Business Briefs: CompUSA closing, new wine and furniture stores open

CompUSA
The Tacoma branch of CompUSA is closing within 90 days. The chain has lagged behind other comsumer tech stores like Best Buy and Circuit City and will shut 126 stores in including those in Bellevue, Kirkland, Lynnwood, Mountlake Terrace and Tukwila while keeping the Spokane store open. Dang! Now Spokane has great restored hotels and a CompUSA.

Can't say I'm sorry to see this store go as it always had a pretty drab feel to it. I'm guessing that's probably from sucking the life out of its employees as they did to my friend for many months. I'll gladly shop online or at other local tech shops that at a place like CompUSA.

3/1 - Tacoma CompUSA among 126 stores to close soon, TNT

Don Willis Furniture
The former Denny's Furniture at 5510A Sixth Ave. in Tacoma [ map ] is now Don Willis Furniture. They offer finished and unfinished work in a variety of woods and even have connections with other local custom furniture makers to create that unique piece just for you.

We're going to be in-need of a new computer desk soon so maybe we'll swing by and see if anything's in our price range.

3/1 - New Tacoma store features selection of wood furniture, TNT

Wildside Wine
A new retail wine shop has opened up at 608A S. Oxford St. [ map ] just off Sixth Ave. There's wine tasting anytime and you can also schedule wine tasting parties. Local art also on display.

Someone out there in this blog community who actually knows something about wine (e.g. not me) should do a comprehensive write-up about all the wine stores and bars/restaurants in the area. Anyone game? Let me know.

3/1 - Couple open wine shop in Tacoma's West End, TNT

Got a new business? Some exciting news or an event at your current one? Sent them over and we'll spread the word.

Sat. March 17, 2007, 11:25am PDT

Tacoma's Garage grand re-opening Mar. 2

Tacoma's Garage night club is kicking off some changes with a grand re-opening this weekend starting Friday. Here are some deets...

104.9 FM & Garage Monkey Presents
JOIN DAMON STEWART & THE MONKEY MILITIA
Grand Re-Opening Night at The Garage
The Mob Law
Totalisti
Counterfist
***NO COVER***

8PM doors | 9:30PM show |21+

More over at FeedTacoma

Sat. March 17, 2007, 09:56pm PDT

My first Coffee & Rhetoric

The first thing that comes to mind is "right on". Thanks to our hosts Julie from UrbanXchange and Josh Carter for the invite and thanks for contributing to the energy I see around local blogs and in everyday life here in Tacoma. My first Coffee & Rhetoric tonight was one I participated in as a guest along with Derek of Exit133. We were there to listen to some music and talk about blogs and our impact creating online and real-world community involvement. We talked about the character of our websites, how we do or do not make a difference here, and where we think the future will take our blogs and Tacoma itself.

The one thing I loved about tonight is how it got me thinking of our "online community". In such a local setting as Tacoma it's amazing that I might easily know someone or visa versa that I've connected with via my blog because we're physically close together. The joining and overlap from virtual to real-world is easy to do here and Coffee & Rhetoric, bocce meet-ups, and groups like the Tacoma Photo Gang are proof positive that blogs are far more than any individual's rants and raves.

An effort I've been involved in, for those of you who don't know, called FeedTacoma.com is yet another avenue to grow these collaborative possibilities. We're taking our relatively singular, individual blog voices and pooling them together in a thoughtful way to focus currently over a dozen contributing websites into a resource that reaches beyond what any one blog can offer. Check it out and keep coming back because the pace and scope of all the content is pretty exciting and there's stuff like Tacoma photos from Flickr and a growing events calendar that are open for viewing and your own contributions.

Thanks again for tonight's Coffee & Rhetoric and let's keep this stuff going. Drop by some Thursday night down there at Cutter's Point to take part and remember to keep an eye on the FeedTacoma calendar for info about this event and plenty others.

So how do you think the idea of "community" is impacted both online and off? Where do you see this stuff going?