Destination Vashon hits the racks this week, just in time to be picked up by spring and summer visitors looking to learn what the island has to offer. But don’t dismiss this magazine as a publication only for tourists. The compilation of all things Vashon spotlights local places and activities we know well, but its many pages also hold morsels that will entertain and enlighten even longtime island residents.
For instance, many of us know that the popular coffee roasterie at Center was the early home of Seattle’s Best Coffee. But did you know that SBC originally stood for Stewart Brothers Coffee, or how exactly Jim Stewart discovered fine coffee? In Destination Vashon, you’ll learn Stewart’s story, as well as those of a few of the many talented and ambitious people who help mold our island — the businesswoman who successfully switched from making handbags to candy, the man whose passion for paddleboarding led him to start a new rental business or the retired Coast Guard captain who helps maintain the 100-year-old lighthouse at Point Robinson.
Our Vashon mainstays also hold surprises. Did you know that the quiet beach at Winghaven park is one of the best for finding beach glass? Or that the strange mural in the movie theater is modeled after the mythical lost continent of Mu? Or that the Strawberry Festival once included the crowning of a strawberry queen?
Flip through the pages of Destination Vashon to learn more about the place we call home and the people around us. But also use it to discover — or perhaps rediscover — things to love about island life. Maybe it’s a hike you’ve never taken or a restaurant you’ve been meaning to try. Maybe you’ll be encouraged to hear a concert in the park this summer or hit the beach next time Puget Sound’s resident orcas come through. Perhaps you’ll discover a new farm stand not far from your home.
For a small island, Vashon has much to offer. Destination Vashon is a guide that helps tourists enjoy their stay on the island. But it also serves to remind us what we appreciate on Vashon, what made us choose this island in the sound not for a vacation but for a lifestyle.
