Congratulations to Lotus Tea Bar and Studio– the Greater Oak Harbor Chamber of Commerce’s January Business of the Month.

The Lotus Tea Bar & Studio, which opened Nov 2009, offers a place of relaxation and comfort where everyone can slow down before and after the day begins and take a moment to reflect.  They offer loose leaf teas and sandwiches which are named after yoga poses that are healthy and nutritious not to mention delicious.  It’s just enough to hit the spot without that “I ate too much” feeling.

The studio offers several yoga classes from 630am-6pm, Mon-Sat.  They also offer other classes such as Hula Hooping and Middle Eastern Dance.  A monthly schedule can be picked up at any time.  It is available to rent for birthday or tea parties and is free of charge for community activities.

At Lotus, they enjoy fund-raising and volunteering.  Last year, they had a fund-raiser for MS and for a woman who needed a specialized van to drive since she is without legs.  They also contribute to the Bud Skinner Educational program and help with work assessments for Service Alternatives.  A few months ago Lotus held a free workshop for Social Services workers from DSHS and Opportunity Council.  Presently, their macaroni and cheese drive for the Help House has turned into a canned goods drive as well.

As for volunteering, every year Lotus enjoys the Oak Harbor Pig Roast and this year worked at the Military Appreciation Picnic.  They teach free yoga classes at the Navy Victory Terrace Community Center and have taught to the students of OHMS.

Lotus Tea Bar and Studio is looking forward to the New Year to share more on the benefits of yoga.  Their members and customers are one of a kind and all share their love of the community. Lotus is located at 710 SE Fidalgo Ave #102 and can be reached at 240-8888.

Check them out on Facebook and www.lotusteaandyoga.blogspot.com.

Please join the Chamber in once again congratulating Lotus Tea Bar and Studio, our January 2012 Business of the Month.

Starting in the early 1900’s the Muzzall family operated a dairy, along with chickens and turkeys on their bluff top farm on Penn Cove. In 2000, owners Ron and Shelly Muzzall began selling grass fed natural beef and now mange a herd of cattle, produce free-range eggs, and raise all natural pork.

The 3 sister’s name is a nod to their three daughters, the fifth generation to work the 800-acre family farm. The Muzzall’s are very involved in their community with one daughter still in high school and being members of Oak Harbor Lutheran Church. They also love to let the public in on a little fun here and there on the farm. Which the last farmers market on the farm is December 17^th!

A self serve stand is open to the public year around and beef is available at local grocery stores, or by direct order.

You can check us out at 3sistersbeef.com

Please join the Chamber in once again congratulating 3 Sisters Family Farms, our December 2011 Business of the Month.

Please join the Chamber in once again congratulating 7 Eleven, our November 2011 Business of the Month.

Please join the Chamber in once again congratulating 7 Eleven, our November 2011 Business of the Month.

Congratulations to Sweet Rice Thai Cuisine – the Greater Oak Harbor Chamber of Commerce’s September Business of the Month. 

Sweet Rice, located at 885 SE Pioneer Way, is a third and fourth generation family-owned and operated Thai Restaurant. It opened its doors on February 9, 2008 and quickly made a name for itself, winning Best of Whidbey’s Best New Restaurant for 2008 and Best Asian Restaurant in 2009. Led by Ruth and Phayao Netthai in the kitchen, each dish is made in traditional Bangkok style using fresh, natural ingredients. Manager Lek Allen, her sister, Booie Iam-un and Josh Elmoreserve serve the customers with practiced ease and cheerful smiles. 

“My great grandmother started the family tradition as a street vendor in Bangkok,” Lek said. “Some of the recipes she developed are still used today in Sweet Rice.” When the family first immigrated to the United States more than twenty years ago, they started their first Thai restaurant in Eugene, Oregon and soon found themselves here in Oak Harbor! In 2008, Sweet Rice joined the Chamber and have been active members since, participating in the OHFit! Meal Program and Tuesdays on the Town. 

Please join the Chamber in once again congratulating Sweet Rice, our September 2011 Business of the Month.

Popsies

Congratulations to Popsies – The Greater Oak Harbor Chamber of Commerce’s August Business of the Month. 

Kay and her daughter-in-law, Coreen Lerch started Popsies together in April, 2006.  Neither of them had been involved in the “sweets” business, but did have a great appreciation for them!  The planning began with daydreams and imagination and ended up after a great deal of hard work on the part of Tom and Coreen Lerch, who rebuilt the old bicycle shop on Pioneer Way.  Little by little it became the old fashioned candy, popcorn and ice cream shop they had all imagined it should be. 

 The first year was such fun, and were all proud of what they had jointly created.  Two granddaughters, Emma and Olivia, who were 2 and 7 in the beginning, are now great helpers, and quick learners.  Kay believes Emma is about to secure her Food Handlers License, and knows all about bagging, pricing and displaying candy.  A great help for her Granny.

 Olivia is a great labeler and helps to count the change.  So many children come in with their collections of coins and they witness mathematics in its basic and most useful form.  There are two more grandchildren who spend summers here and they are also interested in Popsies as a career move.  T.J. and Grady may one day move to Oak Harbor permanently and they are also learning the ropes!    

“To have begun Popsies when Pioneer Way was mainly a thoroughfare for commuters going from one side of town to the other has given us a great appreciation for the current Pioneer Way Project” said Kay.  “The city planners are giving our community a beautiful area for leisurely enjoying the offerings from all the hard working merchants, and enthusiasm has been contagious among shoppers and shop owners alike” added Kay.  Jill and the Chamber work hard to bring people downtown and the suggestions and support of all plays a big part in the success of our business.  They help us stay connected with the whole community, and we are always grateful that their knowledge is available to us.

Please join the Chamber in once again congratulating Popsies, our August 2011 Business of the Month!

Congratulations to HomePlace Special Care – The Greater Oak Harbor Chamber of Commerce’s July Business of the Month. 

HomePlace Special Care has provided excellent care to those with Alzheimer’s and related dementia since 1999.  Their caring, specially trained staff is available to assist residents at all times. Their building was designed to support those with memory loss, and offers residents a comfortable, safe home. Residents enjoy a beautiful courtyard, daily activities, outings and family events. 

HomePlace Special Care hosts a monthly Alzheimer’s Family Support Group open to anyone who would like information and support.  They partner with Hospice of the Northwest, Oak Harbor Senior Center and South Whidbey Senior Center, offering workshops for the “Five Wishes” Living Will program.  Each year, HomePlace sponsors and participates in the Alzheimer Society of Washington’s “Miles for Memories Walk” and the Alzheimer’s Association’s “Walk to End Alzheimer’s.”  They also co-sponsor the Chamber’s “Business Expo,” are a Fireworks sponsor and the residents enjoy being in all the parades!

Amanda Nichols, Director of Nursing, serves on the Skagit Valley College Advisory Board and she and Linda Emerson, Office Manager both serve on the Oak Harbor High School Career and Technical Education Board.  HomePlace also supports the OHHS Health Careers and SVC Nursing School through internship programs. Wendy Sines, Community Relations Director, organizes the local Community Resource Network Group and is a member of the Senior Care Network.

 “We are proud to be a part of the health care community on Whidbey Island, and are very pleased to be named “Business of the Month.”  It is an honor to care for our wonderful residents and their families.  It is a privilege to be a member of the Oak Harbor Chamber, and we appreciate all they do for the business community.  The Chamber offers great opportunities to connect with others for business and charity purposes,” said Wendy Sines, Community Relations Director.

 Please join the Chamber in once again congratulating HomePlace Special Care, our July 2011 Business of the Month!

Angelo's Caffe' 2011 June Business of the Month

Congratulations to Angelo’s Caffe’ – The Greater Oak Harbor Chamber of Commerce’s June Business of the Month. 

Angelo’s served their first customer at 7:00AM, on Monday, May 16, 2005.  For over six years now, Angelo’s has been proud to be a part of downtown Oak Harbor.  They are a local leader in the “Shop Local” trend and stand on their record of always offering fresh, organic, natural, made-from-scratch selections using local ingredients whenever possible.  To provide the highest quality food selections, Angelo’s Caffé offers a small, select menu for breakfast and lunch, a full espresso bar, beer and wine, and a small bakery that offers fresh, made-from-scratch pastries and other bakery items. 

To better serve the community and customers, Angelo’s owners, Elfuel and Kathy Collantes, and staff have a strict work ethic and commitment to a job-well-done. They are dedicated to providing a great dining experience for their customers.  This dedication and quality of service has helped establish Angelo’s Caffé as “Oak Harbor’s Gathering Place.” 

Angelo’s also stays involved with the community by being members of several organizations.  Kathy is on the board of directors for the Chamber and the Merchants Association.  They participate in as many community events as possible and this year have a booth at the Oak Harbor Public Market.  They also support a youth soccer team every season.  “The Help House is one of our favorite charities and we do as much as we can for them” said Kathy.

“We love being a part of such a dynamic group of business owners because of the support and encouragement that is shared amongst the Oak Harbor business community.  We think our chamber is the greatest because of these same members and the staff” commented Kathy.  “We are constantly OH-mazed at the level of talent and caliber of business owners who decided to call Oak Harbor home.  There is such a quiet, unpretentious elegance in Oak Harbor. Elfuel and I love it here!” said Collantes.

Please join the Chamber in once again congratulating Angelo’s Caffe’, our June 2011 Business of the Month!

May 2011 Business of the Month

Congratulations to Coldwell Banker Koetje Real Estate-The Greater Oak Harbor Chamber of Commerce’s May Buisness of the Month.

Koetje Real Estate has been serving the residents of Whidbey Island and NAS Whidbey for over 60 years. Consisting of Coldwell Banker Koetje Real Estate and Koetje Property Management, they are able to serve all of the real estate needs of the community.

Established by Hank Koetje in the 1940’s, Koetje Real Estate has a proud and distinguished reputation. After managing  Coldwell Banker Koetje Real Estate for over 13 years and being active in the real estate business in Oak Harbor for more than 30 years, Rick, Peggy, and Camden Schutte became the new owners of Koetje Real Estate in the summer of 2009. Building upon the tradition of community support established by Hank, Al and George Koetje, Coldwell Banker Koetje Real Estate and Koetje Property Management continue to be quiet supporters of community activities and programs. Some of the areas of support they participate in are: Big Brothers/Big Sisters, Christmas in July,  Tree of Hope, Oak Harbor Baseball and Little League Programs, Oak Harbor Soccer, Toys for Tots, Holiday House and Help House.

Koetje Real Estate is proud to be a member of the Oak Harbor Chamber of Commerce and part of the Greater Oak Harbor Business Community.

Congratulations to Whidbey Marketplace & News-The Greater Oak Harbor Chamber of Commerce’s April Buisness of the Month.

Locally owned and operated, the Whidbey Marketplace & News is a free weekly publication featuring an extensive activities calendar, letters to the editor, local business news, classifieds, police reports, obituaries, a restaurant directory, human interest stories and much more. The Marketplace is currently distributed every Wednesday at over 200 retail locations throughout Whidbey Island and Anacortes, in addition to being on the Clinton/Mukilteo ferries and the Coupeville/Pt. Townsend ferry.

Eric Marshall took over the reigns as Publisher & Editor of the Whidbey Marketplace & News in March of 2009. Since that time he and the Marketplace have sponsored countless events, organizations and non-profits on Whidbey Island to include: WAIF, Soroptimist International of Oak Harbor, CADA, the Coupeville Arts & Crafts Festival and more.

Eric currently serves on the board of the Oak Harbor Youth Football League, the North Cascade Youth Football League, the Whidbey Playhouse, the United Way of Island County and the Greater Oak Harbor Chamber of Commerce.

Eric believes the real strength of the Marketplace is the staff that creates the paper each week. Not only are they a dedicated, hardworking group of individuals but they volunteer their free time to help support the community by participating in events such as the American Cancer Society Relay for Life, the Big Brothers Big Sisters of Island County Bowl for Kids Sake and by picking up litter along Highway 20 as part of the Adopt a Highway program.

The Whidbey Marketplace & News is honored to be part of the Whidbey Island community and is proud to be the April Chamber of Commerce Business of the Month.