SPOKANE, Wash. – A recent survey conducted by the Washington Association of Business reveals that optimism is a common sentiment among business owners in the state. The survey, conducted late last month, found that 25% of respondents believe the Washington economy is either strong, another 55% saying it’s moderate. Only 18% fear a recession could occur within the next year.
Joel Barber, owner of The Great PNW clothing store and four other businesses in Spokane, shares this positive outlook. “Right now, we are really seeing the trends,” he said, noting that his businesses have experienced significant growth.
The survey indicates that since the summer, employers have reported increased confidence in Washington’s economy and the future of their businesses. Barber echoed this sentiment, stating, “We’ve seen a lot of growth and I feel like the last two years, it’s kind of plateaued. But we’re definitely seeing — we had the strongest Q3 we’ve ever had in the last three years for the Great PNW, so that’s a huge sign.”
The recent presidential election has also contributed to Barber’s optimism. “Trump has been President before, that didn’t affect our business. Our business was absolutely crushing during that time,” he said. Barber’s confidence is bolstered by his overseas business partners, who are not concerned about potential tariffs. “Every single one unanimously was like, ‘we’re excited Trump is your President.’ They are optimistic for the American economy,” he added.
The Association of Washington Business is monitoring potential tariffs closely. “We believe in trade, we believe in free enterprise, both at the state and federal level,” Dave Mastin, vice president of governmental affairs at AWB, said.
While Barber is focused on state and federal issues, his main concern is local. “How do we make a safe space for people to spend money?” he asked, expressing concern about crime and homelessness in Spokane. “I’ve seen it personally, literally people smoking foilies right in front of my family, it sucks because it’s not the Spokane I grew up with,” he said.
Barber, who also co-owns Thunder Pie pizza in downtown Spokane, is passionate about addressing these issues. “Half our business at Thunder Pie is Uber, because lots of people don’t want to go downtown,” he said. “We want people to sit at a table and have a conversation and experience the whole place, but they don’t want to do that. We hear ‘Downtown in Spokane is sketchy.'”
Despite The Great PNW’s location in Kendall Yards, Barber believes a weak downtown core affects everyone. “It’s not one issue, it’s drug issues, it’s mental health issues. How do we remove that? I would love to have a conversation with (Spokane Mayor) Lisa Brown about that because I’m curious, what is the plan?” he said.
The Spokane Police Department has increased visibility to address crime downtown, and the Core Project recently concluded with reports of a slight decrease in overall crime compared to a year ago. The city will use this data to determine if increased patrols should become permanent.
