Image provided by: University of Oregon Libraries; Eugene, OR
About Hermiston herald. (Hermiston, Or.) 1994-current | View Entire Issue (June 24, 2015)
BUSINESS WEDNESDAY, JUNE 24, 2015 A4 HERMISTONHERALD.COM Send submissions or story ideas for the Herald Business page to Editor Jessica Keller, jkeller@hermistonherald.com 0RUHWKDQDÀRZHUVKRS Business Oregon focusing on growing existing New Bloomz owners expand businesses BY JADE MCDOWELL EO MEDIA GROUP As the state-run Busi- ness Oregon sharpens its focus on helping Oregon businesses expand, en- trepreneurs are seeing an increasing number of pro- grams available to help them succeed. Melissa Drugge, busi- ness development officer for the eastern side of the state, shared some of those opportunities with local business owners at the Hermiston Chamber of Commerce’s monthly Business to Business lun- cheon Tuesday. She said Business Or- egon’s goal has always been more jobs, through everything from building infrastructure to recruit- ing out-of-state business- es. But the agency’s new- est strategy, titled “Grow Our Own,” is driven by research showing that helping already-estab- lished businesses grow is the quickest route to suc- cess. “Seventy percent or more of job growth in a community comes from what we already have,” she said. She outlined a few of Business Oregon’s many initiatives to help busi- nesses grow: offerings at downtown Hermiston business BY SEAN HART HERMISTON HERALD While Bloomz still offers flowers, its new owners have transformed the downtown Hermiston storefront into a more di- verse gift shop. Terra Nava and Alisa Zumwalt took over May 15 and were still expand- ing the business’ offer- ings Tuesday afternoon with a new jewelry dis- play. “We knew we could do so much with it,” Nava said of the business. “It was flowers, and flow- ers are fun. That’s real- ly what it was before we took it over, but we had a vision that we could do something more.” Since they started, they have added the jew- elry, hand-made Moon- struck Chocolates from Portland, a lineup of Jel- ly Belly candy, lotions, candles, oils, soaps and party supplies. Zumwalt said Bloomz still does SEAN HART PHOTO BORRP] FRRZQHUV AOLVD =XPZDOW OHIW DQG THUUD NDYD VWDUWHG DW WKH EXVLQHVV 0D\ BRWK VDLG WKLV LV WKHLU À UVW EXVLQHVV venture, and they could not pass up the opportunity. weddings and tuxedo rentals, but they wanted to create more of a gift shop. She said the busi- ness may even expand into other areas in the future. Both Zumwalt and Nava said they had never managed a business be- fore, but they were excit- ed to try something new. Nava grew up in Stan- field and attended Blue Mountain Community College. She worked as a dental assistant for 15 years before quitting to purchase Bloomz. “I’ve always wanted to own my own business, so when this opportunity Collectible store open on Main • The Strategic Reserve Fund offers “forgivable loans” to help cover unexpected expenses that put businesses over budget on construction or expansion. If the compa- ny meets certain job-creation targets in the succeeding years the loan is forgiven. 7KH%XVLQHVV([SDQVLRQ3URJUDPLVD cash incentive for businesses based on the increased personal income tax revenue from creating at least 50 new jobs. • The Industry Competitiveness Fund helps businesses develop their product or LPSURYHWKHLUHI¿FLHQF\'UXJJHVDLGRQH use of the fund is to pay for a consultant WRDVVHVVWKHÀRRUOD\RXWDQGRWKHU practices for manufacturing companies, which have already reported saving an estimated $1.2 million last year based on LQFUHDVHGHI¿FLHQF\IURPWKHFKDQJHV suggested. • The Capital Access Program acts as a guarantee for banks wary of lending mon- ey to a start-up or small business needing capital for expansion. 7KH*RYHUQPHQW&RQWUDFW$VVLVWDQFH Program provides support and guidance to businesses interested in bidding for a gov- HUQPHQWFRQWUDFWIRUWKH¿UVWWLPH'UXJJH said last year the program helped 146 companies get $8.1 million in government contracts. • The Export Promotion Program provides funding and support for Oregon business owners interested in going global to travel to international trade shows. 7KH$JJLH%RQG3URJUDPLVVXHVLQWHU est-free bonds to help new farmers make capital purchases like farm equipment or livestock. BY JADE MCDOWELL EO MEDIA GROUP Rob Zumwalt and his son Sheridan opened Z Sports Collectibles last week. He and his wife Alisa are also co-owners of Bloomz Floral & Bou- tique . “We’re trying to work really hard to keep peo- ple in town by staying very competitive on pric- es,” he said. “We’re try- ing to give people differ- ent things than they’ve had available in Hermis- ton before.” One of those things the Zumwalts noticed when they returned to Hermiston after several years of living in Port- land was that there was nowhere in town to buy sports collectibles like NFL jerseys, hats and mugs. Sheridan, a former Hermiston High School football player, said he had worked in a sports store in Portland as a teenager and really en- joyed it. He also has ex- perience helping extend- For more information about these and other assistance programs for businesses visit www. oregon4biz.com. ed family members run various businesses, so he and his father decided to set up shop in Hermiston. In addition to offering sports merchandise, they also threw in superhero and Star Wars-themed items to appeal to a broader range of people. “We tried to make it as diverse as possible,” he said. “Kids aren’t al- ways into sports.” The store features ev- erything from Batman watches to Miami Dol- phins lanyards. Sheridan said the longer the store is open the more he and his father can tailor their VHOHFWLRQWR¿WORFDOFXV tomers’ interests. Seattle Seahawks items have already proved popular, and he said several peo- ple have requested more Portland Timbers mer- chandise. Rod said the idea had “been in the works for a long time.” The transi- tion has been a busy one because it comes on the heels of the Zumwalts taking over ownership RI %ORRP] WKH ÀRZHU shop on the corner of Highway 395 and Main Street, a month ago. Alisa Zumwalt and Terra Nava are running the store’s day to day operations, which they have expanded to include gourmet chocolates and other sweets, boutique gifts, tuxedo rentals, par- ty supplies and more. “We’re trying to be as fun and laid back as pos- sible,” Alisa said. Rod said they retained the same staff at Bloomz so people who were used to working with a specif- LFÀRULVWRQDUUDQJHPHQWV can continue to do so. He said the family is trying to become a true part of the Main Street community, involving both businesses in en- deavors like Funfest and the city’s 3 on 3 basket- ball tournament. Z Sports Collectibles is located at 215 E. Main St. behind Lucky Endz and Goss Family Jewel- ers. It is open 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Tuesday through Friday and 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturdays. came along, I wasn’t go- ing to pass it up because I figured there might not be another chance to do something like this,” she said. Zumwalt was a stay- at-home mom for the last 12 years and moved to the area from Portland with her family about a year ago. She said her husband is from the area, and they wanted to raise their children in a small- er community. “I love it (here) — the small town, the weather, the people,” she said. “I will never move back.” Zumwalt said she en- joys being a business owner more than staying home, and the business’ employees make it a fun environment. She said the community has also been very accepting of the ownership change. “With new owners, Bloomz What: Flowers, chocolates, candy, gifts, party supplies, tuxedo rentals Hours: 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Mondays through Fridays, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturdays Where: 106 E. Main St., Hermiston Phone: 541-289-7333 they don’t know what to expect, but they’re very welcoming,” she said. “We want to build up Main Street,” Nava add- ed. “A lot of people don’t shop on Main Street yet, but we’re hoping they will. We’re hoping, with us join- ing forces with other small businesses on Main Street, we’ll get people to come in and start shopping instead of going to Tri-Cities — keep it local.” SEAN HART PHOTO Terra Nava, a new co-owner of Bloomz in downtown Herm- iston, places a piece of gourmet Moonstruck Chocolate into a decorative box at the business Tuesday. Nava and Alisa Zumwalt have owned the business since May 15 and have diversiÀ ed the inventory to provide more than Must Á owers. BUSINESS BITES Great Clips grand opening planned Hermiston Plaza, 826 S. Highway 395. The Hermiston Chamber of Commerce will host a ribbon-cut- ting ceremony and grand opening for Great Clips at noon Thursday at the walk-in hair salon in the +HUPLVWRQ¿QDQFLDO DGYLVRUUHFHLYHVDZDUG Edward Jones Financial Ad- visor Kacie A. Levy of Herm- HermistonHerald VOLUME 109 ɿ NUMBER 39 JESSICA KELLER EDITOR jkeller@ hermistonherald.com 541-564-4533 iston recently received the “TNT” Client Development Award for her service efforts during the past year. Levy was one of only 575 of the firm’s more than 13,000 fi- nancial advisors to receive the “TNT” Client Development To contact the Hermiston Herald for news, advertising or subscription information: • call 541-567-6457 • e-mail info@hermistonherald.com • VWRSE\RXURI¿FHVDW(0DLQ6W • visit us online at: www.hermistonherald.com SEAN HART REPORTER smhart@ hermistonherald.com 541-564-4534 6$0%$5%(( SPORTS REPORTER sbarbee@ hermistonherald.com 541-564-4542 Award. The award derives its name from firm legends who, in the 1950s, traveled the Midwest from Tuesday through Thursday each week, becoming known as “TNT” brokers. Edward Jones, a Fortune ANNUAL SUBSCRIPTION RATES Delivered by carrier and mail Wednesdays and Saturdays ,QVLGH8PDWLOOD0RUURZFRXQWLHV .........................$42.65 2XWVLGH8PDWLOOD0RUURZFRXQWLHV ......................$53.90 JEANNE JEWETT MULTI-MEDIA CONSULTANT jjewett@ hermistonherald.com 541-564-4531 500 company, provides finan- cial services for individual in- vestors in the United States. The Edward Jones website is located at www.edwardjones. com, and its recruiting website is www.careers.edwardjones. com. The Hermiston Herald (USPS 242220, ISSN 8750-4782) is published twice ZHHNO\DW+HUPLVWRQ+HUDOG(0DLQ6W+HUPLVWRQ25 567-6457, FAX (541) 567-1764. Periodical postage paid at Hermiston, OR. Postmaster, send address changes to Hermiston Printed on +HUDOG(0DLQ6W+HUPLVWRQ25 recycled newsprint $PHPEHURIWKH(20HGLD*URXS&RS\ULJKW .,0/$3/$17 MULTI-MEDIA CONSULTANT klaplant@ hermistonherald.com 541-564-4530