Auburn Business Briefs | Sept. 24

Skipper’s no longer occupies its familiar spot off Auburn Way North. The long-established fish-n-chips eatery officially closed its doors last week.

September 22, 2008 7:56 pm
Skipper’s no longer is in business on Auburn Way North. The building is expected to re-open for new owners as Chicago Willies restaurant this fall. Above
Skipper’s no longer is in business on Auburn Way North. The building is expected to re-open for new owners as Chicago Willies restaurant this fall. Above

• Skipper’s no longer occupies its familiar spot off Auburn Way North.

The long-established fish-n-chips eatery officially closed its doors last week.

Skipper’s Inc., a chain of seafood restaurants based in SeaTac, is dissolving, closing as many as 22 of its stores in the Puget Sound area and selling more than 25 others as it completes bankruptcy procedures.

The former Skipper’s soon will become Chicago Willies, specializing in hamburgers, hot dogs and other fast-food favorites. The new business plans to open this fall.

Operating 59 restaurants with more than 500 employees in five Western states, Skipper’s filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection late last year, according to court documents.

Skippers once had more than 200 restaurants throughout the Northwest and Canada.

• Bob Melnyk, who has spent more than 35 years as an Allstate agent in Renton, is back in the insurance business.

Melnyk – one of only 80 agents in the history of Allstate to be admitted into the company’s Hall of Fame – ended his brief retirement and followed his dream of being an independent insurance agency owner.

“It sounded like a challenge,” he said of his new venture.

Melynk’s Fenix Insurance can be found at 903 E St. SE, Auburn. Hours are from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., Monday through Friday. The phone number is 253-735-3355.

• Cybernet Café now is open in the SuperMall. The family-run gathering spot, under manager Marco Gonzalez, offers Internet service, online gaming, fax and print services, and snacks.

Hours are 10 a.m.

to 9 p.m., Monday through Saturday,

11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday.

For more information, call 253-678-4231.

• Valley Bank recently earned a five-star superior rating from BauerFinancial Inc., of Coral Gables, Fla., one of the nation’s leading independent bank rating and research firms. It represents the 61st consecutive quarter that Valley Bank has earned the high honor.

Valley Bank’s Auburn branch is located at 1001 D St. NE.

• Orion Industries, a local leader in precision metal fabrication for the aerospace, defense, medical and marine industries, announces plans to open a new Teleservices Center in Federal Way, late fourth quarter of this year. The center will occupy a state-of-the-art facility six blocks from their current corporate headquarters.

Orion’s new venture is positioned as a Customer Relationship Management (CRM) Center, providing customer support strategies to commercial, state and federal customers.

Orion has set the goal of creating 30 full-time CRM agent positions within the new center in the first year of operation.

For more information about Orion’s new teleservices center, visit www.OrionTele-Services.com. For Orion corporate information, visit www.orionworks.org.

• King County Solid Waste Division invites businesses and organizations that offer “experience gifts” to join its award-winning waste prevention program, Waste Free Holidays.

There is no cost for businesses to participate, other than providing a discounted offer to customers.

If your business is interested in becoming a partner this year, please visit the Waste Free Holidays Web site at www.wastefreeholidays.com to apply.