Spokane Conservation District Celebrates Opening of Scale House Market

Spokane Conservation District Celebrates Opening of Scale House Market

BECU Joins as Premier Sponsor of Spokane Region’s First Year-Round Community Marketplace

Spokane, WA – The Spokane Conservation District (SCD) proudly announces the completion of construction on the Scale House Market (SHM)—a vibrant, year-round food hub and public marketplace located on SCD’s Quarry Campus at 4422 E 8th Ave, Spokane Valley, WA. Opening to the public on May 31, the SHM represents years of community vision, public investment, and conservation-driven redevelopment.

As the market prepares to open its doors, SCD welcomes BECU as the project’s Premier Sponsor, celebrating shared values of local investment, entrepreneurship, and equitable access to fresh, local food.

“As soon as we heard about Spokane Conservation District’s vision, we were inspired to get involved. We are focused on creating local impact and the market is an exciting opportunity to support Spokane in a meaningful way—one that strengthens community connections through food and people,” said Beverly Anderson, BECU’s president and chief executive officer. “It’s a chance to work alongside passionate business owners and help them grow and build financial stability for the community.”

BECU’s leadership investment strengthens the SHM’s role as a launchpad for small businesses and food entrepreneurs while advancing SCD’s mission of conservation, community enrichment, and regional food system resilience.

The market’s origin traces back to a 2022 feasibility study funded by the Washington State Community Economic Revitalization Board (CERB). Construction was later made possible through $1 million in capital funding allocated by the Washington State Legislature in 2023 and 2024, with support from Legislative District 4.

“The market responds to our community’s call for year-round access to fresh, local food,” said Vicki Carter, Director of the Spokane Conservation District. “It strengthens food security and supports family farmers with a consistent sales channel. We are grateful to our partners who helped bring this vision to life.”

This project stems from SCD’s 2017 purchase of the 50-acre Quarry Campus. Once a working rock quarry, the site has been thoughtfully renatured and reimagined as a hub for conservation, education, and community. The campus brings together SCD’s headquarters, partner organizations, and an existing building transformed into the Scale House Market. Its name honors both the building’s history and SCD’s conservation mission to support our regional food economy.

The $4.4 million project is being developed through a public-private partnership between SCD and Four Roots, a female, Veteran-owned food resiliency business, as the market’s future operator and vendor support organization; Olson Projects leading architectural design; and Halme Cascade General Contracting managing construction.

Additional investment support to bring this vision to life came from community-minded sponsors and funders including:

● Avista and Avista Foundation
● STCU and STCU Here for Good Foundation
● AgWest Farm Credit
● Forster Financial
● Johnston-Fix Foundation

The Spokane Conservation District extends its sincere thanks to the community members, market vendors, and local leaders who have backed the project every step of the way.

“These partnerships reflect a shared investment in building spaces that uplift small businesses, support cultural vibrancy, and nourish our resilient, regional food system”, said Carter.

To learn more about the Scale House Market and discover how to get involved or to make a tax-deductible donation to the project, visit: TheScaleHouseMarket.com.

Follow the Scale House Market on Instagram @the_scale_house_market/ and Facebook @facebook.com/TheScaleHouse to learn more about vendors, the grand opening, and other events.