From hotels to a state-of-the-art indoor gun range, Lakewood is bustling with construction activity as numerous businesses prepare to open.

Welcher’s Gun Shop & Indoor Range is set to open soon at 11701 Pacific Highway SW. The com-bination retail store and indoor shooting range will be a destination for people wanting to perfect their shooting skills and find the latest gear.

Nearby, Marriott is building its 120-suite TownePlace Suites. Slated to open this summer at 11725 Pacific Highway SW, it has an indoor pool, gym and business center.

Comfort Inn & Suites is also under construction at 12704 Pacific Highway SW. This 54-unit hotel will open late summer. Special sound proof materials are being used to buffer against freeway noise and its proximity to the railroad where Sounder trains pass and high-speed Amtrak trains will begin this fall.

Lakewood IndexCity of Lakewood Economic Development newsletter April/May 2017

Under Construction

Coming soon:• Lee Medical Center: a three-story medical pavilion set to open in May/June at 8511 S. Tacoma Way. It will include Good Pharmacy, urgent care, labs, Christian family practice and optical ser-vices.

• Advanced Auto Parts: Will open soon on South Tacoma Way between Mazatlán restaurant and Candlewood Suites.

Now leasing: • LogistiCenter is leasing space in its 220,000-square-foot building at 96th Street and South Tacoma Way.

• Panattoni is seeking tenants for its 470,000-square-foot building in the Woodbrook Business Park. Lo-cated joff Interstate 5 at the North Thorne Lane exit, it’s an ideal location for manufacturing, distribution and warehousing.

Lakewood DiningLocal restaurants offer international flavors

Lakewood is known for its diverse culinary offerings with flavors from around the world. Here’s just a few “can’t miss” eateries.

House of Mandoo Dumplings are the specailty at House of Mandoo, which have been described as “little pockets of heaven.” Pick from three fillings: pork, kimchi pork or red bean paste. Made to order, always fresh and affordable - each dumpling is $2 plus tax. This will become your new favorite restau-rant for a quick bite. Recently opened next to Pal-Do World Market , 9701 S. Tacoma Way.

Taqueria El Antojo

“Fast Mexican Food” that’s authentic and decently priced. Hit the lunch rush and you might have to wait, but it’s worth it. Address: 11916 Pacific Highway SW.

Pal-Do World Market

This is more than just an Asian market. The food court has a family atmosphere and the food is authentic, abundant and fresh. Nak Won Korean cuisine, sushi, and Chinese are all delicious and distinctive. Address: 9701 S. Tacoma Way.

Cho Dang Tofu

Also at 9701 S. Tacoma Way this restaurant offers guests surprisingly abundant servings of fresh and healthy goodness. Traditional tea, rice, soup, noodles, meat and vegetables are on the menu.

Cham Garden

The place to go for traditional Korean barbecue. Reasonably priced and great portion sizes. Some people say they would never eat anywhere else, it’s that good. Address: 10518 S. Tacoma Way.

Business ShowcaseCR Coachworks, Chambers Creek Veterinary Hospital, Hess Bakery & Deli

A Lakewood institution, Hess Bakery built a reputation on offering the freshest, most authentic Ger-man baked goods, sandwiches and groceries anywhere in the South Sound. Its shelves are packed with items imported directly from Germany. Hess customers can pick up all their German favorites – from pretzels and rye bread made with non-processed flour, to meat, beer, geschnetzeltes, soda, laundry soap and even German magazines. Co-owners Joanie and John DeGrande and Dario “Kiki” Cardenas purchased the store from the Hess family in 2006 around the time founder Tony Hess passed away. Hess and his wife Hilda opened the store in 1963 after immigrating to the area. At the time the store’s popularity was attributable to word-of-mouth through the local German community.

Lakewood resident, Veterinarian Max Flockerzie worked with military dogs as an Army veterinarian in South Korea before starting his practice in Lakewood in 1971. Dr. Peter Yantorni, also a local, joined as a partner shortly after. The veterinary hospital began as a small operation on Bridgeport Way but grew in popularity as word spread about its exceptional reputation. The hospital expanded into its current space at 7210 Bridgeport Way in 2001. The hospital employs roughly 30 people, with three doctors seeing several dozen patients daily. Services have grown to support the needs of their clients including wellness care, comprehensive dental care, and integrative medicine including acupuncture and massage.

Lakewood resident Doug Graf can credit his first car – a 1961 red Corvette – for igniting his love of Corvettes. Fast forward a few decades and today Graf is surrounded by Corvette parts inside his 15,000-square-foot warehouse space at the Lakewood Industrial Center. That’s where Graf and daughter Julie Stacy operate Custom Reflection Coachworks, a car makeover business that caters to Corvette lovers. Donor cars are reduced to their chassis while a new body is made from precast molds. The molds are for 1958, 1962 and 1967 Corvettes. Once finished the cars mirror Corvettes from yesteryear, but with custom detail and modern day technology like heated seats.

Graf is a 40-year resident of Lakewood and gives back by opening his doors ot local service clubs to meet among the “Retro Vettes” and has partnered with area vocational schools to give students a first-hand look at what it takes to rebuild a classic. He has also hired a handful of Clover Park Technical College graduates over the years.

Hess Bakery & Deli

Chambers Creek Veterinary Hospital

Classic Reflection Coachworks

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Economic IncentivesWhy you should choose Lakewood

Local Incentives

State, Federal Incentives

• Strategically located: Ports of Seattle, Tacoma

• No local B&O Tax

• No development impact fees

• No added minimum wage requirement

• FREE commercial construction watch program

• FREE business watch program—retail

• Low business licensing fee

• Within Foreign Trade Zone 86

• HUD Section 108 lending program

• HUB Zone, EB5 Foreign Direct Invest-ment, and New Market Tax Credit eligible areas

• Two colleges: Pierce College & Clover Park Tech

• Workforce customized training

• Direct Sounder commuter rail service to Seattle

• $50 Million capital improvements planned

• Multifamily Tax Exemption Program

• Diversified residential opportunities

• Site selection, “wrap-around” busi-ness services

• Beautiful parks, lakes and open spaces

Attend an upcoming forum

Marketing to Government BuyersMay 11, 9-11 a.m.A hands-on workshop about marketing to contract offi-cers, preparing for network-ing and developing a target-ed marketing plan. Register here.

Developer’s ForumJune 15, 8-10 a.m.Hear from current project owners about why they chose Lakewood; the city’s management team will dis-cuss building, permitting, infrastructure, programs to support future develop-ment and additional oppor-tunities you won’t want to miss. Register here.

• No corporate income tax

• No personal, inventory or unitary taxes

• Sales Tax exemption on machinery & equipment

• Manufacturing, technology & green credits

Economic IndicatorsA snapshot at Lakewood’s economic climate

Retail tradeThere are three retail trade areas within the city: Lake-wood Towne Center, Pacific Highway and South Taco-ma Way International District.

These areas have high traffic volumes and are desti-nations for shoppers who live outside Lakewood city limits.

Bringing new business to Lakewood is a draw because the city has no development impact fees, no local busi-ness and occupation tax, no added minimum wage re-quirement and is easily access from Interstate 5 and surrounding communities.

To learn more about what makes Lakewood a business draw visit cityoflakewood.us and watch the new Lake-wood In-Depth Retail video.

Want to know who’s coming to Lakewood and why? Check out our “Priority Areas and Projects, Winter Quarter 2017” brochure on the website under eco-nomic development data.

Becky NewtonEconomic Development Managerbnewton@citoflakewood.us253-983-7738 cityoflakewood.us/economic-development

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2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016

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Lakewood Taxable Retail Sales

Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Full Year

Real Estate, Dec ‘16

Median sales price: $349,694Avg. List price: $302,500Residential listings: 76

Avg. Daily Traffic Volume

Gravelly Lake Dr & 100th St: 19,345Pacific Hwy & 108th St: 23,572S. Tacoma Way & Steilacoom Blvd: 29,398

Largest Public Employers

JBLM: 50,000Madigan Army Hospital: 5,200Western State Hospital: 2,206Clover Park School District: 1,629Pierce College: 1,308 Camp Murray: 980

Largest Private Employers

St. Clare Hospital/Franciscan: 907Aacres WA LLC: 562McLane Northwest: 436Greater Lakes Mental Health: 358Walmart Supercenter: 341

General Demographics

Population: 58,800Daytime population: 92,069Median age: 36Avg. family income (2015): $74,705Graduation rate: 90 percent

Did you know? Pierce County is the most trade dependent county in the state

and Washington is the most trade dependent state in the

nation.

View the full report