Author: Quinn Propst (Quinn Propst)

At Good Stuff Grocery in downtown Port Orchard, everything on the shelf is carefully chosen with quality, health, and community in mind. Owners Andreas Zellweger, a chef, and Barb Alaina Burck, a community developer, stock their small grocery with organic, local, and thoughtfully sourced products—free of high fructose corn syrup and big-brand fillers. From Zellweger’s daily sourdough bakes to their bulk section made possible by donated containers, every detail reflects their values: accessibility, sustainability, and human connection. Located inside the Port Orchard Public Market, Good Stuff is more than a store—it’s a gathering place built with heart.

Through her Silverdale-based studio, The House of Glass, and her nonprofit Creative Warriors, artist and entrepreneur Lisa Stirrett is changing lives across the globe. Her mission: to empower women in Burkina Faso with business training, no-interest microloans, and sustainable agriculture programs. Each loan is repaid and reinvested in another woman, creating a ripple effect of transformation. Stirrett also partners with organizations like Days for Girls and ECHO to provide menstrual health education, farming training, and essential resources. What began as an artist’s journey has become a powerful force for dignity, faith, and economic freedom—one woman, one community at a time.

When the global pandemic abruptly docked Sam Spiva's decade-long career as a cruise industry corporate chef, he turned crisis into opportunity by tapping into his most treasured culinary secret—the vibrant world of freshly ground spices. What began as a "side hustle" selling homemade spice blends has flourished into Spiva Cooking, a thriving Bremerton-based business that's bringing restaurant-quality flavors to home kitchens across Kitsap County through 35 distinct, preservative-free spice blends that showcase Spiva's globe-spanning culinary expertise.

Your laundry’s worst nightmare has arrived on Bainbridge Island. Lotta’s Laundry, a laundry pickup and delivery service on the island, may be your laundry’s worst nightmare but she’s also your weekend’s best friend.

Guy Littlefield started his HVAC company Filter Girls to empower his daughters in a field traditionally dominated by men. 

He chose the name Filter Girls to highlight and support women at work.

Filter Girls is based out of Silverdale and serves Kitsap County and the surrounding area. They offer a number of services beyond just HVAC, including ventilation, gas fireplace maintenance, kitchen range installs, conversions to propane, outdoor gas lighting and more.

Olympic College is nearing completion of the first phase of its two-phase plan to transform the Poulsbo campus into a regional hub for health sciences. The phased plan will help the college expand its healthcare division to address the critical shortage of medical professionals in Kitsap and surrounding counties.

BC Fitness Studio in Silverdale offers an alternative to traditional gyms. For gym owner and founder, Brett Clark, his top priority is that his clients feel comfortable and safe. The private strength training and coaching facility is designed to protect the privacy of clients. Sessions are by appointment only, the outside facing windows are tinted and the outside door stays locked during sessions to prevent onlookers.

How One CEO Turned a Chocolate Company’s Crisis into a Mission for Industry Reform Photos courtesy of Crabtree Brands By QUINN PROPSTWard Media Staff Reporter When sexual harassment occurs in the workplace, companies often work to keep it quiet to protect their image and bottom line. But when Peter Crabtree learned of sexual harassment in his...