COTTAGE GROVE SENTINEL December 2, 2015
Oakridge, CG
leaders meet to talk
cycling 'connectivity'
Business owners'
reviews mixed on
Small Business
Saturday
BY JON STINNETT
The Cottage Grove Sentinel
BY SAM WRIGHT
The Cottage Grove Sentinel
T
C
ottage Grove held its fi rst-ever Small
Business Saturday promotion on Nov.
28. Businesses all around Main Street took part
in the event with blue and white balloons hang-
ing outside of stores and each purchase earning
a ticket for a raffl e drawing held Monday. The
event was organized by the Cottage Grove Main
Street Program.
As this was the fi rst time Cottage Grove has
held a promotion like this, many business own-
ers were pleased with the promotion but also
didn’t know what to compare it to.
Rob Scoggin, part-owner of Homestead Fur-
niture on Main Street, said that the promotion is
a nice idea, but he commented that the promo-
tion brought virtually no new business. “We’re
busy all the time this time of year,” he said.
Homestead Furniture has been in business in
Cottage Grove for around 48 years. He mostly
attributes the store’s recent 20 percent increase
in sales to the holiday season, and also had
concerns on how much of an impact the Small
Business Saturday promotion had on his busi-
ness.
“It’s really hard to tell which customers came
in because of the promotion, or if they would
have come to us anyway,” Scoggin said.
The owner of Kalapuya Books, Hal Hartzell,
photo by Sam Wright
Stores that participated in Small Business Saturday showcased blue and white
balloons outside.
had a similar reaction.
“December is always a busy time of year for
us,” he said. Although Hartzell appreciates the
idea of promoting and encourage residents to
shop locally, he predicted an increase in sales
during the holiday season anyway.
Some businesses did actually notice a surge
in sales from the promotion. Su Rosenthal,
owner of Pandora’s Box, said the promotion has
encouraged a lot of locals to shop at her store.
Rosenthal says that her store, which has been
at its current location for the past 16 years, has
seen an increase in sales due to the promotion
and the upcoming holidays.
Another Main Street business, the Crafty
Mercantile, greatly appreciates the promotion.
The store has only been open for three years,
and owner Michele Rose started the business
because she loves this small town.
“The promotion is great because we get to
celebrate being able to make it as small busi-
ness owners in this economy,” Rose said. She
also noted that she has seen a huge increase in
sales since mid-November.
It seems that there is no harm in promoting
people to shop locally and keeping the money
close to home, yet some long-time business
owners questioned the effectiveness of such a
promotion.
Main Street soon to feature Five Flying Monkeys
Solesbees plan to
continue selling
antiques in Victoriana
building
BY JON STINNETT
The Cottage Grove Sentinel
L
eslie Neufeld, owner of Vic-
toriana Antiques on Main
Street, recently announced plans
to move back to Los Angeles to re-
sume a career designing costumes
for the fi lm industry. A pair of Cot-
tage Grove entrepreneurs, however,
has stepped in to ensure that the
building at the corner of Fifth and
Main Street will remain vibrant.
Danny and Candace Solesbee
said they expected to fi nalize the
purchase of the former Victoriana
building on Monday, and their new
venture, Five Flying Monkeys, will
pay tribute to the fi ve children the
couple has between them.
Candace Solesbee, who also op-
erates Shampoo Dolls Salon across
Fifth Street, said that she and her
husband always liked shopping for
antiques at Victoriana and that Five
Flying Monkeys will be “like an
antique mall,” featuring selections
that are “retro, vintage and today.”
“We didn’t want it to go away,”
Danny Solesbee said. “We both
love shopping there and hated to
see it dissolved. We want to keep up
with what Leslie got started.”
“It’s meant to be whimsical,
like the ‘Wizard of Oz’ meets ste-
ampunk,” Candace Solesbee said,
which should include repurposed
furniture and other items.
“It will still be a place where peo-
ple can buy gifts,” she said.
In addition, the back of the build-
ing will house Shampoo Dolls Too,
which will further the offerings at
Solesbee’s nearby salon with fa-
cials, waxing, manicures and pedi-
cures.
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Danny Solesbee also recently pur-
chased and renovated the historic
First National Bank building on
Main Street, which currently hous-
es First American Title. He said the
couple plans to renovate the build-
ing at Fifth and Main throughout
January, including new paint and
rearranging its layout, starting with
the salon setup fi rst. They also plan
to reopen the doors on the west side
of the building, which haven’t been
used for some time.
“There’s never a dull moment,”
Danny said. “But I did tell her no
more buildings.”
wo Oregon communities known as cycling des-
tinations are teaming up to explore ways to pro-
mote the scenic mountain route that connects them.
Cottage Grove is known for its Covered Bridges
Scenic Bikeway, which takes cyclists on a 36-mile tour
of the countryside with views of the area’s famed cov-
ered bridges. Oakridge has a similar connection to cy-
cling, as its mayor, Jim Coey, points out that mountain
biking is its “main industry right now,” and the area is
one of six Gold Ride Centers certifi ed worldwide by
the International Mountain Biking Association.
Still, Coey pointed out that Oakridge is still “miss-
ing out on the road bike experience,” and Coey and
others believe that a ride through the mountains from
Oakridge to Cottage Grove could provide one aspect
of that experience.
Coey, Cottage Grove Mayor Tom Munroe, Chamber
of Commerce Director Travis Palmer and members of
the cycling communities of both towns recently met to
discuss the ride, a 60-plus mile trip that’s challenging
but totally worth riding, according to more than one
enthusiasts’ website. Only about one-tenth of a mile
of the route remains unpaved, and it was included in
the statewide Cycle Oregon tour that made a stop in
Cottage Grove in 2007.
“Everybody I’ve talked to is looking for ways to ex-
pand their bike routes,” Munroe said. “There’s a lot
of advantage on this route, places where people could
potentially camp out along the way.”
Palmer called the route “a great bike ride,” particu-
larly for the cycling enthusiasts that already exist in
both communities. One commenter on the website
rideoregonride.com agreed:
“Do. This. Ride.” the comment stated. “It’s fantas-
tic: secluded, gorgeous, immaculately paved (mostly,)
hard enough to really be worth it. It has some great
views of Diamond Peak, but honestly the draw is the
road — there’s almost no fl at sections, it’s always go-
ing up/down twisty-turny.”
Beyond the Cottage Grove-Oakridge ride, Coey
said the possibilities to access other amazing Oregon
locales are promising.
“This ride could connect people to the Aufderhe-
ide Scenic Drive or the McKenzie Bikeway,” he said.
“There could be rides to Lemolo Lake and onto High-
way 138 near the North Umpqua. It creates a lot of
advantage for road bikers, though not necessarily for
beginners, and it creates a lot of economic develop-
ment for local communities, as cyclists certainly like
to eat and drink.”
Coey said representatives from Oakridge and else-
where have been meeting with state parks offi cials to
try to expand local ride possibilities, and meetings be-
tween community leaders are expected to continue.
“There are a lot of conversations going on,” he said.
“Town mayors are talking connectivity from town to
town; that’s the buzz word.”
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