 The Tacoma-Pierce County Chamber's Happy Hour Business Expo returned on June 18, bringing together the South Sound business community for an evening of high-energy networking, discovery, and celebration at Foss Waterway Seaport. Set against the beautiful waterfront backdrop, attendees explored booths from local businesses and organizations, sampled food and beverages, and connected with fellow professionals from across the region. From new introductions to long-standing business relationships, the event showcased the power of community and connection. One of this year's highlights was the Interactive Inlet, a hands-on experience featuring local businesses that added a new level of energy and engagement to the expo. Guests enjoyed professional headshots, massages, creative activities, tooth gems, and tiny tattoos, making the Interactive Inlet an unforgettable exploration of the South Sounds creative economy. The Happy Hour Business Expo continues to be a favorite Chamber tradition because it creates opportunities for businesses to connect in a fun and meaningful way. We can't wait to see you next year! Thank You to Our Sponsors & Vendors The Happy Hour Business Expo would not have been possible without the incredible support of our sponsors, vendors, and community partners. Thank you for helping create an evening filled with meaningful connections, local business discovery, and memorable experiences. Event Sponsors
The Galley Vendors
The Interactive Inlet Vendors
Exhibiting Vendors
The Chamber and Spaceworks teams have grown and evolved over the last several months, and we’re excited to celebrate these incredible team members!
 Welcome to the members who joined our business community in May 2026:
South Sound businesses and civic and community leaders used the WA2WA 2026 Congressional Fly-In to discuss infrastructure, trade, healthcare, energy, and economic competitiveness with federal officials.  One Region, One Voice
For more than 40 years, the Tacoma-Pierce County Chamber has brought South Sound leaders to Washington, D.C. to advocate for the region. WA2WA 2026 showed it still matters: a unified message carries weight. Over 50 regional leaders spent three days meeting with members of Congress, federal policymakers, and industry experts during a period of narrow political margins, trade debates, funding pressure, and legislative gridlock. Even in a tough federal environment, Washington State’s congressional delegation remains one of the most effective in the country, advancing bipartisan priorities that directly affect the South Sound. Federal leaders described a narrow-margin Congress, difficult funding environment and ongoing uncertainty around trade, tariffs, and federal investment. Despite the gridlock, Washington’s delegation was consistently described as highly effective at advancing bipartisan priorities especially transportation, infrastructure, defense, energy, and maritime issues. Key Issues That Surfaced
The Opportunity The 2026 FIFA World Cup is expected to bring major visibility and economic activity to Washington state, with Seattle hosting six matches and fan activities reaching communities across the region. The Challenge Business leaders said permitting remains one of the biggest barriers to growth. Multi-jurisdictional processes, unclear timelines and regulatory complexity are slowing investment. The South Sound needs to become “the place for business” not only through promotion, but through faster permitting, stronger regional collaboration, and a more competitive business climate. What's Next WA2WA attendees identified several priorities for follow-up:
The bottom line: WA2WA 2026 reinforced that the South Sound has major assets: port areas, defense, healthcare, manufacturing, Tribal partnerships, education, and global trade connections. The next step is turning a unified regional voice into collaborative action. Welcome to the members who joined our business community in March 2026:
Welcome to the members who joined our business community in April 2026:
Main Street Is Growing in Tacoma: How Entrepreneurs Are Strengthening Local Business Districts5/12/2026
GUEST AUTHOR: Tomi Wimbish, Comcast Business  There’s a quiet confidence building across Tacoma’s small business community. It shows up in the storefronts downtown, the independent businesses lining neighborhood corridors, and the entrepreneurs choosing to invest in one of Washington’s most resilient and creative business communities.
Tacoma doesn’t have just one Main Street; it has many. From downtown Tacoma and the Stadium District to Proctor, Sixth Avenue, Lincoln District, and South Tacoma Way, the city is defined by neighborhood business districts filled with independent restaurants, retailers, coffee shops, professional services, and creative ventures. These districts function as Tacoma’s Main Streets, each with its own identity and strong local customer base. Organizations like the Tacoma-Pierce County Chamber continue to support that ecosystem through advocacy, economic development, workforce partnerships, and direct support for entrepreneurs. As Tacoma continues balancing growth, redevelopment, and strong neighborhood identity, chamber leadership plays a major role in helping small businesses succeed. Nationally, 57% of aspiring entrepreneurs say they plan to launch a business this year, even if economic conditions aren’t perfect. Tacoma reflects that same entrepreneurial momentum. As one of Washington’s largest cities and a major economic hub for the South Sound, Tacoma supports thousands of small businesses across health care, logistics, retail, construction, hospitality, manufacturing, and professional services. This new generation of entrepreneurs is reshaping what business ownership looks like. They’re opening restaurants, breweries, fitness studios, family-owned retail shops, consulting firms, and digital-first ventures that still depend heavily on strong community relationships. Many are first-time owners helping shape Tacoma’s next chapter. At the same time, the reality of running a small business has changed. In 2026, success requires more than a great product or excellent customer service. Business owners need to be AI-ready, cybersecurity-aware, and confident using technology to manage operations, reach customers, and compete effectively. That can feel overwhelming when owners are also balancing staffing, inventory, finances, and customer experience. Technology should reduce friction, not create it. When connectivity is unreliable or systems aren’t secure, growth becomes harder. The good news is that it doesn’t have to be that way. With the right technology foundation in place, small businesses can spend less time worrying about infrastructure and more time focused on customers and community. Reliable internet, built-in security, and scalable solutions help businesses operate smoothly while staying ready for tomorrow. At Comcast Business, we’re proud to support entrepreneurs across Tacoma and Pierce County. Our goal is to help businesses plant strong roots by providing technology solutions that grow alongside their ambition. Main Street in Tacoma isn’t making a comeback; it’s expanding. With the right support systems in place, local entrepreneurs can continue to strengthen neighborhoods and build a stronger regional economy for years to come. Tomi Wimbish is an Account Executive for Comcast Business serving Tacoma. She may be reached at [email protected] or (253) 345-9023. Adapted from a template article provided by Comcast Business. As Sound Transit looks to balance rising costs for ST3, we need more than ever to hold them accountable to their commitment to connect the spine to the Tacoma and the South Sound.
AUTHOR: TOM PIERSON, INTERIM PRESIDENT & CEO  The 2026 Washington State Legislature adjourned March 12th after passing 267 bills. The session delivered significant new costs and regulatory pressures for businesses. Budget
The 2025-27 supplemental operating budget increases the total spending amount for the biennium to $80.2 billion – an increase of $2.4 billion for the biennium. This includes a $880 million transfer from the rainy day fund, marking the state’s continued increase in spending. Over the past decade, state spending has increased by 116%, far exceeding the inflation rate of 34% in the same time period. This trajectory highlights the ongoing concerns about the long-term sustainability of the state’s budget and the likelihood of continued fiscal pressures in future cycles. In direct harm to businesses, Governor Ferguson decided to veto $500,000 in the state’s supplemental operating budget that was dedicated to combating organized retail crime. This is a major setback for the business community, our employees, and our customers. The business community has consistently talked about the impacts of retail crime, underscoring that dedicated state investments like this are not optional - they are essential to maintaining public and operational safety. This funding is not new; in 2024 the legislature provided $1 million to launch the now successful pilot program in King, Snohomish, and Spokane counties, which focused on coordinated responses to organized retail crime. This funding delivered measurable results, including 402 program-driven law enforcement responses, and generated 5,868 organized crime reports, among many other measurable outcomes that helped businesses. Eliminating this investment is discouraging to the business community when we are asking for meaningful partnership, support, and action. Without additional funding, businesses are left without support they desperately need. While we understand the state is working under budget constraints, if the state is serious about protecting local economies, supporting frontline workers, and maintaining safe retail spaces, prioritizing this type of funding must be a priority. We look forward to working with legislators to restore it. Income Tax The legislature passed the first income tax, under the guise of it being a “millionaires’ tax.” This statewide income tax impacts households with income exceeding $1 million dollars – which is $500k/year for people filing jointly. Income taxes, coupled with other anti-business and anti-economic development policy decisions, make Washington less competitive and drives residents and businesses out of state. This is especially harmful when Washington already ranks near the bottom nationally in tax competitiveness and overall business climate. The Legislature’s rationale for the tax is to generate additional revenue to make up for the current 2025-27 budget deficit, which sets itself up to expand the tax further in 2027-2029 as they continue to fail in balancing the budget with new revenue. But to be clear, Washington does not have a revenue problem - it has spending and fiscal management priority and policy problems. Data Centers In a devastating blow to businesses, ESSB 6231 was passed and signed by the Governor, repealing a sales and use tax exemption for the refurbishing of data centers. This tax exemption is meant to attract these facilities to Washington since they bring millions in investments, create lots of local jobs, generate additional tax revenues, and promote economic development. These exemptions have been particularly critical for Pierce County as our data center has brought high paying job opportunities and generated millions of tax revenue. Transportation The legislature did approve a $16.6 billion transportation package. The package emphasizes additional preservation and maintenance of existing infrastructure including, road and bridge repairs, ferry system preservation, highway safety improvements and more. In addition, it is estimated this package could support up to 30,000 jobs statewide. Veterans In a big win for our veteran community, the Governor signed ESHB 2534 which promotes education stability for children of military families. Our team advocated for this bill, and we are happy to see the Legislature’s support for our veterans and military families. The 2026 Legislative session, with few exceptions, proved to be a challenging one for Washington’s business community, marked by increased costs, new regulatory pressures, and continued spending growth without any long-term solutions. We will be closely monitoring the impact of these policies in the months ahead while continuing to advocate for a more competitive, sustainable economic and fiscal environment by supporting our local business community through the challenges ahead. My question for you, when you interact with your legislative members can you ask them this simple question: What exactly did they do for your business to make the South Sound the place for business?  In mid-February, the Chamber's advocacy team took a group of members to Olympia to advocate for the business community at the Chamber's annual Legislative Advocacy Day. The group included Chamber staff, board members, small business owners, and community members, and met with a variety of Representatives, including Representative Richards (District 26), Representative Valdez (District 26), Representative Keaton (District 25), among others. The team met with these Representatives individually to give Chamber members the opportunity to share their perspectives on proposed legislation and to strengthen relationships with their elected officials. These conversations allowed the group to highlight the real-world impact of proposed policies and ensure that the business community's voices were effectively represented. While down in Olympia, several legislative priorities were advocated for, including:
Meeting directly with lawmakers reinforced the importance of civic engagement and collaboration between the public and private sectors. Advocacy Day serves as a reminder that meaningful change begins with open dialogue, strong relationships, and a commitment to representing our community’s interests. The advocacy team is grateful for the opportunity to engage in these important conversations and will continue to advocate for policies that support economic growth and opportunity in the Puget Sound.  The Chamber is thrilled to welcome two new team members: Pachia Paul, Senior Growth Officer, and Anna Terrano, Community Engagement Coordinator.
|
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. Archives
August 2026
Categories
All
|
RSS Feed
