We all see the "business closing" posts, and it's absolutely true that it's a tough time to be a small business owner. (Well, it's a tough time to be a non-rich-person in general...) BUT with that said, I think it's also worth noting that some of our unique local businesses are doing well!

I don't have access to financials for these businesses of course, so "doing well" is based on subjective measures like confidence to expand, or perceived high volume of sales/busyness. Not a perfect measure so take it with a grain of salt.

Here's a couple that come to mind downtown specifically:

Owl's Nest has expanded twice in the last like 6 months and is now one of the largest coffee shops in town space-wise.

Legend's Arcade has also expanded multiple times, most recently to add mini golf

Mi Luna is often packed and often still requires a reservation for dinner even though it's been open for quite a while.

Ember Goods has opened a second location, taking over the former Filling Station espresso stand

Pressing On Fitness expanded to fill in the space left by Stellar Juices closing (RIP)

Nineveh has expanded from food truck to food truck + catering + full sit down restaurant

Gold Standard seems to be busy and doing a solid volume of sales

The Bread Peddler seems to always sell out at their Farmer's Market stand, and the bakery itself is often sold out of many items

Olympia Coffee Roasters now has eight locations in the Northwest and has won a bunch of industry awards

Rica Cocina is visibly busy and has maintained excellent reviews since opening

Tacos California now has five food trucks in the area

Harlequin Productions has many sold-out shows and puts out impressively high caliber performances for a small town like Olympia

Sophie's Scoops often has a line out the door (summer high season, of course, but still!)

Cascadia Grill is often packed for dinner and also owns the next door Juju's

Uptown Grill is often packed and now has a massive second room for events and private parties

CrossFit Olympia expanded to a MUCH larger space in a newly renovated building

A gazillion different spas, salons, skincare spas, etc. seem to be perpetually packed, and we somehow have like 50 of them?

Many different "boring businesses" are doing just fine but may not be very visible - plumbers, dog groomers, landscapers, etc. etc.

I also think it's worth mentioning that we have a lot of quirky and unique small businesses in town that are still open, which in and of itself is a huge achievement, even if they're not necessarily thriving.

Anyways, not trying to gloss over the financial struggles that many of our small businesses and community members face. Just trying to celebrate some wins, too!

I feel like a true PNW resident now. We moved here from Tulsa, after living previously in both Dallas and Houston for many years. I went outside this morning and my first reaction was: “Wow. It’s really warm.” According to my phone it was 62 at that moment.

Now, to put this in context: the overnight lows in Houston and Dallas are in the mid 80s all summer long. I remember a particular morning in August quite a few years ago when I woke up for work at 5:15 or so and the radio anchor said it was already 88. At 5:15 in the morning.

And now 61 seems warm.

I have moved to paradise! 😎

For Science! (Estuary Restoration Project)

I crashed getting home last night and lost my phone and board in the dark in the raspberry. It was on the woodland trail right by the Boulevard st junction. I know it's a long shot but if you find either item please reach out to me here. Thanks everyone.

Are there any places to get good coffee near the Capitol Campus - like, walking distance within ~5 min? I often go to Drip, but they are consistently mediocre. Like, not terrible, but not very good either. Pre-covid Batdorf in downtown used to be my go-to, and I’m consistently with OCR.

Update: I went to Ember - weird vibe, but the coffee was spot on! It was was worth the walk and I’ll put them in to my coffee spot rotation. Thanks for all the suggestions!

TCMoFA is proud to present “MOTHER,” an evocative exhibition curated by the self-taught visual artist Fern Tallos. This group exhibition opens with a reception on July 24th from 6 to 9 PM with light snacks and refreshments.

“MOTHER” explores the complex identity of mothers, challenging societal expectations while highlighting the artistic expression found in the nuances of caregiving. Through the lens of various participating artists, it casts light on the often-overlooked intersections of creativity and motherhood, showcasing works that illustrate themes of joy, pain, transformation, and resilience, as explained in the exhibition summary;

As mothers, we live under the pressure and expectation that our identities will cease to exist outside of the parameters of what society dictates of us: that we will morph into the shape of what our families need at any cost; that we will contort our bodies until they concede the necessary and sometimes devastating personal sacrifices asked of us to maintain normalcy.

As artists, our work persists; the poetry of biological reproduction opens portals into new dimensions of expression. In the constant unearthing of ourselves amid our responsibilities as caregivers, and in embracing motherhood as a generative source of transformation, we are granted a window into the world mothers hold inside of their lived experiences.

“In Mother we celebrate the work of mothers; creative work historically minimized to “women’s work”, too often under-represented in traditional fine art spaces,” says Tallos. “ The pieces in this exhibition represent a diverse spectrum of mediums that embody experiences of joy, loss, transformation, pain, and expansion.

Participating artists include:

Anna Okrasinski Maddox, Ellen Tommila, Sophie Geist, Alcamy Henriksen, Lizzie Mithrandir, Holly Stevens, Mikaela Shafer, Yvonne Kunz, Kelsey Smith, Kelly Watson, Vida Hannon, Julia Reed, Kirsten Miller, Shelly Seder, Maria Nemorosa, Phoebe Wahl, A’misa Chiu, Fern Tallos, and Mariella Luz

This exhibition serves as a visual diary, with artworks spanning a wide range of mediums.

Exhibition Dates: July 24th through September 18th 2026.

Opening Date July 24th opening reception from 6-9pm with food, drinks and music, closing reception September 18th from 6-9pm

July/August/September Museum Open Hours:

Fridays 2pm to 7pm, open until 9pm each first Friday of the month

Saturdays 12pm to 4pm

Sundays 12pm to 4pm

Admission: always free admission

Has anyone seen this going on?

I was out there last night and could hear a really loud boat cruising around but couldn't see it. There was also a huge barge coming in, and then I saw the silhouette of the boat in front of the barge lights.

It then went around the island and up Totten Inlet. Didn't sound like a normal boat, had a really high airy tone like a blow dryer.

Not the first time I've seen it out there, one time was when I was on the water in a kayak. Freaked me the hell out.

Who boats with zero lights on? Is it military zipping around with night vision? From where? Anyone else experience this?

Hello!

My senior kitty has one tooth that needs to be pulled.

I qualify as low income and have snap benefits. I moved here a few months ago and am looking for options in Olympia that are affordable (as they can be).

There was a good spot we had in pdx before moving here. We do not want to make that drive and add additional stress to this extraction, but will if there isn’t an affordable option!

Appreciate any recommendations. Thank you!

An apartment complex a friend of mine lives in just changed ownership to Olympic Management, and they had a tow notice sticker applied to their car. The only problem listed is "no back-in parking", and their car is backed in.

In any normal situation... sure. Whatever. Enforce your silly rules. They'll turn their car around and stop backing in. But in this particular situation this is absolutely awful timing because the vehicle is totaled, they physically cannot turn it around, and they are waiting for the bank they have their car loan through to tow it so they can sell it for parts (or whatever it is the banks do in these situations). They're towing within the next week. BUT the tow notice from Olympic is for TOMORROW.

They called Olympic Management and they were super unreasonable and would not give them an extension, or work with them in any way. They told them to pay to tow it themselves. Paying out of pocket for towing will of course be expensive, they're already having financial troubles as it is, and if it's towed by Olympic's towing company I'm sure it'll be even more expensive to get it out of their lot so the bank can take it.

This sucks. Their car is in the wrong orientation. That's the only problem. And Olympic is trying to make it a huge expensive headache.

Any ideas? Anyone have a contact that they can reach out to at Olympic that will be reasonable and work with them to give a short extension?

Also, related, ANOTHER friend had a similar thing happen at another apartment complex. Olympic took over and wants to inspect their apartment and "take photos" of the inside. They also sent an email scolding them for their patio not following rules, but refuse to explain what rules are being broken. So I guess my question here is: is it within the rights of the landlord to come in with very short notice and take pictures of the apartment?

It feels like both of these are examples of that wonderful situation where a new landlord comes in, "cleans house" and all but forces everyone to leave by making it super unreasonable and difficult to live there and being overly litigious, then finds new renters they can significantly jack up the price for. Help?

I got a heloc and am ready to move forward but I’m so overwhelmed by the amount of contractors and have no idea how or who to select to do the work. I need my counters, cabinets, and vanities replaced and maybe some floors. I know a lot of people tend to recommend their “friend’s business” but I really don’t want to deal with having problems that need to be fixed after the fact. I’m also looking for someone that will guide me through the best products for my budget and space.
Recommendations and advice appreciated

I've asked 2 local piercers and neither were familiar. I haven't been able to stop thinking about this piercing since I saw one last year.

I'd love to support a local piercer instead of heading further north.

We live by the water tower on Fir, please message if youve seen this cat in the area. We're really starting to get worried.

Lammas Pagan Gathering in Thurston County — August 1st

Hi everyone! The Church of the Moon Thurston County community is hosting a casual Lúnasa gathering at Woodland Creek Community Park in Lacey on August 1st at 2 PM. This will be a potluck-style gathering to celebrate the first harvest and the turning of the Wheel of the Year. Feel free to bring a dish to share, a craft project, or anything seasonal you’d like to contribute. All ages are welcome.

This is not a formal religious service, it’s simply a chance for local pagans, witches, nature-based folks, and anyone interested in the community to meet, make friends, share stories, and enjoy time together outdoors.

Whether you’re new to paganism, practicing for years, or just looking for like-minded people in the area, you’re welcome to join us. Hope to see some fellow Thurston County pagans there!

Hey Olympia! Last week I made a post about how green patches on your lawn in the summer can help you find plumbing leaks. You guys seemed to find it helpful so figured that I should make another one with an easy test to see if you have a leak using your water meter.

1. Stop all of the water use in your house, including your fridge if it has a purification or ice making system.
2. Wait around 10 minutes
3. Access your water meter, usually near the curb/edge of the street in front of your house
4. On the face of the gauge you should see a small triangle shaped dial or a small silver wheel depending on the brand of your meter. This is your low flow/leak indicator. 

• Most of our neighborhoods in Olympia are older, so almost everyone should have an analogue meter. If yours is digital, look up how to view the low flow indicator for your specific model.

1. Observe the low flow indicator, if it is spinning then water is flowing somewhere, and you likely have a leak. 
2. Isolate the leak. There are a variety of DIY methods you can use, or you can contact a plumber to do it for you. 

I hope this quick guide is helpful! Please let me know if you have any questions, as I work at Olympic Plumbing Technology, and can get you the answers! 

I can only travel by bus at the moment so my options are limited. I was looking at Ward Lake(its only ~45mins by bus) but I saw there was a recent warning not to swim there? Any other recommendations? This is perfect floating weather!!

Everything I read about the guy makes him sound like a status quo cop who wants to yank things back to the same way every other department does things.

Stuff like this is why people don't trust the Democratic party. Sanders is actually trying to reform things for the bett...

OhHHHhhhh...

anyone know of any way to get some free art supplies? I work for a 501c3 and we’re trying to gather a bunch of fabric and face paints, paint brushes, printing supplies, ink, etc.

I sent a message to olyphant but ik downtown businesses are struggling lately. I want to bring some art through my work to our community! let me know ideas of who to ask?

thanks yall

Anyone else just lose power?

Hi, I'm relatively new to the PNW and unknowingly scheduled my band Ditch Lily's tour to stop through Olympia on 9/7. For financial reasons, I'm hoping to still somehow book a show that day, but I understand now why this date has been the hardest to book for this tour, and understand I might just have to take the day off and not play Olympia

I love the music that has come from the Olympia music scene and I've been told my (alt-country/freakfolk) band would do well in Olympia, so I really hope to make something work. Maybe like an "afterparty" set could work somewhere?

I appreciate any ideas or help of any kind!

This is our music: https://ditchlily.bandcamp.com/album/my-favorite-miniature-drum

I’m looking for a private soccer coach/instructor for a 16M entering his junior year of high school. I’m anticipating once a week to start. 16M needs to work on defense, getting comfortable with 1:1 contact, and generally improving basic skills. Preferably in or close to the Westside of Olympia.

Hi, all--

I have been getting electrolysis (for gender affirming care) at a center in Tacoma, but they suddenly closed. I'm on medicaid and was able to access care because this center took apple health...do y'all know of anywhere else that can take the same insurance?

Hey all! Just wanted to see what the board gaming community is like in Olympia? Are there any weekly meet ups? Which is the best LGS in the area to play at? I've checked the MeetUp app, but it didn't give me a ton of options. I'm not big into magic and more looking for a group that plays heavier board games. Euro's, Worker Placement, 4X, and campaigns. Also willing to start a group of there isn't a dedicated one.