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About Just out. (Portland, OR) 1983-2013 | View Entire Issue (March 16, 2001)
march 16,2001 • | M t « « ^ 2 3 speckled with 13 churches, has opened its arms to the women. Although the area might be full of newcomers with more liberal ideologies, it also consists of natives with more conservative views. Their acceptance and kindness have moved Mann and Erb. “In the church, the majority are locals. That is what makes (being embraced) even more phenomenal,” Erb says. “We’ve been truly welcomed with warmth. Wherever we go, its genuine.” During visits to the bank, they are greeted with, “It’s nice to see you two.” When she arrives solo, Erb says people always ask about Mann. “I think they just think of us as people,” she says. Word about the newcomers got around fast. Once while shopping in Hood River, Mann got into a conversation with a clerk she thought might be gay. Suddenly, the clerk realized whom she was talking to. “You’re either the gay pastor or the Jewish partner,” Mann says the clerk blurted out. Erb and Mann, who hail from Hous ton and Philadelphia, respectively, have found a satisfying social life that spans both sides of the river. Little by little, they’ve connected with other women in the area. They attend monthly potlucks and meet new people almost every time they show up. Their friends live from one end of the Gorge to the other in other in Kith Oregon and Washington. The women also entertain church and community members at the parsonage. Then there is the volunteer work, the community organizing and the community choir, among other activities. Not to mention the world-famous scenery. Both the church and the women’s home have spectacular views of the Columbia Gorge. Their faces brighten when they talk about the scenery. “One way or another, it is spiritu ally uplifting,” Mann says. She thinks the beauty of the area con tributes to the overall psyche of the people who live in the Gorge. “People seem to be happier, ready to smile,” she says. “It affects everything.” iiiiiii m MORELAND ’ VETERINARY HOSPITAL Dogs • Cats • Reptiles Pocket Pets b Quality Care fo r your variety o f pets. Robert Bruno, DVM Kay L. Bruno, DVM Boarding Available 10% Off Vaccines on Thurs Jean Erb (left) and Amy Mann enjoy the spectacular views of the Columbia Gorge T h e r e ’ s N o P l a c e L ik e H o m e Lire in tne i^oiumDia uorge nardiy could he better, the women say. They recently Kiught a piece of property—next door to the parson age— where they spend time fantasizing aK>ut the retirement dream home they will build someday. They expect they’ll grow old together in their new little comer of the world. “This is home,” Mann says. “This is home.” Mon.-Tues.-Thurs. 8:00 - 7:30 Wed. & Fri. 8:00 - 6:00, Sat. 8:00 - 1:00 aving grown up in mral Sherman County, just 40 miles east of Hood River, Shane Langston couldn’t wait to live somewhere else. But just after he graduated from col lege, opportunity— “Hood River is definitely an both personally and p r o f e s s i o n a l l y — was exceptional town. It draws a lot o f savvy staring him down in his old neighborhood. people. A very educated and accepting A year after he met his community. It’s a unique city. ” partner, Cory Bernard, the men decided to go into — Shane Langston business together. They opened Holstein’s Coffee Company in The Dalles in 1992. Langston Bernard started Pacific Rim Coffee Roasters, decided “coming home” wouldn’t he so bad, which turns out 700 pounds of beans a week. because Portland was not so far away. In addition to providing beans for their own Almost a decade later, the partners in life businesses, the company has several customers and business own four coffeehouses, a coffee in Portland. roasting company and a truck stop that, all told, gross $5 million annually. Home base is now in Hood River, a place Langston loves. Continued o n Page 25 MÎÊÊÊSâMmmÊmÊÊSÊÎÊSÊmtÊ 1 NEED A REAL ESTATE AGENT? W estoyer H eights C L I N I C uh 21 Offering general internal medicine and excelling in sexual health care 0 2 Serving the community for 17 yearo fcf < r o I ^ Û 7201 S E Milwaukie Ave. 239-9972 “Hood River is definitely an excep tional town,” he says. “It draws a lot of savvy people. A very educated and accepting community. It’s a unique city.” Being gay in the small town isn’t an issue. Langston says he never has had a negative reaction. If people complain, it is because they want him to be more involved in the community. He says his schedule run ning the businesses and helping man age 142 employees keeps him from being as active as he’d like to be. Five months of the year are intense with work, Langston says. The area’s population explodes during the summer months, when windsurfers and other outdoor enthusiasts flock to the Columbia Gorge. At least twice a month, Langston travels to Bend, where he looks over one of the coffee houses. In the off months, he travels around the world. “We are just now getting to the point where we can enjoy being away,” he says. The couple took a leap into the cof fee business when they looked around and saw that the small towns in the Gorge didn’t have a good place to get a cup of coffee. “We definitely just filled a need,” Langston says. “We just kind of went with what we liked.” Two addi tional locations are in the works; Langston is looking at several smaller towns as potential locations. His success in the coffee business might not just rest with his concept. 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