New to West Seattle? Look what’s on the way

Back in February, we reported on a $10,000 “Only in Seattle” grant that the West Seattle Junction Association and WS Chamber of Commerce planned to use to connect local businesses with new residents. Today, the organizations made the next move in creating that connection – a volunteer work party to stuff 800 bags with swag provided by and promoting dozens of businesses. Each one will also include this booklet of coupons from, and information about, the businesses:

The bags will be distributed to new residents starting later this month. We’re among the participants – our contribution is a fridge magnet featuring our 24/7 hotline (206-293-6302). You can read more about the WSJA/WSCC pilot project here.

Jay November 15, 2018 (7:36 pm)

What’s their definition of a ‘new resident’? Just curious.

David November 15, 2018 (7:44 pm)

Someone who still says “the 5, Pike’s Place Market or The Puget Sound”

LJ November 15, 2018 (8:26 pm)

Haha! Yes! My husband and I get a good laugh about those (especially Pike’s Place) often. XD

Morgan November 15, 2018 (8:24 pm)

Man that’s nice…been here two years but think great idea.David: what do you call those places? Want to fit in.

andy November 15, 2018 (9:25 pm)

Yeah, what do you call those places? Is there something wrong with calling them as those? Or it just doesn’t sound cool to you guys?
- dsa November 15, 2018 (10:55 pm)
  
  Californians like to call their freeways by name such as “the 5” instead of the nomenclature used here “I-5”. Incidentally when in So Cal it is a little frustrating asking for directions because a local will say something like take the “Harbor Freeway”. Thank goodness for google, Harbor freeway is Interstate 110. Easy mistake to say Pike’s, but Pike Place Market is it’s historical name. I used to know someone who called it “The Pike”. I think they were a transplant. I don’t know the story why the neon sign doesn’t match the name. Tourists seem to find it anyway.
  - newnative November 16, 2018 (9:39 am)
    
    It’s not just a Californian thing to add a definite article to nouns. While I am from California, I don’t recall referring to any freeway by name (our freeway was a highway, not an interstate), people from the Bay Area did though. I started adding “the” after working with Fijians and Filipinos here in Seattle.

1994 November 15, 2018 (9:23 pm)

Tax payer funded. Nice.

WSB November 15, 2018 (10:18 pm)

Speaking as a small-business owner and participant in this program as disclosed above: Yes, the grant is from the city via its economic development office, supporting local business; businesses pay taxes too (city and state) besides the individual taxes their proprietors pay. And they (we) contribute a lot to the economy too as well as voluntarily supporting community organizations through donations, sponsorships etc. (Those community orgs include both orgs leading this initiative, both nonprofits.) One further note: The grant did not pay for the items in the bags; those were purchased and contributed by the participants on their own. (We paid a promotional-merchandise company $100+ for the refrigerator magnets we contributed.) – TR
Swede. November 16, 2018 (5:42 am)

Just like the privately owned and for profit business known as the ‘Seattle’ Mariners baseball you mean? We just gave them $135 millions, so this $10k grant won’t really matter much will it…
- Peter L November 16, 2018 (10:18 am)
  
  As a point of fact, nobody “gave” the Mariners $135M. The county agreed to contribut that amount to maintenance of a county owned building over the next couple of decades. The Mariners are picking up the vast majority of maintenance costs, the county and taxpayers are getting a very good deal.

Trickycoolj November 16, 2018 (12:49 am)

Hopefully this targets residents in all WS neighborhoods equally. Would have been nice to have a welcome packet in High Point since our commutes don’t bring us through the business districts it’s not easy to see what all is out there. Six years living here and there’s still long time businesses I’m still only hearing about for the first time. Oh and Pike Place Market is named after the street Pike Pl. The street does not own the market therefore the name is not possessive.