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Community Profile: Lake Stevens |
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Written On: January/February 2007 |
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Written By: by Shawn Sullivan |
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In 1886, the first white settlers arrived on the shores of Lake Stevens, nestled in the foothills of the Cascade Range about 30 miles north of Seattle. Believed to be named after Gov. Isaac I. Stevens, the first settlement in the area was built on on a 160-acre homestead along the east shore.
By 1890 the first town in the area, Ferry, was established. The name was later changed to Hartford, and shortly thereafter the Rucker Brothers Timber Co. built a railroad spur connecting the outpost to the rest of western Washington, bringing the area’s rich timber and mining resources to the world. From that point on, Lake Stevens became a vacation community, with several private and public resorts scattered around the shore.
As time passed and the town grew, Lake Stevens became one of several communities that supported Boeing employees working at the nearby Everett assembly plant. During this transitional period, all of the resorts on the lake’s shoreline were bought up and eventually shut down. Today, Lake Stevens no longer has any accommodations for tourists. "Our community wants a hotel in Lake Stevens," Mayor Vern Little said. "We would like people to come here, stay here and play here, and hopefully that will happen soon."
Despite the lack of hotels, the Lake Stevens area is growing at breakneck speed. "We’re the fastest growing community in all of Snohomish County," Little said. Most of Lake Stevens’ growth comes from the recent annexation of an area called Frontier Village, which comprises about two square miles of already-developed commercial property.
The existence of two distinct commercial districts is what separates Lake Stevens from most other cities. "On the west side of town, we have more of the 'big-box' type stores like Target," Little said. "However, our east side caters to smaller independent businesses oriented to pedestrians and bike riders."
Even though the west side caters to larger floor plans, it’s not without its share of unique shops. One example is Bridges Pets, Gifts & Water Gardens. "When I grew up here there weren’t any pet stores in Lake Stevens," said owner Dan Eylander. "So when the opportunity presented itself, I took it." Unlike most pet stores, Bridges also has a huge selection of gifts and water gardens. "We didn’t want a 'warehouse feeling' like you have in most other pet stores," Eylander said. "We wanted to make it more of a living room, that way our customers feel like they are at home when they are here."
Another unique store located on the west side is Lund Glass Inc., a small business that employs 11 people. Lund specializes in custom installation of glass, both residential and commercial. "We do everything in glazing, grinding and installing glass, except auto," said owner Todd Lund. Lund Glass has served Lake Stevens for almost 40 years. "Basically, my dad started this business here because it was his home town," said Lund. "Right now, owning a business in Lake Stevens is hectic and fun."
While room for expansion on the west side of Lake Stevens isn’t in short supply, available land on the lakeshore is. Currently, city hall sits on one of the largest plots of undeveloped real estate—something the newly appointed mayor wants to rectify. "The city doesn’t need to be on the only prime real estate available," Little said. "We are ready to move."
As the city waits for developers to show interest in buying the land, other local merchants have opened businesses around the downtown core in hopes of offering a passerby something a little different. One such store is The Village Secret, which offers a distinct collection of clothing jewelry and gifts. "My business got its name because I kept it a secret from my daughter," said owner Molly Hendrickson. "I love owning a business in Lake Stevens because I don’t have to commute—it is very nice to own a business so close to home."
Leni Pena, owner of Kid Snips and Mane Street Hair, also enjoys her commute, but above all—like Hendrickson, Lund and Eylander—she loves how friendly the people of Lake Stevens are. "It is very rewarding to be involved with the community, meeting people and being part of something, especially when you get to work with kids," Pena said. "What makes my shop unique is that kids like coming here." Children getting a haircut have videos to watch and toys to play with, all while sitting in a toy race car that doubles as a barber chair.
Another business on the east side of Lake Stevens is Greg’s Custom Fishing Rods. Unlike most fishing boutiques, Greg’s has regularly scheduled classes on the fundamentals of fishing—both fly and cast—rod building and fly making. "I decided to offer these classes because it is more than just the pleasure of building it," said owner Greg Rockenbach. "It is more about the pleasure you get out of using something you spent quality time making."
Because Lake Stevens serves as a bedroom community for people employed by Boeing and other large employers in nearby Everett, it can sometimes be hard for local businesses to find long-term employees. "At times, it is difficult to compete with Boeing, even though we offer good medical and pension plans," said Wayne Berry, owner of Apex Wood Products Corp., a small wood-molding plant that employs 20 people. "Small employers like us just cannot afford to pay everyone the same wages as Boeing. We would if we could, but the fact is that we have to make a profit."
Lake Stevens has a wide range of recreational opportunities available, which is perhaps another reason people have flocked to the area. Fishing is one of the area’s primary attractions, especially when salmon and steelhead run up the Pilchuck River in December and January. "Lake Stevens is great for fishing because you can fish someplace different every day and never run out of places to fish," Rockenbach said.
Another tourist draw for Lake Stevens is the lake itself. Boat enthusiasts can use the public boat launch and enjoy water skiing, wake boarding and tubing in the summer, while rowers from across the country come to Lake Stevens for competitions held throughout the year. "We are one of the primary lakes used by the rowing community," Mayor Little said. "The triathlon also uses it for its national qualifier."
Lake Stevens also helps promote local farmers and artisans through its farmers’ market, which runs throughout the summer months. "Our farmers’ market runs along the same time as our concert series," Little said. People often come to enjoy the music and end up buying food or crafts from the market, which has doubled in size since it began a few years ago.
Lake Stevens has a lot to offer a business desiring to relocate or expand there. The city’s government is willing to work with anyone and everyone, while every existing business owner wants to welcome new businesses with open arms. "Ultimately, we would like to keep jobs for our residence on this side of the [State Route 2] trestle," Little said. "In a perfect world, I would love to see the downtown core as a large construction site for the next few years."
If developers start to see what is available in Lake Stevens right now, he just might get his wish.
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