business briefs

SEATTLE SUN - VOL. 6, ISSUE 5, MAY 2002

LC Chamber director resigns

Deborah Harris, executive director of the Greater Lake City Chamber of Commerce, has announced her decision to resign her post, effective June 1.

Harris, a Lake City resident and former administrative assistant with the Lake City Task Force, recently took a job with Cranium's Coffee and Collectibles in Lake City and plans to pursue a bachelor's degree starting this fall.

She has not yet decided which school she will attend. Until then, she said she will enjoy spending the summer with her family and working on her "honey do" list.

Harris, who will turn 37 in May, started working at the Chamber in February 2001. Of all the projects she's done for the group, Harris said the most challenging and rewarding was organizing last year's Pioneer Days Festival. She added that she was proud she was able to improve the Chamber's newsletter, Chamber Chat, by adding more community news.

Concierge service opens in Ballard

Tracy Oklander Anderson, a Ballard resident, opened a new business in April called Gal Friday Concierge Service. The home-based company provides a variety of services from everyday errands to helping coordinate a move to a new home.

Anderson, a former librarian for a Web development company, was one of the casualties of the high-tech downturn. She got the idea for Gal Friday while reflecting on how hard it had been to take care of personal chores while holding down a full-time job.

"I figured that I probably spent all my free time (including) weekends doing my errands and had no time for family and myself," Anderson said. "I imagined that many people were dealing with the same issue of not having enough hours in the day."

Gal Friday Concierge Service can be reached at 297-7878.

Porter & Jensen to close

The owner of Porter & Jensen Jewelers recently announced his decision to close his store at 4501 University Way NE. The store, which has gone through several name and ownership changes over the years, has been a fixture along "The Ave" since 1924.

The Seattle Sun was unable to reach owner Joe Waldmann for comment, but Waldmann, who bought Porter & Jensen in 1999, told the Seattle Times that the store's sales suffered in recent months due, in large part, to increasing public concern regarding crime along University Way. He will continue to operate his jewelry store at University Village shopping center, which opened last year.

Sudden Printing - new manager

Brad Schindler was recently named manager of the Sudden Printing at 2206 N. 45th St. in Wallingford.

Schindler, 19, is the youngest manager in Sudden Printing's 33-year history. He gained experience in the printing business working at Sudden Printing branches in Lake City and Ballard. Company spokeswoman Amy Kay said Schindler has excellent customer service skills and added that he has a talent for computer type-setting and graphic design work.

"(The promotion) was a little bit surprising just because of my age," said Schindler, who lives in Wallingford. He credits past managers at Sudden Printing with having taught him a lot about his job. "Everything I've learned, I've learned within this company," he said.

Wallingford Chamber goes 'After Hours'

As way of encouraging networking amongst its members, the Wallingford Chamber of Commerce has decided to restart a program called Chamber After Hours. The monthly get-togethers will take place during the evening, allowing members who are unable to attend meetings during the day to socialize with their fellow merchants.

"One of the goals this year is just to have a lot more engagement with our membership," said Karen Buschow, Chamber treasurer, explaining why the evening events are being resurrected after a 4-year hiatus.

The first Chamber After Hours event will be held Thursday, May 16, from 6:30-7 p.m., at St. Benedict's School, located at 4811 Wallingford Ave. N. Refreshments will be served and there will likely be a charge for admission. For details, call Buschow at 632-0461.