COAST RIVER BUSINESS JOURNAL
DECEMBER 2019 • 9
BUSINESS FEATURE
Coming Soon
Warrenton Branch
1771 SE Ensign Ln.
Our newest branch will feature a
relaxed and casual atmosphere.
Enjoy amenities including Wi-Fi,
a custom Spotify station, and an
in-branch coffee bar with Red Leaf
Organic Coffee. You’re sure to feel
right at home!
We look forward to welcoming
you through our doors
very soon.
LUKE WHITTAKER
Sea Gypsy Gifts owner and artist Naomi Pena poses with one of her recent picture frames created using recycled glass. “We have more than
40 local artists in here. We try to specialize in recycling as much as we can,” Pena said.
beautiful home and I love it here.”
Rhoadarmer said the downtown
core has resisted burgeoning big box
stores outside Astoria, largely because
each caters to a unique customer base
and carries unique inventory.
“As far as the retail downtown
area, I think everyone has such a niche
that people are attracted to it. It hasn’t
infringed much on our retail,” he said.
Each design in the store is made by
Northwest artists, often Rhoadarmer
or one of three business partners.
“It’s all local and one-of-a-kind.
You won’t find it anywhere else.”
Recycled and reborn
Sea Gypsy Gifts
Naomi Pena, artist and owner
1001 Commercial St., Astoria
360-510-2488
ASTORIA — Dozens of local art-
ists have work displayed in one down-
town Astoria business that specializes
in bringing new beauty to the broken
and discarded.
At Sea Gypsy Gifts former glass
bowls and plates find new life as gar-
den flowers and old wine bottle bot-
toms become homemade candles,
while the tops are chopped into wind
chimes.
Custom-made recycled glass win-
dows are among their most popular
specialty items.
“All of it is recycled,” said owner
and artist Naomi Pena. “We have
more than 40 local artists in here. We
try to specialize in recycling as much
as we can.”
Pena said the big box stores haven’t
slowed her business, which recently
celebrated five years.
“Every year we’re doing a little bit
better than that last year, so I don’t
feel like Walmart affected us. But our
stuff is way different — it’s not from
China,” she said.
Quality and customer service
J&S Appliance & Home
Furniture
Brian Tucker, general manager
529 Marlin Ave., Warrenton
503-861-0929
WARRENTON — Despite being
located less than two miles away from
Walmart, one family-owned store
has felt little pressure from the retail
giant’s presence.
“None,” said J&S Appliance &
Home Furniture general manager
Brian Tucker pointedly after being
asked about the impact of having a
Walmart so close.
While Walmart offers sales for
discount home furniture in store and
online, Tucker said the store poses lit-
tle threat as competition.
“They don’t really have an effect
on our business because we do totally
different things than what they sell.
They sell low-end furniture and we
don’t sell anything like that,” he said.
Tucker conceded that other one big
box store cut business temporarily, but
it eventually bounced back.
“The Home Depot did for about a
year, but people realized the differ-
ence in customer service between a
big box store and a little, local store.
I think it helped our business because
people actually realized the value they
got here compared to Home Depot.”
www.tlcfcu.org
866.901.3521
/ILikeTLC/
A DIVISION OF
CREDIT UNION