In this special FAQ episode of Snohomish Storytellers, we’re answering your most common questions about HDSA and downtown Snohomish. From events and advocacy to preservation, partnerships, and placemaking, we’re pulling back the curtain on how downtown works, why it matters, and how this community comes together to keep it thriving. Whether you’re a business owner, resident, volunteer, or just a curious Snohomie, this episode is your guide to the heart of downtown.
This month on Snohomish Storytellers, we sit down with Snohomish Mayor-Elect Aaron Hoffman for an open and candid conversation. As with any passionate community, opinions about leadership vary, many are excited, others are cautious, and at HDSA, our mission remains the same: to support connection and work collaboratively with our city leadership, whoever is in office.In this episode, we ask Aaron questions about his decision to run, his campaign, and the plan for his first 100 days in office. We cover everything from infrastructure to events, while returning again and again to the heart of the matter: people. The people who live, work, and play in Snohomish and who care deeply about its future.Snohomish thrives in the vibrant purple space between perspectives, and this conversation aims to bring clarity, curiosity, and connection to the forefront. Join us as we explore what comes next for our city, together.
Candy? Cars? Community? The Snohomish Storytellers chat with Snohomish Police Chief Nathan Alanis to uncover how Snohomish police mix safety with sparkle. From trick-or-treating chaos to the glittering lighted car parade, we dive into the ways law enforcement shows up for the community—not just in emergencies, but for fun too. Tune in for stories, laughs, and a peek behind the badge!
The Snohomish Storytellers welcome Fire Chief Don Waller and Fire Marshal DJ Hill from Fire District 4. Together, they unpack how the district operates, their unique roles, and why fire prevention is especially critical in a historic downtown. From Knox boxes to the delicate balance between fire safety and economic vitality, this episode highlights first responders as true community partners. You’ll also hear stories—some exciting, some shocking—that illustrate just how quickly entire blocks, not just individual buildings, can be at risk when fire strikes.
The Snohomish Storytellers are back for Season 4—and now… with VIDEO! 🎥 Yep, you can watch us in action or keep enjoying us the traditional way in your earbuds. To kick things off, we welcome Washington State Senator John Lovick to the studio. Senator Lovick shares stories from his time as a State Trooper right here in Snohomish County, how those experiences shaped his path to representing the 44th Legislative District, and why local partnerships matter. We also talk about how HDSA works with government at all levels to keep our historic downtown thriving—and how YOU play a vital role in advocacy that brings real support to our community. Whether you’re listening, watching, or both—thanks for joining us on this next chapter of Snohomish Storytellers!
Mac is back! Fan favorite Mac Bates returns to help us close out Season 3 and share his newly published book, First Street Stories. First joining us in January 2023 as our first guest of the new year during Season 1, Mac now returns as the final guest of Season 3. In this episode, he brings more charming tales of growing up in downtown Snohomish in the 1950s and ’60s—this time enriched with historic stories of the town’s earlier days, drawn from his collaboration with local historian Taylor Russell. You can find First Street Stories on Amazon—or just track Mac down around town and grab a copy from the man himself.
What is a Main Street, really? And why does it matter?In this powerful episode of Snohomish Storytellers, we’re joined by Lydia Felty of Washington State Main Street and Norma Ramirez de Miess, a National Main Street consultant (yes, that’s a real and incredible job!), to explore the story behind the Main Street movement.We unpack what it means for Snohomish to be a designated Main Street community, how this national network is preserving the soul of small-town America, and why this work is about more than charming storefronts — it’s about identity, place, and people.Celebrate Main Street Week with us and hear how communities across the country are protecting history, fostering connection, and shaping the future — one Main Street at a time.
In this special episode, Maygen and guest host Ken Coman help tell a tale straight from the heart of Snohomish: The First Street Story. Joining them are Nova Heaton, Public Works Director, and Heather Thomas-Murphy, City Administrator. From what lies beneath the sidewalks to the dreams taking shape above, discover where First Street has been, where it’s headed, and how you, the community, are the main character of its next chapter. This is more than a road — it’s a story we all share.For more information on the First Street Master Plan, visit: https://www.snohomishwa.gov/858/First-Street-Master-Plan
The Snohomish Storytellers welcome back their first repeat guest, Mayor Linda Redmon. After 2 years, Linda shares with us what she has learned, what she is most proud of, and what keeps her motivated to continue serving the city that she loves so much. Take a listen and learn about what’s happening in the city and where Linda sees our future, together.This episode is supported by the Historic Downtown Snohomish Association's car donation program. Learn how you can donate your unused vehicle to downtown preservation! Visit https://www.historicdowntownsnohomish.org/donate-to-hdsa
With Women's History Month as the perfect backdrop, this month on Snohomish Storytellers, our Executive Director, Maygen Hetherington, takes a turn on the "other couch." Maygen shares what HDSA’s Main Street Accreditation means for our downtown businesses, insights on the First Street Master Plan, and how HDSA helps keep downtown Snohomish a positive asset for our entire city.This episode is supported by the Historic Downtown Snohomish Association's car donation program. Learn how you can donate your unused vehicle to downtown preservation! Visit https://www.historicdowntownsnohomish.org/donate-to-hdsa
Kickoff Time with Anthony Sardon: The Future of Soccer in Snohomish & Beyond! The Snohomish Storytellers sit down with Anthony Sardon, Coaching Director of Snohomish United Soccer Club, for a deep dive into the beautiful game—right here in our backyard and beyond! ⚽️ Get the inside scoop on the inaugural season of Snohomish United USL 2, set to electrify the pitch this spring, plus an exclusive look at the FIFA World Cups coming to our region in 2025 and 2026. Whether you're a lifelong fan or just catching soccer fever, this is the moment to be part of the action in the PNW soccer scene—and we’re here for it! Game on! 🎙️🔥 Learn more about the Sohomish United here: https://www.snohomishunited.org/webinar-registrationThank you to our sponsor, Centennial Family Dentistry, the dental home of Snohomish! Discover more about Dr. Rutherford and their expansive services at https://www.cfdentistrysnohomish.com/
Storytelling is the most powerful communications tool in history and is universal to the human experience. Here in our little corner of the universe, Snohomish, we have a strong sense of community and heritage founded in the whispers of yesterday's stories and the narrative of what is being written today. Snohomish Storytellers captures this through organic conversation between Snohomies - former, present, and future! Discover what ties us all together in a community that has a deep sense of identity as we learn from each other's shared, human experiences. Presented by the HDSA
This month, the Snohomish Storytellers welcome the HDSA Programs and Communications Manager, Denya Ardis. Denya shares her story about how she discovered Snohomish and ultimately, found her way to the HDSA team. There is a lot to learn, not only about Denya, but also the work we do within our organization and how we serve those who live, work, and play in the historic downtown district!Thank you to our sponsor, Centennial Family Dentistry, the dental home of Snohomish! Discover more about Dr. Rutherford and their expansive services at https://www.cfdentistrysnohomish.com/
The Snohomish Storytellers are happy to share the brightest light in Snohomish, Courtney Evans of Board and Brush. Full of life and light, Courtney will make you excited to be in downtown and inspire you to discover all the FUN to be had here. Courtney is a problem solver and finds the hidden gems throughout downtown Snohomish and throughout her life. We hope you find yourselves as inspired as we were after listening to Courtney's story! Be sure to listen (and then look) for one little easter egg we mention during the interview - can you find it in downtown Snohomish?This episode is supported by the Historic Downtown Snohomish Association's car donation program. Learn how you can donate your unused vehicle to downtown preservation! Visit https://www.historicdowntownsnohomish.org/donate-to-hdsa
Our guest for the Snohomish Storytellers this month is Tim Cross, Public Works Operations Manager for the City of Snohomish. You may not know it but some of your most cherished memories downtown might have been thanks to the work of his department. Learn more about Tim, the world of public works, and how partnerships like these are vital in all things Main Street. This episode is supported by the Historic Downtown Snohomish Association's car donation program. Learn how you can donate your unused vehicle to downtown preservation! Visit https://www.historicdowntownsnohomish.org/donate-to-hdsa
In this episode of the Snohomish Storytellers podcast, we sit down with retail sales consultant Rachel Morgan, who shares her expert insights on creating authentic sales experiences. Rachel dives into how retailers can foster meaningful connections with customers and drive sales without the "salesy" approach. Tune in to learn how genuine engagement can lead to lasting success in retail and how lasting success equates to healthy downtowns.This episode is supported by the Historic Downtown Snohomish Association's car donation program. Learn how you can donate your unused vehicle to downtown preservation! Visit https://www.historicdowntownsnohomish.org/donate-to-hdsa
The Snohomish Storytellers are pleased to introduce our closest power partner, Nancy Keith, executive director of the Snohomish Chamber of Commerce. Nancy's love of Snohomish, community spirit, and downright cheery and fun energy has led to incredible growth within the chamber membership. Listen to her story about how she approaches the development of the organization, her investment into future entrepreneurs, and the invisible work that you may not realize is going on behind the scenes. You can learn more about the Snohomish Chamber, their meetings, upcoming events and more on their website. Thank you to our sponsor, Centennial Family Dentistry, the dental home of Snohomish! Discover more about Dr. Rutherford and their expansive services at https://www.cfdentistrysnohomish.com/
The Snohomish Storytellers are thrilled to return for Volume 3, a brand new season of this podcast! Thank you to those who have been with us since the beginning and welcome to all who have joined along the way. This episode invites you to take a seat at the table, bringing together 2 very important topics: food and mental wellness. Our guest, Meron Bible, shares his passion for nourishing both the body and the mind through food and how his small empire of love, food and joy, The Ghetto Food Network, has grown from a humble bowl of ramen. Seeing a need for conversations and services, especially within the food industry, Meron is bringing a Mental Wellness Summit to Snohomish on September 21, 2024 at the Snohomish Carnegie. We invite you to listen along and join us for this exciting pilot event. If you're not hungry now, you will be by the end of this episode. Bon appetit!Thank you to our sponsor, Centennial Family Dentistry, the dental home of Snohomish! Discover more about Dr. Rutherford and their expansive services at https://www.cfdentistrysnohomish.com/
The Snohomish Storytellers invite you to celebrate Kla Ha Ya Days with an interview of their President Top Frog, Bill Webster. In this final chapter of volume 2, Bill shares not only his journey to Snohomish and ALL THE THINGS he is involved with here but also finding kindness, healing, and the power of giving back. So much of his story is attributed to the love he discovered with his wife, Erin. It's a love story to rival the princess and the frog and you will find so many delights. Enjoy!
The Snohomish Storytellers hear the sweet story of Top It Frozen Yogurt Shoppe from owner, Ken Coman. This man emanates goodness and we have designated him the official "Mr. Rogers" of Snohomish - a good neighbor to everyone. From his reason for operating a small business to his homemade toppings, wholesome treats abound. You will just feel good after listening. You will also probably want froyo...enjoy!