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GROCERY
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Rennie said that Berglund had a rela-
tionship with URM Stores Inc, a retail
grocery supplier out of Spokane, who had
been his primary wholesaler for a long
time.
When Berglund was planning the La
Grande store, URM had asked him to do
a feasibility study, which cost Berglund
$7,000. The study, conducted by URM,
indicated that a store would do $3.5 mil-
lion per year in its first year of business
and also indicated that La Grande cus-
tomers wanted different brands than those
offered by other grocery stores in the area.
“They didn’t necessarily see Western
Family as being different,” Rennie said.
He added that URM set the store and
the mix of products was clearly not what
customers wanted. At a meeting with
the CEO of URM, which Rennie also
attended, Berglund explained the cus-
tomer dissatisfaction.
“The reality was, they (URM) didn’t
have that mix of products,” Rennie said.
“They provided us with a survey that
we’ll do $3.5 million out of this store with
the product they have, and that was not
the case.”
Rennie said that the URM CEO had
also promised to change the situation and
supply items more appealing to custom-
ers, but didn’t follow through. Berglund
tried switching wholesalers about five
months ago, but by that point it was too
late.
“I attribute a big chunk of that (store
closures) to wholesalers,” Rennie said.
“Not having the right wholesaler made a
huge difference. He made a lot of deci-
sions based on that survey, and it wasn’t
accurate, it wasn’t a good barometer.”
The consultant said that Berglund did
everything he could within his power to
continue.
“The guy was working seven days a
week trying to make it work, and I think
he just emotionally got to a place where
he couldn’t do it any longer. It’s very
unfortunate.”
The nonperishable inventory of both
stores is secured within as Berglund
decides his next steps.
Rennie said his own role in the future
of the stores is uncertain.
“I believe the community would sup-
port a store that was well stocked, clean,
offered the variety of products they
want,” he said.
Asked if he thought Berglund would
be involved in a re-opening of the store,
Rennie said he didn’t know.
“It’s up to Troy to decide what can or
is willing to do,” Rennie said.
The Joseph store currently carries a
sign that indicates the store is negotiat-
ing with a new wholesaler and welcomes
public input on recommendations. It gives
an email of wewanttobeyourfoodstore2@
gmail.com for responses.
The store closure is also on the agenda
for the Joseph City Council’s Feb. 8
meeting.
Jerry’s Main Street Market had been
a fixture in Joseph for 20 years before it
burned in March 1992. It became Ches-
ters in 2004, owned by Robert and Kay
Cowan Thompson of John Day.
Six months later, the store closed with
the owners indicating the finances were
not working.
Al Adelsberger purchased the mar-
ket in 2005, and Berglund moved from
Pomeroy, Wash., to Joseph to operate the
business.
Staffer Kathleen Ellyn also contrib-
uted to this report.
SIGNS
work Delancey was already
doing in the Wallowa High
School’s Agricultural Sciences
and Technology program; it
filled a need; and signage is a
highly visible advertisement
for the sign-maker.
That first sign was made
in November 2017. Delancey
now has 30 signs on his order
list, he said.
Delancy’s work came to
Hansell’s attention when the
class was introduced at the
Chamber of Commerce Citi-
zen Awards banquet Jan. 28.
Hansell said he was impressed
with the program and checked
out some of the work done by
the students.
“I saw Daniel had done a
(plasma cut metal) mascot of
Oregon State University, but
I didn’t see anything from the
U of O,” Hansell said. “I told
him, ‘look, I’m a Duck, can
you do anything like this?’
And I showed him my cell
phone cover.”
Delancey began texting the
senator with ideas the follow-
ing morning.
“That began a whole day
of texting,” Hansell said. “We
Continued from Page A1
Kathleen Ellyn/Cheiftain
Sen. Bill Hansell knew he wanted a CNC plasma cut sign
made by Youth Entrepreneur Program member Daniel
Delancey of Wallowa as soon as he heard about Daniel at the
recent Wallowa County Chamber of Commerce Awards Ban-
quet. Now the Duck fan has his sign and plans to promote
Delancey’s business by posting this picture on his facebook.
impromptu assembly in the
high school gym last Thurs-
day, and then the two shook
hands on the deal.
The senator has since fea-
tured Delancey’s business on
his personal Facebook page.
Delancey joined the Wal-
lowa County Mentor Match
Youth Entrepreneur Program
this year without a solid busi-
ness idea, he said.
“I thought I might find
something to do that supported
the projects of the other stu-
dents,” Delancey said.
Turns out that thought takes
into consideration two key
concerns for any entrepreneur:
does my business idea fill a
need? and can I collaborate
with other businesses?
Delancey’s first project,
making a sign for “Courtney
(Bailey) and Cailey’s (Mur-
ray) Cans and Bottles,” turned
out to be a brilliant beginning.
A sign-making business was
an idea with “legs.”
It took advantage of the
February 7, 2018
FOR THE RECORD
Jan. 29
9:43 a.m. — Theft
reported in Joseph.
10:21 a.m. — Crimi-
nal mischief reported in
Joseph.
11:23 — Criminal
mischief reported in
Enterprise.
Jan. 30
1:56 p.m. — A war-
rant was issued for Shi-
loh Kane Dickenson, 35,
of Enterprise, charging
parole violation. Orig-
inal charge was sex
abuse. He was arrested
in Enterprise at 9:18 by
Enterprise PD.
2:21 p.m. — A war-
rant was issued for Josie
Jordan Makens, 28, of
Wallowa. Charge is pro-
bation violation. Original
charge menacing.
3:48 p.m. — A war-
rant was issued for Jer-
went back and forth and by
that evening we had something
ready to go.”
Hansell was so impressed
with Delancey’s business
sense and follow-through that
he changed his schedule to
appear before Wallowa High
students in an impromptu
assembly last Thursday.
Hansell, an Athena High
graduate, wanted to let stu-
dents know that the size of
your school, hometown or
county doesn’t matter.
“Just because you are from
a small school, as I was, does
not mean you should be lim-
ited in any way possible,”
Hansell said. “You’ve got to
think ‘I’m just as good, just as
talented and have just as much
to give as anybody else from a
big metropolitan area.’
“When I went to U of O,
there were more people in my
dormitory complex than there
were in the whole town of
Athena.”
Delancey, Hansell said,
had all the talents he needed to
succeed.
“He had a vision, he had a
desire and he had a skill set,”
Wallowa County Chieftain
emiah Beau Cruse, 34,
of Joseph, for probation
violation. Original charge
was unlawful use of a
weapon.
3:51 p.m. — A war-
rant was issued for Jer-
emy Michael Hankey,
26, of Nampa, Idaho, for
probation violation. Orig-
inal charge DUI.
4:58 p.m. — A war-
rant was issued for Dan
Michael Schell, 27, of
Enterprise, charging pro-
bation violation. Original
charge burglary.
Feb. 1
2:46 p.m. — A report
of a scam and fraud
call was received in
Enterprise.
5:48 p.m. — A 911
caller reported a traffic
crash in rural Wallowa.
6:56 p.m. — Thomas
James Collins, 47, of
Enterprise, was arrested
by Enterprise PD for
theft by receiving. He
was cited and released.
Hansell said. “He’s developing
that and made a business out
of it. He took the initiative: he
didn’t wait for me to call him.
He did research before he con-
tacted me. He presented ideas
to me. He did great customer
service.”
Delancey was surprised
and pleased at the senator’s
reaction.
“That was great,” he said.
“I really appreciated his rec-
ognition and support. He’s a
really great guy.”
The after-school mentor
program, open to any junior
or senior in the county, is in its
8th year.
More than 80 students have
taken part in the program.
Maddie Bailey, president
of the Mentor Match Youth
Entrepreneurs, is a former
youth entrepreneur and current
owner of youth entrepreneur
business “Go Go Groceries,”
which she purchased from her
sister, Courtney Bailey.
Stacy Green, owner of
Stacy Green Marketing,
is adviser. The program is
financed by Building Healthy
Families.
Buy one clothing
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Jewelry
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