00:14 – Justin enters the fun house version of this Willy Wonka episode, talks about going through technical difficulties, and Derek talks about getting back into podcast editing. Justin talks about the GCP fan art from Suzanne Akerman, Jeff shares his feelings about otters, and Justin talks about the recent closure of the local Tacoma brewery Odd Otter.

16:27 – Justin talks about the recent opening of Berliner Beerhall, how long they’ve been working on opening, and Scott talks about his great experience there recently. Justin talks about scooter rentals no longer being available in Tacoma, the passing of Jewless Jerry, and Jeff talks about the New Year's Eve Karaoke Mosh Pit.

34:54 – Erik talks about a local Tacoma boxer representing the USA in the Olympics happening in Paris, meeting him at the Unleashed Stadium Bowl, and they make plans to have the MMA guys back on future podcasts. Jeff talks about holding Missy Franklin’s gold medal, what it was like to hold it, and Justin dives into Tacoma’s Missed Connections.

50:10 – The guys discuss the type of person that was behind the Regal Movie Theater missed connections, the types of people that post on Craigslist, and other misconnection socials out there today. Jeff ponders on whether these types of people also like Breakfast at Tiffany’s, hopes that these posts are consensual, and Scott guesses how many women he thinks post on Craigslist.

Sponsored By:

• Grim Workshop: Grim Workshop specializes in the making and using of ultralight, reusable, and wearable everyday carry tools. Perfect for a standalone ultralight survival kit that you can keep on hand at all times or as an addition to an existing survival kit to remove unwanted weight. A Family Owned and Operated Company Grim Workshop is proudly family owned and operated deep in the heart of Texas
• Cosmic Bottles: Tap into the universe of craft beer! CRAFT BEER FOR YOU! Tired of the same old grocery store beer selection? Looking for a beer selection that caters to your taste? At Cosmic Bottles the choice is always yours. Every day: 11am - 10pm 27116 167th Place SE Suite 108 Covington, WA 98042
• RCF Exteriors: Cut Wood. Not Corners. RCF Exteriors specializes in Window and Door installation across the South Puget Sound region. RCF Exteriors is a customer service orientated company with 20+ years experience in window and door installation. Our efficient and knowledgeable team is dedication to making sure you are satisfied with not only the final product but throughout the entire installation process. Email: rcfexteriors@gmail.com Phone: 253-446-8854

Support The Grit City Podcast

Links:

• In Otter News | Facebook — The life and times of Steve the Otter.
• The Grit City Podcast - Suzanne Akerman — Suzanne Akerman spends her days sharing her passion for animals with visitors at Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium where she works as a staff biologist for the Wild Wonders Outdoor Theater
• Odd Otter Brewing Company | Tacoma WA | Facebook — The very LAST "Hump-Day Trivia" at Odd Otter Brewing Company is TOMORROW, 6:30-8:30pm. THANKS for nine plus years of FUN.
• The Mill by J+A | Facebook — Well Tacoma, we tried. We worked endless hours, we sweat, we bled, we cried, we changed, we pivoted. But most of all, we sunk every last dime we had into it. Sadly, it wasn’t enough. We have had many hard, emotional conversations in recent days and the decision has been made that The Mill by Jack + Adeline will be no more.
• Jack + Adeline, LLC | Wine | Events | Custom Furniture | Tacoma, WA
• The Berliner Beerhall - Brewpub in Tacoma, WA
• We heard some bad news about Jawless Jerry. This video was taken on December 20th on the south end of Hilltop. Earlier today, the admin… | Instagram — Unfortunately that coyote that we have been trying to trap for months that was missing his/her upper jaw, was hit on the exit ramp of I-5 & 38th st. and killed.
• Tacoma boxer qualifies to represent Team USA at 2024 Olympics | king5.com — In a small Spanaway garage, an Olympian is being forged.
• STARS TO FIELD USL2 TEAM THIS SEASON - Tacoma Stars — TACOMA, Wash. - Today the USL announced that Tacoma Stars will begin play in USL League Two in 2024. The club already participates in a professional indoor league, and is partnering with Washington Premier FC for technical staff and outdoor training facilities.
• HALF PRICE BOOKS CUTE BLONDE IN GOLD SUV PARKED NEXT TO ME - missed connections - craigslist — I heard your name when you were talking to the cashier. I wanted to talk to you but got stage fright.
• brunette at 7/11 - missed connections - craigslist
• Looking for the husky black guy at the Home Depot spanaway - missed connections - craigslist
• Safeway gas pump - missed connections - craigslist
• Nordstrom Rack - Tacoma - missed connections - craigslist

00:17 – Justin kicks off this podcast coaching the Streetbeefs Scrapyard crew while they listen live, talks about how businesses are going card payment only, and the three local businesses owned by the Peterson brothers. He gives a shout-out to live listeners, explains where the Crypticon convention is hosted, and the different types of small businesses at the event.

14:09 – The group talks about the different themed parties at the convention, how Crypticon organizes their parties, and encourages listeners to troll Brogan about his trash pants. Scott talks about enjoying the con, the scary clowns that were there, and Justin shares what he appreciated about it. Derek talks about the crossover of people at various conventions and Justin talks about them discussing attending other conventions to spread the word of GCP.

26:54 – Justin talks about skeet shooting to kick off the bachelor party in Portland, the shady taco truck they hit up, and visiting the biker bar. He talks about it being Fleet Week while they were there, the first strip club they visited, and tapping out at the end of the night. He talks about the leaking pipe at the club, the delicious food at The Brickhouse in Vancouver, and gives a shout-out to the Ruka Family Restaurant in Tacoma.

44:50 – Erik talks about the people he talked to on his past sports episode, shares that Tacoma Stars Reserve team is a champion team for 2022-23 season, and where listeners can get additional information on local sports. Justin talks about sponsoring Erik in sporting events, Erik talks about when Stadium Unleashed is happening this year, and what it’s like to be a championship runner.

Sponsored By:

• Cosmic Bottles: Tap into the universe of craft beer! CRAFT BEER FOR YOU! Tired of the same old grocery store beer selection? Looking for a beer selection that caters to your taste? At Cosmic Bottles the choice is always yours. Every day: 11am - 10pm 27116 167th Place SE Suite 108 Covington, WA 98042
• RCF Exteriors: Cut Wood. Not Corners. RCF Exteriors specializes in Window and Door installation across the South Puget Sound region. RCF Exteriors is a customer service orientated company with 20+ years experience in window and door installation. Our efficient and knowledgeable team is dedication to making sure you are satisfied with not only the final product but throughout the entire installation process. Email: rcfexteriors@gmail.com Phone: 253-446-8854

Support The Grit City Podcast

Links:

• Mary's Club — For more than 60 years we have featured some of the best exotic entertainment the Rose City has to offer.
• Brickhouse — Brickhouse is your place for quality food, local craft beer, music and more...
• Ruca Family Restaurant
• Tacoma Stars Reserves 2022-23 WISL Championship — The Tacoma Stars Reserves claim the 2022-23 WISL Championship in front of a great crowd at the Tacoma Soccer Center by beating Everett City FC by a 7-5 final.
• Grit-City-Sports
• Unleashed at Stadium Bowl
• The Little Town That Could — Fed up with the lack of skateparks built, local skaters from Tacoma and neighboring towns have teamed up to create two DIY skate spots.

00:11 – Scott and Justin discuss getting sick when playing VR, Justin talks about the Disneys sandwich of the future, and looking into a waffle cone maker. They talk about what fillings they would have gone through, Justin shares not vibing with Arbys, and Jeff talks about Disney Chef School. He talks about the only place he wouldn’t eat on the cruise, Scott talks about exploring Porchfest, and his hope for next year with the event.

19:41 – Scott shares the bands at the event, visiting The Triple Knock, and Justin talks about other events in the community. Scott talks about Station U-Brew in Puyallup, Justin talks about the Tacoma Couch Guy selling his couch, and how no good stories came from something boring. Jeff talks about the rising bar on the ship, they discuss old man priorities, and Scott talks about Streetbeefs second anniversary.

39:30 – They discuss if they would go to The Sausage Castle, Alka Selzer Hangover Relief, and Justin talks about speed limits dropping in Tacoma. They talk about why that may be happening, Scott discusses the clerk in Vegas defending himself with a knife, and Justin talks about another article where an 80-year-old worker shot a store thief.

58:17 – Justin talks about the people he knows that have a VR, Jeff talks about VR-friendly online games, and Justin talks about what their friends at Chasing Ghosts on Scooters are up to. He talks about Camp Bar celebrating five years, they reflect on their past Boot To Boot, and Justin talks about what they have coming up in October.

Sponsored By:

• Cosmic Bottles: Tap into the universe of craft beer! CRAFT BEER FOR YOU! Tired of the same old grocery store beer selection? Looking for a beer selection that caters to your taste? At Cosmic Bottles the choice is always yours. Every day: 11am - 10pm 27116 167th Place SE Suite 108 Covington, WA 98042
• Die Cut Stickers: Use the code GRITCITY15 at checkout and get 15% off your entire order! · Insanely custom stickers crafted to survive the PNW and beyond! Promo Code: GRITCITY15

Support The Grit City Podcast

Links:

• The Handwich: Disney's Failed Sandwich of the Future - YouTube
• Free Music Festival in Tacoma, WA | Tacoma Porchfest — Porchfest is a free, walkable music festival where front porches become musical stages for one magical afternoon.
• The Station U-Brew
• Chasing Ghosts. On Scooters. In Bars | Facebook — The podcast that blends the modern scooter lifestyle with a twist of the paranormal over a cool cock
• Unleashed at Stadium Bowl

01:46 – Scott introduces Brian, Brian talks about pivoting his business just before Covid and how long he’s been in the PNW area. He talks about falling in love with the area, Justin talks about the changes around Tacoma over the years, and they talk about the amazing revitalization of the greater Tacoma area over the last 30 years. They talk about the pool halls that have opened in the area, Justin talks about his short stint in Wisconsin, and Brian talks about the importance of people being grateful for their job during this time when so many others are struggling.

21:31 – Brian talks about the safest way of running the bowl, his formula for team building, and why that formula works. He shares what people see in each other when the ego is dropped, why movies like Rocky and Rudy resonate with us, and what makes an authentic connection. He talks about the day he decided to create the race, the importance of reminding ourselves and others that there is more in them than they see, and talks about the upcoming race this year.

39:05 – Jeff pops in and gives props to Brian, Justin talks about how GCP made it through the last year, and Scott talks about how much it helped to have the podcast during Covid. Brian talks about the importance of keeping things going during Covid, ways to counter our tendencies to catastrophize, and Justin talks about the decision to have a 4th of July BBQ. Brian talks about how people are re-learning to connect, Justin talks about people re-locating to rural areas, and how Covid has forced businesses to see the benefits of employees working remotely.

57:35 – They talk about how beautiful the Stadium is, Brian talks about when he fell in love with Tacoma, and the various walks of life people are from that participate in the Unleashed Stadium Bowl. Justin jumps into Is It Tacoma, Scott and Brian make their guess on which article is from Tacoma, and Justin reveals the correct answer. They talk about how hard it is to break a car window, Justin shares where the other two pieces were from and plays the firecracker article.

Thanks Brian for stopping in to give us an update on what’s been going on since the last time you joined the podcast!

Special Guest: Brian Nelson.

Support The Grit City Podcast

Links:

• Unleashed Stadium Bowl
• If— by Rudyard Kipling
• Tacoma Girls Rock Camp — Empowering girl identified youth through music and creative collaboration.
• Live It OutLoud — Our final show will be at McMenamins Spanish Ballroom in Tacoma, Wa
• Center for Advanced Study of Language
• 1 lb Stronger: Brian Nelson at TEDxTacoma — 9+ 1:35 / 7:12 1 lb Stronger: Brian Nelson at TEDxTacoma
• Unleashed at Stadium Bowl on Facebook
• Grit 360 – We Build – We Connect – We Protect – We Inspire — GRIT 360 is a Veteran-owned professional services consultancy specializing in building people, organizations, connections, and community. ​

On that episode, Brian gave a great explanation of why he started his companies: 99.99999999% of all my failures were due to self-sabotage of one form or another, and this training teaches us how to get out of our own way to accomplish our values-aligned goals. In many ways, Unleashed at Grit360 are my attempts at solving the same problem.

6:09 – Brian explains where the idea for Unleashed at Stadium Bowl came from and how the proceeds from the race are to support their animal rescue, Kindred Souls Foundation. He talks about how they were always looking for fundraising ideas outside the traditional fundraising model. In 2007 a friend suggested he run the stairs at the stadium. In 2011, one day after running the stairs, he remembers looking out at the sound where the idea come to him to race the stairs to help raise funds for their foundation.

10:28 – Brian talks about the length of the race, ¾ of a mile, 814 stairs up, and 814 stairs down. He explains that at the beginning, they line everyone up at the uprights away from the water, leaving in 5 – 10 second intervals, with groups of five at a time. He then talks about the iconic scene at Stadium High School, what drives people to participate, and the inspirational support the participants have for each other.

20:16 – Brian dives into the growing number of participants, starting at 120 members in the first race, they have grown to 471 participants and he expresses his want to hit 500. He also explains their community partnership where businesses that get 10 people to sign up for the race, are then treated like a sponsor, a benefit that helps get all of the public involved. He also expresses the overall objective of Kindred Souls foundation, which is to raise enough funds to expand to a no kill sanctuary.

30:14 – Brian discusses his career in the army until 97 and while enlisted, he did his undergrad and grad study. He left the army 97 but stayed in the guard part time. In 2002 he moved to an active duty position in the guard and served from 2002 – 2015. He then dives into his current position working for a tech company that does foreign language training and explains the new business him and his friend just started, Grit360 where they train mental skills and resilience to help learn who they are and perform at their best.

Thank you to Brian for joining the guys and giving them an insight on Unleashed at Stadium!

Special Guest: Brian Nelson.

Sponsored By:

• The Union Club: The Union Club is a coworking space contributing to Tacoma's growing artistic and entrepreneurial communities. It combines a maker studio, event hall, and office coworking space, in a 15,000 square foot historic building in downtown Tacoma, Washington.

Support The Grit City Podcast

Links:

• Kindred Souls Foundation
• Unleashed | Race the Stairs