B1 THE ASTORIAN • SATuRdAy, FEbRuARy 19, 2022 CONTACT US FOLLOW US Lissa Brewer lbrewer@dailyastorian.com facebook.com/ DailyAstorian Tre-Fin Day Boat Seafood is featured in Wild Grocery & Cafe’s video series. LOCALLY GROWN Manzanita grocery store’s video series highlights North Coast makers, growers By ZOË BUCHLI For The Astorian ‘W ild Origins,” a new video series from Wild Grocery & Cafe in Manzanita, explores unique prod- ucts crafted by local makers around the North Coast and sold at the local market. The grocery store, nestled next to Left Coast Siesta on Manzanita’s Laneda Avenue, carries a bounty of locally-made foods and other goods. The video series, which launched in December, includes 10 short videos as well as one longer video that gives viewers a run-down of Wild’s history and broader mission. “(Wild) is really the heart of the community, it’s a place where people gather,” said Kelley Roy, Wild’s mar- keting director. “I really wanted to cel- ebrate that.” Roy wrote and directed the series, hoping to amplify the mission and vision of the store’s owner, Natasha Stevens. Each vendor featured in the series is in stock at Wild — including Art & Channel, The Columbia Bar, Nehalem River Ranch, The Salmonberry, River City Flower Farm, Moon River Farm, Circe’s Garden and others. The store’s videos run about one minute each, giving viewers a sam- ple of the business’ offerings and the craftsmanship that goes into their work. Filmed by a local media group, the videos are vibrant and eye-catching. Whether you’re interested in learn- ing about the process of how Tre-Fin Day Boat Seafood, based in Ilwaco, Washington, brings their tuna to Wild’s famous tuna fish sandwich or how Art & Channel, a local alchemy business, crafts their gem essence energy sprays, you’re sure to learn something new. Roy and the Wild team also hope the series can help to inform custom- ers about where they’re getting their food from. Roy points out that some people might wonder why they’re paying nearly $10 for a tuna sand- wich — it’s because the fish is being sourced locally and responsibly, she said. “That consumer education element is another big thing,” she said. Mary Blake Lily Strauss, left, and Kayleigh Hillert, of Moon River Farm in Nehalem, seen here in 2018, are among the local purveyors profiled in Wild Grocery & Cafe’s video series. WATCH THE VIDEOS The video series can be found on Wild Grocery & Cafe’s Instagram and Facebook pages and at Wild’s website, www.wildmanzanita.com. The Columbia Bar, owned by Ivan Sultan, is one of the featured vendors. In just 60 seconds, Roy, Sultan and the film team walk viewers through the process of making their signature snack bars. Sultan said he’s grateful for the opportunity to be featured in Wild’s series, adding that the video gave Columbia Bar’s products the chance to be showcased in a way that clearly illustrates all the work and processes involved in making the tasty treats. “It’s more important than ever that people realize local businesses are struggling, but we’re still here and working to flourish,” Sultan said. “The main driver is to get people shopping at Wild and supporting local businesses,” Roy said. The series is made possible by grant from the Tillamook Coast Vis- itors Association and the Tillamook County Creamery Association. In its early stages, Roy wasn’t cer- tain what exactly the videos were going to be about, however she was sure she wanted to celebrate the store and spotlight its local vendors. Amid the pandemic, “We were try- ing to identify any and all resources available to help keep things going after the initial blow of being closed,” she said. The videos are also easily share- able across social media platforms and can be used for years to come. Nearly half the videos have been posted already, with the rest set for release over the next few months. Above all, the series reflects the store’s efforts to bring the North Coast community together. “The more we support each other, the better off we all are,” Roy said.