POULSBO — Slowly but surely, a well-known Front Street personality’s recovery is underway.
But whether or not it happens in time for him to return to his old stomping grounds still remains to be seen.
Jonathan Rowe, 38, who owns the Marina Market off Front Street in downtown Poulsbo has been undergoing therapy since suffering what doctors believe may have been two strokes in July. His wife Andrea Rowe said she was originally told it could take three to six months for her husband to return to work. After two months of recovery, she said she’s still unsure how long the process may last.
“But all in all, considering the size of the stroke, he’s doing well,” she said.
Jonathan Rowe is the vice president of the Historic Downtown Poulsbo Association (HDPA). After hearing of his stroke, HDPA President John Kuntz, set up an account in Rowe’s name at Frontier Bank where community members could make donations to offset the Rowes’ medical expenses. Kuntz said so far, the fund has garnered about $4,000 in donations.
“They’re really grateful for this because he still has ongoing expenses with rehab and physical therapy,” he commented.
The Rowes have medical coverage for their 7-year-old son but as small business owners, were not able to have coverage for themselves. Andrea Rowe said she isn’t sure how much the tally will be for Jonathan’s medical care, but it will likely far exceed the medical expense savings they’d put away.
“I haven’t gotten all the bills yet,” Rowe said. “I’ve been trying to keep my head above water with the store and the house and everything. But the hospital has been really nice.”
But even with the help of the community, the family is looking into the very real possibility of the Marina Market changing hands. They had begun exploring selling the 6-year-old store prior to Jonathan Rowe’s injury. Rowe said she is even more convinced that selling may be for the best.
“It’s a little hard for me to do on my own,” she said. “I just don’t know. He wants to come back but with his memory issues, it’s iffy. But it’s been really fun. We’ve had a really great run but it’s hard to keep this up.”
Rowe said they’ve received some offers so far, but are carefully considering the next owner of the venture. She explained that over the years, they’ve built up a large import food business that is relied upon by many locals.
“We want to make sure they keep the import business because that’s really important here,” Rowe commented of the next owner.
Even if the Marina Market itself is able to stay intact, Kuntz said Jonathan Rowe’s absence from the downtown has made a real impact on HDPA members. The family has been tireless advocates for downtown businesses and regular contributors to downtown beautification projects. Kuntz said his wish is for Jonathan Rowe to make a 100 percent recovery and return to Front Street.
“He did a lot for downtown and helped handle a lot of things,” Kuntz said. “I hope he gets back as soon as possible. He’s a big contributor to downtown.”
