Wednesday, June 17, 2015 The Nugget Newspaper, Sisters, Oregon
7
outlaws host John Leavitt hanging up his spurs
in rodeos during his youth
baseball
By Jim Cornelius
and continued his chosen
sport throughout his adult
summer
After 40 years as Sisters’ life. He has primarily worked
iconic purveyor of fine a rope, but also did time in
Western fashion, John Leavitt the dust as a steer wrestler.
camp
is hanging up his spurs.
He also toured Europe as
News Editor
Sisters Outlaw Baseball
invites youth players ages 7
to 14 to join in on the Sisters
Outlaw Baseball Camp.
The camp will teach the
fundamentals and basic skills
of the game. In addition, it is
a great way to meet current
Outlaw baseball players.
The camp will be held on
the Sisters varsity baseball
field June 17-19 from 9 a.m.
to 1 p.m. each day. The camp
is for both boys and girls.
Camp will include spe-
cific position instruction;
game time; daily skills com-
petition; hitting evaluation;
and base-running instruction.
Participants should bring:
bat, glove, hat, sunglasses,
baseball pants/sweats/shorts
(no jeans), and snack/water.
Cost is $80 per child with
a $15 discount for each addi-
tional child in your family.
Team discounts are available
for four or more players from
the same team. Scholarships
will be made available upon
request
Sign up by calling 541-
719-1255 or 503-537-4221.
Leavitt and his wife,
Kathryn, are saying good-
bye to their signature Sisters
retail store with a sale that
will likely stretch into August
before they close the doors
for good.
“It’s time to do some other
things,” John said. “Haven’t
taken many vacations. I don’t
get down to our ranch (in
Lakeview) very often… it’d
be nice to spend four, five
days.”
He and Kathryn will stay
in Sisters, and John will con-
tinue his involvement with
the Sisters Rodeo, where he’s
served on the board of direc-
tors and chaired the queen
selection committee for many
years. He’s also competed in
many roping events.
Leavitt grew up on the
family ranch his father and
uncles bought more than half
a century ago. They oper-
ated Leavitt’s Freight out of
Springfield, but always han-
kered after ranch life. The
purchase of the Lakeview
property saw that dream
begin.
Leavitt began competing
part of a Western show. On
his return, Leavitt saw an
opportunity in Sisters and
purchased a building on the
corner of Cascade Avenue
and Elm Street from Sisters
pioneers Harold and Dorothy
Barclay. He’d left the home
ranch at Lakeview to attend
business school in Reno and
was ready to apply what he’d
learned — in the business of
selling Western wear.
That business has changed
over 40 years.
“People are more selec-
tive,” he told The Nugget.
“That’s why we’ve tried to
keep a little more upper end.”
Leavitt’s has carried some
quality, functional ranchwear,
but its signature is clothing
that anyone would be proud
to wear for a night out on the
town.
Folks are taking advantage
of the big sale to get some
of those fancy duds at good
prices.
Though he’s ready to
move on, Leavitt acknowl-
edges that he’ll miss aspects
of the retail life.
“I’ll miss the people,
photo by JiM corneliuS
John Leavitt has been putting boots on Sisters Country for 40 years.
interacting with them, visit-
ing with certain ones. There’s
no doubt about that,” he said.
“After 40 years, it’s part of
your life. It basically is your
life, I guess.”
Leavitt’s is located on the
corner of Cascade Avenue
and Elm Street in downtown
Sisters.
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