Mid Columbia Economic Development District strives to promote the creation of family-wage jobs, the diversification of the economic base, and the growth, development and retention of business and industry in Hood River, Wasco, Sherman, Klickitat and Skamania Counties
MCEDD is organized as a government non-profit in Oregon as an ORS-190 and in Washington through RCW 39.34.010.
May 28, 2014 –
Pioneer Pizza opened in May of 2014 and is located in the Pioneer building at 216 East Jewett Blvd in White Salmon, Washington. Business partners Christiaan Erasmus and Mike Foster are serving up delicious twists and new interpretations on both Pacific Northwest and Italian classics. Additionally, Pioneer Pizza offers a traditional pizza menu, pizza by the slice, plus wine and beer.
Pioneer Pizza received a $25,000 loan from Mid-Columbia Economic Development District’s Business Assistance Program to help start up the business. Funds were provided through an account specifically for microenterprises in Klickitat County. The restaurant features local ingredients from the Gorge and a great family atmosphere.
Christiaan and his wife Sarah own and operate Henni’s Kitchen & Bar, also in downtown White Salmon. For more information on Pioneer Pizza, check out their website or stop in for a slice!
The MCEDD Loan Program is available to entrepreneurs, start up businesses and existing businesses doing business in the five county (Sherman, Hood River, Wasco, Klickitat and Skamania) Mid-Columbia area. This loan program is part of MCEDD’s efforts to strengthen and support the region’s economy.
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March 14, 2014 – Kim Brigham Campbell and her family harvest and sell salmon, steelhead, and other fish from the Columbia River, just as they and many other local Native American families have for generations. Until recently, they operated the business from home, relying on word of mouth to sell to a variety of individual and food service buyers who know them as providers of a quality product. As much an entrepreneur at heart as a fisher, Kim decided to open Brigham Fish Market to increase their marketing potential. To identify and secure financing, Kim contacted MCEDD. In addition to providing technical assistance through partnership with the CGCC Small Business Development Center, MCEDD provided a loan utilizing Oregon Investment Board and USDA Intermediary Relending funds that supported expanding this business.
Loan funds helped finance the purchase of land, building the storefront and buying the needed equipment to dry, can, and freeze this local fish to sell in their market and provide quality product to restaurants around the region. For more information, visit their website or stop into the storefront in Cascade Locks on WaNaPa Ave.
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February 22, 2014 –
Trinity Natural Medicine is a healing center located in Hood River, Oregon at 1808 Belmont Avenue. Their goal is to promote simple, healthy living. They strive to relieve people’s pain and discomfort, and to help them identify the root causes of disease and imbalance in their lives. Through their work patients get the resources and support they need to feel at home in their own bodies, their environment, and their community.
Trinity Natural Medicine recently expanded their business into a larger Hood River location. They received a loan from MCEDD to purchase additional equipment and for expanded inventory to take advantage of their new, larger space. This loan allows the business to maintain a good level of working capital while expediting their ability to grow the business.
This natural medicine practice concentrates on principles of health and wellness in traditional Asian culture. Their areas of focus include Daoist medical and martial arts, and the traditional medicine of India; Ayurveda. Their treatments modalities include diet and lifestyle counseling, herbal formulations, acupuncture, moxibustion therapy, medical massage and cupping. In addition to their practice, their space also incorporates opportunities to participate in the Cascadia Gong Fu Club martial arts, and yoga practice. To learn more, schedule an appointment by calling 541-386-2025, stop by or visit their website [Continue Reading]
December 30, 2013 – Opportunity Connections was started by families and local business people in 1967 as an alternative to institutions for disabled individuals. For some, the organization is a stepping stone to employment. Opportunity Connections has several commercial businesses that employ people with disabilities.
With changing funding streams that once sustained their business model, Opportunity Connections was looking to make some changes. To better support these businesses that provide employment to both disabled clients and their supervisors, the organization wanted to increase their cashflow. Opportunity Connections approached the Columbia River Oregon Investment Board, managed by MCEDD, for a loan to do just that. This loan helped save five staff employees and 31 client employee positions. Opportunity Connections is proud to be putting people to work in the Gorge! For more information and to learn more about ways you can get involved, visit their website at: www.opportunityconnections.org.
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October 22, 2013 – In 2011, Zed and Miko Ruhlen purchased Hood River Hobbies with the intention of expanding its offerings and growing the business. Their goal was to create a hobby shop in the Gorge that met the needs of hobbyists of all ages. In addition to providing a more diverse offering of hobby products including games, rockets, models, radio-controlled (rc) vehicles, hobby tools and paint, kites, trains, arts and crafts, toys, and more, Zed and Miko have also expanded the space to include room for classes and events. Hood River Hobbies now offers classes in rocket and model building, rc instruction, birdwatching, gaming events and more. They sought a MCEDD loan to purchase their initial inventory and provide working capital. Since then, they have expanded their special events, increased and diversified their inventory to appeal to a broader customer base, and supplemented the previous focus of the shop with other areas of their own expertise. For more information, check out their website www.hoodriverhobbies.com.
As a service to the regional business community and as a strong part of our economic development strategy for the region, MCEDD manages several business loan programs that provide an accessible, affordable source of capital for projects that create and/or retain jobs.
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September 25, 2013 – To support the expansion of their business through the purchase of land and the construction of a new facility Mountain Home Biological, based in Bingen Washington, received a loan in 2005 from MCEDD. Having been in business since 1995, this local company continues to grow through expanding their product lines and markets. They started out wholesaling owl pellets for classroom dissection and have since diversified to include the selling of educational laboratory equipment and supplies. While they continue to mainly work with K-12 schools throughout the US their online presence has grown allowing them to reach international markets for these supplies as well. Their MCEDD loan provided them with the financing that enabled Mountain Home Biological to scale up to meet the rising demand for their products. For more information, visit their website.
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August 30, 2013 –
August 2013– Alejandro Rodriguez has been in the wild land firefighting field since 2000. After working for other companies based around the state, Alejandro saw a need for a local wild land firefighting company in The Dalles, and started Steelhead Enterprises, LLC. He brings this experience to his four year old company. Alejandro and his crew of professionals perform wild land firefighting, fire fuel reduction, and forest land maintenance throughout the region to public and private land owners. Steelhead Enterprises has grown because of its commitment to professionalism, developing its workforce, and creating a smart business plan. Over the last year, Steelhead gained certifications that increase their access to new contracts and allowed them to diversify the services they are able to offer. These changes created a need for additional financing for working capital and equipment purchases. Steelhead found this through MCEDD’s loan programs. They were one of many crews who successfully fought the Government Flats Complex Fire in Wasco and Hood River counties in 2013.
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August 1, 2013 –
Heidi Hall received a Mid-Columbia Economic Development District (MCEDD) loan to open a coffee drive thru business. Sweet Lila’s Coffee Cup is a coffee drive thru business inspired by Heidi and Blake Hall’s, daughter Lila May. She loved cooking and making “kids’ coffee” and that is what Sweet Lila’s Coffee Cup will be doing for their customers. Heidi is excited to be serving espresso drinks, blended drinks and tea, along with breakfast and lunch grab and go items in the near future.
Heidi states, “When I started this process I found out that banks do not typically finance new start ups because they require a history of the business that can show potential. I then contacted Eric at MCEDD, who helped guide me thru the process. With the support of my MCEDD business loan, we have recently broken ground with the building process and hope to be up and running in late April.”
Sweet Lila’s Coffee Cup will soon be offering high quality products with fast and friendly service at its drive thru located at 1540 Osprey Drive, Hood River, Oregon. You can call Heidi at 541-261-6507 or check this business out on Facebook for more information.
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June 23, 2013 – Danny Minor of Minor’s International Wood Design has been an independent business for the last nine years, but Danny has over 40 years of experience with wood working. The company focuses on customized, high quality woodworking and engraving for clients of all types. Minor’s International does custom furniture, cabinetry, wine boxes, and wooden cremation urns.
In 2009, after working with Columbia Gorge Community College’s Small Business Development Center, Danny came to MCEDD for a loan to purchase a laser engraver so that he could expand the business to increase its focus on engraving. With this tool almost any photo, drawing, or custom lettering can be replicated on wood, metal, plastic, stone, or other surfaces. Minor’s client base is varied, including local specialty shops, funeral homes, custom work, and more. Through the MCEDD loan, Minor’s International Design has been able to continue to diversify its business.
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June 2, 2013 – Draper Girls Country Farm has been in the family since 1962. Theresa Draper bought it from her father in 1981 and has been running it ever since. She expanded from running the orchard to also include attending farmers’ markets in the Portland area, building a farm stand, and increasing her u-pick presence. Value added agriculture products are another focus for the Draper Girls Country Farm . They include jams, dried fruit, and many varieties of cider available fresh pressed or frozen. In addition, Theresa is raising grass fed lambs and goats and has eggs available. They also have a vacation rental that supports the growing agri-tourism market.
Draper Girl’s received a loan from MCEDD to support these changes to her business. This year, Draper Girl’s is looking forward to a strong harvest, so stop in and try the cider made fresh every week throughout the year or to pick up some apples!
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