Kathleen Ellyn Biz Buzz

Wallowa County is in the middle of a business boom. That’s great news, and the Chieftain wants to be right on top of that, letting you know what’s going on in your county.

It’s a lot. Every week we see evidence of the boom with our own eyes. And every week someone in the community asks us “did you hear about … ?”

On top of that, we get press releases from various local, regional, state and national organizations involved in business development letting us know about workshops, webinars and programs to benefit small business.

I’m happy to say it’s getting hard to keep up.

So, starting right now, I’ll be writing a column dedicated to business in Wallowa County.

Please send us your newsworthy tips on openings, closures, remodels, moves, changes of ownership, additions of partners, information on business resources and more.

As always, check the online version of this column, too; if we get a truckload of information one week and only have room for a yard’s worth in the print edition, that’s where the other eight yards of the load (and any photos) will go.

We will still have feature stories on new businesses, but this column will give us a chance to report on other developments that might not have normally made the paper.

• The Big News this week is that, after 15 years on NW 2nd Street in Enterprise, Wallowa County Ace has made the move to their new location on the corner of West North Street and River. They snuck that past us, with no big Grand Opening celebration for now. Co-owner Nick Cameron pleads “too much to do!” and hints that there may be some sort of a splash next spring. The move is only a few blocks, but a big leap forward for owners Ray, Patty and Nick Cameron. The newly remodeled building is the former Bronson Lumber building, 6,000 square feet compared to 4,800 square feet in the old building.

It’s a beautiful addition to the main drive through Enterprise, with rockwork accents in keeping with our local theme and a nice barn-red exterior.

• Another long-term business in Enterprise is sporting a fresh application of cheerful yellow/gold stucco. JB Bane and Company at 208 S. River Street in downtown Enterprise has a new, sunshiny façade. The business was started in the 1950s and is operated by second-generation Banes, Jane and Bret. Jane says we can expect to see more beautification in the next month with a new awning and signage. Additional freshening will continue in the spring.

• And finally a closure of a long, long-term business. After 25 years in business Savoie’s Specialties, Wallowa County’s only crafts store, has closed. The store, located 105 1st Street in Enteprise, was Hanna Beaudoin’s expression of love.

“I always said it was the Lord’s store,” Hanna said. “And the Lord blessed it with expansion and it was a good ride and I enjoyed it. The customers became my friends.”

She could do every craft that was represented in the store, from beading to quilting to crochet to painting. Now, she said, it’s time for her to get back to some personal beading and painting projects. Two family tragedies, following one after the other, took the wind out of her earlier this year, she said.

“I lost a daughter-in-law, Rhonda Beaudoin, in January of this year, and my daughter, Savona Holmes, in May, and I said, ‘Okay, Lord, I’m done,’” she said. “I’d been thinking about retiring for about three years.”

She finished emptying out the store Oct. 30 and joked that she only had a narrow path through her house at that point. Retirement (such as it is) has its benefits, however, as her children have been on hand to help her organize. What she’ll do with all of the left-over products, however, is still to be figured out,

In the meantime, at age 71, she’s enjoying another expansion the Lord has given her – a new great-grandson arrived Oct. 28.

Please send your Biz Buzz news tips to Kathleen Ellyn at kellyn@wallowa.com.