The Return on Community Reinvestment
The goal of an investment is to lead to a return. For fifteen small businesses across North Central Washington, a $5,000 Community Reinvestment Grant is already proving its worth in leveling the playing field in Okanogan, Chelan, Grant, Douglas, and Adams counties. With capital for investments into specific equipment, specialized software, and operational stability, local employers move from baseline survival to long-term sustainability. When small businesses can grow, the return is that our communities are stronger.
We stopped by to visit with six of these businesses to see the impact of these investments in real life. Scroll to read about Lulo & Latte, Columbia Fruit Packers, Rick’s Auto Tint, Zully’s Rolled Ice Cream, Royalty Cuts Barbershop, and Neu Flessenow Winery.
The Oasis in Omak: Lulo & Latte
Omak’s Lulo & Latte is a family-run cafe where the Nieto family pairs Colombian coffee with sweet and savory crepes, whipped lemonades, and a display case filled with authentic pastries. They designed the brand and cafe interior themselves, choosing every detail to create a space where neighbors sit and stay rather than just passing through. The business used its investment grant to pay for essential equipment like a precision mill, an under-counter refrigerator, and a new water filtration system.
The grant also funded an intensive barista training program, pairing world-class barista skills with warm and friendly customer service. More than just an equipment upgrade, this grant acted as a first handshake with the local workforce system. Now that owner Yazir Nieto is connected to SkillSource, he is looking at the shop as a future training ground for local youth, using his business to seed new career opportunities in Okanogan County.
“This investment grant has been much more than financial support; it has been a beacon of hope for us,” says Yazir. “It has allowed us to continue building a space where people not only come to enjoy a coffee, but to feel welcomed, valued, and part of a community. As a family business, this support inspires us to continue creating opportunities, supporting others, and making a positive impact on our city. Every cup served, every smile shared, and every job created reflects the real impact this investment is having on our lives and the community we love.”
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Business Information:
Lulo & Latte
705 Omache Dr Suite C
Omak, WA 98841
(509) 557-6111
The Legacy of Safety: Columbia Fruit Packers
Jose Garibay grew up watching his parents navigate the physical demands of the agricultural industry. When he started a safety internship at Columbia Fruit Packers, the work was personal. A student at Wenatchee Valley College, Jose earned academic credits while working alongside Warehouse Safety Coordinator Ana Escalera to monitor high-traffic zones and ensure emergency equipment — like eye-washing stations and fire extinguishers — remained accessible and ready for use.
“This internship was what I needed to get my foot in the door,” Jose says. “I grew up with parents in agriculture, which opened my eyes to the challenges that they face. I have heard from my parents about the lack of basic necessities far away from where they’re working. I’m driven to make a change to make sure that everyone receives the respect and safe working conditions they deserve.”
This business investment grant allowed Columbia Fruit Packers to pilot an internship program in warehouse safety. After experiencing Jose’s impact on the facility’s daily operations, Safety Director Anne Morrell enthusiastically confirmed the company plans to reach out to SkillSource next year to create another internship opportunity.
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Business Information:
Columbia Fruit Packers
201 South Union Avenue
East Wenatchee, WA 98802
(509) 662-7153
The Beacon for the Block: Rick’s Auto Tint
Rick Villafana launched Rick’s Auto Tint in 2004, teaching himself the trade from the ground up. Twenty years later, his Ephrata shop has expanded to include certification as an installer for ignition interlock devices, which provides a vital, consistent service that helps neighbors maintain their livelihoods and keeps his business steady year-round.
The investment grant funded a shift from a weathered exterior to a professional, lighted sign at his shop location on 412 E. Division. The upgrade identifies the business for new customers and serves as a “beacon for the block,” illuminating the shared parking lot to increase visibility and safety for all neighboring shops. Beyond the sign, the grant allowed Rick to restock high-quality window film and inventory to match modern, software-driven installation templates. This stability ensures Rick can continue passing his skills to the next generation, including his newest team member, Sammy, who joined the shop on his 18th birthday to learn the trade.
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Business Information:
Rick’s Auto Tint
412 E Division Ave
Ephrata, Washington 98823
(509) 901-2981
The High-Traffic Pivot: Zully’s Hand Rolled Ice Cream
Esmeralda Juarez recently moved Zully’s to a high-visibility storefront on Wenatchee Avenue, transforming the business from a crowded and small dessert shop into a multi-room destination. The new location features a family-friendly game room with pool tables, foosball, and video games — an expansion designed to keep the space active year-round. The investment grant provided the immediate capital needed for the move, covering the first month of rent and power upgrades.
Despite the winter opening, the move to the downtown corridor resulted in an immediate increase in customer volume. With the new location stabilized, Esmeralda is now focused on further growth, with plans to open a small snack shop within the game room to serve her expanding customer base.
“Moving my business to the heart of Wenatchee was not easy, but SkillSource helped me tremendously throughout the entire process,” Esmeralda says. “The investment truly made a positive impact on me. Now more than ever, I’m busier and serving more customers.”
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Business Information:
Zully’s Hand Rolled Ice Cream
21 N Wenatchee Ave
Wenatchee, WA 98801
(509) 669-2699
The Glamour of Main Street: Royalty Cuts
In Othello, Yesenia Gonzalez has built a professional, multilingual salon that delivers a royal experience the moment a client walks through the door. This isn’t just about aesthetics; it is about creating a level of trust and precision that keeps chairs full in a competitive rural market. To move the business beyond its startup phase, Yesenia used the investment grant to outfit the shop with specialized equipment that mirrors the high-end quality of her stylists’ work.
The grant funded a suite of professional upgrades, including precision workstation lighting and a professional hair vacuum system that keeps the environment pristine between every appointment. By adding heavy-duty toolboxes for secure storage and an iPad system to streamline administrative registrations, Yesenia has eliminated the “startup” friction that often slows down new businesses. These tangible improvements have transformed the salon into a polished, high-efficiency destination, allowing Royalty Cuts to increase its service capacity and build a loyal, returning client base that expects — and receives — premium care on Main Street.
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Business Information:
Royalty Cuts
391 E Main St.
Othello, WA 99344
(509) 750-6286
The Efficiency Gain: Neu Flessenow Winery
Neu Flessenow Winery in Leavenworth is a family-run business that blends the owners’ Mexican heritage with the local wine industry. The Icicle Road property is defined by custom, hand-built details, including a “wine river” table crafted by co-owner Bill Bruders. A retired construction professional, Bill’s handiwork is visible across the site, creating an atmosphere that feels intentional and curated. While the physical space was established, the business operations faced a significant technical hurdle: an incompatible and expensive Point of Sale (POS) system that didn’t talk to their bookkeeping software.
The winery used its investment grant to replace that system with a specialized software solution developed in Woodinville. This new system manages Wine Club sales, saves credit cards for regular customers, and provides automatic sales tax updates while integrating directly with their bookkeeping. The transition reclaimed 15 hours of administrative labor each month. By streamlining the technical side of the business, Laura Bruders-Torres and her husband Bill can focus on the community-facing side of the winery — including upcoming Wine and Mole pairings and educational classes designed to make the wine experience more accessible to the local Hispanic and Latino community.
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Business Information:
Neu Flessenow Cellars
50 Sires Ln (Up Eagle Creek Rd.)
Leavenworth, Wa 98826
(509) 433-5570
The Bottom Line
These businesses are more than service providers; they are the mentors, cultural leaders, and economic anchors of our communities in North Central Washington. By aligning state resources with the practical, day-to-day needs of small business owners, the return on investment is a more resilient regional economy that’s rooted in local ownership and diverse community services.
