Editor’s Note
Honoring Successful Businesses
March marks the end of our third year of publication of Blue Mountain News. I’m not one to get all weepy-eyed, but I have taken a little time this month to reflect on some of the fond memories I have, and the things I’ve learned, after putting out more than thirty versions of this newspaper. For example:
• I’ve learned more about hyphenating modifiers and putting comas in series of more than two than I ever wanted to know (thanks to my long-time proofreader, punctuation consultant and mother, Julia Mark).
• I’ve also learned that, if you don’t know how to use Photoshop correctly, something that looks bright red on a computer screen can end up the color of chocolate cake when it’s printed on newsprint.
• And I’ve learned that, even though I’m a morning person, when I’m under a deadline and I have no choice, I can write an acceptable editor’s note at two a.m. (I’m talking about a couple of previous ones – not this one, thank goodness.)
But most importantly, I’ve learned a whole lot about many of the very interesting people who live and work in our little valley in our little corner of Washington State. And I know that there are many more interesting people out there doing interesting things that I have yet to learn about . So while you’re reading this paper, I’ll be out searching for more of those interesting people to write about in the next few issues of Blue Mountain News. I hope you’ll find them as fascinating as I know I will.
Blue Mountain News isn’t the only local business with an anniversary this month. In March, Dayton’s City Lumber and Coal Yard will celebrate its 100th anniversary.
These milestones gave us the idea of featuring a few successful local businesses in this month’s issue. So in the next few pages you’ll read about City Lumber, State Farm Insurance and Jacci’s Yarn Basket – all downtown Dayton businesses that are going strong, even as our local and national economies struggle.
This month we also feature a brand-new local business that will be opening in the next few weeks. McCann Manor is Dayton’s newest bed and breakfast establishment, and hopefully it will celebrate many milestones in the years to come.
I hope you enjoy reading about all of these businesses and the people who have made them successful.
While doing research for our feature articles this month, it struck me how interconnected the many business relationships we have here are. Jeff McCann, who has spent the last six years renovating a beautiful Victorian home in Dayton to create McCann Manor with his wife Ann, told me several times how important it was to have City Lumber only a few blocks away. “My record is going there six times in one day,” he told me. Jeff also said that when he and Ann were considering moving to Dayton, two of their most important criteria for the town were that it have a good hospital and a good building supply store. Dayton passed both tests.
Jeff McCann and Brad Hatfield at City Lumber
When State Farm Agent Bette Lou Crothers was looking for a new way to relax and enjoy her evenings, she walked across the street from her office to Jacci’s Yarn Basket and talked to Jacci Wooten about learning to knit. So Jacci sat Bette Lou down at the table with a ball of yarn, stuck a couple of needles in her hands and got her started. “She told me I should start with a scarf, so that’s what I did,” said Bette Lou. The scarf is almost done, as you can see in the photo. Bette Lou also pointed out that Jacci is one of her good insurance customers.
Bette Lou Crothers gets pointers from Jacci Wooten.
I’m not a knitter, but I’ve been a major consumer of insurance and building supplies over the years and I’ve been a customer of many of our local businesses. So I know well the importance of having well-run (note the hyphen) businesses here that we all rely on. Next time you conduct business with a local businessperson, tell them you’re glad they’re here.
Ken Graham