Page 8A
BUSINESS
East Oregonian
Saturday, August 19, 2017
HERMISTON
Brother, sister open gourmet salad shop on Locust Avenue
By JADE MCDOWELL
East Oregonian
A Hermiston woman has turned
a healthy habit into a much-antic-
ipated business venture this week
with the opening of a gourmet
salad shop.
Jaclyn Crowder opened Veg Out
with her brother Ben Millard this
week, and the small salad shop at
319 W. Locust Avenue already has
33 reviews on its Facebook page,
all of them for fi ve stars.
“It’s been awesome,” Crowder
said. “We’ve been kind of over-
whelmed.”
Positive comments on Face-
book were what spurred the
business venture in the fi rst place.
Crowder said after the birth of
her kids she struggled with her
weight, especially since being a
stay-at-home mom meant she had
access to food all day long. To
combat the problem she started
experimenting with creating
different types of salads, and
found she enjoyed them more if
she made them “pretty” too. It was
only natural, in this day and age,
that she then share her handiwork
Staff photo by Jade McDowell
Ben Millard, left, and Jaclyn Crowder, right, opened Veg Out this
week at at 319 W. Locust Avenue, Hermiston.
on social media before eating it.
“I started posting on Facebook
for friends to see and they started
asking me to make them for them,”
she said.
Originally Crowder just wanted
to sell the colorful salads from
home, but soon realized the law
required her to make them in a
commercial kitchen. She posted on
a public Facebook forum asking
if anyone would be interested in a
salad shop, and hundreds of enthu-
siastic comments poured in.
She asked her brother if he
wanted to join in on the venture and
he agreed.
“We felt we owed it to Herm-
iston,” he said. “That response (on
Facebook) is what’s kept us going.”
The small shop, located just
behind Bi-Mart, is takeout and
delivery only, although the busi-
ness’s Facebook page points out it
is only half a block from McKenzie
Park’s picnic shelter.
Millard said from 2 p.m. to 4
p.m. business slows down, but if
the fi rst few days are an indication,
when someone wants to pick up
a salad during the lunch or dinner
rush they should call ahead by at
least an hour if they don’t want a
long wait to pick up their order.
Delivery of orders of at least three
salads is available for a $3 charge.
Veg Out’s menu currently
features fi ve salads, ranging from
the $7 classic chicken caesar salad
to the $13 steak taco salad with
cilantro lime dressing. Brazilian
cheese bread, a fruit bowl and
bottled beverages are also available.
Millard said since the kitchen
is so small, the menu will likely
always be limited to fi ve or six
salads, but the selection will change
depending on what fruits and
vegetables are in season. He said
to start out the business is getting
its ingredients from one vendor, but
that will probably change.
“We’ve checked out some local
lettuce places, and we might start
getting some of our berries local,”
he said. “We might try to source
some more local produce, as much
as we can.”
On Thursday afternoon a couple
came to pick up a pair of salads
and were surprised to learn that
the shop had only been open a
few days. Christina Martinez, who
ordered the berry nutty salad, said
they had just moved into town a
couple of weeks ago and found Veg
Out on Yelp.
“We’re excited to try it,” she
said. “Our salads look amazing.”
Veg Out is open 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Tuesday through Thursday and 11
a.m. to 7 p.m. Friday and Saturday.
———
Contact Jade McDowell at
jmcdowell@eastoregonian.com or
541-564-4536.
BRIEFLY
Farm store opens near Lexington
Pathology practices combine services
LEXINGTON — Grass-fed beef, farm-raised pork and
pasture-raised chicken are all available at a new farm store,
located just outside of Lexington.
Neiffer Ranch has been selling its products at farmers’
markets in the Tri-Cities and decided it wanted a more
formal outlet for the local community. The farm store’s
summer hours are Mondays and Thursdays from 1-7 p.m. or
by appointment at 64466 Clarks Canyon Road, Lexington.
Affectionately referred to as the “Wagenblast Place,” the farm
is easily identifi ed by the large red barn on the property.
For more information or to schedule an appointment,
contact Lara Neiffer at 541-371-7264 or grassfedfamily@
gmail.com.
PENDLETON — Blue Mountain Pathology and Incyte
Diagnostics have entered into an agreement to combine
their practices.
Founded in 1980, Blue Mountain Pathology is based
in Pendleton. With fi ve board certifi ed pathologists, it
currently provides onsite anatomic and clinical pathology
services to St. Anthony Hospital in Pendleton and Good
Shepherd Medical Center in Hermiston, as well as other
hospital and physician’s offi ces throughout Eastern Oregon
and parts of Washington and Idaho.
Incyte, which was founded in 1957, is based in Spokane,
Bellevue, Walla Walla and Yakima. Its 42 pathologists
provide services to 35 hospitals. The combined staff
features professionals with expertise in 27 pathology
disciplines/subspecialties.
For more information, call 888-814-6277 or 800-700-6892.
Hermiston looking for new fi nance director
HERMISTON — The city of Hermiston is on the hunt
for a new fi nance director after Amy Palmer’s exit.
Palmer said at a recent city council meeting she was
leaving to care for a family member. She was hired in
2012 and came to the city with more than 20 years of
public sector accounting experience.
The city has opened a nationwide search for Palmer’s
replacement using a recruiting fi rm it has used to fi nd
other department heads in the past. The position, listed
with a salary range of $92,964 to $113,112, is open until
fi lled. A fi rst review of applications is scheduled for Sept.
17.
A job description and application can be found online
at hermiston.or.us/employment/fi nance-director.
Pendleton Presbyterian Preschool
announces new director
PENDLETON — The Pendleton Presbyterian Preschool
has hired Lori Albright as the new director and teacher of
the school.
Albright had been a foreign language teacher at
Pendleton High School for 21 years before jumping to the
preschool at 201 S.W. Dorion Ave.
According to the First Presbyterian Church website, the
preschool serves three and four-year olds and follows the
Pendleton School District calendar.
People can contact the preschool about openings
by calling Albright at 541-304-5012, emailing her
at mrsalbright51@gmail.com or visiting Pendleton
Presbyterian Preschool’s Facebook page.
Free workshop assists with grant process
PENDLETON — A workshop designed to provide best
practices information in regards to end-of-project reports
for grant funding is offered free of charge.
“End of Project Reporting: What you Need to Know
and Why you Need to Get it Right” is Wednesday, Aug. 23
from 3-5 p.m. at the Eastern Oregon Business Source, 245
S.E. Fourth St., Pendleton. While there is no registration
fee, those planning to attend area asked to register in
advance.
The session also will cover common material that
funders ask for in reports, as well as some tips to stay
organized and ahead of the reporting cycle. Those
attending will receive assistance in improving their
grant writing and reporting skills, as well as helping the
organization make a strong impression.
For more information or to register, visit www.
eobusinesssource.com. For questions, contact Brittany
Johnson at 541-215-9252 or brittanyjohnson@
eobusinesssource.com.
———
Business briefs are compiled from staff and wire
reports, and press releases. Email press releases to
business@eastoregonian.com
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