PDC awards Path to Success business plan grants
By Terry Murry on Thursday, August 22nd, 2024 in Columbia Basin News More Top Stories
PENDLETON – Four Path to Success business plans will benefit from Pendleton Development Commission grants. Pendleton Urban Renewal Associate Director Charles Denight reported the details following the Tuesday night meeting of the PDC.
The four new businesses for downtown Pendleton are:
Whitney Minthorn and Moe Soeum
Moe Mart
The two partners founded Moe Pho Noodles and Café on Main Street in 2018, then opened a second Moe Pho at Wildhorse food court in 2020. In 2023 they opened Moe’s Tea after winning the Path to Success competition last year. All three businesses are thriving.
Moe Mart will be located in the St. George Plaza between Moe Pho and Moe’s Tea. The area downtown is devoid of a retail grocer, a niche Moe Mart will fill for the increasing numbers of people living and shopping in our vibrant downtown. Not only will they sell to downtown residents, but any residents who are looking for specialty Asian foods, either raw or ready to eat. Asian themed restaurants are doing well in Pendleton, with two Japanese, three Thai or Vietnamese, and two Chinese. They will also supply other Asian restaurants in the county and the region with bi-weekly shopping trips to a large Asian food wholesaler in Portland. The store is opening soon on SE Emigrant Avenue.
Brandon Krenzler
Forage Apothecary
Brandon Krenzler founded one of Pendleton’s first pot shops, Kind Leaf, and more recently opened Indigo Roots Garden, a plant store, in downtown Pendleton. His new plant store will soon be joined by his newest venture Forage Apothecary. The owner describes it as a unique combination retail/food business. The front of the location at 39 SW Dorion Avenue, the former Armchair Books and more recently a cabinetry shop, will be a dedicated retail establishment focused primarily on natural healthy and explorative outdoor lifestyles. Products offered will range from organic health supplements and healthy food items, both groceries and ready to eat dishes. He will also sell men’s clothing and foraging gear. The rear of the establishment will offer fresh organic juices, health-centered smoothies and prepackaged grab and go salads via a walk-up window accessible from inside or from the sidewalk outside. The forgivable Path to Success loan is for this last venture, Forage.
Mariha Falconer
Herbal by Nature
Mariha Falconer won in the competition with a concept that will also be located in the St. George Plaza, right next door to the Moe Mart.
She will be selling all natural, hand-made products, which she will manufacture on the premises and elsewhere of local natural substances. The products will include soaps, candles, lotions. She already sells her products online so the new element is the storefront, where she looks forward to expanding her clientele and contributing to the economy of downtown Pendleton. She believes the attraction of the storefront is that people can see the products made and talk to her or other staff to learn more about the healthy components of those products. She makes soap with Prodigal Son beer, coffee soap with Buckin’ Bean’s coffee grounds and honey and beeswax from local producers. Her business grew naturally from a social media account, to her own website to this next step for distribution in downtown Pendleton.
Chad Chamberlin
Lock N Nock Virtual Shooting Range
Chad has owned and operated the Dean English Lock Shop here since 2017 and has expanded the business to several other Eastern Oregon Counties. He worked for years as a police officer. A shooting range in downtown Pendleton is a natural extension of his lock business. Lock N Nock will feature laser firearms that look, feel and function like a real firearm while emitting a harmless laser beam which is safe for all environments and all age users. The firearms are equipped to provide recoil simulation and realistic sound effects. He plans to target those just beginning to shoot, as well as police departments and others who may want a weather-proof range for practice sessions. He will also expand to include a virtual archery range. Lock N Nock will be located in the eastern most storefront of the La Dow block building, now under renovation by its new owner, Ginger Pedroza.
In addition, the judges heard presentations from three competitors for the Nixyaawii Entrepreneur Award. All three were awarded prizes.
The Path to Success competition was judged by six people,
Cheri Rosenberg-LaBoy, Chamber CEO
Anna Cavallo, Executive Director, Pendleton Downtown Association
Carol Hanks, co-owner, Great Pacific Wine and Coffee Company
Danielle Wilgus, Nixyaawii Community Financial Development finance specialist
Kris Bonniot, InterMountain ESD education professional
Charles Denight, former businessman and current City staff
There were 22 initial applicants for Path to Success in 2024 and seven were selected to complete business plans and present them to the judges. The judges used score sheets and a lot of discussion to select the four winners. After competitions in 2022, 2023 and 2024 we have had 87 applicants for the Path to Success wanting to either start or expand a business downtown.
Editor’s note: The information was provided by the city of Pendleton. While we therefore cannot change the wording, it is important to note that Kind Leaf is not affiliated with Brandon Krenzler at all anymore. There
were FIVE founding members of our group and only three own it now.
All five of us co-founded it together and it is still owned by three of
the original founders.
