Edmonds, Washington

185 BUSINESS VIEW MAGAZINE VOLUME 9, ISSUE 12 EDMONDS , WASHINGTON stepped up to help smaller businesses make the transition to online sales. Nelson explains, “We had a lot of retailers that had never sold online before. So, the community had folks who did web design and IT and they helped those businesses make that transition.” The residents of Edmonds were a huge support to the local restaurant industry, taking advantage of carry-out options when the establishments had to be closed. “You hear people talk about COVID belly. Well, it wasn’t because we were sitting around, it was because we were ordering takeout every night,” chuckles Mayor Nelson. “But you know, that made a difference. All of our restaurants downtown survived. We can’t say that for a lot of our neighboring cities, but that took a community effort. That was because our community cared.” Development Services Director, Susan McLaughlin notes that Edmonds also has a strong environmental ethic. The Puget Sound Bird Fest is one example of how the community honors the natural environment. The festival is a celebration of birds and nature that happens each fall, offering presentations by local experts, workshops and demonstrations, and fun activities for all ages. “We have a very strong environmental ethic here with the Puget Sound and other water bodies and forested parkland,” McLaughlin points out that “We have community members that really care and step up to not only advocate, but to conduct boots on the ground restoration and education with the Audubon Society, Save the Marsh, and the many other advocacy groups that are engaged in our community. So that volunteerism is a foundational element of our culture as well.”