Business
Blue Mountain Eagle
Wednesday, October 3, 2018
A3
Chester’s is first Thriftway with variety department
Managers open
to requests for
merchandise
By Angel Carpenter
Blue Mountain Eagle
Chester’s
Thriftway
owners Bob and Kay Cow-
an-Thompson opened a new
addition to their grocery store
in late June: a variety depart-
ment.
Shelves are stocked with
a wide array of household
goods, apparel, fabric, crafts,
toys and more.
Operations manager Bill
Wyllie, who’s worked at
Chester’s for 34 years, said
they are still seeking input
from customers to guide their
future purchases.
Variety store manager
Grant Way has worked at the
store for 11 years. He said
that if people don’t see what
they’re looking for that they
should let him or one of the
other staff members know.
“We’re trying to meet the
needs of the community and
order things that they request,
if available,” Way said.
Wyllie said their top sell-
ing products, so far, have
been home and office sup-
plies and crafts.
Apparel is also in high
demand because the com-
munity is so far away from
any clothing stores, he said.
Shoppers will find everything
from flannel shirts to Dick-
ie’s jeans to Hane’s socks for
the entire family.
Clothing, home decor
Eagle photos/Angel Carpenter
Operations Manager Bill Wyllie, owner Bob Cowan-Thompson and Variety Department
Manager Grant Way visit Sept. 19 about the building addition to Chester’s Thriftway in
John Day.
Chester’s Thriftway staff
member Jennifer Silva
shows some items in the
seasonal section of the
variety department.
The fabric section of
the Chester’s variety
department features
an array of fabric, yarn,
sewing notions and more.
Chester’s Thriftway staff
member Mark Olson
enjoys stocking the model
kits in the toy section.
and University of Oregon
and Oregon State University
merchandise are within view
when people walk down the
ramp nearest the checkout
stations in the grocery store.
Shoppers access the vari-
ety department through the
grocery store. They also take
their items to the grocery
store section to check out.
The fabric, sewing, craft
and toy sections of the de-
partment can be seen as
shoppers walk down a second
ramp, which is near the meat
department.
One lady traveled from
Burns to purchase fabric,
Wyllie said. The bolts in-
clude cotton, fleece, sherpa,
satin, lace, vinyl and more,
and Heather Swank helps
cut the needed amount at the
counter in that section of the
department.
Variety department associ-
ate Jennifer Silva said working
in the crafting area of the store
inspires her with project ideas.
“We have a lot of kids
crafts, adults’ crafts and a
beautiful floral section ...
paints and art supplies,” she
said.
She added crafters may en-
joy making holiday wreaths,
and they have all the supplies,
including styrofoam forms.
Other items in the store
include a dollar aisle, kitchen
and bath linens and small ap-
pliances.
One aisle is already set up
with items for Christmas, with
some Halloween and Thanks-
giving selections on the next
aisle over.
When asked how he made
the decision to open the vari-
ety department, Bob said Kay
was a main influence.
“My wife felt it was
needed,” he said. “Kay just
kept pushing. It’s worked
well.”
After King’s Variety
Store closed its doors in the
John Day Plaza in the spring
of 2017, the impact of that
vacancy was felt, Wyllie said.
“We wanted to stop that
cascade effect” with people
moving away, he said. Six to
eight jobs were created with
the opening of the depart-
ment.
“I was very excited that
we decided to invest in it,
because it’s investing in our
community,” he said.
The 23 Thirftway stores
in Oregon are independently
owned, Bob said. He said,
while a couple have hard-
ware stores, the John Day
location is the first to have a
variety store.
The Cowan-Thompsons
have owned Chester’s since
2001, and the store has been
at it’s current location since
1972.
Wyllie said their No. 1
motto for the store is offering
friendly service and being
community involved.
“We try to get involved in
the community and contrib-
ute $30,000-40,000 back in
the community, because it’s
where we live,” he said.
He said they also strive
to make it the “best place to
work.”
“We pay every employee
well over minimum wage,”
he said, noting $12 per hour is
their minimum pay rate.
“We take really good care
of our employees with health
and dental,” he added.
Wyllie, who is a retired
National Guardsman, said he
was grateful to the company
for allowing him to stay em-
ployed while serving in the
military for 28 years.
Dan Gourley, who’s
worked at Chester’s for seven
years, said he enjoys helping
customers in the variety de-
partment.
“I’m learning something
new every day,” he said. “I’m
always asking people what
they’d like to see in the store.
It’s a work in progress —
we’re working on that list.”
Chester’s is open 7 a.m.
to 10 p.m. seven days a
week, closed for Thanksgiv-
ing, Christmas and Easter.
For more information call
541-575-1899.
Outdoor adventure starts at Wildcat Basin Outfitters
New store sells
camping, hiking
goods and more
By Angel Carpenter
Blue Mountain Eagle
Wildcat Basin Outfitters
is a new outdoor, athletic and
camping equipment specialty
store in John Day owned and
operated by Kara Uhler.
Located in the Madden
Brothers Business and Educa-
tion Center at 116 NW Bridge
St., Suite 11, in John Day, the
store is filled to the brim with a
wide range of gear for outdoor
activities, including hunting,
camping, hiking, exercise and
more.
Uhler said her husband,
Pete, has been helpful in her
venture, and the community
has been supportive since she
opened in July.
“Everyone who’s come in
so far has loved it,” she said.
She said her goal is to en-
The Eagle/Angel Carpenter
Wildcat Basin Outfitters owner Kara Uhler, right, visits
with her work study student Oaklee Clark as customers
browse the selections.
courage fun, family-oriented
healthy lifestyles and activi-
ties.
Uhler has lived in John Day
for 22 years and has also spent
22 years in emergency medical
services, including time as a
paramedic, and is still active as
a trainer. She was also a fire-
fighter in the past.
“With my background
as a wildland firefighter and
paramedic, I’ve always loved
the outdoors, and with that
background I have an idea of
things needed here locally,”
she said.
“I’ve always felt our com-
munity needed something
geared toward this lifestyle,”
Uhler said. “It all blends in
with our interests.”
Items for camping and
hiking include not only back-
packs, sleeping bags, pads
and tents, but also hydration
systems (such as Platypus),
waterproof luggage bags,
child carriers, paddle boards,
hammocks, pillows and head-
lamps.
She said the items she
brings in are built to last.
“They are quality prod-
ucts, rather than something
you would have to replace in a
year,” she said.
Customers will also find
specialty items such as the Jet
Boil system to heat water for
coffee or making a meal, wa-
terproof VSSL flashlights that
include a compass and first-aid
kit, emergency food supplies,
water purification systems
and even lighters that work in
windy conditions.
Uhler carries the La Sport-
iva brand for athletic needs,
including running shoes, an
assortment of Darn Tough
socks, and exercise clothing.
She said she’ll include Colum-
bia brand clothing in the next
few months and more brands
next spring.
In addition to the shop,
Uhler also offers first-aid/
CPR classes for small groups,
for the bystander or health
care provider.
Classes are held in an OSU
Extension classroom, with
four to five in each class “to
make it one-on-one and per-
sonable,” she said.
Her next goal is to hold
seminars led by expert pre-
senters on hiking and hunt-
ing.
Oaklee Clark, who is a
Grant Union senior, joins
Uhler a few hours each week
for her work study program.
“I’m learning about inde-
pendent business opportuni-
ties and all the work you have
to put into it,” Clark said.
Uhler said there are no
grants for new business own-
ers, not until they’ve owned
the business for three years
and can prove they are finan-
cially stable.
“It’s all about a person tak-
ing that risk in making that
jump and just doing it, but
being very responsible and
choosy about what things you
bring in and how you’re go-
ing to spend that money,” she
said. “Two and a half months
in, it’s been wonderful.”
Uhler has plans to expand
the offerings next year and
hopes to have kayaks for sale
and locator beacons for rent.
Currently, she’s poring
over maps and visiting local
trails to ensure correct direc-
tions are given to inquiring
customers and that paths are
well maintained.
“Come down and browse,”
she said, adding they’re with-
in walking distance of down-
town.
“If you’re having lunch
or dinner, walk over and take
a peek,” she said. “We’re a
calm, ‘chillaxed’ environ-
ment.”
Wildcat Basin Outfitters is
open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Tuesdays through Saturdays.
For more information, call
Uhler at 541-620-5780 or
email her at contact@wild-
catbasinoutfitters.com. The
business website is wildcatba-
sinoutfitters.com.
NATIONAL DOMESTIC VIOLENCE
AWARENESS MONTH 2018
Are you or someone you
know the victim of
physical or emotional
abuse?
Do you find yourself
being abusive toward
your partner?
GET HELP TODAY
AND COMMIT TO A BETTER LIFE FOR YOURSELF AND YOUR CHILDREN.
CALL NOW OR CONTACT YOUR LOCAL DOMESTIC VIOLENCE
CENTER FOR THE HELP YOU NEED TO MAKE A CHANGE.
HEART OF GRANT COUNTY: 541-620-1342
GRANT COUNTY VICTIM ASSISTANCE PROGRAM: 541-575-4026
For more information contact
Grant County Veterans 541 620-8057
82157
This project was supported by Grant No. 2015-WR-AX-0008 awarded by the Office on Violence Against
Women, U.S. Department of Justice. The opinions, findings, conclusions, and recommendations expressed
in this publication/program/exhibition are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views
of the Department of Justice, Office on Violence Against Women.
The USDOJ and Grant County Victim Assistance Program are prohibited from discriminating on the basis
of race, color, national origin, disability, religion, sex, or age.
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