What's Good

The sweet smell of Wildwood Waffles has left Rio Dell. After a final weekend of waffling, owner Harry Smith has packed up his irons for Gig Harbor, Washington, where another branch is already in business.

"This isn't my choice to leave that place," says Smith, nor did he want to leave Rio Dell. But after parting ways with Root 101 and its owner, former partner Nick Mitchell, Smith says he was unable to find a viable location for the shop. Wildwood Waffles, he says, has done well since its start in August of 2017, often serving 50 customers a day and pulling in an estimated quarter of a million dollars in waffle and coffee sales last year. "Out of the corner of a hardware store," he says with a laugh.

Smith, who has been active with the Veteran's Hall, the Kiwanis Club and other organizations, says, "I'm gonna miss the community the most."

Shuttering the shop where so many enjoyed grab-and-go stuffed sweet and savory waffles was "the last thing I wanted to do," says Smith. The rush of customers coming in for one last waffle over the past week has “been heartwarming but also sad,” he says. “Bittersweet.”