When you think of a place you love to visit or place where you are proud to share that you have been, how is that location’s street appearance? It is unkempt and messy? Or does it have carefully groomed and attractive landscape and architecture?

It isn’t a difficult stretch to understand why it might be important for a business to think about its street appearance. The majority of people would choose an attractive place over a dive.

Several years ago, the state of Washington spent a considerable amount of time and money working with businesses and planning a project whose purpose was to enhance the area. They built sidewalks and cubs along the street. There was a considerable amount of angst from the businesses over closing off the parking space in front of their establishments and the limited entrances to the highway. In order to handle drainage, the state built ecologically efficient grassy swales to clean and absorb the rainwater runoff. Of course, the state said they were not going to maintain them. Most cities ask home owners to mow along their sidewalks too.Now come with me on a trip along Pacific Avenue from SR 512 to the Roy Y. How many of those grassy swales and bushy landscaped ditches are actually maintained? A huge bravo to those who do! You are helping our community make the statement that it cares about how it looks and the impression it makes on passersby, the impression that we really want you to stop in and do business here.

This topic was an issue discussed in a focus group by the Spanaway organization, 723 Networking. They wondered if there was a way to encourage businesses that keep their grassy swales neat and tidy.

Some do it themselves. Others, like Nature Boys, paid a young local budding entrepreneur who stopped by and said, “Hey Mister, can I mow your grass for ten bucks?”

So here’s an idea moms and dads. If your kids are looking for some summer cash, why not give it a try? Let’s suggest our budding businesses people go out beyond the next door neighbors. Go to all the ditch forgetters and offer to spruce up their place for a reasonable fee. Teenagers could make some money taking down the hay. Spanaway doesn’t have all the horses it used to, ready to eat it all. We grew houses the past 20 years instead.

So kids, get your best business face on and help out the community at the same time. Let’s try to make Pacific Avenue the place people want to drive through and patronize because it is lovely. We really do want to be a great place to do business.