COLFAX, Wash. — The town of Colfax is hoping the next time you’re driving on the Palouse, you might stop and stay for a while.
The town of Colfax is about an hour south of Spokane, with a population of roughly 2,700. Many know it as a speed trap when driving from Spokane to Pullman, but Whitney Bond is hoping to shift the town’s reputation.
“Yes, you do have to slow down to 25 in Colfax, but let’s slow down enough to stop and stroll our downtown,” said Bond.
Bond is the Executive Director of the Colfax Business Association. In 2022, the association received over $2 million from the Washington Department of Commerce’s Small Business Innovation Fund.
Since then, Bond and the Colfax Business Association have used the funds to create two business incubators to help reduce costs for Colfax small businesses.
Trevor Miller owns Wild Ember Kitchen and is one of the small businesses benefitting from the funding.
“With the limited population that we have, and then having to do a whole remodel, it would have been a lot harder to stomach without the incubator,” he said.
The incubator also hosts other small businesses, like Coco Bee, a local candle shop, and The Cellar, a wine and beer bar.
Kimberly Dehart, owner of The Cellar, was able to build her business enough, thanks to the incubator, to retire from her day job.
“It makes me really happy,” said Dehart.
The incubator is also focused on renovating buildings in downtown Colfax to make the area more aesthetic and draw in more customers who would otherwise just pass through.
“If you have heard that Colfax is just a speed trap, please, please give us another chance. Come downtown and see for yourself,” said Bond.
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