Dec. 18—Two businesses that got their start in Colfax are planning to relocate to Pullman's Main Street soon.
Sugar Babe Bakery and Rainier Trading Company will be moving to 317 E. Main St. in the former Pups & Cups Cafe space next to the Audian Theater.
Sugar Babe Bakery owner Melanie Voorhees said they hope to open as soon as January, but no firm date has been set.
Voorhees said she is excited to be on Main Street because she believes efforts to revitalize downtown Pullman are important.
"I think I have something to offer that will help with that," she said.
Attracting businesses to downtown is one of the Pullman City Council's top priorities and a focal point of the Downtown Master Plan the city is trying to implement.
Sugar Babe Bakery and Rainier Trading Company both got their start at the business incubator Colfax Mercantile.
Voorhees said the Colfax Mercantile provided a great opportunity to test her business with low startup costs and an established kitchen available to her.
Sugar Babe Bakery sells desserts with an emphasis on vegan treats and food for those with dietary restrictions. It opened in April.
Rainier Trading Company is a small gift shop that sells Pacific Northwest-inspired outdoor apparel that opened in December 2020.
Owner Dylan Nails said his store specializes in locally-produced clothes that are made, shipped or packaged through environmentally sustainable means.
Both Nails and Voorhees said many of their patrons are Pullman residents, so it made sense to move closer to their customer base. In Pullman, Voorhees will also be closer to her other Pullman business, Zelda's Pet Grooming, that she owns with her wife, Dani.
When Voorhees found out the 317 E Main St. location was available, she asked Nails if he would join her in relocating to that space.
Sugar Babe Bakery will take up the majority of that space in Pullman, while a corner will be reserved for Rainier Trading Company's products.
Nails said he believes the downtown Pullman small business community is experiencing an "upward trend" and he is excited to be a part of it.
"We can't wait to open our doors and start serving our community," he said.
Kuipers can be reached at akuipers@dnews.com.