COTTAGE GROVE SENTINEL JULY 19, 2017
Old Mill Continued from A1
Princess Leia keeps watch over the store from her perch behind the cash register at Old Mill Farm Store in Cottage Grove.
‘telephone,’ Edison, the lightbulb, the
North won the civil war, the Wright
brothers had a new invention as well
and a new company was in business
under a guy named Ford. Amelia Ear-
hart was missing, JFK had been shot,
they were marching in Selma, Clinton
lied and then he told the truth about the
stain on the dress, there were weap-
ons of mass destruction, America had
an African-American president—they
talked about it all. And they did it at
that counter.
The walls at Old Mill Farm don’t
talk—they chatter. A bell better suited
for a small cow hangs just below the
door frame so as to alert Debbie Lavi-
os and Chuck McLeod that a customer
has come in. The shelves are stocked
with food for livestock, cats and dogs.
Bird and other critter cages are for sale
too and keeping watch over all of it is
Princess Leia, the couple’s small dog
who sits perched on a chair behind the
counter.
The pair have owned Old Mill Farms
for 18 years but now, they’re looking
to move on.
“Our heaviest product is 100
pounds,” Lavios said. “And as you get
older, 100 pounds gets heavier. So, it’s
time to move on.”
Lavios and McLeod are one of a
handful of owners who have called
Old Mill Farm theirs. The building
has sat in the exact footprint since it
opened in 1853—six years before the
state of Oregon would join the union.
The property has had seven major fi res
including one that robbed the place of
its old 84-foot barn that served as a
backdrop in Buster Keaton’s famous
fi lm, “The General.”
It’s gone through two or
three rebuilding efforts
and in 1906, the building
supplied electricity to the
fi rst six street lights in
Main St. in downtown
Cottage Grove.
“This is a family
place,” Lavios said. “We
have people who shopped
here as nine year olds and
they’re old enough to be
my grandparents now.”
According to store re-
cords 42 families have
been shopping at the Old
Mill Farm store for two
generations but now, the
store that has been a fi x-
ture in Cottage Grove is
up for sale.
“We’re looking for
a younger couple that
wants to keep the place
like it is,” Lavios said. The property
has been on the market since Novem-
ber and she says it has generated some
interest but the couple is looking for the
right buyer. “Cottage Grove deserves a
place to get good quality food and sup-
plies for their animals,” she said.
Currently, dog and chicken food are
tied for fi rst place in the race for the
store’s most popular product. Cat and
goat food are in a close second but
Lavios said the store is full service.
“We like to say we have everything
from hamster to zebra,” she said.
3A
As for what the couple will do when
they say goodbye to Old Mill, Lavios
said she’s not sure. Her sons are what
she describes as gainfully employed in
fi elds outside of the feed store profes-
sion and so staying on in a family busi-
ness capacity isn’t an option. However,
she said the couple isn’t sure they want
to leave the business world just yet.
No matter what the pair plan to do,
the history of the store will be hard to
walk away from. Lavios can still point
to the place on the property where na-
tive and white women met to exchange
roots and other supplies. Just out the
front window is a view of the old Dr.
Snapp house and out front in the park-
ing lot that’s now occupied by electric
and fuel effi cient cars, horse drawn car-
riages used to sit. A piano towards the
back of the store has been a staple for
years and according to Lavios, the pair
has discovered a hoard of secret piano
players with whispered requests from
customers asking if they could play for
“just a few minutes.”
“It’s noisy and it’s wonderful,” Lavi-
os said.
Lavios and McLeod still greet cus-
tomers at the counter, though and note
that their business is the third longest
consecutive running business in the
state. And so, while the for sale sign
sits just feet from where the old barn
used to be, they will be particular about
who takes the reins next.
“We want someone who doesn’t just
want the property, Lavios said, “We
want someone who wants this place.”
NEWS FROM OUTSIDE THE GROVE
Lorane: (Courtesy Lil Thompson) Today, Wednesday, July 19 is the beginning of the Lane County Fair and Grange Day. Come out to the Wheeler Pavilion, get free cookies and coffee from
grangers while viewing all the Grange booths. The Wheeler Pavilion is the round building facing 13th street. Be sure to vote for your favorite Grange booth. Lorane Grange meets for this month,
Thursday, July 20 at 7 pm. It looks like Alesong Tasting and Brewery has opened in Lorane. It is on Territorial Road just south of King Estate Winery and about a mile or so north of Lorane. Be sure
to mark your calendars for the second Sunday in August for the Annual Lorane Community Potluck at Lorane Grange at noon and the Annual Lorane Fire Department Ice Cream Social from 1-5 pm
These have become annual favorites to see people in the community and those who have moved away.
Creswell: (courtesy city of Creswell) It is a new fi scal year so that means it is time for shoppers to register. All that is required is a piece of mail with the registrant’s name and physical address. If
you are homeless that’s OK, just let the pantry know. The City of Creswell is seeking interested applicants to fi ll a part-time position of Airport Maintenance and Operations Technician. Completed
applications must be received in the City Recorder’s offi ce at City Hall no later than 5:00 pm on Friday, July 21, 2017. Creswell is an EOE. Movies are shown at Holt Park, located at 4th and A Streets
July 22nd – While You Were Sleeping - PG, July 29th – Ghost Busters 2016 – PG13, August 5th – 42 – PG 13, August 12th – Zootopia - PG. Bring your blanket and chairs for a movie under the starts
brought to you by the City of Creswell in cooperation with Willamalane Park and Recreation District. Please be considerate of others with regards to smoking and language – remember this is a family
friendly event. Movies begin at dusk. Do you have an interest in civics and a desire to serve your community? If you are over 18 and currently live within the city limits of Creswell (and have lived
here for a year or more) you could apply to become a City Councilor. There is one vacancy needing to be fi lled for a term that will end December 31, 2018.
Ever wonder how Creswell stacks up against other Oregon cities? The League of Oregon Cities has developed a database for anyone interested in comparing city stats. Please check out their website
at https://data.orcities.org/
News tip from Yoncalla, Elkton or Drain? Send it in to cmay@cgsentinel.com or call us at (541)
942-3325.
Cottage Theatre
presents a CT PLAY
Youth Production
Needs Volunteers
To help build House #13
and at the Habitat ReStore
WILL YOU HELP?
OR “It’s M
i
ni
ng
Me
Thank you for helping
Habitat Help p Others!
mor
D
ow
Cottage Grove Area Habitat for Humanity
2155 Getty Circle ~ Unit #1
in the Cottage Grove Industrial Park
South on Hwy 99 past the High School
541.767.0358
info@habitatcg.org www.habitatcg.o rg
July 21 & 22 at 7:00 pm
July 23 at 2:30 pm
Written by Keith Kessler
Ho
ies
le”
Any skill level from beginner to expert
is welcome. Building days are every
Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday
star ng at 9 a.m. Stay for as li le or as long
as you are able. Come directly to the build
site on Harvey Lane, west off of 16th behind
Safeway and we’ll put you to work!
n a Long, Dark
Sponsored by:
Directed by Janet Rust
Music Direction by Catricia Mayhue
$7 all ages
Tickets available online or by phone; advance purchase recommended
cottagetheatre.org 541-942-8001 700 Village Drive, Cottage Grove