At this time of year, competition is all around us: competition for a national championship in college football, competition at the mall to return holiday presents, competition at the gym to take off some of those extra pounds. But there is another competition playing out in our community that places[Read More…]
Author: MICHAEL DUNNE - [email protected]
Happy returns? Not as often as you think
Clothes pile up at a St. Vincent de Paul warehouse in the southern Willamette Valley. Some clothes are from online returns. Full disclosure: I’m a tad ignorant when it comes to the business of retail. Having never worked in a typical department store or shop, I’ve lived my life blissfully[Read More…]
Analysis: Business leaders talk challenges of Covid era
It wasn’t that long ago when local, regional, and global supply chains were boringly predictable. A local business would place an order and whether that was to a supplier down the street, in another state, or across the ocean, trucks, trains, and container ships would embark on their journeys to[Read More…]
Wildish Theater GM takes his turn in the spotlight
Greg Hopper-Moore is the newly named general manager of the Richard E. Wildish Community Theater in downtown Springfield. BRAD COOK/FLASHBOX STUDIO SPRINGFIELD – In a profession with a literal spotlight, Greg Hopper-Moore, 53, the newly named general manager of the Richard E. Wildish Community Theater in downtown Springfield, has always[Read More…]
Hard work, strategic vision have Creswell’s Hobby Field flying high
Creswell’s Hobby Field continues to see more activity, and manager Shelley Humble is utilizing grants to make significant upgrades to the facility. EMMA ROUTLEY/CHRONICLE FILE PHOTO CRESWELL – To get a sense of how far Hobby Field – the City of Creswell’s general aviation airport – has come in the[Read More…]
There’s good news for Oregon businesses
River Roofing is typical of many Oregon establishments, where business remains brisk and the need for more employees remains strong. NOEL NASH/CHRONICLE PHOTO State of Business in Oregon: Good, but Labor Problems Persist Recently, the Springfield Chamber of Commerce held its 2021 State of Business Program, featuring a robust presentation[Read More…]
Charities rise to the challenge of funding during Covid
CHRONICLE FILE PHOTO The Creswell Food Pantry is among nonprofits that have made adjustments to continue serving residents during the pandemic. “The Great Recession of 2008 changed nonprofit fundraising forever, and now COVID-19 is accelerating that change going forward.” That statement was where my conversation began with Christina Lund, principal[Read More…]
Bangin‘ out a living: Opportunity drives local restaurant owner
Owner Darren Bollinger. BRAD COOK/FLASHBOX STUDIO “I figured if I could sell millions of dollars of software around the world, I could sell a $10 sausage here in town.” That was the idea that propelled Darren Bollinger, owner of Bangers & Brews in Eugene, to leave his lucrative career as[Read More…]
Creswell’s quiet economic powerhouse
Wise Women Herbals CRESWELL – The global dietary supplements market was valued at around $140.3 billion in 2020 and is expected to increase at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 8.6% from 2021-28. So why should residents of Creswell care? Because a leader in this explosive industry calls the[Read More…]
Grocers, area chefs suffering shortages
What do national truck driver scarcity, historic labor problems, and the Delta variant all have in common? They are conspiring to create supply-chain issues that are wreaking havoc among local and national restaurants. The dining experience at a restaurant is very much like the proverbial tip of the iceberg. The[Read More…]