Private citizens, business owners, and self-employed professionals can create their own version of a pension — guaranteed income for life — by using annuities.

Spokane is in the early stages of one of the most significant economic shifts our region has seen in a generation. Tens of thousands of baby boomer business owners across the country are approaching retirement, and many have not yet reckoned with what that means for the businesses they spent decades building. Here in Spokane, that wave is already arriving.

The former Bulldog Tavern property in Spokane's Logan neighborhood has changed hands. Erik Morris and J.D. Winn, co-owners of Logan Tavern — which occupies the site — acquired the property in April for $1.6 million through their company Morrwinn LLC, from Willard Quinn III.

A new dry-aged beef program at the Chinook Steak, Seafood & Pasta restaurant in the Couer d'Alene Casino Resort Hotel is driving both flavor innovation and increased sales, says executive chef Alex Santos-Cucalon.

As owners of the Italian Kitchen in Spokane, Bryce and Lyndsay Kerr successfully navigate a very difficult middle ground. Their restaurant is a locally-owned, hospitality-driven, relationship-based business operating in an economy increasingly dominated by convenience apps, chain restaurants, social media influencers, and ever-shortening attention spans.

A Spokane entrepreneur is leveraging 62 years of experience in the industrial pump industry by offering educational seminars to maintenance workers and engineers here and across the Inland Northwest.

Spokane-based meal preparation company Real Meals, a scratch-made meal delivery and pickup service, has doubled its workforce and expanded partnerships with gyms and senior living facilities as demand for convenient, prepared meals continues to grow, says Real Meals owner and chef Jenny Finau.

From exercise routines and tips for staying active to opportunities for camaraderie, YMCA of the Inland Northwest offers a host of classes aimed at supporting older adults in the region.