With Meet LGMSD, we take you behind the scenes to introduce you to the folks that make us who we are—the Board, the Committees, the volunteers, and the staff.  Each week, we will introduce you to one of the many individuals who contribute so much to La Grande Main Street, ultimately making La Grande a vibrant, stable, and beautiful place to gather, shop, eat, work, live, and play.
 
This week, we are featuring Lauren Babcock, member of the Beer Festival and Promotion Committees.

Lauren Babcock, member of the Beer Festival and Promotion Committees, was born and raised in La Grande. At age 18, she began traveling around the country and moved a lot.  She moved back home a year and a half ago to be near family, as well as to find ways to serve the community that raised her. 

Lauren went to school at the University of Oregon where she studied Planning, Public Policy, and Management with an emphasis on nonprofit administration and public leadership. She has done internships in grant writing, event planning, communications, and fundraising.  Lauren also worked as an executive assistant and event planner before working for Northeast Oregon Network where she is the Opioid Response Program Coordinator.

A dedicated and enthusiastic volunteer, not only is Lauren a member of La Grande Main Street Downtown’s (LGMSD) Beer Fest and Promotion Committees, but she also volunteers for the Warming Station, the City of La Grande, and the Farmer’s Market.  She joined LGMSD’s roster of volunteers because she loves event planning and community building and reached out when she heard about our committees.  She loves the creativity and working with the groups of dedicated volunteers, as well as being a part of things that strengthen the relationships in our community and the pride in our town.
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In her free time, Lauren enjoys baking, cooking, hosting, finding new books, and spending time with her 2-year-old nephew, Callum, and her local family.  She also is a coffee aficionado and will be a vendor at the Farmer’s Market, serving coffee from her wee coffee stand, The Big Coffee Shop.  She shares her busy and fulfilling life with a fluffy orange 4-year-old tabby cat, Ubi, who breaks into cabinets to steal food, frolics with stray cats in the neighborhood, and cuddles on fuzzy blankets. 

James Forbes, Cliff Tarpy, and K.C. Kunkle were all working at a local radio station and loved creating content for their clients.  So, in September of 2020, at the height of the Covid-19 pandemic, they decided to create a production company that specialized in creating video, audio, graphic design, and web design at affordable rates for local businesses.  Thus, The Ad Dad was born.
Their mission is to empower local businesses and organizations with high-quality, big-market content creation that promotes their products, services, and events at affordable prices. 

The Community Vision screens seen around town are one of the main products/services provided by The Ad Dad.  They are a new and cutting-edge way to advertise.  They have 34 screens up in Union County, 5 screens in Baker City, and 2 screens in Pendleton.  They are working to place 30 screens each in Baker City and Pendleton and to increase the number of screens in Union County.

The Ad Dad also specializes in corporate video, commercial video, and videos to promote events, along with videos highlighting products.  In addition to videos, websites, and digital design, they also excel in graphic design of physical projects, from creating billboards to brochures and business cards.

True to their mission, The Ad Dad’s goal is to continue to provide business owners with high-quality, big-market, modern productions that enable businesses to appeal to travelers and local customers, along with being relevant to younger generations.  As stated by The Ad Dad, “We want to help your business look its best so you have a fighting chance against the Wal-Marts and Amazon.coms!”
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With their combined talent and enthusiasm, The Ad Dad contributes so much to La Grande’s business community, highlighting our many outstanding merchants, services, and attractions.

​With Meet LGMSD, we take you behind the scenes to introduce you to the folks who make us who we are—the Board, the Committees, the volunteers, and the staff.  Each week, we plan to introduce you to one of the many individuals who contribute so much to La Grande Main Street, ultimately making La Grande a vibrant, stable, and beautiful place to gather, shop, eat, work, live, and play
 
This week, we continue our introductions with Stephanie Hansen, the Beer Festival Committee Chair.

Stephanie Hansen, the Chair of our Beer Festival event, was born in Portland and, because her father was in the military, the family traveled around some.  They eventually ended up in Keating in the early 1980’s.  Stephanie graduated from La Grande High School and received her Bachelor’s degree from Eastern Oregon University.  She later received a Master’s degree from Webster University.
 
Her career path has been based in the military and, according to Stephanie, “the next adventure I could embark upon.”  She now works for the Oregon Employment Department helping veterans find work.
 
Stephanie started volunteering with LGMSD in 2018 as a pourer at Beer Fest.  She then obtained her liquor license so she could be a beer captain in order to learn more and be more valuable to LGMSD at Beer Fest.
 
When asked what she likes most about working with LGMSD, Stephanie said, “Honestly, I like the commitment.”  She went on to say that she has never met a group of individuals more committed to making a great event.  She singled out the people that she works with on Beer Fest who strive each year to make this a better event.  She says she really loves our community and all of the entertainment around in the surrounding counties
 
Stephanie loves hanging out at home with her dog, her family and her friends.  Her dog, a beautiful 14-year-old yellow lab, is her fur-buddy and they like to chase balls in the water, go paddle-boarding, and just go fast, enjoying the people in their lives.  

​The Mountain Works Bicycles 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.  An Oregon Main Street Revitalization Grant of $200,000 was 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.

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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.
 
With their holistic approach to life and business, The Mountain Works is guaranteed to thrive and grow, giving back to the community as well.

​With Meet LGMSD, we take you behind the scenes to introduce you to the folks who make us who we are—the Board, the Committees, the volunteers, and the staff.  Each week, we plan to introduce you to one of the many individuals who contribute so much to La Grande Main Street, ultimately making La Grande a vibrant, stable, and beautiful place to gather, shop, eat, work, live, and play
 
This week, we continue our introductions with Evie Stacy, co-chair of LGMSD’s Design Committee.

​Evie Stacey, co-chair of our Design Committee, was born in Denver, Colorado and raised in Central Point, Oregon on the C2 Cattle Ranch.  She attended Clatsop Community College and the Eastern Oregon University with a business/psychology major and a minor in gender studies.  She has been a home care provider, nurse, and death doula.
 
Evie has been a member of the La Grande Arts Commission for the past 12 years. She became involved with LGMSD when she became a liaison between the Arts Commission and LGMSD, which evolved into her becoming a member of our Design Committee.  Being involved in her community is just a natural for Evie and runs in the family, as they were all involved with the Seasons Fair.
 
The number one favorite thing that Evie enjoys about being involved with the Design Committee is meeting people and sharing ideas.  A close second is keeping up with what is happening in La Grande.
 
Evie and her husband, Forest, have 6 children and 20 grandchildren.  She and Forest are avid rendezvous reenactors (1840 hunter/trapper) and participate in the Wenaha muzzleloader group.  She also enjoys gardening, crocheting, and spending time with the grandkids. They are pet parents to two dogs and two cats as well.   

​Starting out in 1995 in Baker City, Oregon with a trailer in the parking lot of Lube Depot, Sorbenots Coffee has grown into an Eastern Oregon institution with espresso shops in five cities—Baker City, La Grande, Ontario, Hermiston, and Pendleton.
 
Sorbenots is headquartered in Baker City and is owned by Phil Stone and his wife, Andrea, along with Phil’s brother, Jason Stone (hence the company name, which is Stone Bros spelled backwards).  Sorbenots has always been a family affair, with the brothers’ parents (Donna and Robin Stone) developing the roasting process and doing most of the roasting during the company’s first 12 years.  Donna trained Phil and Jason in the art of roasting coffee beans and, though the brothers do most of the roasting, she is still the official master roaster.
 
Though Sorbenots reaches out to the many tourists visiting Eastern Oregon, the employee training and customer service strategy focus on keeping their local customers happy.  Sorbenots strives to hire efficient and personable employees and train them to provide a consistently excellent coffee product throughout all of its locations.  This consistency is also reflected in the small-batch roasting process that allows for fine-tuned quality control.
 
In addition to serving up uniformly delicious coffee and baked goods at their five Eastern Oregon locations, Sorbenots has always been very active in supporting their communities.  Fundraisers, complementary gift certificates, coffee mugs, and other items are available to help community groups reach their goals.
 
A much admired merchant in our community, Sorbenots is looking forward to many years of growth and giving back to La Grande and the other communities where it does business.

​With Meet LGMSD, we take you behind the scenes to introduce you to the folks who make us who we are—the Board, the Committees, the volunteers, and the staff.  Each week, we plan to introduce you to one of the many individuals who contribute so much to La Grande Main Street, ultimately making La Grande a vibrant, stable, and beautiful place to gather, shop, eat, work, live, and play
 
This week, we continue our introductions with Bri Troutman, member of the Board of Directors and Beer Fest Committee.

​Brianna Troutman was born in Oregon, spending her early years in the near Mt. Hood. Her later childhood was spent in La Grande. Brianna was obsessed with equines and for years was deeply involved in Horse 4-H and later, in high school, as an FFA member, her love of livestock and animals was expanded.  Bri graduated from Eastern Oregon University and has been involved in the insurance industry for 12 years, owning Bri Troutman and Associates for seven years. 
 
Bri is passionate about animals and has served on the Blue Mountain Humane Association Board of Directors since 2019 as Vice Chair and has served as BMHA’s President since March of 2022.  When Bri is not working, she can be found at the shelter, helping to find homes for lost or unwanted animals.  She has 3 dogs and 2 cats at present.
 
Along with serving on the LGMS Board of Directors, she has been involved with Eastern Oregon Beer Fest for six years and counting.  She is deeply committed to the event and hopes to see it grow as the years go by.
 
Bri loves LGMSD and is excited for the upcoming projects the organization is working on.  She understands the importance of a thriving downtown sector and what that means for the community as a whole.
 
Outside of her community involvement, Bri loves the Eastern Oregon outdoors.  She loves hiking, fishing, hunting, and foraging for the bounty of edible treasures found in our area.  Bri says that her greatest achievements are her two children, Kaia and Marco.
 

​                                            “Service is the heart of our business”
 
As a La Grande legacy business, Claudson’s goes back more than 50 years.  The name has changed a few times and the inventory has evolved over the years.  In 1975, Allen and Eddie Claudson arrived in La Grande and, over time, purchased an existing fabric store and then a sewing machine store.  The combined store was then moved to its present location at 1401 Adams Avenue.  In 1984, Claudson’s began selling hot tubs and spas.  After 25 years of serving the community, Allen and Eddie retired.
 
In 2000, Greg and Sandi Gross purchased what was then known as Claudson’s Viking and Hot Springs Spa Center.  They added vacuums and quilting fabric to their inventory in 2001 and the store’s name was changed to Claudson’s Sew & Soak in 2004.  In 2017, the store was remodeled and expanded to more than double its previous size.  Vacuums were also removed from the inventory and a classroom was added in 2019.
 
“Service is the heart of our business” nicely sums up the mission of Claudson’s Sew & Soak, and they hope to continue to carry this forward by offering their customers the very best products and services.
 
Claudson’s Sew & Soak offers spa and hot tub brands sold in the store, along with Pfaff, Husqvarna-Viking, and Singer sewing machines, as well as quilting fabric.  They also offer regular servicing and repairs, along with testing of hot tub water, selling all of the chemicals necessary for this.  Claudson’s has a varied selection of classes, as well as a four-day Spring Fling Quilting/Sewing Retreat at the end of April.
 
Claudson’s Sew & Soak can be rightfully proud of their legacy in La Grande and will carry it forward into the future, offering their broad range of spa and sewing products and stellar service to their valued customers.
 
 
 

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​With Meet LGMSD, we take you behind the scenes to introduce you to the folks who make us who we are—the Board, the Committees, the volunteers, and the staff.  Each week, we plan to introduce you to one of the many individuals who contribute so much to La Grande Main Street, ultimately making La Grande a vibrant, stable, and beautiful place to gather, shop, eat, work, live, and play
 
This week, we continue our introductions with Timothy Bishop, Economic Development Director for the City of La Grande, who represents the City as a member of the LGMSD Board of Directors.  He is also the chair of the Economic Vitality Committee.
 

​Timothy Bishop is a dedicated economic development professional with nearly two decades of experience helping communities transform local economies as a Main Street program manager, and another decade focused on tourism development and marketing as an economic catalyst. 
 
Timothy Bishop serves as the Economic Development Director for the City of La Grande and represents the City as a member of the LGMSD Board of Directors.  He is also the chair of the Economic Vitality Committee.
 
Timothy began his career as a Main Street program volunteer in Albany, Oregon and went on to lead the transformative revitalization efforts in multiple award-winning Main Street programs including Baker City, Oregon; Walla Walla, Washington; and Ellensburg, Washington. 
 
Timothy has been a Certified Main Street Manager since 2000, and a Certified NxLevel Entrepreneur instructor since 2009.  In 2005, Timothy received the Washington Trust for Historic Preservation’s Career Achievement in Historic Preservation award for his Main Street advocacy. 
 
Timothy’s place-based focus on economic development is rooted in the belief that better places and better economies go hand in hand. Stronger, economically vibrant, and resilient communities provide stronger business opportunities and are also great places to live, work, and play. 
 
Timothy is excited to be a part of the La Grande economic development team.   “Having been involved in the Main Street movement most of my career, it’s exciting to now be representing the public partner in our local revitalization efforts,” he stated. “I feel very fortunate to work in a City that understands the important social and economic value that a vibrant and economically diverse downtown brings to the community.”
 

​In 1955, a group of business leaders in Joseph, Oregon founded the Bank of Wallowa County, which remained relatively unchanged until 1991, when a new ownership group purchased the bank and it became Community Bank.  Community Bank has since grown to seven branches in Eastern Oregon and three in Southeastern Washington.
 
The mission of Community Bank revolves around its dedication to their communities and the desire to provide the highest quality of customer service.  This includes creating advancement opportunities for staff members who are willing to commit to ensuring that Community Bank is the premier financial institution in our area.
 
Community Bank offers a full range of banking services, including personal, real estate and commercial loads, personal checking and savings accounts, IRAs and CDs, and debit and credit cards.  The bankers at Community Bank also invest in their communities by supporting local events and nonprofits and by volunteering at local events, leading 4H clubs, and coaching youth sports.
 
Looking toward the future, Community Bank’s goals center around continuing to grow and be successful by maintaining its dedication to the communities it services with a sustained level of professionalism, outstanding customer service, and a commitment to advancement and growth opportunities for its staff members.
 
With Community Bank’s unflinching commitment to its communities and its staff, it will continue to thrive and grow, contributing to the region far into the future.