Tricia Arcaro Turton is a former professional boxer, not-so-secret Justin Bieber and Taylor Swift fan, and owner of Arcaro Boxing in Seattle’s Central District neighborhood. Tricia has a community-first attitude and describes Arcaro Boxing as a place where people can work on themselves, face the uncomfortable, and go back into the world to give back as better versions of themselves. Arcaro Boxing offers fitness boxing, recreational sparring, youth boxing, and more and is now open for limited in-gym fitness classes by reservation.
Get to know more about Tricia in this week’s Business Spotlight Q&A.
The interview has been edited for length and clarity.
As a business owner, what’s the strangest or craziest idea you’ve ever tried?
I’ve done a bunch of The Artist and the Boxer series here where we do spoken word [poetry] at the gym. We just have a lot of activists and different folks in art and poetry, and I thought it would be a good project for a couple people to work together to implement a spoken word [series], and it took off. We did it maybe three or four times, and it went really well, and I think it promoted healing with the two people that put it together.
Why is it important to you and your business that people #SpendLikeItMatters?
Small businesses — we’re the hub of all the community, so we know how to put people together to get things done. And you’re just not going to get that at a bigger corporation. Small businesses allow wealth to be distributed, shared, and just the general goodness about the area is able to be shared with more people through small businesses.
Who is on your InTENtional List right now?
Baja Bistro — I think they may have gone out of business, but I love them and what they did in the community and for some folks who were transgender. I love Ba Bar, I like what Eric Banh does with the community. I love Taste of the Caribbean, and I love Peloton Cafe. They’re on my block, and we all pitch in and look out for each other and make sure we keep an eye on the people in the community that might need some help. I love Retail Therapy, I love what [Wazhma Samizay] does up there, she’s a cool lady. There’s a million — I love Tougo Coffee, I love what Brian [Wells] does. Basically, if it’s a small business within walking distance of me, I frequent it and I’m very supportive of them.
I love Arcaro Boxing and Tricia’s leadership in particular. She is one in a million. She’s built a community that is truly diverse and welcoming of any and all. The real deal.
Hi Trish,
We met a few years ago up at Pratt Park when I was living over there. You told me your name and I told you that my ex-wife’s maiden name was Turton, remember?
I’m really glad to see that you’re having such success with your business! It’s great!
I retired from Metro 4 years ago and moved to Miles City, Montana.
The article about you just appeared on my telephone this morning. I don’t know why but I’m glad it did.
Bye now.
Dick Ellingson