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About The nugget. (Sisters, Or.) 1994-current | View Entire Issue (Feb. 8, 2017)
24 Wednesday, February 8, 2017 The Nugget Newspaper, Sisters, Oregon Sisbers couple marks 10 years ab café SCHEDULE: Two-week spring break remains on the books By Jim Cornelius News Editor Continued from page 1 Chris and Pam Wavrin are marking their 10th anniver- sary as the owners of one of Sisters’ landmark restaurants — The Depot Café. Chris and his brother Bill launched the venture, pur- chasing the then-Depot Deli. “My brother and I basi- cally did this together,” Chris recalled. “He had a chef background. He rolled out for other interests shortly after purchase.” That left Chris and Pam, recently moved from California, to operate the business. They largely stuck with what had worked in the past — a strong breakfast and lunch menu. “It took a while to feel like our place,” Pam said. Gradually, they stream- lined the menu, keeping best- sellers and adding new items, and increasingly moving into sourcing their ingredients locally. The café serves up homemade, healthy options, and has become a go-to stop for people who are gluten- free — which reflects a fam- ily dietary change. “Three of four of us are gluten-free,” Chris said, “so we really try to take care of people who are.” Pam enjoys coming up with the new options. “I do like to cook,” she said. “Not on the line; I’m not a line cook. I get to create recipes.” Each year, the couple PHOTO BY JIM CORNELIUS Chris and Pam Wavrin with long-time employees Sami and Cher Madsen. engages in one big improve- ment project — a back patio and stage; a new front patio; new siding. “What we’d like to do is expand our kitchen to better serve summer crowds,” Chris said. Both Pam and Chris expressed their appreciation for the support of the Sisters community. They were sur- prised at how connected their business has become with the community. The Depot Café is a Sisters Folk Festival venue, and it has been a sum- mer job for many a Sisters teen. “We’ve had people who worked with us when they got their first driver’s license and now they’re having their first babies,” Pam reflected. “We’ve been a part of that, and that’s pretty cool.” The Depot Café employs from eight to 25 people depending on the season. Some have been on staff for the whole time Chris and Pam have operated the restaurant. Running a successful res- taurant in Sisters is challeng- ing — coping with a seasonal economy and wearing mul- tiple hats as a small-business owner. And it’s physically demanding, too. But Chris and Pam enjoy the people on both sides of the coun- ter and enjoy being one of Sisters’ destinations for thou- sands who visit here and for the locals who rely on their offerings for a tasty — and good-for-you — meal. The Depot Café is located at 250 W. Cascade Ave. “We have a plan, barring more of the white stuff com- ing down,” Superintendent Curtiss Scholl said. He explained that union representatives for the District’s certified and classi- fied employees approved the altered schedule “to do what’s best for students.” Shortening spring break was discussed, but was rejected because 20 staff members have made plans that will prevent them from being in town dur- ing the second week of that vacation. Scholl called the chances of finding 20 available sub- stitute teachers “very slim” because other school districts are in the same position as Sisters, trying to find enough teachers to meet their own scheduling needs. The superintendent added that Sisters schools already exceed the State Department of Education’s mandatory class time. That’s why no waiver from the State is needed here, although the department is offering such waivers to districts. School Board member Stephen King suggested that, in the future, the Sisters District build two potential snow days into its annual schedule. The school year could start two days earlier than normal, he said, and classes could be curtailed two days earlier in the spring if no snow days are used. Scholl called it an idea worth considering. It would put the District in a proactive stance instead of a reaction- ary one, he said. Scholl noted that two days were lost for weather reasons in 2015-16 —one for snow and another for icy conditions. This winter’s unusually heavy snowfall has affected more than class time. It also has slowed some of the work on school renova- tion work authorized by the $10.7 million bond mea- sure voters approved last year. “This spring will be a busy spring,” Scholl said of the bond work. “We will start to see earth move.” School Board Chairman Jeff Smith acknowledged the unusual winter weather. “This is the longest we’ve had snow on the ground in my 21 years here,” he said. “There are a whole lot of people in a whole lot of are- nas who did a great job for us. I want to take my hat off to them.” That includes personnel who shoveled snow, inspected school building roofs, and arose in the wee hours of the morning to drive area roads and check whether conditions would allow safe transporta- tion of students. Sisters Elementary School Principal Becky Stoughton added a touch of humor to the discussion. “Our snow berms have turned into ice berms,” she said. “We’ve lost a few snow boots, but no students yet.” Have a Vacation Home, Cottage, Cabin, RV or even a Room to Rent? This year’s big events in town (Sisters Shootouts, SALI, Sisters Stampede, Sisters Folk Festival, August Solar Eclipse, Sisters Rodeo, Sisters Outdoor Quilt Show & more) fi ll lodging establishments months in advance. Place a Nugget “Vacation Rentals” classifi ed ad for just $2 per line the fi rst week, $1.50 per line on repeat weeks. And it goes online at no extra charge! Placement deadline is Monday before noon, at 541-549-9941 or nuggetnews.com. This ad sponsored by The Nugget Newspaper in support of Deschutes Land Trust.
