2010 had fewer business closures around Whatcom County than previous two years

While this is still a difficult time to keep a business open, it appears local owners are finding ways to survive.

In 2010 I spotted 57 closures of brick-and-mortar businesses in Whatcom County, a significant decline compared to 2009 (89 closures) and 2008 (83 closures). It's still quite a bit higher than before the recession in 2007, when there were 35 closures. There are no official statistics that I can find for business closures in Whatcom County, so my unscientific method includes keeping track through announcements and regularly driving around the city's neighborhoods.