Saturday, November 25, 2017
BUSINESS
BUSINESS: Changes in technology caused the demise of Crazy Mike’s Video Store
Page 8A
East Oregonian
Continued from 1A
been replaced by McLeod’s
Bargain Bin, Defining Details
is now Two96 Main and the
former Indulge space has
been taken over by N2N
Integrations.
Susan Bower of Eastern
Oregon Business Source said
as new entrepreneurs decide
to take the plunge, they face
common challenges but they
also share ways to help miti-
gate those challenges.
One of the biggest prob-
lems for new small businesses
is having enough capital to get
started and then ride through
the rocky times. Passion
is an important ingredient
to success, but Bower said
banks and potential investors
are also going to want to see
a plausible, concrete plan for
financial success before they
are willing to extend a line of
credit.
“Having a business plan
is critical, and following that
plan is essential,” she said.
There
are
resources
available to teach would-be
entrepreneurs those types of
skills, including the small
business development center
at Blue Mountain Community
Staff photo by E.J. Harris
Cindy Traner, owner of the C and R Mercantile Co.,
jokes with longtime customer Cindy Wilson at her
store Tuesday in Hermiston.
College and workshops by the
chamber of commerce.
Business owners also
need to have enough money
in savings so their business
won’t sink in the first few
months as they start from
scratch and attempt to build a
customer base.
“You need some kind of
support to get through the low
times,” Bower said. “As a
business owner you’re the last
one to get paid, if you even
get paid.”
Bower said entrepreneurs
also need trusted advisors,
including an accountant and
an attorney, and some sort of
bookkeeping software to keep
their financial information
organized. She said many
business owners feel like
they don’t have the money
for those things up front, but
she said it’s some of the “best
money you can spend early
on” to make sure the store or
restaurant gets off on the right
foot and doesn’t stumble into
roadblocks that could devas-
tate the business.
Other problems that can
sink a small business are
hiring the wrong employees,
not marketing enough, poor
customer
service/product
quality, not thinking outside
the box or being pushed out
by competition from other
stores or changes in consumer
habits.
Changes in technology
were what caused the demise
of Crazy Mike’s Video Store,
which went out of business in
Hermiston at the beginning
of the month. Owner Sam
Jackson said people just don’t
go to video stores to rent
movies as much since the
advent of streaming services
like Netflix and iTunes.
“Busy schedules made
streaming more convenient,”
she said.
And while the drop in
customers ate into revenue,
changes in minimum wage
and other labor laws were
increasing
expenses
at
the same time. In the end,
Jackson said, although she
had a “great appreciation”
for her customers, it was time
to acknowledge that brick-
and-mortar video stores were
becoming a thing of the past.
Sharon Harvey of Sharon’s
Sweet Treats said she was sad
to close her doors recently,
but there just weren’t enough
customers through the door.
“We have to support our
merchants if we want them to
stay, that’s the bottom line,”
she said.
Not all small businesses
close for financial reasons.
“Being your own boss” can
sound like a great perk to
running a small business
when you’re tired of being
told what to do, but it’s less
attractive when it also means
you’re on the hook for every
problem and can’t take a
vacation because there is
no one else to run the store.
Sometimes small business
owners just decide to move on
to greener pastures, whether
it’s a promising job offer or
spending more time with
family.
Shannon Snyder, who ran
a small retail shop on Main
Street called Defining Details,
closed up a little more than
a year ago to focus on her
photography business and her
four children. She said she had
“fabulous” customers who
supported the retail venture,
but she felt like it was time
for a change in her work-life
balance.
“There were a number of
reasons, but the main reason
was that being a small busi-
ness owner is everything on
one person, and with children
at home that was getting
hard,” she said, explaining that
she found herself constantly
planning and thinking about
work while she was home
with family. “I needed more
head space for home.”
As for the closing of C&R
Mercantile, Traner said she
plans to spend a few months
in Hawaii for an agricultural
job, then try and do some
sort of home-based business.
She expressed frustration that
she didn’t get more business
from friends, fellow members
of the business community,
church members and city
leaders, but said she was at
peace with her decision to
close after making a go of it
for the last five years.
On Tuesday afternoon
a customer wandered into
the store and commented it
was his first time inside the
mercantile.
“You’re about five years
too late,” Traner replied.
———
Contact Jade McDowell at
jmcdowell@eastoregonian.
com or 541-564-4536.
Commerce announced the
“Rewards Cards” program
kicked off earlier this
week. When shopping at
participating businesses, be
sure to collect the cards to
be cashed in for a chance to
win prizes during Heppner
Celebrate Christmas. The
event is Thursday, Dec.
14 at 6 p.m. the Morrow
County Fairgrounds.
Rewards are available
in denominations of $10,
$20 and $50, but can’t
be collected on account
payments. Also, $10 reward
cards will be given for each
meal purchased for the
Christmas event. People are
encouraged do help support
local businesses while
increasing their chances
to win a prize donated
by local and out-of-town
merchants.
For more information,
contact the chamber
at 541-676-5536 or
heppnerchamber@
centurytel.net.
First Thursday
gets festive
BRIEFLY
Art of the Gift
offers unique
shopping venue
PENDLETON — A
custom balloon sculptural
installation will float above
the annual holiday art exhibit
and sale at Pendleton Center
for the Arts.
Amber Clark of Walla
Walla, who owns Up Balloon
Boutique, created the display.
Arts center executive director
Roberta Lavadour said it adds
a breath of fresh air to the
space.
Art of the Gift features
more than 50 fine arts
crafters, providing a unique
shopping venue that includes
many one-of-a-kind items.
In addition to a number of
returning artists, the event
includes several first-time
participants, Lavadour said.
“It’s exciting to see local
artists developing their
talents, and it’s energizing for
them to see someone buying
an item they’ve put their heart
and soul into,” she said.
There is no admission
charge for Art of the Gift. It’s
open Tuesday through Fridays
from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and
Saturdays from noon to 4 p.m.
at 214 N. Main St., Pendleton.
It runs through Dec. 31. In
addition to shopping, visitors
can participate in free, drop in,
make-and-take projects each
Saturday.
A featured project
Saturday, Dec. 2 includes a
“Wreath Bar.” Kris O’Grady
of A Bushel and a Peck
flowers will offer a custom
station from noon to 4 p.m.
where guests can purchase
a lush wreath and choose
embellishments to be added
while they wait.
For more information, call
541-278-9201 or visit www.
pendletonarts.org.
women’s clinic is something
providers have been
“dreaming about for years.”
The clinic officially opens
in December.
Women’s Center to
host open house
Columbia Bank
spreads holiday
warmth
HERMISTON —
Community members are
invited Tuesday to visit
Good Shepherd Health Care
System’s new Women’s
Center and meet some of the
hospital’s newest physicians.
Good Shepherd will host
an open house from 5:30-
7:30 p.m. in the main lobby
of Good Shepherd Medical
Plaza, 620 N.W. 11th St.
in Hermiston. Attendees
will be able to tour the
11,000-square-foot Women’s
Center, part of the hospital’s
north wing expansion project.
According to a statement
by Good Shepherd Medical
Group vice president Troy
LeGore, the new clinic has
more than double the space
of the current location and
will allow Good Shepherd to
keep up with the population
growth that Hermiston has
experienced in recent years.
Community members will
also be able to meet the new
physicians: general surgeon
R. Todd C. Jones, M.D.,
orthopedic surgeon Patrick
Harrison, D.O., pediatrician
Allan Damian, M.D.,
family medicine physician
Matthew Carlson, D.O., and
chiropractor Christopher
Scott, D.C.
OB-GYN Gary Trupp
M.D. said that the new
SHOP LOCAL
%
%
30 OFF 50 OFF
Friday Nov 24th 10-5 • Sat. Nov 25th 10-4
All clothing, hats and
outerwear for men,
women and kids.
Last chance
items
All in-store
purchases entered to
win prize package
Includes 2018 Tickets
Pendleton Round-Up & Happy Canyon Gift Store
M-F 10-5 and Sat 10-4
1114 SW Court Ave • Pendleton
541-276-2553
Shop online www.leterbuck.com
The annual Warm
Hearts Winter Drive is now
underway through Columbia
Bank.
In addition to money,
people can donate winter
clothing. Donations will be
distributed through local
shelters or advocacy groups
for the homeless.
Coats, gloves, scarves,
hats, long underwear, socks,
throw blankets and more
can make a difference for
people living in the elements
during the cold winter
months. Donations can be
dropped off through the end
of December at any branch
of Columbia Bank. Local
branches are located at 2101
S.W. Court Ave., Pendleton,
and 1033 S. Highway 395,
Hermiston. To make financial
donations online, visit
www.columbiabank.com/
warmhearts.
After launching the
project in 2015, Columbia
Bank received regional and
national honors for its efforts.
During the 2016 holiday
season nearly $210,000 was
collected, as well as 8,140
cold weather items. For
questions, contact Olivia
Gust at ogust@allisonpr.com
or 503-290-7304.
Heppner merchants
reward local
shoppers
HEPPNER — South
Morrow County residents can
be rewarded for shopping
local during the holiday
season.
In its 10th year, the
Heppner Chamber of
HERMISTON — The
December Hermiston
Downtown District
First Thursday event
coincides with the city of
Hermiston’s tree lighting
celebration.
People are encouraged
to browse participating
merchants from 4:30-7 p.m.
In addition to discounts,
there will be refreshments
and a bonus drawing.
The tree lighting
ceremony starts at 6 p.m.
at the city’s festival street,
located on Northeast
Second Street between
Gladys Avenue and Main
Street. The celebration
will include food vendors,
caroling and a visit from
Santa Claus.
For more information,
call the city at 541-667-
5018 or search Facebook
for “Hermiston Downtown
District.”