Building Bellingham

Meet Jesse Parker, Master Blender at the award-winning Doc Swinson's American whiskey brand. In this episode, we hear how a 20-something kid won a national gin award, how a small business that began with ten casks has grown to an operation with thousands of casks, how a small distillery in Ferndale is ranking - and winning - in national and international industry competitions, and how imagination, commitment to quality, and a vision for American whiskey is driving everything that happens at Doc Swinson's.

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Meet Matt Mini, THE Funky of Funky's Hot Sauce; he's a master of creating artisanal hot sauces with a zing of garlic or a fruit-forward sweetness that still packs a lot of heat. In this episode, we hear about his years of developing recipes, how he moved from kitchen to kitchen (and how narrow the temperature range has to be for fermented foods), about the Carolina Reaper sauce that won the 2022 Screaming Mimi award and catapulted his hot sauces into national recognition, and how Stellar Fuzz made it onto Season 23 of Hot Ones. Follow the show:

https://www.instagram.com/building.bellingham/

Meet Charmae Scheffer; she's a high-energy people lover with a passion for caring for dogs while their parents are at work or on vacation. In this episode, we hear how Charmae juggled raising seven kids while growing a fledgling business, how the Whatcom County zoning code changed due to the Scheffers' efforts, and how Charmae works to develop the next generation of hard workers who will be an asset anywhere they go.

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YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@buildingbellingham6747

Meet Andi Vann; she's a high-energy dessert aficionado with a passion for giving joy to others through yummy treats. In this episode, we hear how she left a corporate consulting job to work as an independent baker, how she and Nick renovated their cafe on a shoestring budget, and how she approaches each day with a customer-first mindset.

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Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/building.bellingham/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/building.bellingham

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@buildingbellingham6747

Meet Clarito Zapanta; he's a filmmaker, director and executive producer with an affinity for Air Jordans and a passion for creating TV and feature film productions right here in Bellingham. In this episode, we hear how he and Kristina grew IAJ Media from a marketing agency into a full-time film studio, how he dug deep into personal development, and about how he created an entire world for his film in progress: Egress.

Learn more about the show:

Website: https://www.livebellinghamnow.com/building_bellingham Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/building.bellingham/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@buildingbellingham6747

Meet Emile Diffley; he's the 28 year-old owner of Banter Hospitality, a counter-service restaurant known for its bright atmosphere and iconic breakfast burrito. In this episode, we learn about Emile's history working in different cities, his passion for quality food and smooth operations, and the challenges to providing a unique-yet-familiar food experience in Bellingham.

Learn more about the show:

Website: https://www.livebellinghamnow.com/building_bellingham Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/building.bellingham/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@buildingbellingham6747

Welcome to Season 5 of the Building Bellingham Podcast! We're joined in the studio by Brad Wilske, co-owner of Lost Giants Cider Co. In this episode, we learn about the difference between cider apples and culinary apples, the cost of installing a canning line, and weighing the cost and reach of distribution. Brad goes into the mindset of "we're all janitors" and how he sold his home to fund the endeavor. It's all right here in our Season 5 premiere.

Learn more about the show:

Website: https://www.livebellinghamnow.com/building_bellingham Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/building.bellingham/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@buildingbellingham6747

Executive Director Alice Clark and Program Director Lindsey Payne Johnstone joined us to tell about the role DBP plays in keeping our downtown core vibrant and thriving. The Downtown Bellingham Partnership (a 501(c)(3) nonprofit) is famous for is events - First Fridays, Wine Walk, and especially the iconic Downtown Sounds, a free-admission outdoor concert series which draws thousands of people and closes three city blocks over five Wednesdays in the summer.

But the DBP crew is responsible for so much more: administrating micro grants for storefront improvements, public art efforts, graffiti cleanup, spring floral baskets, and safety patrols. Over the past three years, they've also seen their role expand further into business development support and advocacy, including networking with other downtown organizations down the I-5 corridor. We talked about the fentanyl crisis, how the empty office buildings mean less breakfast & lunchtime foot traffic for small businesses, and the emotional work of advocating for their constituents.

About the show: https://www.instagram.com/building.bellingham/

In 2000, Krissy Moehl ran her first ultra - the Chuckanut 50k, which is one of the oldest and largest races of its type in North America. She set a course record, took over as race director in 2003, and began to pursue running professionally. She's the author of Running Your First Ultra and is a Patagonia® ambassador.

In this episode, Krissy tells the story of a major decision that changed the trajectory of her career for the last decade. She digs into the challenges of monetizing running, the year she discovered her value, and the conviction to never lose her joy in the sport.

So fill up your waterbottle, lace up those running shoes, fire up the Airpods and take in Episode 7 of Season 4. Learn more about the show: https://livebellinghamnow.com/building_bellingham https://www.instagram.com/building.bellingham/

Sweet As Waffles began as an idea back in 2015 and a grueling road trip in 2018. Nate and Graham wanted to bring waffles to downtown Bellingham's late-night scene in a new, funky, hole-in-the-wall type spot. Over the years, they've built a solid menu of complex sweet and savory waffles along with their rotating "Waffle of the Week-ish". Today, the duo is running the waffle shop while also building out their new brick-and-mortar location in downtown Bellingham, pivoting back to the original late-night vision.In this episode, we talk about high-deas and the unexpected result of buying a few plastic dinosaurs, the importance of keeping Bellingham weird, and how work ethic, a waffle maker that spewed batter, and semi-nude photos involving maple syrup all contributed to developing one of Bellingham's iconic grub spots. So pour a cup of coffee or a shot of whiskey, kick off your shoes, fire up those Airpods and take in Episode 6 of Season 4. Follow the show on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/building.bellingham/