New food truck coming, more apartments eyed for Union Ave., massive mini-storage proposed
Sometimes you just have to live out your dream.
You might say that’s the guiding force behind Mark Place’s current endeavor. After working as a supervisor at the Simpson Door plant in McCleary for 20 years, Place has decided to act on something he has been thinking about for 13 years: being his own boss and running a business.
The business will be Action Sandwiches, which most of the time will be parked outside Three Magnets Brewing in downtown Olympia. The business is opening soon, he said. Place is waiting on a health department inspection and then expects to operate 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Wednesday through Sunday.
Place spent 18 months getting ready, including time spent with a friend and chef to work on the menu. As reflected by the business name, the sandwich names have been inspired by comics, such as the “Lex,” “Lois” and “Jimmy” — as in Lex Luthor, Lois Lane and Jimmy Olsen from Superman.
The “Jimmy,” which Place thinks is going to be a hit with customers, is a mac and cheese sandwich with either chicken or steak, he said.
The menu has about 10 sandwiches, plus the sides: the aforementioned mac and cheese, homemade chili, spicy carrot cabbage slaw and a caprese salad of tomatoes, mozzarella, basil and balsamic dressing. The Pacific Northwest Cookie Co. is supplying desserts and the fresh hoagies are made by Blue Heron Bakery in west Olympia, he said.
Place has created what he calls a “pay it forward” program in which he is collecting donations to make simple sandwiches that he can deliver to area homeless shelters with bottles of water.
Other business happenings
Developer representatives are set to meet with the city of Olympia’s site plan review committee Wednesday, Feb. 21, to get feedback on a proposal that would convert a Union Avenue office building into 65 studio apartments.
The building in question is the Republic Building at the corner of Jefferson Street and Union Avenue. The 4-story structure measures about 46,000 square feet.
“The project will leave the parking garage as is and will remodel the upper three floors into approximately 65 studio type apartments,” a narrative of the proposal reads. “... The exterior of the building will not receive a face lift but may have new windows added or deleted in order to fit with the new apartment floor plans and egress requirements.”
The city’s site plan review committee gives developers and their representatives an idea of what will be expected of their projects under city rules.
Meanwhile, the city of Tumwater has received an application for an 898-unit self-storage facility at 6115 and 6119 Littlerock Road SW.
The Littlerock Self-Storage land-use application was submitted to the city in January and deemed complete Feb. 1. A public hearing is required for this project and public notice will take place once the meeting date is scheduled, according to the city.
The 14-day comment period ends at 5 p.m. Feb. 23. Send them to Permit Manager Tami Merriman at tmerriman@ci.tumwater.wa.us.
If you know of a retailer, restaurant, coffee shop or other business that is opening, closing, expanding, remodeling, or changing its focus, send an email to reporter Rolf Boone at rboone@theolympian.com.
