Tia Villagomez, center, one of the new co-owners of Boggans Oasis north of Enterprise, works on refurbishing the restaurant part of the building Thursday, Aug. 4, 2022. The Villagomezes hope to have the place open again by Labor Day.

ASOTIN COUNTY, Washington — It’s a familiar landmark to those making the trip from Enterprise to Lewiston, Idaho, and Boggans Oasis has new owners.

Louis and Tia Villagomez, formerly of Buckley, Washington — at the foot of Mount Rainier — closed on the purchase of the property in June and relocated to the area that month. The Villagomezes bought the property from Bill and Farrel Vail, who had owned and operated Boggans since 1984 and have now retired to Clarkston, Washington.

“I’ve been coming here since I was about 10,” Louis said, recalling years of fishing expeditions on the Grande Ronde River that runs just across the road. “We’re turning it from plain Jane to more like a resort.”

Amid all the work on the inside of the restaurant, Louis finds time to take advantage of the river access.

“I fish a lot and I’m getting ready for the guiding season,” he said, adding that he’s a licensed fishing guide.

The restaurant

Tia said it’s the licenses and other government red tape that are delaying Boggans from reopening.

“I think people think we’re choosing to not be open right now, but … we aren’t legally allowed to quite yet,” she said. “That’s been the longest process since we moved here is all the licenses and permits.”

Louis said the health department wants to see the restaurant just how it will be when it’s operating before conducting an inspection. Thus, they’re taking the time to revamp the interior by painting, redecorating and doing a bit of remodeling.

They are keeping many of the mounted big-game heads and fish that adorn the walls of the restaurant, a testimony to outdoor activities of the restaurant since it opened in the late 1940s. They’re also keeping the name.

“We had to keep the name to honor everyone’s past memories, all of the past guests and hopefully, the future guests,” Tia said. “The name’s really important. … I was really adamant about keeping the phone number, too. … It’s kind of like a pit stop for people driving through. We’re going with the idea of making it an oasis for people.”

Louis said he wants to make it a real oasis.

“A wine-and-dine kind of place,” he said. “Come hang out, cool off, check it out, watch some TV.”

Tia said when they do reopen, they’ll be keeping the same menu the Vails had when they closed. Then, modifications could be in the works.

“We’ll talk to customers and see what they like and what they want and what we can feasibly do,” she said.

Overnight

In addition to the cabins they now have, they’re planning something a little different — geodesic domes as overnight accommodations.

Tia called the domes “a different, unique way to stay here.”

For those who want to be more in the outdoors, there’s also camping across the road at the river access owned by the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife.

Outdoors

In addition to serving as a fishing guide, Louis plans to have a hunting guide available. He has hunted big game in Alaska, but not yet in Washington, so he’s leaving the guiding to a contractor.

But Boggans will be selling hunting and fishing licenses, as well as Discover passes, which are required for vehicle access to state parks and recreation lands managed by the state.

Wallowa County connection

Just five miles from Oregon, the Villagomezes look forward to getting to know their neighbors in Wallowa County. They said they hope to sell pies from one of the bakeries in Enterprise and to learn more about the Nez Perce Tribe and its ties to the land here.

“I’m big on all things Native American,” Louis said.

With all they’ve had to do to get Boggans ready to open, they haven’t had time to explore Wallowa County yet, but they certainly plan to.

Their kids, too, are eager to start school in Troy. Gabriel, a 10-year-old fifth-grader, and Graciella, a second-grader who’s almost 7, will make up half of the school’s student body as soon as their parents obtain a cross-state waiver.

“We kind of feel an obligation to enroll our kids there,” Tia said.

Who: Louis and Tia Villagomez

What: Restaurant, hunting and fishing guide, cabins, river shuttles

Where: 61376 State Highway 129, Anatone, Wash. 99401 at bottom of Rattlesnake Grade

Phone: 509-256-3372

Online: Facebook

Email: boggansoasisllc@gmail.com

Hours: Seasonal