Downtown merchants, visitors begin getting back to normal

JOHN GRABER, THE OLYMPIAN

OLYMPIA -- Normalcy began to creep back into downtown Saturday.

Traffic moved freely in many areas, and large numbers of shoppers strolled along the sidewalks toting bags of new goodies and sipping their favorite flavored coffees.

"It was really weird," said Sarah Yost, who stayed downtown to visit with friends after getting off work. "The day after the earthquake, everybody was like business as usual. My friends told me I am no longer able to talk about the earthquake because it's old news."

Telltale signs of the 6.8 magnitude earthquake that struck Wednesday lingered in isolated scenes -- workmen hauling lumber into the old Olympia Hotel and sightseers craning their necks around corners and pointing to century-old marble building facades that were cracked but intact atop some of downtown's most historic buildings.

The crowds of sightseers meant sales for many shops. The quake may have brought increased business for shop owners who weren't closed because of structural damage.

Busy stores

"Today has been great," said Jane Heath, co-owner of the Chrysalis shop on Legion Way. "There's been all kinds of people coming in and looking at stuff.

"Even though they are lookie-loos, they are spending more to support the shops down here," she said.

Jane Laclergue, owner of Fireside Book Store on Legion Way, said she was selling books from her front window Saturday morning because so many customers came out to support her.

She couldn't let them in the store because her building was yellow-tagged by engineers, meaning only limited access was allowed, but many customers simply would not be turned away. The building's first floor was declared safe by the afternoon, and the crowds in the bookstore were as large as those on any other Saturday.

"It's just a joy to be open," Laclergue said.

The crowds began pouring into public places almost immediately after Wednesday's quake, Yost said.

"It was a carnival atmosphere," Yost said. "I went to Heritage Park (after the earthquake) and all of these college kids were down there playing Frisbee with their dogs."

Mike Faris took his two sons, 3-year-old Jay and 1-year-old Drew, for a walk downtown Saturday. A trip to the toy store for a model train was the perfect excuse to get the two out of the way so mom could clear some of the quake mess at home.

"Walking down here was just as easy as anything else," Faris said.

Inspections continue

The quake remained a nightmare for shop owners who were still closed.

"We've got payroll to meet Monday, and we'll have been closed down six days," said Steve Harrington, co-owner of the Urban Onion, 116 Legion Way.

Things aren't easy for the displaced employees, either.

"A lot of our employees go to school and are single-wage earners," Harrington said. "They've got their bills and rent to pay too."

City crews will continue to inspect buildings today, as more are being reopened, said Subir Mukerjee, Olympia Community Planning and Development director.

"Our goal is to get the businesses back open ASAP," Mukerjee. "And the homes back open ASAP."

John Graber covers Lacey, Tumwater and military issues for The Olympian. He can be reached at 754-5465.

Tagging confusion

The city's designation of red-tagged and yellow-tagged buildings has not been without confusion.

City officials have continued to insist on paper that Top Foods grocery store at 1313 Cooper Point Road should not be open because their building was yellow-tagged Wednesday. However, Assistant Store Manager Kurt Malizio said they were only down for about four or five hours before officials came back and lifted the restriction.

"We still have the yellow tag, and they signed off on it," Malizio said.

Likewise, the Westside Safeway on Harrison Avenue and the Martin Building on Fifth Avenue, which houses Radiance Herbs and Wind Up Here, had been cleared by city building inspectors Friday afternoon, but remained on the city's "updated" list issued at 2 p.m. Saturday.

It's possible the red-tag and yellow-tag lists contain some inaccuracies, City Building Official Brian Washko said Saturday night. He hopes to get the problem squared away today.

The Olympian Copyright 2000

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