KINGSTON — The first time he experienced a massage at age 17, Kingston resident Dennis Pryor said he didn’t want to do anything else but that.
Now, almost 25 years later, he is continuing toward his goal of rejuvenating the masses with an office in Kingston and his four-month old business, Wakufu Massage Therapy.
POULSBO — Poulsbo Running’s Chris and Brooke Hammett are putting their best shoe forward as they work to fit Poulsbo with all its fitness needs. From beginners to the advanced, the specialty sporting goods store is calling all active people to find just what they’ve been looking for.
POULSBO — After 36 years of dreaming, John and Merlyn Schermerhorn have finally been able to put the plan of running their own restaurant into action. With Merlyn’s knowledge of Filipino food and their combined creativity, Lynn’s Kitchen has been filling watering mouths since it opened in November 2006.
KINGSTON — To someone who has worked construction for 14 years, taking over a flooring company could easily seem like the next basic step. For Advanced Flooring owner Heath Dawson, it was.
“I figured it was a good opportunity to try it out and see if we could make some happy customers,” he said. “There weren’t a lot of places to get certain specific products. It’s starting out slow, but so far everybody’s been happy.”
PORT GAMBLE — As a light breeze carries the scent of saltwater through one of Port Gamble’s historical houses, sunlight glints off the different treasures shop owner Katherine Klint has collected over the years and is now offering to shoppers in her new store Harmony by the Bay.
POULSBO — It may not be over yet, but this summer is already going much better than last summer for Jason Parson — that is, as long as no more cars crash through the front window of his business.
It’s been only a year since thieves drove a stolen Toyota truck into Poulsbo Audio Video Integration, but the damage they left behind has been all but erased.
PORT GAMBLE — As soon as customers step into her store, Heidi Parra knows she’s got something special. Each facial expression is different, but all reflect admiration for her hard work displayed at The Artful Ewe.
And once the customers look beyond the brightly colored yarn and sweet-smelling wool, they see Parra is trying to weave something special in the Port Gamble community with her new fibers shop.
POULSBO — For flyfishing enthusiasts wondering where the nearest fly shop is in the North End, look no further than Poulsbo Village, where Bill Drewry and his team of professionals can be found at Peninsula Outfitters.
The shop is nestled between the Poulsbo Florist and Mike’s Carwash and has been busy since March when Drewry bought the store from Richard Stoll.
POULSBO — Whether it’s something as simple as pressing a pair of pants or as complex as tidying up a set of vintage drapes, Kwon H. and Jeom S. Kim get the job done.
The owners of Bella Cleaners in College Marketplace make customer satisfaction their priority as they near their first anniversary of business after opening in September 2006.
“Our No. 1 goal is customer satisfaction,” Kwon Kim said. “We want to make sure the customer gets what they want.”
KINGSTON — Northwest Coastal master carver David Boxley has made another notch in a long list of accomplishments — including carving 65 totem poles in 26 years — by opening his own art gallery to showcase his family’s talents.
KINGSTON — Jennifer Salazar has lived in Kingston for 10 years, and during that time, she has been waiting for the nirvana of an organic restaurant. It never materialized.
So she opened her own.
Seeing the opportunity to rent one of the newly constructed units on State Route 104 near the ferry terminal, she’s spent the last month since opening the Garden Cafe and Juice Bar settling into her niche.
SUQUAMISH — Woodworking as been a part of Ben Dykstra’s life since almost before he can remember. As the son of a staircase maker, it’s no wonder he became fascinated by a different way to put wood together — namely furniture and Windsor chairs.
If the entertainment centers, cabinets and other wooden creations he fashions make up the ice cream of his income, the Windsor chairs are the cherry on top, the reason he loves his job. The chairs alone won’t bring in enough for his business to stay afloat, but they are certainly his favorite part of it.
POULSBO — Tucked neatly in a corner overlooking the Cat’s Meow antique mall in the heart of Little Norway, Margaret Foster has opened her treasure chest of vintage fabrics and textiles to the public.
From late 1800s lace doilies to 1950s atomic design fabrics, Foster places a special emphasis on vintage style.
POULSBO — After a long, stress-filled day at the office, all many people would like to do is lay back, let someone else handle everything and relax. Nancy and Brian Koontz can’t say they’ll take care of “everything,” but they will help with the relaxation part with their new business, Apollo Massage.
POULSBO — Oven roasted pork with garlic mashed potatoes or Santa Fe chicken fajitas might seem like too much to ask for dinner at the end of a hectic work day, but Tony and Lori Durham make it a breeze.
As the owners of Dream Dinners on Viking Avenue, the Durhams specialize in helping customers who want nutritious meals without the hassle of hours of preparation.
POULSBO — With a wealth of horse sense between them, Equine Essentials owners Shannon Prigger and Velvet Eberharter are confident they will take the horse world by storm with their new Poulsbo tack shop — or at least Kitsap County horses and riders.
POULSBO — Less than a year after successfully bringing a European style pub to the heart of Little Norway, Rob Difilippo and Tammy Mattson have done it again.
This time instead of expanding their first venture, Tizley’s Euro Pub, the pair has opened another business, Europa Deli, in the space below the bustling Front Street restaurant.
“I remember years ago when the Poulsbo Deli was across the street,” Mattson said. “That was the last time there was something like that in Poulsbo until now.”
POULSBO — A medical center seems an odd place for a gourmet dining spot, but Cafe Incognito makes it work every day. Opened Aug. 2, 2006, the coffee and sandwich shop has done steady business ever since, building up followers over time.
And, as its name suggests, the cafe is somewhat hidden in the North Kitsap Medical Center, something that owners Peter Fitzgerald and Angelo Bellah have not found to be a hindrance.
POULSBO — What began as dream on the arduous commute from Kitsap County to Seattle has become etched in reality on Front Street with the opening of Bayside Engravers.
Managers Lainie Patterson and Craig Hammond met while carpooling to their respective jobs in Seattle, where she was a federal investigator and he worked as a project manager for an aerospace company.
POULSBO — One of the best kept hair styling secrets in town may not be a secret for long.
After a decade nestled above the Magnolia Cafe in downtown Little Norway, Cilla’s Salon owner Cathy Larson has made the trek to the corner of Jensen Way and Sunset Street as one of the first businesses to open in Poulsbo Place II.
“It’s all about visibility,” Larson said. “I love the idea of catering to the residents in Poulsbo Place.”
