developers of such buildings could be required to have community meetings about …

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The Green Building Certification Institute has awarded its highest certification – LEED Platinum – to the University of Washington Tacoma’s Russell T. Joy Building.

The Joy Building is the first in Tacoma and first in the University of Washington to achieve a Platinum rating in the “new construction/major remodel” LEED system, the university said in a release Tuesday. It is the second state-funded building to receive this recognition. The downtown Wells Fargo Plaza in July received a LEED Silver designation for existing buildings, and the Pacific Plaza project received LEED Platinum. St. Elizabeth Hospital in Enumclaw has received a Silver …

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The second annual celebration of shopping locally happens Monday.

Tacoma Shift Happens, an initiative by business alliance GoLocal, is an attempt to get people to shift 10 percent of their spending from national chains to a locally owned businesses.

The event is open to the public, and everyone is invited.

Tacoma Shift Happens 2012 starts at 4 p.m. with a happy hour featuring a cash bar and more than 20 local food vendors, according to the event’s website. That leads into the featured proram, including the Mayoral State of the City address, followed by a showcase of …

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Seattle-based fashion retailer Nordstrom earned a new honor today.

CareerBliss.com named the 180-store chain as the fourth happiest place to work in its annual survey of 10,000 companies. The results were based on thousands of worker interviews.

The companies were judged on such criteria as work-life balance, worker-boss relations, career advancement opportunities and worker empowerment.

Here’s what the Web site said about Nordstrom:

Nordstrom, a Seattle company that operates 90 upscale apparel stores as well as 90 off-price outlet stores, is no stranger to “best of” lists; it’s often recognized for its customer service. Nordstrom gets high marks

…

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