Serving Auburn
Grow your Auburn business with free advising
Auburn pairs a big industrial base, led by Boeing and major distribution centers, with a downtown of family-owned shops the city is working to grow. As a women’s business center for Auburn, WCWB helps women start and grow businesses with free one-on-one advising, practical classes and a community of women business owners.
King (a small part of the city is in Pierce County) County
90,350
Free, by phone or video
Lacey, Washington
Your women’s business center for Auburn
The city is recruiting specialty shops, restaurants, breweries, wineries and artisans downtown. Here’s how to get ready.
1
Plan a downtown business
An advisor can help you build a plan and budget for a downtown shop, restaurant or studio, including the grants and incentives available.
2
Supply the big employers
Many Auburn businesses sell to manufacturers and distributors. Advisors can help with business-to-business sales plans and government contracting basics.
3
Write your business plan
BEST is five self-paced online courses that take you from choosing a business structure to a finished business plan.
Local economy
Industry, visitors and a growing downtown
Auburn’s biggest employers are Boeing, the Auburn School District, the Muckleshoot Indian Tribe and MultiCare Auburn Regional Medical Center. Distribution centers and manufacturers such as Safeway, Costco Wholesale Optical and Ply Gem Pacific Windows add a large industrial base. The city’s 2026 workforce profile counts about 2,664 businesses employing 41,110 people. Manufacturing is the largest sector by employment (180 businesses, 8,467 workers), followed by retail, health care, construction and food service. Regional attractions such as Emerald Downs, the Muckleshoot Casino Resort, The Outlet Collection and the White River Amphitheatre bring visitors, and the city is working to grow downtown dining, retail and creative businesses.
What drives business here
- Aerospace manufacturing. The Boeing Company is Auburn’s largest employer, with 3,935 employees, according to the city’s major-employers list.
- Tribal enterprise, gaming and entertainment. The Muckleshoot Indian Tribe (1,472 employees) is one of Auburn’s top three employers. The city promotes Emerald Downs, the Muckleshoot Casino Resort, the White River Amphitheatre, Pacific Raceways and FieldhouseUSA as major visitor draws.
- Distribution and manufacturing. Major employers include the Safeway Distribution Center (817 employees), Costco Wholesale Optical (782), Ply Gem Pacific Windows (550), Pepsi Beverages of Auburn (325) and Skills Inc. (manufacturing, 279).
- Health care and education. MultiCare Auburn Regional Medical Center (1,482 employees), the Auburn School District (2,993) and Green River College (830) are among the city’s largest employers.
- Retail, restaurants and creative businesses. The city’s economic development office names breweries, wineries, and creative and artisan businesses as target industries. It says downtown commercial space rents for $3 to $13 less than in nearby cities.
Our impact since 2014
Thousands of women have started and grown with WCWB
8,480+
business advising sessions
360+
business training events
4,030+
training participants
300+
new businesses started
400+
new jobs created
50+
businesses accessing capital
$3.2 million+
reported increase in business profits
Where business happens
Business districts in Auburn
- Downtown Auburn / Main Street. A downtown core with a small-town feel, about 30 minutes south of Seattle. The city is recruiting specialty shops, restaurants and experience-based businesses to join existing Main Street merchants, and the Downtown Auburn Cooperative supports the district.
- Auburn Way corridor. The city markets this corridor as a high-traffic gateway to regional entertainment destinations such as the Muckleshoot Casino and the White River Amphitheatre, with opportunities for new businesses.
- The Outlet Collection | Seattle and Emerald Downs area. A regional outlet mall and the Emerald Downs racetrack. The city lists both among its key attractions, and both draw shoppers and visitors from across the region.
Good to know in Auburn
- Auburn has its own B&O tax, but it applies only to businesses with $500,000 or more in companywide gross revenue a year, or more than 4,000 sq ft of warehouse space.
- An Auburn business license is an endorsement on your state license through the Business Licensing Service.
- The city’s Downtown Façade Improvement Grant helps businesses in the downtown Business Improvement Area pay for exterior improvements.
- The city has offered a free Small Business Technical Assistance Program for established Auburn businesses; watch its economic development site for future rounds.
Not sure what applies to you? An advisor can walk you through it.
More help in Auburn
Alongside WCWB, these Auburn organizations support local businesses. Each link opens their own website.
Auburn Economic Development
The city’s economic development office helps with site selection, fast-track permitting through the One-Stop Permit Center, local data, incentives and grants.
Auburn Area Chamber of Commerce
Offers networking events, a business directory and business resources, plus a Leadership Institute and advocacy for Auburn-area businesses.
Downtown Auburn Cooperative
A nonprofit downtown business association that markets downtown merchants, keeps a business directory and runs events such as Family Fun Day and the Veterans Day Parade.
Green River College Small Business Center (Washington SBDC), Auburn Center
Free one-on-one business advising and low-cost business classes at 1221 D Street NE, Auburn (also in Kent and Enumclaw); 253-520-6260.
King County Library System: Business & Nonprofit resources (Auburn Library)
Free business and market-research databases with a library card; the Auburn Library is at 1102 Auburn Way S.
King County Office of Economic Opportunity and Creative Economy
The county’s economic development office. It works with the Seattle Metropolitan Chamber on business retention and expansion help, and runs the King County Aerospace Alliance.
Questions from Auburn business owners
Can WCWB help me with Auburn’s downtown façade grant?
An advisor can help you plan the project, budget for any matching funds and fit it into your bigger plan. The city’s economic development office handles the application itself.
My business serves visitors to Emerald Downs, the outlets or the casino. Where do I start?
Start with a plan for your busy and slow seasons. An advisor can help you with pricing, staffing and marketing to the visitors these attractions bring.
Does WCWB have an office in Auburn?
No. We meet by phone and video, so we can work with you anywhere in Washington State. Our office is at 4220 6th Ave SE in Lacey.
Who can work with WCWB?
Anyone who is starting a business or growing a small to medium-sized one. We focus on women-identified business owners in Washington State, and our services are open to everyone.
Also serving nearby: Kent · Federal Way · Puyallup
Your Auburn business, stronger
Free advising by phone or video, with no up-front commitment.