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About Baker City herald. (Baker City, Or.) 1990-current | View Entire Issue (Sept. 24, 2020)
Business & Ag Life 2B — THE OBSERVER & BAKER CITY HERALD THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 24, 2020 Photo by Bill Bradshaw/EO Media Group Richelle Chitwood, center, celebrates turning over Central Copy in Enterprise to new owners Michael Cooler and Sara Crawford with a piece of “retirement cake” Wednesday, Sept. 16, 2020, as Chitwood helps the new owners get started with the store. Familiar Enterprise shop has new faces By Bill Bradshaw EO Media Group ENTERPRISE — Central Copy & Shipping in Enterprise is under new ownership. Richelle Chitwood sold the business to Michael Cooler and Sara Crawford, who took over Wednesday, Sept. 16, as Chitwood showed them the ropes and shared a celebratory cake at the bustling business on River Street across from the Wallowa County Courthouse. Chitwood, who started the business 15 years ago after seeing a need in the community, said she’s ready to step down. “I’m exhausted,” she said. “I love the business, I love the people, but I’m tired.” She said she plans to “spend some time out in the woods, work on the house and just ‘be’.” Cooler, from Lakeview, and Crawford, from Albany, have lived in Enterprise about seven years. He has worked at Building Healthy Families helping students get their General Educational Development diplomas and doing tech work. Crawford works at the Wild Carrot on Main Street and plans to continue there. “It’ll be Michael’s face you’re going to see mostly when you come into the shop,” she said. From behind his face mask, Cooler said, “Or half my face, anyway.” The pair has wanted to own a small business for some time, and “when this opportunity came up, we couldn’t look away,” Crawford said. “We saw what Richelle did here and what she does for the community and wanted to become part of that,” Cooler said. “We’re so grateful for this opportu- nity and so look forward to serving the wonderful folks of Wallowa County.” Chitwood said she will help out the new owners a bit. In expressing her farewell to operating the business, she said, “Know this, that the conversations we have had have been more valuable to me than the business itself.” OLCC makes liquor delivery rules permanent By Jade McDowell EO Media Group SALEM — Oregonians will be able to get hard liquor deliv- ered directly to their home even after the pandemic is over. Earlier this month, the Oregon Liquor Control Commission voted to make rules allowing delivery and curbside pick-up of distilled spirits permanent, after voting in March to temporar- ily allow those options during the state’s pandemic shutdown. The OLCC did adjust the timeframe for those deliveries, how- ever, requiring they stop at 10 p.m. instead of 2:30 a.m. Those delivering the alcohol must be at least 18 years old and must check the identification of the customer receiving the delivery or curbside pick-up to make sure they are at least 21 years of age and not visibly intoxicated. Brad Irwin owns Oregon Spirit Distillers in Bend and is president of the Oregon Distillers Guild, which includes Or- egon distilleries such as Oregon Grain Growers in Pendleton. He said allowing curbside pick-up makes a lot of sense even after concerns about COVID-19 aren’t prevalent. “That’s kind of where retail is going anyway,” he said, refer- encing grocery stores’ grocery pick-up options that were put in place before the pandemic. He said delivery makes sense, too, as an option for people who might have a disability that makes it difficult to get in and out of a car, or lack transportation. Addiction advocates in the state have criticized the delivery SHEEP Continued from Page 1B who retired 20 years ago. Stan Boyd, who graduated from Oregon State University in 1976 with degrees in BRIEFS Continued from Page 1B on a producer’s highest owned inventory on a date selected by the producer from April 16 through Aug. 31. There are some nuances with the program, however. Breeding stock of cows and bulls, as well as cull cows, will not be eligible, she said in the latest “Beltway Beef” podcast. The payment limit for PICK’N PATCH We will be OPENING on October 2nd! Where: Corner of Booth Lane and Lower Cove Road When: Friday and Saturday: 9am-6pm Sunday: 10am-4pm Monday-Thursday: By appointment What you will find: Small corn maze, several varieties of pumpkins and gourds, straw bales, corn stalks. If you would like to schedule a school field trip or other event, please call the number listed below. Like us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/ PickNPatchFarm farmkidsatoregonwireless.net Please call 541-786-2421 options. After the OLCC first allowed delivery of hard alcohol in March, Oregon Recovers Executive Director Mike Marshal released a statement saying the pandemic had created an atmosphere difficult for those recovering from addition, as social distancing disrupted recovery meetings and isolated people from their support networks. “Recent efforts by the Oregon Liquor Control Commission to increase alcohol sales during the crisis have potentially added fuel to the fire which will have dire implications for our emergency departments and hospitals at the worst pos- sible time,” he said. Irwin said he understood the concerns, but pointed out people were able to order other alcoholic beverages such as beer. He said members of the Oregon Distillers Guild were re- porting deliveries made up an average of 1-2% of sales, with higher percentages in large metro areas and lower delivery sales in rural areas. He said although alcohol sales overall went up during the early months of the pandemic, people have mostly stocked up on “value brands” and distillers have been struggling financially as the restaurants and bars they stock have been closed or had limited operations, and people have avoided tasting rooms. “Yes, people bought a lot of liquor, but they bought a lot of Absolut and Jack Daniels,” he said. “They didn’t buy a lot of Oregon brands.” agricultural economics and business administration, has been involved dur- ing most of the group’s existence. Rocky Mountain, which strives to obtain fair prices and provide market information, is among producer options CFAP 2 is $250,000 per in- dividual, with provisions for corporations, limited liability companies, limited partner- ships, trusts and estates. To be eligible, a person’s or legal entity’s adjusted gross income can’t exceed $900,000 — using the average for the 2016, 2017 and 2018 tax years. Producers exceeding that limit may be eligible if 75% or more of their total adjusted gross income comes from farming, ranching or forestry related activities. that include direct marketing, auctions and processor purchases for resale. As youths, Boyd and his two brothers would accompany their father, based near North Powder, delivering lambs, cattle and wool. Producers can apply for CFAP 2 from Sept. 21 to Dec. 11 through the Farm Service Agency at their local USDA Service Center or online at https://www.farmers.gov/ cfap. Producers who applied for CFAP 1 will not automati- cally be signed up for CFAP 2. Producers did not have to participate in CFAP 1 to participate in CFAP 2. FSA county offices will process applications as they are received. Program approval will be handled at the local level, and payments will be made shortly after applications are approved. Photo by Sabrina Thompson/EO Media Group Ashlynn Lillywhite works on flooring Tuesday, Sept. 22, at her new business at 1609 Adams Ave. in down- town La Grande. She plans to open a gourmet soda shop at there in October. SODA Continued from Page 1B open her own shop after working at a gourmet soda shop in Utah. “It’ll be sodas made with syrups and creams,” she said, “really fancy sodas that are really good.” She said she loved the sense of community that came with getting to know the customers at the Utah shop — and that is one of her goals in running her own business. “I think there are enough people interested, but I don’t think there are enough people who are will- ing to take the extra step to actually open a shop or restaurant here,” Lillywhite said. After spending summers with her uncle who lives in La Grande, Lillywhite decided it was the place to open her own soda shop. She and her parents are renting the property, for- merly a technology repair shop. Lillywhite signed the lease in May and remodel- ing began at the beginning of September. In addition to the fancy sodas, the business will sell cookies and snacks. There will be a drive-thru and a place for customers to sit. Lillywhite said the store may change as customers give input, but her plan is to give people a place to enjoy a great snack and hang out. “The soda shop idea is not super big with the older generation,” Lilly- • At freeway exit • Fuel • Restaurant • Clean bathrooms • Convenience Store • Interesting Gifts • Food to go • Bus Terminal • Barber Shop • Showers • Shorepower electric • LPG • Dump Station • 4 hotels adjacent • 1 mile from downtown white said, reflecting on her experience at the Utah shop. “But it was interest- ing to see (that) once the older generation comes in and think its fun, they will come in (again) on date nights. Anyone and every- one will be welcomed in, but to start it will likely be more of the teen and young adult demographic.” Opening a business in the midst of a pandemic doesn’t concern Lillywhite, as she explained she is ready to help people get back to “normal.” “A lot of people ask about opening a business during COVID-19,” she said. “To be honest, I kind of view it as the world has to start going back to normal somehow, and any step you can take is a step forward.” Lillywhite said the shop will still take all necessary COVID-19 precautions to keep customers and em- ployees safe. “We wanted to do it,” she said about opening the shop in the current climate. “It felt good and so we decided to jump in.” The young entrepreneur said she is driven by the passion for her idea. “I definitely have always been into the business side of things,” Lillywhite said. “I’m not going to school because I wanted to focus on the business.” Lillywhite said she is eager for the shop’s first day and is planning a special of- fer for customers when the store opens in October. Old Fashioned Hospitality 6 am to 12 am Daily Take out and Catering is Available. 515 Campbell Street Baker City 541-523-4318 Enter Sweepstakes in the Store La Grande’s Certified Arborist I’m putting together a Dormant Season Pruning List M ICHAEL Certified Tree Care Planting • Pruning • Removal M. Curtiss PN-7077A 541-786-8463 CCB# 200613 michaeltcurtiss@yahoo.com Try the SHIP TO STORE feature at millershomecenter.com 3815 Pocahontas Road, Baker City 541-523-6404 3109 May Lane, La Grande 541-963-3113 LAWN & GARDEN • TOOLS • BUILDING MATERIALS • AUTOMOTIVE • HOME & HARDWARE • ELECTRICAL & HEATING • PLUMBING • PAINT & ACCESSORIES • BEST COMFORT HEATERS SWEEPSTAKES ENTRY FORM (in Sept flyer)
