The Mountain Works has been La Grande’s bike shop since 1978.  They are also La Grande’s local ski shop, climbing supplier, and skate shop.  They will fix a flat, tune up skis, and provide needed supplies. Customers can also just hang and have a beer, featuring selections from Side A, Barley Browns, Terminal Gravity and more.
 
The Mountain Works is housed in the Bohnenkamp Building at 1301 Adams Avenue.  The most recent Oregon Main Street Revitalization Grant of $200,000 has just been awarded to renovate the building façade, make the building more resilient to natural forces, and renovate the second floor to provide multiple new housing units.
 
The Mountain Works has been a Trek dealership since 1982. As a group, the Metlen and Hartz families purchased the longstanding Trek dealership in Northeastern Oregon in 2006 from a local family.  They then continued the tradition of a family operation until the spring of 2011 when the Metlens moved into retirement and a new business, Joseph Branch Railriders.

The Hartz family, Whit, Mavis and Hazel, remain at the store.  They firmly believe in healthy active choices resulting in a better life.  They see the value of bicycles as a mode of primary transportation, a fitness tool, and just old-fashioned fun.  They enjoy and promote bicycling and other outdoor activities as healthy solo or group activities.  The Mountain Works staff understand that not all people desire or are destined to be Olympic champions and that riding and playing styles are as varied as each individual person.
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With their holistic approach to life and business, The Mountain Works is guaranteed to thrive and grow, giving back to their community along the way.

La Grande Main Street Downtown (Main Street) is proud to announce that La Grande is a recipient of the Oregon Main Street Revitalization Grant for the third cycle in a row. Oregon Heritage, a division of Oregon Parks and Recreation Department, awarded 28 matching grants worth $5,000,000 to Oregon Main Street Network organizations across the state for building projects that encourage economic revitalization. The grant program was created during the 2015 legislative session and placed with the Oregon State Historic Preservation Office.  Projects range from façade improvement to basic facilities and housing with awards ranging from $23,850-$200,000.
 
La Grande’s award will go to the Bohnenkamp Building at 1301 Adams Avenue. This project was awarded the maximum of $200,000 in order to renovate the building façade, make the building more resilient to natural forces, and renovate the second floor to provide multiple new housing units. Oregon Heritage funds applications that best convey the ability to stimulate private investment and local economic development and best fit within the community’s long-range plan for downtown vitality, as well as community need.

     “La Grande Main Street is very excited to see this project be awarded funding. As one of our most prominent historic buildings, the Bohnenkamp Building is full of opportunity to further beautify the district, fully utilize a historic building, and increase housing availability in the downtown core,” said Taylor Scroggins, Executive Director for La Grande Main Street Downtown.“
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      He continued, “Having already seen the impact this grant can have on the community, like the impact it had in 2019 with the Liberty Theatre and Putnam Building, and in 2017 when awarded to the IOOF Building, we look forward to seeing this project move forward and bring the whole community with it.”

      “We are very excited to receive the Downtown Revitalization Grant,” said Mavis Hartz, owner of the Bohnenkamp Building. “We are looking forward to restoring the building to its former glory.  This first step will make the building much safer, as well as establish three beautiful apartments for rent.  We would like to thank everyone involved for the opportunity to increase the vibrancy of Downtown La Grande.”
This is a distinct honor and a recognition of La Grande’s historical significance and potential for future growth and development.  LGMSD will keep you updated on the progress of this exciting project.
 
To learn more about the Oregon Main Street Revitalization Grant or the Oregon Main Street Network, visit www.oregonheritage.org or contact Kuri Gill at Kuri.gill@oprd.oregon.gov or 503-986-0685.

​A beloved La Grande gem of a shop for over two decades, the roots of The Potter’s House Gallery date back to 1993 when Bob and Judy Jensen opened a summer gallery in Joseph (Jensen Artforms), which they ran for 10 years.  Tired of schlepping their pottery, paintings, and ceramics to sell at outdoor art events, they opened their own gallery, The Potter’s House Gallery.  Since opening in 2000 in La Grande, the house on 6th Street has been Bob and Judy’s home and studio.  Bob is a retired art teacher who is a potter and water colorist and Judy is the creative mind behind the selection of enchanting gifts. 
 
Bob and Judy’s mission for The Potter’s House Gallery is to provide handmade and unique high-quality gifts for their customers, as well as a special piece of furniture or home décor upcycled from reclaimed furniture and other items.
 
The Potter’s House Gallery not only offers Bob’s one-of-kind Raku and Stoneware pottery and exquisite watercolors, but also features the work of other local Eastern Oregon artists.  Thanks to Judy’s keen eye for the delightful, there are also extraordinary decorating, lifestyle, art, and hospitality gifts for the discerning customer.
 
Bob and Judy strive to treat their customers in a manner such that they will leave feeling better than when they entered.
 
Over the years, Bob and Judy Jensen have contributed so much to La Grande, not only through The Potter’s House Gallery, but also with their outreach to the community and support of other Northeastern Oregon artists.

​In 2019, Rosewood Cottage, a beloved La Grande establishment since 1997, moved down Adams Avenue four blocks into Pat’s Alley. Throughout the years, Rosewood Cottage has been a family business, with owner Cozy Barker working alongside her daughter Bethany and her granddaughter Paige, assisted by employees who have become life-long friends.  Cozy said that the move came about because she wanted to be downtown where there was more foot traffic and also Pat’s Alley was more accessible to her customers in walkers and wheelchairs.
 
Rosewood Cottage offers a wide variety of kitchenware, gifts, and home décor products, including the most complete Fiesta dinnerware section in the area in all styles and colors.  Also on offer are the popular Yankee and Swan Creek candles, along with bath and body products by Naked Bee, Camille Beckman and Bend Soap Company. They also have a selection of Chala and Bungalow handbags and accessories, as well as Demdaco home décor products, including Willow Tree angels, assorted kitchen, western, and wildlife décor items, along with Warmies and Jim Shore collectible décor.  However, most beloved by people of the region are Rosewood Cottage’s seasonal promotions and the delicious fudge.
 
Rosewood Cottage has always been about family and friends and that continues to be Cozy’s mission as the charming boutique takes its place among the Pat’s Alley family of businesses.   Her goals revolve around offering the most interesting and delightful products and maintaining the feeling of family for her employees and customers.  With those ideals firmly in place, Rosewood Cottage will continue to be a destination for discerning shoppers throughout the region.
 

​In 2021, Tara Sager was the winner of a competition hosted by LGMSD, the City of La Grande Urban Renewal Agency, and NEOEDD.  For the competition, participants created a business plan for a store that would be able to move into a physical location.  Part of the winning prize was funding to launch the business and provide technical assistance.  Thus, in July of 2021, Rebel Woolworks opened in its current location at 1113 Adams Avenue in La Grande.
 
Eleven years ago, Tara Sager was living on a remote island in Alaska and, because she did not have access to yarn, she taught herself how to spin and dye yarn.  She fell in love with the creative process and started an Etsy shop, which was open for about a year. Over the ensuing years, she has moved to the Mainland, grew a family, took up a previous career, and did the RV-ing life.  However, she missed the creativity and community of dyeing yarn.
 
In February of 2020, Tara opened up Rebel Woolworks while exploring in the RV. She and her family were headed to Pendleton when they passed through La Grande and fell in love.  The business grew to a point where she and her family moved into a home that could accommodate both her family and the expanding business.  However, Rebel Woolworks soon outgrew her home studio space as well.  That is when she entered the La Grande Business Plan Competition in 2021 and Rebel Woolworks had a brick and mortar home!
 
Over the ensuing years, indie-dyed yarn or independently-made yarn has become extremely trendy.  Not only does the Rebel Woolworks store offer sublime hand-dyed yarn and fiber, a myriad of gifts, including crafted snacks, tea and beverages, chocolates and sweets, and cards and stationary are on offer.  Rebel Woolworks also has an expansive internet presence, where Tara sells her wares nationally and internationally through a well-curated website.
 
Eventually, Tara hopes to branch out even more with an addition offering food and liquid refreshment.  With Tara’s drive, creativity, and determination, Rebel Woolworks will become a destination for artistic souls around the region and contribute greatly to the growth and development of La Grande.