As Women’s History Month comes to a close, we’re excited to share how our community showed up to support women-owned businesses in 2025. From exceeding our Receipt & Receive spending goals to an exciting Pi Day giveaway in which we partnered with five women-owned pie-makers, this month was packed with initiatives and events that created real connections beyond just business transactions.
In this recap, you’ll see how Seattle came through – with sports partnerships, community events, small business spotlights, and BECU’s support of the Equity in Action program. We’re proud of how our community stepped up to support the amazing women entrepreneurs who make our city special, showing once again that when we #SpendLikeItMatters, we lift each other up.
Receipt & Receive Update
Our Receipt & Receive program set out with a goal of $45,000 in support of local women-owned businesses, and Seattle showed up in full force with a final spending total of $48,422. Our hometown teams – the Storm, Sounders FC, Reign, Seahawks, Mariners, and Kraken – helped spread the word, and the receipts have been pouring in. Local favorites like Kanom Sai Cafe, Rough & Tumble Pub, and Friday Afternoon Tea led the pack with the most receipt uploads. But the real win? Seeing our community come together to support women entrepreneurs right here in our backyard. Once again, Seattle’s proving that when we #SpendLikeItMatters, amazing things happen!
The Small Business Leaderboard:
Congratulations to the following Intentional Spenders who uploaded their receipts and are the recipients of prizes from our sports teams!
- Cindy C. uploaded a receipt from Tea King and is the winner of a prize from the Seahawks!
- Nina E. uploaded a receipt from Kanom Sai and is the winner of a prize from the Kraken!
- Brianna J. uploaded a receipt from Rachel’s Bagels & Burritos and is the winner of a prize from the Mariners!
- Jodie M. uploaded a receipt from Lupe’s Situ Tacos and is a winner of a prize from the Reign!
- Laura P. uploaded a receipt from Rough & Tumble Pub and is the winner of a prize from the Storm!
- Linda T. uploaded a receipt from Mitten Sweets & Coffee and is the winner of a prize from the Sounders!
Fun Fact: Our intentional spending for Women’s History Month ($48,422 in March 2025) and Black History Month ($57,954 in February 2025) has reached a combined total of $106,376.
37 New Women-Owned Businesses Added to the
Intentionalist Card Network
We’re thrilled to share the growth of the Intentionalist Card network with 37 new businesses joining our community of Washington-based, women-owned establishments from January through March – 13 of which are also Black-owned small businesses. This growth means even more opportunities for cardholders to #SpendLikeItMatters throughout Greater Seattle.
Welcome to the following small businesses!
- Bake Shop (Queen Anne)
- Gyros Place(Downtown)
- * Legion Sports Bar (Bellevue)
- * PJ’s Classic Homemade Ice Cream & Bon Bons (Central District)
- Pumorosa Candles (Downtown)
- Taco Street (Seattle – Othello)
- Taco Street (Tacoma – Ruston)
- * The Rusty Goat (Tacoma)
- * Swagg-n-Wagon (Federal Way)
- * Pizza By Ruffin (South Lake Union)
- * Bonhomie Coffee Bar (South Lake Union)
- * Marjorie (Central District)
- * WeRise Wines (Downtown)
- * Coven Salon (Madison Valley)
- * The Lockspot Cafe (Ballard)
- * The Lockspot Cafe (Ballard)
- CheBogz (Beacon Hill)
- Foundation (Queen Anne)
- * Garden’s Gourmet(Tacoma)
- Cherry Consignment (West Seattle)
- T’Juana Tacos (Seattle)
- Greenbridge Cafe (White Center)
- Pufftown Bakehouse (Pike Place Market)
- Tea King (Westlake)
- Sweet Alchemy (Bellevue location)
- Maneki (Japantown)
- PUBLIC (West Seattle)
- Poprox Dance (Capitol Hill)
- Poprox Dance (University District)
- Cup & Crepe (Everett, WA)
- Pasifika Grill and Bar (Bellevue)
- Yeobo (Madison Valley)
- Campanula Design Studio (Magnolia)
- Ba Bar (Capitol Hill)
- Crystal Lounge By Crystallography Gems (Belltown)
- * Local Yokels (Maple Leaf)
- Cardoon
* Also part of the Buy Black Card network!
You can purchase an Intentionalist Card to use at over 400 businesses in Washington throughout the year on our website – Intentionalist Cards make great gifts!
Small Business Spotlights
Our weekly Small Business Spotlight series introduced our community to four women-owned small businesses:
- WeRise Wines– Jamila Conley is the founder and owner of WeRise Wines, a company on a mission to bring access and awareness to diversity in wine by showcasing BIPOC, women, and other minority wineries and winemakers. WeRise is building awareness of fantastic wines from diverse and underrepresented winemakers. They seek to engage wine lovers within the Seattle metro area and provide access to communities that may be less familiar with wine so that they too can learn, discover, and enjoy.
- Spice Waala – When Aakanksha Sinha and Uttam Mukherjee moved to Seattle in 2017, they noticed something missing in the city’s food scene: the kind of Indian street food they grew up with. What started as a casual pop-up at the South Lake Union Farmers Market has grown into Spice Waala, now three locations serving kathi rolls and chaat across Seattle. In this candid conversation, the husband-and-wife team discusses their six-year journey, the challenges of running a restaurant in Seattle’s current climate, and their commitment to making Indian street food accessible while building a sustainable business that gives back to their community.
- Situ Tacos – In the heart of Ballard, Lupe’s Situ Tacos, a colorful and vibrant gem, is serving up more than just tacos—it’s a celebration of family, culture, and a passion for food. Founded by Lupe Flores, the restaurant is a tribute to her roots, blending her Lebanese and Mexican heritage into every dish. From bold, flavorful tacos to globally inspired soups, each item on the menu tells a story. We sat down with Lupe to learn more about her journey, the community that’s rallied behind her, and what makes Lupe’s Situ Tacos a must-visit spot in Ballard.
- Platinum Plush Fashions – For over 24 years, Platinum Plush Fashions has been a community hub of Southeast Seattle, offering trendy, affordable fashion with a personal touch. Founded by Nikita Mathis, the boutique has grown from a small, mobile operation to a local favorite. In this interview, Nikita shares her journey, the importance of supporting small businesses, and what makes Platinum Plush Fashions a unique shopping destination. Whether you’re after celebrity-inspired pieces or rare throwbacks, there’s something for everyone at Platinum Plush.
BECU’s Equity in Action: It’s On Us Campaign
A heartfelt thank you to BECU’s Office of Equity and Inclusion for continue to champion the Equity in Action: It’s on Us campaign through Women’s History Month. Their dedication to advancing gender equity came to life in a uniquely delicious way as they covered the costs of treats at women-owned businesses throughout the region. Community members simply needed to create an Intentionalist account, stop by their neighborhood favorites, and enjoy complimentary items, all thanks to BECU. This thoughtful initiative not only provided direct financial support to women entrepreneurs but also helped new customers discover these amazing local establishments.
Thank you to CheBogz, El Cabrito, Flora & Fauna, Phnom Penh Noodle House, Platinum Plush Fashions, Shikorina Bakeshop, Lupe’s Situ Tacos, and Spice Waala for participating!
Pi Day Giveaway
Our Pi(e) Day celebration brought some serious sweetness to downtown Seattle! We partnered with the Seattle Office of Economic Development, Downtown Seattle Association, and Unico Properties for a special pie giveaway at Century Square. Customers who made any purchase from Century Square Market vendors received a complimentary 5-inch pie from some of Seattle’s favorite women-owned bakeries – Simply Soulful, Grayseas Pies, SeaTango Foods, and Queen Anne Coffee Co. The event was a hit, with all 100 pies finding happy homes after folks grabbed lunch from Century Square businesses like Gyros Place, Cafe Zum Zum, Sushi Kudasai, Piroshky Piroshky, and Taste of Asia. It was the perfect way to celebrate Pi Day while supporting both our women-owned pie makers and downtown food vendors.
Intentionalist in the Community
Intentionalist kept the community spirit alive this March with two exciting events. We partnered with WeRise Wines for “Pour & Explore”, where wine lovers sampled six different pours from women-owned wineries while enjoying small bites and music.
Later that week, we teamed up with the Seahawks at Seattle Fish Guys, where fans grabbed a free Tuna or Tofu Poke Bento box with any drink purchase. Former Seahawks wide receiver Bryan Walters and the Seahawks dancers were there to meet fans and share in the fun. Both events showcased what Intentionalist does best – bringing people together while supporting local businesses.
Intentionalist’s founder, Laura Clise participated in panel discussion at the King County Council 2025 Women’s History Month Celebration – watch the full panel discussion below!
Artist Spotlight
We’d like to thank local artist Cindy Chischilly (@cindychischilly), our Women’s History Month guest artist. With her input, we decided to use the incredible illustration she created last year and are donating her artist fee to two Native non profit organizations that she selected for this month’s artwork. Here is her artist statement:
Cindy collaborated with her friend Nancy Kelsey to provide the following explanation of the inspiration for her design back in 2024, which we are sharing again this year:
Indigenous women have been the vital lifelines of their communities since time immemorial. They carry on the traditions, history and knowledge of their peoples and homelands to the next generations – enabling each to thrive despite the myriad of adversities hurtled at Indigenous peoples around the globe. Although the diaspora of indigeneity is vast, there are common threads in all that Indigenous women embody: beauty, resilience, strength, wisdom and leadership. This Women’s History Month, we celebrate the countless Indigenous grandmothers, mothers, aunties, daughters, sisters, cousins and Two-Spirit persons who enrich the lives of all those they touch.
Support Women-Owned, Year Round
Supporting women-owned businesses isn’t just about March – it’s a year-round commitment that helps build stronger, more inclusive communities. As we wrap up Women’s History Month, let’s keep this momentum going and continue to #SpendLikeItMatters. Every purchase from a woman entrepreneur makes a difference, and we can’t wait to see what our community will achieve together in the months ahead.
incredible impact – congrats Intentionalist team!