Mighty Tieton

TIETON, Wash.-- Seattle-based publisher, Ed Marquand, and his network of artists and entrepreneurs have painted the city of Tieton red. And every other color of the central Washington sky at sunset.

Mighty Tieton, an entrepreneurial project including designers, artists and architects, is located in Tieton, Washington. Marquand was inspired by the economic opportunity of the town, displayed through vacant buildings, and has been investing in it ever since, with a desire to revive the once-thriving, agriculture-dependent city.

“This town, 30 years ago, had everything,” said Kerry Quint, Mighty Tieton projects manager. “It had a movie theater, bowling alley, you name it. It’s going through a transition and we just want to be part of that.”

They bought the first building in August 2005, which was an empty warehouse from the early 1940s with a good roof but not much else. Mighty Tieton’s largest development was transforming the warehouse into 14 lofts that would function as live-work spaces, completed and filled in 2008.

Karen Quint, Mighty Tieton events coordinator, said the renovation allowed artists to have space that would be affordable for people who were pushed out of expensive Seattle sites.

The other large warehouse is used for events, studios, small businesses and as storage for four book publishing companies.

The professional talents of those involved, paired with local resources, have been used to renovate buildings and storefronts, as well as start independent artisan businesses. Marquand Editions (a press and bindery for bookmaking), Goathead Press (a printmaking studio), Tieton Creamery and Tieton Ciderworks were all started as a result of Mighty Tieton’s presence in Tieton.

The third-annual poet’s workshop, LitFUSE, took place Sept. 25 through Sept. 27 in Tieton and featured Canada’s Poet Laureate Emeritus, George Bowering and American Book Award winners, Carolyne Wright and Judith Roche.

The Tieton Invitational Print Arts Exhibition featured printmakers from Seattle, Oaxaca, Mexico and Guanajuanto, Mexico. The exhibition ran from Aug. 12 through Sept. 13. Hundreds of visitors, some of which traveled from Berlin, Japan and New York, visited Mighty Tieton to see 115 works of print art.

The community’s response to Mighty Tieton has been more positive than expected.
“I have not heard anybody say anything negative about Mighty Tieton,” Tieton mayor Stan Hall said. “I expected some comments because they’re from the west side but everybody seems to like them.

“Most of [the residents] realize that if we don’t get some development, the town’s not going to be here.”

Similar sentiments were echoed from the Mighty Tieton staff.

“We want more partners,” Karen said. “We need people to come in and create some more.”

Regardless of what the future may hold, Karen, Kerry and Hall are pleased with the progress Mighty Tieton has made both socially and economically. The feeling of community, ownership and involvement has created a greater sense of value for this small city.

“Sometimes small towns see investors or people with ideas and they come in and flash through and do one thing that doesn’t work out, or does, and then they leave,” Kerry said. “We’re in it for the long haul.”

CONTACTS:

Kerry Quint
Mighty Tieton Projects Coordinator
(206) 730-6387
** Spoke to in person

Karen Quint
Mighty Tieton Event Coordinator
(509) 494-2009
** Spoke to in person

Stan Hall
Tieton Mayor
(509) 673-3162

Outline:
1. What has happened
a. Buying up property
b. events
2. Economy growth
3. Additional ventures
a. cheese
b. cidery
4. Backlash
5. Tieton and the future