Innovative Food Company- NuCulture- Starts with MCEDD Financing
March 28, 2015 – NuCulture Foods is a innovative company focused on creating nutritious, plant based food products in The Dalles. Jennifer and Chip Hogan are leveraging Jenny’s extensive experience in the food industry with Chip’s business and production background to grow NuCulture. The company is currently focused on development and distribution of its cashew based, vegan cultured cheese spreads. They are committed to producing their products here in the Gorge in a way that supports sustainable Look out for three tasty flavors in stores around the Gorge and beyond! NuCulture came to MCEDD in search of gap financing as they built out their production space and purchased equipment to help them scale up. MCEDD was able to provide financing using its USDA Intermediary Relending program. Find more information on their website. [Continue Reading]
Artistic Excavation Purchases Equipment with MCEDD Loan
January 30, 2015 – January 2015 Loan Client Profile: Artistic Excavation, LLC, is a construction company in White Salmon, WA. The company specializes in excavation, rock wall landscaping, road building, and foundation excavation. They work with all types of clients, from municipalities to individuals. Aaron Kreps, owner, and his crew are staying busy with projects throughout the Gorge. Larger projects include work on the State Street updates in Hood River and waterline projects in White Salmon, along with main line gas improvements for NW Natural Gas. Since the company received a loan from MCEDD a little over two years ago to purchase additional equipment, Artistic Excavation has grown from two employees to six! To get in touch with Aaron about Artistic Excavation’s services visit their website at artisticx.com. [Continue Reading]
Fun Country Power Sports Builds New Facility with MCEDD Funds
December 30, 2014 – Fun Country Powersports is a family owned and operated business in The Dalles that focuses on powersports sales, service, and parts. Their products are diversified to include off- and on-road vehicles for recreation in all seasons as well as agricultural clients looking for the latest tools to support their own businesses. In 2009, the business was 40 years old, and in need of an upgrade to their facility to support the strong growth in their sales and services. In order to get the project done quickly so that they could continue to provide the positive experience their customers had become accustomed to they approached Mid-Columbia Economic Development and the Columbia River Gorge Oregon Investment Board about a loan to finance construction for their expansion. After the project, they more than doubled the space available for product and their service center and have continued to grow their business. Visit Fun Country’s website, or their storefront in The Dalles on West 2nd Street, to learn more about their business! [Continue Reading]
Distillers Start up with MCEDD Financing
October 28, 2014 – Distilleries in the Gorge are starting with the assistance from MCEDD financing. August 2014: Chris Taylor and Roy Slayton came together around the idea that they could produce quality spirits, using locally sourced ingredients in the Columbia Gorge. Working together to start Camp 1805 Distillery down on the Hood River Waterfront they are sharing the process from grain to glass with their customers. Currently, Camp 1805 is producing white whiskey, rum, and vodka. They are barrel aging whiskey and rum and working on gin as well as other spirits for the future. Roy and Chris came to MCEDD and the Oregon Investment Board as they were looking at financing the start up costs for a micro-distillery. The two entities provided loans to Chris and Roy that have enabled them to purchase the equipment they needed, improve their tasting room space, and have working capital to start up the tasting room and move their business forward. If you would like to learn more, visit their website or their tasting room at the Hood River Waterfront. October 2014: Skunk Brothers Spirits was developed by two brothers with a passion for hand-crafted spirits and an idea to get back to their roots and make something uniquely Northwestern. This small batch craft distillery, set to open in Stevenson, is focused on high quality Moonshine, hand-crafted spirits, and liqueurs. They are looking to utilize local ingredients to make unique products and their hand-crafted corn whiskey and other spirits. In addition, the Donoho family is looking to create a tasting room Gorge visitors and residents alike can relax and enjoy while experiencing their products. To put together financing, Skunk Brothers came to MCEDD and the Skamania EDC, who worked in partnership to enable them to purchase additional necessary equipment, and provide working capital to get through renovation of their tasting room and beginning batches of their products. For more info on Skunk Brothers, visit their Facebook page! [Continue Reading]
Working Capital Loan Supports Oregon Growers and Shippers
July 28, 2014 – Oregon Growers & Shippers comes from a vision to create products using the finest quality, locally sourced ingredients from right here in Oregon and Washington. They specialize in product development, sales, marketing and distribution of value added agricultural specialty food products with primary ingredients sourced from Pacific Northwest growers. Their products include Oregon Growers brand jams, preserves, fruit spreads, fruit butters, condiments and honey. They currently focus on the metropolitan grocery markets of the Pacific Northwest and Northern California but recently approached Mid-Columbia Economic Development District (MCEDD) when they were looking to expand their business into its next phase of growth. With traditional MCEDD loan funds and funds from the Columbia River Gorge Oregon Investment Board fund managed by MCEDD, Oregon Growers & Shippers received working capital to help with this transition. For more information on the company, and their northwest products, visit their website at www.oregongrowers.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. [Continue Reading]
MCEDD Microloan Supports Opening of Pioneer Pizza
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. [Continue Reading]
Tribal Fish Market Constructs Facility with MCEDD Financing
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. [Continue Reading]Trinity Natural Medicine Purchases Equipment with MCEDD Loan
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]
Opportunity Connections Advances Employment Opportunities
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. [Continue Reading]