Monthly Archives: May 2014

Kitsap home prices still waiting for liftoff

Sales are creeping up, inventory is slipping down, but home prices in Kitsap remain remarkably unchanged.

According to the latest NWMLS report, 291 homes (both houses and condos) sold in Kitsap in April. That was about 4 percent more than a year ago. Closed sales have ticked up steadily since January this year, as they’re supposed to. Another 506 sales were pending, also an improvement from April 2013.

Inventory was lower than a year ago. Active listings (1,250) and new listings (561) were both down in April from the previous year. The months of inventory (the time it would take to sell off the homes on the market) declined each month since January, and now rests at 4.3 months.

Prices, meanwhile, have barely budged. Less than $500 separated the median price of homes in Kitsap in April 2014 ($232,950) and April 2013 ($233,310):

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Langlois Pianos moving to Poulsbo

Tad Sooter

One year shy of its 150th anniversary, piano makers Langlois & Sons is on the move.

The piano sales and service business plans to relocate from its Highway 303 location to Poulsbo this summer. Administrative assistant Michael Patrick Hoyle said the company hasn’t signed a lease yet, but expects to settle in the area of Highway 305 and Bond Road, near Central Market.

Hoyle said Langlois will continue piano sales and service at the new store, but also offer a wider range of acoustic instruments and accessories. With piano sales declining, the company needs to stay in tune with its customers.

“We want to diversify a little bit and stay relevant with the times,” Hoyle said, adding that after 149 years, the family-run business is used to adapting. “Whenever adversity comes, we’ve opened our arms to that adversity.”

Langlois will move its shop between June and September. It will continue to offer tuning, restoration and moving services in the interim. Langlois has about 5,000 tuning clients. Hoyle said the business is offering steep discounts in the lead up to the move to clear out inventory.

You can get updates on the Langlois page on Facebook.

Langlois has appeared in the Kitsap Sun on a few occasions. We covered the unveiling of a new grand piano and wrote more on the company’s history.

Island Food Circle aims to make finding local food easy

Tad Sooter

Farmers markets are the most consistent purveyors of locally grown food, and they’re flourishing in Kitsap.

Local produce is also cropping up in restaurants and grocery stores. A new initiative on Bainbridge Island aims to make local food as easy to find on weekdays as it is on Saturday mornings.

Island Food Circle, a project of Sound Food, has created an online guide to local food sellers on and around Bainbridge. The list is broken down by category (veggies, meat, dairy, etc.) each with a list of sources.

Food Circle is also distributing window decals to the sellers so shoppers spot them on the street.

The initial group of 18 stores, farm stands and restaurants were nominated by island farmers. The membership list will be renewed regularly.

“It’s the farmers saying these are people who are buying local on a consistent basis,” project coordinator Carolyn Goodwin said.

The Food Circle maintains another list of local food producers it makes available to store managers and chefs.

Some types of foods, like dairy, are hard to find on Bainbridge, or even in the county, Goodwin said. For those, the Food Circle expands to include regional producers.

Goodwin said Food Circles could be organized in other communities using the same model.

“There could be a Kitsap Food Circle,” she said. “I think that would be great.”

For more on the Food Circle, see www.soundfood.org.

Pinchot steps down as president of Pinchot university

Tad Sooter

Pinchot-lockup_2color_rgb Last month, Bainbridge Graduate Institute announced the creation of Pinchot, a university that includes BGI and several other programs.

Now the new Pinchot university has announced changes in its leadership, including a new position for its namesake founder.

Founding BGI President Gifford Pinchot III is transitioning into an emeritus position as “intrapreneur in residence.” BGI co-founder Jill Bamburg was named president. The transition was given an “enthusiastic blessing” Gifford and Libba Pinchot, according to a news release.

You can read more about leadership changes at Pinchot here.

Pinchot university includes BGI, Organizational Systems Renewal, and the Center for Inclusive Entrepreneurship. The university is headquartered in downtown Seattle. BGI continues to hold programs at IslandWood on Bainbridge Island.

Slippery Pig Brewery is sliding into downtown Poulsbo

Tad Sooter

Slippery Pig Brewery, known for such eccentric offerings as the Dandelion Bitter, is planning a move to downtown Poulsbo.

The brewery applied for a conditional use permit from the city to allow it to relocate to 18801 Front Street. A liquor license application was also submitted for the location.

The building is currently home to the Delhi Palace restaurant. A Delhi Palace manager confirmed the restaurant is looking for a new space.

Slippery Pig has been housed at a farm on Finn Hill since its founding in 2011. Owner Dave Lambert said he expected to have keys to Front Street building on Tuesday. He plans to triple beer production at the downtown location. Along with brewing, Slippery Pig will offer beer tasting and live music, and may sell farm products.

The brewery organized a Founders Club to raise money for the move. See the Slippery Pig page on Facebook or the website for more information.

The city is taking comments on the conditional use permit application through May 15.

State approves Bainbridge pot grow, city may not

Tad Sooter

The state Liquor Control Board approved a license for a Bainbridge Island marijuana grow Friday, but city zoning could keep the business from opening.

The company, Quince Farm, lists its location as 5793 Old Mill Road, south of Winslow. The Bainbridge City Council is close to passing an ordinance that would only allow marijuana grows in an industrial area along Day Road, north of Winslow.

Bainbridge’s six-month moratorium on marijuana growing will expire at the end of May.