BUSINESS NEWS
8 • MARCH 2022
COAST RIVER BUSINESS JOURNAL
Family-owned businesses adapt amid pandemic
Some have reevaluated
and expanded
By ABBEY McDONALD
Coast River Business Journal
It has been two years since the û rst c oronavirus
case was identiû ed in Oregon, and since then fami-
ly-owned businesses on the North Coast have weath-
ered pandemic surges alongside their communities.
Some businesses that stayed aû oat during the
pandemic did so by reevaluating their approach 4
and in some cases 4 expanded .
‘We’re pretty optimistic
and easygoing’
Danny and Yvonne Lee, a couple who own Hobo
Junction in Long Beach, pivoted to focus on online
sales for the û rst time, and were surprised with how
much demand there was.
Their salvage store near Paciû c Avenue sticks
out, surrounded by sculptures and piles of û shing
equipment.
On the right side of the house sits a pile of û oats,
bought from local û shermen , nearly as tall as one
of several life-sized decorative skeletons on the
property.
The secondhand equipment became one of
their bestsellers during the pandemic, according to
Danny Lee.
<Anytime there9s a lockdown in a state, you can
tell because the sales pick up on Etsy,= he said.
He û gures that most of the û oats went to dec-
orate people9s homes and nautical-themed restau-
rants. One man drove from Texas to û ll his truck
with it. Joe9s Crab Shack, which has no locations
in Oregon or Washington state , was another buyer.
<I was surprised that these were even selling,=
Lee said. <They9re such a big box, too. Over 50% of
our price is shipping.=
The couple bought the property around 20 years
ago from a man who amassed a collection of things
like û shing equipment in the yard, baubles and Mar-
ilyn Monroe collectibles. The couple has kept up
PHOTOS BY ABBEY McDONALD
Yvonne and Danny Lee are the owners of Hobo Junction in Long Beach.
with the general theme and has added their own art
and work from local artists to the mix.
Lee said the pandemic brought more customers
looking to decorate their yards.
One popular item has been Lee9s metal recre-
ation of the robot Bender from the cartoon <Futur-
ama.= The sixth incarnation of the character stands
See Page 9
Q: My lawn looks very unhealthy. How can
I green it up and get rid of the weeds?
A:
BRIM9S
Farm & Garden
34963 Hwy. 101 Business
Astoria • 503-325-1562
For beautiful gardens
& healthy animals
www.brimsfarmngarden.com
First, correct the acidity with an application of
fast-acting lime. Lime will correct a low ph caused
by our abundant rain, which reduces the effectiveness
of nitrogen. This simple ph correction is enough to
green up the grass during the rainy season. Also apply a
slow-release organic fertilizer or a thin layer of compost.
Wait until the soil warms up, (50+ degrees), to see if you
still have a weed problem. Once the grass is growing
better and is greener, you may be able to ignore a few
weeds. If weeds persist, identify them, and choose the
best method to eradicate them.
Danny Lee makes metal art and said that his sculptures of Bender, from the television show ‘Futura-
ma,’ have been popular at Hobo Junction.