I am related to the owner - I am his sister - I do want to respond to John E's review though.
From John's description it appears he was through our town in the week following Canyon Days. During Canyon Days we have booths set up in the park, there is a fun run that ends at the park and there is a softball tournament and volleyball tournament in town. We have the "outhouse" to help handle the extra people in town.
On Sunday night the week prior to John E's visit, a young man was killed in an accident. This young man had lived in town all of his life, he was loved by his friends and classmates and most, if not all, of the adults in town knew him too. On the weekend John came through our town, this young man was being buried. So the unwelcoming guys sitting out front were grieving for their friend. The clerk in the store was grieving and the whole town was grieving (population 475).
The front door at the store is a sign board for the people in town. The signs are kept current as people need to know what's going on - what classes there are, burn notices, and even what time funerals are being held and that there is a dinner afterward.
I realize John E reviewed a moment in time, but putting up a review like that based on so little knowledge isn't fair to the town or to the store owner - it would have been better if someone had contacted the store owner and had given him a chance to respond. If John E had known the town was in mourning for this young man, perhaps he might have better understood the dynamics he noted.
As for the store - Carl Coolidge is the proprieter, he has owned the store for almost 5 years now. Previously the store had been closed for several years and the people of the town had no other choice than to drive close to 30 miles round trip to pick up items. For full shopping trips, it is closer to a 50 mile round trip. I have a lot of admiration for my brother - he does whatever he can to keep his prices competetive with the stores outside of town - yes, the prices are higher than what you will find in Portland and surrounding area, but for the Gorge, they are right on target - it costs him to do that. In addition, he carries hot food, cooked or take and bake pizzas, fountain drinks and regular groceries. He will special order things and on the counter is a "wish list", if you wish the store carried something, you can write it down and if he can, he will get it in.
I hope that John E can come back through at some point and give the market and town a second chance, perhaps he will be able to see the beauty of our canyon and realize although the town struggles with unemployment and the poverty it brings, it is a good place to live and the people here care deeply for their own.
I struggled with this review, it was hard not to take a snotty tone in response to John's rather superior and facetious tone, I hope I was able to convey the fact that we have a great town and a great store.
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