3
GRAB BAG
AN ASSORTMENT OF
MISCELLANEOUS ITEMS
APRIL 6�13, 2022
Fishtrap finding a home on Main Street
By Katy Nesbitt
Go! Magazine
E
NTERPRISE — Fishtrap,
steward of Wallowa County’s
literary arts for 35 years, will
soon be moving into its new
headquarters on Enterprise’s
Main Street.
The former Lear’s Grill in the
Bowlby Building is under the fi nal
stages of renovation and soon a
kitchen/conference room, offi ce
and event space will serve Fish-
trap’s staff and guests.
Shannon McNerney, Fish-
trap’s executive director, said the
nearly 1,500 square foot event
space that takes up much of the
former Lear’s dining room will
be used to host popular Fish-
trap events like The Big Read,
Winter Fishtrap and the monthly
Fishtrap Fireside series featuring
local writers. Local community
organizations will be invited to
Katy Nesbitt/Go! Magazine
Fishtrap’s new home will be in the Bowlby Building on Main Street in Enterprise.
use the space, McNerney said,
for anything from music to lec-
tures to fundraisers.
“We want to make it available
to area nonprofi ts and organiza-
tions, as well,” McNerney said.
Wallowa Valley Music Alliance
is considering using the space for
Tunesmith, its monthly songwriter
showcase event and the MidVal-
ley Theater could be using it soon
for a rehearsal space.
The room holds 100 people
seated and is designed for maxi-
mum fl exibility, McNerney said.
The room’s stage, which mea-
Gourmet Provisions,
Majestic Pizza,
Wine & Beer Bottle Wonderland,
Dedicated Tap House,
Craft Cocktails,
Espresso Bar, Local & Far-Out Deli
403 S. Main Street Pendleton • 541.276.1350
sures 12 feet by 8 feet, will fold up
against the wall like a Murphy bed
to save room when it isn’t need-
ed. The room is being wired for
sound and will have two 65-inch
televisions for streaming events
or movie nights and the walls will
be lined with bookshelves.
“We designed it considering
how we are going to use it in the
future as needs and technology
changes,” she said.
As for accessibility, McNerney
said the entrance is level from the
city sidewalk and the bathrooms
are ADA compliant.
Beyond the event room is a
large kitchen with a conference
table for meetings, classes and
workshops.
Adjacent to the event room is
a walled-in former alley between
Fishtrap’s new home in the
Bowlby Building and Friend’s Res-
taurant. Once home to a barber-
shop, the narrow room — walled
with brick and Bowlby stone or
volcanic tuff — will be the shared
offi ce space. McNerney said the
staff hasn’t all worked in the same
building for two years. When the
offi ce space is ready for desks,
chairs and computers, some
will continue to work from home
while others may work fl ex
schedules.
The COVID-19 pandemic
changed how Fishtrap con-
ducted business in many ways
besides remote working —
events moved online and the
fabled Coffi n House on Grant
Street wasn’t bustling with day-
to-day operations or weekly
events. The aging facility needed
a lot of attention and Fishtrap’s
programming was outgrowing it.
McNerney said with the booming
real estate market in 2021, it was
decided to put it on the market.
It sold within a month to a fam-
ily who converted the historic
house back into home.
The proceeds from the sale,
McNerney said, are saved to
keep Fishtrap around for at least
another 35 years. As of April 1,
Fishtrap will lease its new space
from Bill Warnock and Michele
Starr who are overseeing the
remodel. The added amenities,
like the sound system, furniture,
kitchen appliances and technol-
ogy are being funded through
grants and fundraising.
“We’ve raised $40,000 and
plan to raise another $15 to
$20,000,” McNerney said.
Fishtrap’s staff hope to be
using the space by early April,
McNerney said, with a grand
opening scheduled for May 19.
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