Business Visits

One of the goals of my office this year was to make it a point to stop and visit with our local businesses. Starting last month Mayor Ken Neilson and I have visited several of these establishments. I wanted to share with you what an enjoyable experience this has been and a little about these businesses.

We started with one of the new start-ups in our community, "Duke's Deli." This business was started by Derek "Duke" Nelson and what a great example he is of a young entrepreneur. His sandwiches are delicious, they have a personal touch, and the place is very successful. I hope you will go over and try "The Duke" for lunch and welcome their establishment to our community.

We have met with one of the real powerhouses in our city, Kohl's. This well-recognized retail store attracts shoppers from the whole southwest Utah region. They are the anchor store for the Cotton Mill II shopping center. A great deal of the amenities we enjoy in this community from our parks, to our community center, to our roads, all of this could not be possible without the sales tax we receive from these large, chain stores.

Another large anchor for us is Home Depot. Home Depot and Walmart were the first large big-box stores that came to Washington. Home Depot has been a great partner in both the good and bad times here in Washington. We will forever appreciate the assistance Home Depot gave to this city during our flood times; when they opened their doors and provided tools and other equipment we needed and helped organize citizens in sand-bagging operations.

Finally, we visited with Lane and Helen at St. Helen's restaurant. This couple are true pioneers in our community. It was enjoyable talking to them and having them reminisce about their history here in Washington, the challenges and rewards. They have seen it all, from trying to familiarize the community to a new product, to road closures and tough economies. Through it all however they have offered a unique dining experience and been an important part of our community family. For you "old timers" I am not telling you anything you don't already know and for you "new comers" I hope you will take the opportunity to get to know Lane and Helen and enjoy the wonderful food they provide.

Each of these individuals and establishments are representative of all of the hard working and successful businesses that call Washington home. I appreciate what they do for our city and look forward to meeting many more of you in the upcoming months.

Roger Carter
City Manager