Kent, Washington, September 7, 2010 – Kent Station is building on the shopping experience for customers by adding three new stores totaling over 10,000 square feet of retail space: Toys ‘R Us Express, Banyan Tree and General Nutrition Center (GNC) will all be open by September 10.

On September 4, Banyan Tree opened its Thai restaurant next to the Ram Restaurant and Brewery. With an open kitchen plan and full-service bar, Banyan Tree will prepare cuisine from all regions of Thailand along with serving Asian-inspired cocktails. The ingredients used for cooking are fresh and sourced from local and natural products whenever possible. Banyan Tree has chosen Kent Station as its flagship location.  Since opening its first Thai food booth stand over three years ago under the name Thai Smile at the Fremont Sunday Market, Banyan Tree has been recognized locally for its unique and exotic food and presentation.

On September 6, Toys ‘R Us Express opened between Kay Jewelers & Famous Footwear.  As the nation’s leading toy retailer, Toys ‘R Us and its Express concept store at Kent Station will make holiday shopping more convenient for Kent and South King County shoppers. The store will carry some of the most popular toys and toy brands including Lego, Zhu Zhu Pets, Barbie, Toy Story, Star Wars, Hot Wheels and many more.

On September 10, GNC opens next door to See’s Candies. GNC will offer shoppers a variety of vitamins, supplements, sports nutrition and diet products. GNC sets the standard in the nutritional supplement industry by demanding truth in labeling, ingredient safety and product potency, all while remaining on the cutting-edge of nutritional science. GNC is the world’s largest company of its kind devoted exclusively to helping its customers improve the quality of their lives.

“We are excited to welcome these three great retailers to Kent Station. They collectively create unique shopping and dining options for our customers, which is always one of our primary goals,” says general manager John Hinds.

For more information about Kent Station, visit the Kent Station website at www.kentstation.com or contact Sommer Ueda at 253-856-2301.

Located on 18 acres in the heart of downtown Kent, Kent Station is an urban shopping village developed by Tarragon a Seattle based company. The 470,000 sq. ft., mixed-use development features locally-owned and national retail stores, professional office space, and dining and entertainment, including a 14-screen AMC Theatres Cineplex and a branch campus of Green River Community College.

DENAMI DESIGN PRODUCT WAREHOUSE CLEARANCE

Local rubber stamp and paper crafting company to host sale open to the public

Did you miss the Kent Cornucopia parade? Would you like to see what other neighborhoods did to celebrate National Night Out in August? Or maybe you’re a pet lover who wants to hear about the new dog park being built on Kent’s East Hill. You can see all of the above on Kent TV21 online.

Here are links to some of their latest programs.

National Night Out – For 27 years, neighborhoods throughout Kent have been celebrating National Night Out. This year 103 events were held.

Tails are Wagging for an Off-Leash Dog Park in Kent – If you are a dog lover, you’ll love this fun video talking about the new off-leash dog park on Kent’s East Hill.

Kent Cornucopia Grand Parade – View the 2010 Kent Cornucopia Days Grand Parade.

{Note:  You’ll need Windows Media Player to view the videos.}

Join us for Community Graffiti Clean-Up Day on Saturday, September 18 from 8 am to 12 pm. Volunteers are needed in teams of 6 to 10 to help rid our city of this blight. Meet at 8 a.m. at Town Square Plaza (corner of 2nd and Smith St. – across from the Kent Library) to pick up your assignment, paint and supplies.

This is an ideal project for Key clubs, teens needing service hours, neighborhood councils, and individuals and companies who want to make a difference in Kent.

To sign up, contact Sara Wood with the City of Kent.

Looking for some great, live entertainment at an affordable price? Check out Pat’s Bar & Grill for live stand-up the first Wednesday of each month. Pat’s next show is Wed., September 1 from 7 to 9 pm and features Tommy Savitt. Tommy is the 2008 winner of the Seattle International Comedy Competition and the 2007 winner of The Boston Comedy Festival.

Tickets are $10 in advance, or $15 at the door. Come early for a tasty dinner or stay after to have a few drinks with your friends. See you Wednesday!

Pat’s Bar & Grill, 114 Railroad Ave. N., Kent, WA 98032
253-852-7287

This year’s Puyallup Fair is set for September 10 – 26. The popular fair includes entertainment, a rodeo, concerts, Sillyville, a treasure hunt, animal exhibits, rides and much more.

This year’s concert series features:

Puyallup Rodeo
Bret Michaels
Kenny Rogers
John Legend
We The Kings
Willie Nelson
Chris Botti & Natalie Cole
Dierks Bentley
Fiestas Patrias
Queensryche with Tesla
Adam Lambert
Daryl Hall & John Oates
MercyMe and Jeremy Camp
Billy Currington with Uncle Kracker
An Evening with Heart
Kid Rock

For concert times and tickets, click here.

For more information, visit the Puyallup Fair online.  To purchase tickets online, click here.

The City of Kent is ramping up its campaign to license pets and is granting amnesty to dog and cat owners until September 30, 2010. After that, owners face stiff penalties and fines for not licensing Fido and Fluffy.

Officials at the city want the awareness campaign to have a lighter side though. They are hosting an event at Kent Station on September 25, 2010 to prove it. Dog Daze & Feline Fantasies will take place between 1 and 4 pm and will feature fun events including a pet show, pet parade, agility course and more. Owners are encouraged to bring their leashed pets and those that are licensed may participate in the events. King County Regional Animal Services will be on hand to license pets that day as well.

For more information on pet licensing, visit KentPetLicense.com.

Prothero is one member of a 13-person board that oversees the state’s crime laboratories. He is the first criminal defense attorney to be named to the board. Prothero is perhaps best known for being one of the lead defense attorneys in the Gary Ridgway (“Green River” Killer) case.

Visit the blog for Hanis Irvine Prothero for the full announcement. Additional information about Prothero can be found on his website.

Congratulations, Mark!

The public is invited to meet Wilkins and hear him perform on Wed., August 18 from 6 to 8 pm at Marie Haggin. He will be performing songs from his debut album “I Don’t Want to be Lost” featuring songs including “Defeated Giants” and “Don’t Want to Forget Ya.”

Wilkins’ debut reception is being hosted by Wilkins’ sister, Debbie Marie Haggin, owner of Marie Haggin Accessories.

“I know I am biased, but his music is so beautiful,” Haggin says. “I can’t wait for the rest of the world to hear his work!”

To learn more about the Christian artist or to hear clips of his music, visit him online at Big Dream Music Productions.

Wed., August 18, 2010 (6 to 8 pm)

Christian singer/songwriter Michael Wilkins performs live at Marie Haggin Accessories at Kent Station (441 Ramsay Way, Suite 103, Kent).

Questions & RSVPs? Call 253-859-9769 .

I’ve lived here for five years, but every week I discover something new to love about Kent. Here are 10 things I love about Kent, Washington!

1. People: Despite the fact that Kent is the fourth largest city in King County, it retains its small town feel. Everywhere I go I am greeted with a smile. People in Kent are some of the nicest I’ve ever met. They are open minded, welcoming and good natured.
2. Parks: Kent, Washington has a handful of beautiful-but-small lakes that are serene and peaceful. Most are adjacent to a city-owned park with almost every amenity you can imagine. There are specialty parks as well like Arbor Heights 360 and Wilson Playfields, encouraging outdoor recreation for kids and adults. Some of my favorite parks include Clark Lake Park, Lake Meridian Park, Fennewick Park and Town Square Plaza.
3. Entertainment: There is always something to do in Kent. We have everything here from Kent Station and ShoWare Center to a Historic District and Kent Historical Museum. We also have a wealth of arts programs and school drama programs that provide dozens of performances, plays and other opportunities every year. What’s even better is that many outlets offer free or affordable things to do. Who doesn’t love free?
4. Shopping: Kent does not have a mall, per se, but we have much more shopping than most people know about. In addition to the always-popular Kent Station, there are locally-owned stores like Marie Haggin Accessories, Fig & Feather, Cheryl’s Unique Boutique, Titusville Antiques and more. There are also little niche areas like the “International District” on 104th and the shopping plaza on 104th and Kent-Kangley Road (Joann Fabrics, Linda’s Apparel, etc.) No matter where I go, I can find something special that fits my taste and my budget. See our Shopping page for more stores.
5. Dining: No matter how picky or broad your tastes are, there are multiple restaurants, cafes and diners to suit everyone. For American diner-style food, Maggie’s on Meeker is a favorite. For Thai, I recommend Archa Thai in downtown Kent. For Indian, I love Punjab Sweets on the East Hill. Proud to display its diverse heritage, Kent has a little bit of everything. Visit our Dine page for more suggestions.
6. Diversity: It is politically correct to say you embrace diversity, but not everyone truly does. In Kent, though, I believe we have a diverse population as well as a culture of inclusion and acceptance. We have several areas of town and specific businesses that cater to particular populations (e.g., Indian, Ukrainian, Hispanic, etc.), but we are eager to learn from each other as well. With more than 120 languages spoken in our schools, for example, most schools have English-learning programs as well as International Days where students can share their culture. This year the city of Kent partnered with a group of citizens to put on the 2nd annual Kent International Festival in downtown Kent. As a more personal example, my daughter goes to Dr. Na of the Mountlake Acupuncture Clinic on Central Avenue. He was born, raised and educated in China. When we go for my daughter’s weekly treatments, we exchange stories about our respective cultures. I think we learn as much about Chinese culture as we do about acupuncture and healing!
7. Accessibility: When I say “accessibility,” I mean that people and government in Kent, Washington are accessible to the average resident. I truly believe that anyone in Kent can send an email to the mayor or place a call to the police chief and get a prompt, personal response. I feel very comfortable that are our local leaders are accessible as well as eager to listen.
8. Entrepreneurial spirit: I love the fact that people in Kent, Washington have an entrepreneurial spirit about them. This includes business owners who passionately build their own companies, but also teens and young adults in the area who want to make a difference. People in Kent don’t accept that we have to do things the way they’ve always been done. They say, “I don’t like this. Let’s change it.” One local citizens group, for example, wanted an off leash dog park on the East Hill. Recognizing that the city didn’t have the funds to build one, they created the park in cooperation with the city, raising money on their own and turning their dream into a reality. In another case, a group of teens calling itself Project U(th) formed this summer to create opportunities for work and leisure for their peers. In Kent, we are not afraid to work hard or to pave our own way. We are a spunky bunch!
9. Community pride: Kent has been called many derogatory names over the years, but those who love Kent remain proud of their city. We show up in the thousands for events like Kent Cornucopia Days, Seattle T Birds and Predators’ games and concerts like the Backstreet Boys and REO Speedwagon. We work together to show our spirit and to shout Kent’s strengths to the world. For example, Kent’s neighborhood program brings residents together to solve mutual problems, to beautify neighborhoods and to clean up graffiti. Call us what you want – we will love Kent anyway!
10. Beauty: While I’ve touched on this a bit in #1 through 9, I love the beauty of Kent which includes its parks, lakes and mountain views but also its historic buildings, its public art work and, most of all, its people.

Those are just 10 of the reasons I love Kent, Washington. Tell me some of yours! Post them here or email them to us at iLoveKent.net, and we’ll post them online.