Businesses owned and operated by women are everywhere in Jefferson County, dotted among the estimated 4,500 businesses in the county. According to the U.S. Census, 30 percent of this county's businesses are owned by women.

One solid block in downtown Port Townsend is especially unique in this regard. The one-story, 100-year-old red brick building on Monroe Street adjacent to Point Hudson had been the longtime home of the Monroe Street Medical Clinic and Irene East Skin Care. Together with the wooden the buildings right behind it, they are now filled with women-owned businesses. Some of them are new; some have been around for a while. All of them have overcome challenges to open their doors and keep them open.

Here is a look at recent changes to the building on the corner of Monroe and Washington streets.

Wren Ferris's Soak on the Sound

As a concept, a saltwater bathhouse for Port Townsend started out long before the project got underway in May, 2013.

“It couldn’t take off without the right location, a big basement, one story because of the intricacies of moving 1,800 gallons of water, the weight of all the equipment and a landlord willing to take on the risk and some of the expenses of an overhaul," said owner Wren Ferris.

Dave Williams, who owns the Monroe Street brick building, was introduced to Ferris’s idea of a opening a hydrotherapy healing center in his building by Dr. Douwe Rienstra. Rienstra was in the process of downsizing his Monroe Street clinic after more than 30 years, and moved it to Lawrence and Kearney streets. Ferris wanted the space at 242 Monroe, and Williams accommodated her by investing in the infrastructure of the building so it could hold extra weight and water utilities.

Ferris' tubs include bath salts in a hydrotherapy approach to aches and pains.

Ferris, 35, said that had she known the final cost of setup would triple her initial estimate, she wouldn’t have gone into it. But once the project was underway, there was no turning back. The building’s location was perfect and the landlord amenable. She invested personal loans from family and friends. “We’ll never move," she said. "We’re here and that’s that. We’re committed to success. Success is my only option."

"We are expected to double our revenue from the first six months, and the year after that, double again," she said. "We are prepared for that. From the first month, we’ve made our numbers, and expect to continue."

Connie Segal's Glow Natural Skin Care

Connie Segal approached Ferris last year with several ideas to include as part of Soak; and ended up putting them into play next door as Glow Natural Skin Care, a sister business.

In February 2014, after operating for seven years as Connie Segal Natural Skin Care, Segal expanded, rebranded and relocated in the space vacated by Irene East. East had retired after more than 30 years and vacated the space at 224 Monroe.

Glow Skin Care opened with three professional women on staff and offers facials, waxing, sugaring, brow and lash tint, body exfoliation, polarity therapy and organic skincare products.

Segal, with more than 20 years' experience in healing arts, is a licensed esthetician and massage therapist, yoga teacher and artist.

Ellen Falconer's Massage by the Bay

"Massage therapists are nomads, we’re always looking for the perfect spot," said owner Ellen Falconer. She was working on lighting a Key City Theater production when she noticed the next-door space was available at 441 Washington.

Falconer had been doing business from the daylight basement of the Good Templars’ Building (Jefferson Community School) but wanted to change to gain the higher visibility of the Washington Street location. She opened Thanksgiving, 2013 and the new location has been a boost to her business. “It’s been fantastic," she said. "It’s been the best year I’ve ever had, and I’m so grateful.”

Stephanie Gale's Gale Investment Management

Stephanie Gale of Gale Investment Management shared office space with Kristin Manwaring for several years. In 2008, when both businesses were looking to expand, the two talked about renovation. It became clear that rather than renovating the Port Townsend Business Park building for both, Gale would instead expand her investment management business in a different location.

Easier said than done. It was 2008 and before the fall of Lehman Brothers when Gale found her new location at 425 Washington, just off Monroe. The space looked usable, she thought. With plans from architect Richard Berg, Gale was given a rent holiday from the landlord to make improvements, and moved in right after the stock market crashed; Thanksgiving, 2008.

Since then, things have steadily improved, for Gale and the market.

“My choice had everything to do with my clientele," she said. Her business required ground floor accessibility, ample parking including spaces for the handicapped, and room to increase the number of office assistants from two to three. This summer Gale remodeled and upgraded a second time to take the increased volume of business into account.

(Jennifer James-Wilson and Scott Wilson contributed to this story.)