From ghost town to boom town in 10 years

Originally published Saturday, July 12, 1997

By DON CARTER
SEATTLE POST-INTELLIGENCER REPORTER

A decade ago, downtown Everett was practically a ghost town. Following the national trend that created ghost downtowns everywhere, retailers moved to suburban malls and the shoppers followed.

In recent years, Everett officials and downtown merchants have worked closely to lure back the shoppers. Merchants now tax themselves to pay for more frequent street cleaning, more police patrols, flower boxes and other amenities.

The city recently completed an overhaul of Colby Avenue by confining traffic to two lanes and widening sidewalks into a pedestrian-friendly promenade. Merchants won the battle to keep out parking meters.

Downtown Everett now has a lot of new faces, shop owners who have bought into the downtown dream during the past few years.

Neal McEntire was barbering in a Seattle shop when, two years ago, he saw a chance to own his own place on Colby Avenue. Business was a bummer during the long Colby reconstruction, but now, with more Navy customers, it's starting to pick up, McEntire says.

Retired Navy recruiter Jim Kinslow and his family bought an old Everett jewelry store five years ago. Burnett Brothers Jewelry, established in 1898, is now run by Kinslow, his wife, daughter and son-in-law, a master goldsmith.

"We're still trying to get over the perception of Everett as a high-crime area," Kinslow says. "Some older people won't come into the store unless they can park right in front of it."

But Kinslow regards Everett as "one of the safest cities I've ever been around."

He remembers Everett's milltown days, "when Tacoma and Everett were the two towns you couldn't get through fast enough." Kinslow says he would never have bought a business in Everett if he hadn't been convinced the city was in a major turnaround.

Down the street, retired teacher Ken Bosman is realizing a dream of owning his own bookstore. In late 1989, Bosman was called for jury duty and had long lunch hours to wander around town. "There were a lot of buildings begging to be bought," he recalls.

He found one he liked, bought it and rented it out. Two years ago, when he retired, he opened Pilchuck Books.