Heceta Lighthouse B&B

Halfway between Yachats and Florence, more than 200 feet above the ocean, the historic Heceta Head Light shines a beam visible for 21 nautical miles, the brightest light on the Oregon coast. Widely considered a national treasure, it has been called the most photographed lighthouse in the United States.

When it was built in 1894, the Heceta Head Lightstation complex included two Queen Anne-style houses for lightkeepers. Today, one of those homes remains, repurposed as a unique bed & breakfast and interpretive center.

It was 1995 when the U.S. Forest Service chose Mike and Carol Korgan, both certified executive chefs, as the first innkeepers for the Heceta Lighthouse Bed & Breakfast. As volunteers, the Korgans helped start the careful restoration of the interior. Three years later, their daughter Michelle joined the B&B’s management team. In 2003 she purchased the business from her parents.

Perched on a cliff with a breathtaking ocean view, the Keeper’s House is lodging like no other. A handcrafted wooden staircase leads to well-appointed guest rooms with unique antique furnishings. Guests return year after year, mingling by the fireplaces, by the piano in the dining room, or simply contemplating the crashing surf below from the large wrap-around porch.

Each day begins with the Keeper’s Houses famous seven course breakfast including artisan cheeses, local sausages, and produce picked fresh from the Lightstation garden. Guests are taught the history of the house and encouraged to take a nighttime stroll to the light tower, just like the lightkeepers of old. The spectacle of the light beams cast by the Fresnel lens as they circle through the stars above your head is an unforgettable experience.

Heceta Lighthouse Bed & Breakfast also coordinates and hosts a variety of events including weddings, vow renewals, elopements, brunches, family reunions, holiday parties, business meetings, retreats, tea parties, luncheons, birthdays and anniversary parties. Michelle’s staff, which fluctuates from 8 to 12 seasonally, has earned a stellar reputation for hospitality and amazing cuisine.

Needless to say, any structure perched on Heceta Head would require constant care, especially a brightly painted Victorian that is 126 years old. While a percentage of the lease that Michelle pays to the U.S. Forest Service is earmarked towards maintenance of the Keeper’s House, much of the ongoing restoration is supported by KHHL (Keepers of Heceta Head Lightstation), a non-profit that through volunteerism and financial contributions has been instrumental in preserving and providing public access to the Heceta Head Lightstation.

Yet it wasn’t the relentless pounding of the elements that posed the latest challenge to Heceta Lighthouse Bed & Breakfast. It was the pandemic and the resultant restrictions on the hospitality industry mandated by the state. Eventually, bookings for guest rooms did return, but special event revenue was severely affected. Weddings, for example, had to be smaller or postponed.

To help bridge the pandemic revenue gap, while keeping her staff employed, Michelle was able to qualify for the latest wave of federal PPP (Paycheck Protection Program) loans through Oregon Coast Bank. She credits Linda Eriksen, who manages our Oregon Coast Bank Waldport office, for simplifying the PPP process and helping her qualify for loan forgiveness. “Oregon Coast Bank also provided financing for our capital improvements,” explains Michelle. “Linda cares a ton – I guess that’s the best way to put it.”

Now that business is returning to pre-pandemic levels, Michelle has plans to develop a public food concession in the historic sheds on the Heceta Head Lightstation property. She’s also looking to reprint her Heceta Lighthouse Breakfast Cookbook, which sold out its initial printing of 6000 copies. In the meantime, if you want to enjoy that amazing seven course breakfast, book yourself a room at Heceta Lighthouse Bed & Breakfast. As the lightkeepers of old could tell you, you can’t beat the view.

Ona

Reservations spanning three or four days are commonplace in the hotel business. In restaurants, they’re unheard of. Except at Ona. Over the past decade, the acclaimed Yachats restaurant has become so popular that customers will call months in advance of their visit to the coast to reserve a table for every night of their stay.

To understand the phenomenon of Ona requires an understanding of the restaurant’s founder, owner and executive chef Michelle Korgan. A graduate of Whitman College with a degree in theater, Michelle came to the coast in 1998 to help manage Heceta Lighthouse Bed & Breakfast, a Yachats landmark that her parents were restoring and operating under a long-term US Forest Service lease. Falling in love with the B&B, she stayed and eventually purchased the business from her parents in 2003. We’ll examine that property in detail in a subsequent article.

The name Ona was inspired by the native Chinook language, and roughly translates to mean shellfish. When she first opened the restaurant in 2010, Michelle termed the relaxed atmosphere “comfortable fine dining”, a chance to enjoy exceptional fare without having to dress up. Overlooking both the Yachats River and the Pacific Ocean, the views can be spectacular, but it’s the cuisine that has earned Ona its stellar reputation.

The mantra “Locally Sourced, Globally Inspired”, which headlines the restaurant’s website, captures the essence of Ona’s menu perfectly. Fresh seafood comes from the local fleet. Michelle individually selects all the produce, which is sustainably grown by local farmers. Even the wine list is carefully curated from small northwest vineyards. “We’re serving the best of the best,” points out Michelle. Each dish on the menu has a unique twist, inspired by Michelle’s extensive travels throughout Japan, Italy, South East Asia and the surrounding Pacific Northwest.

Ona’s Dungeness crab cakes received national recognition after winning USA Today’s People’s Choice Award. The Albacore tuna is seared rare and accented with smoked maitake mushrooms. Tagliolini egg ribbon pasta is served with seasonal seafood and baby spinach in a saffron cream sauce. Even Ona’s burger is remarkable – Wagyu beef topped with tomato jam, fresh greens, and a smoky paprika sauce on a brioche bun.

The restaurant offers seating in the dining room, the lounge, or outside on Ona’s covered and heated patio. All menu items are also available for take-out. Depending on the season, Ona employees 20 to 45 people. Staff members enjoy the atmosphere and tend to be very loyal; most have been with Ona for years.

“I grew up entertaining – Ona is my perfect expression of that,” explains Michelle. But her relentless pursuit of culinary excellence carries a price – “I typically work 60 – 80 hours each week,” she admits. “The rest of my time is devoted to my children, so in my few hours of spare time I sleep.”

Covid restrictions were devastating to restaurants. Even the most popular establishments, such as Ona, had to face severe economic challenges. When her longtime bank was slow to file the necessary paperwork for a federal PPP loan for Ona, Michelle began to worry. On the advice of her brother, she contacted Linda Eriksen, who manages our Oregon Coast Bank Waldport office.

“Linda really came through for us,” remembers Michelle. “It’s obvious how much she cares about her customers and the community.” In just a matter of days, Linda completed the loan documents and Ona received the funding. A few months later, Linda helped Michelle successfully qualify for the loan’s forgiveness clause.

Despite the pandemic, Ona’s volume is again on the upswing. Oceanview patio tables go quickly and the dining room is often filled to state-mandated levels. As usual, Ona’s patrons are a casual mix of locals and visitors. Even the foodies are back, some traveling hundreds, even thousands of miles to experience Ona’s celebrated cuisine. The proliferation of social media has made certain restaurants, must-visit destinations. Ona is certainly one of those. Yet as enticing as Ona’s food looks in photos, it’s even more extraordinary on your fork.

Skosh

Without a doubt, Skōsh is a catchy name for a restaurant. Chefs use the term often and Websters defines it as “a small amount”. Yet ask any customer at Skōsh about the portions, and you’ll realize that “small” is hardly appropriate. So, I asked the Waldport restaurant’s owners, James and Courtney, “where did the name Skōsh come from?” They smiled and replied that Skōsh is a synonym for their last name, Little. As my kids often say to me when I‘m utterly clueless, “duh”.

Courtney grew up in Boring, but spent ample time with her grandparents in Garibaldi, which accounts for her love for the coast. Originally, she studied to become a dental assistant, but switched career paths to manage a storage facility and then work in collections. Eight years ago, while living in Milton Freewater, she met James.

Born in Connecticut, James’ family had moved frequently during his childhood because his dad was in the military. James initially followed in his father’s footsteps, serving three years with the Army’s 82nd Airborne division. He then became a chef and spent several years honing his craft at a variety of restaurants in the Walla Walla area. Because of its wine industry, Walla Walla has become a hotbed of fine dining, and James earned quite a reputation for his culinary skills.

When James and Courtney decided to open a restaurant of their own, they chose to “first test the waters” with a food truck, which was based in Milton Freewater. The menu was eclectic and changed frequently, but customer response was overwhelmingly popular. “We quickly learned that some of the hot sellers, like our steak burger, pork carnitas tacos and saucy smoked pork sandwich, would have to be available every day, or we’d have disappointed customers,” remembers Courtney. The food truck proved to be an excellent laboratory for what Skōsh has become today.

Whenever they found the time, James and Courtney would take trips to the coast. Eventually, they decided that they wanted to call it home. But where? Ultimately, they chose to lay down roots, buy a home, and raise their family in Waldport. In James’ words: “Waldport was the place – you have the ocean, the river and the bay.”

In Waldport they also found an ideal location for Skōsh, a landmark restaurant that was for sale at the south end of the Alsea Bay Bridge. Although they were still in the process of acquiring the property, they received permission to park the Skōsh food truck next to the restaurant this past January. Of course, as anyone in the restaurant industry can tell you, January and February can be rough at the coast. Yet the response from the community was overwhelming. Initial business was brisk and has yet to let up.

These days, the food truck is parked in the back, and the 6-person Skōsh staff is serving a steady stream of customers in the remodeled restaurant. Takeout orders are also popular – Skosh’s website and smartphone app make the ordering process simple.

The Skōsh Steak Burger and Cheesesteak have both earned loyal followings. Unique items like Sizzle Drizzle Asparagus and Walla Walla Tacos also sell well. “I’m now working on some seafood entrees,” says James. “We have access to such fresh fish.” Vegetarian options are available as are amazing desserts like Skōsh Milkshakes and Triple Chocolate Fudge Brownies.

It’s not just the newness that has created so much excitement about Skōsh. The restaurant’s vibe is overwhelmingly positive. Hoodies bearing Skōsh’s logo and “Sizzle Drizzle Pop” slogan are now regularly seen around town.

James and Courtney love the community and have very nice things to say about the folks at our Oregon Coast Bank Waldport office. “They were genuinely interested in our business plan and provided the financing when we bought the building,” explains Courtney. Which, in the spirit of their restaurant, is a Skōsh generous of them to say.

Alsea Bay Power Products

Cynthia and Dave Brooks both grew up in the Portland area. She worked for the phone company while he had a twenty-eight year career as Parts & Service Manager at Beaverton Nissan, where his departments grew from three employees to fifty.

In 1989 Cynthia and Dave purchased a home in Waldport and set their sights on being able to move to the coast fulltime. “People in Waldport and Tidewater are wonderful,” explains Cynthia. “We wanted to build a business where we would feel like part of the community,” adds Dave.

It was 1993 when the Brooks’ started Alsea Bay Power Products in a garage in Tidewater. “We were both still working in the Portland area, so we hired a local technician for the shop and came down each weekend to run the new business. We did that for five years,” remembers Dave. Eventually Cynthia retired from the phone company and Dave left his position at Beaverton Nissan so they could move to Waldport fulltime.

Cynthia and Dave purchased the building and land on Highway 34 in Waldport that currently houses Alsea Bay Power Products in 1995 and have enlarged both the structure and property over the years. What they originally envisioned to be a hobby business has now been in operation for more than a quarter of a century and employs nine people.

Alsea Bay Power Products specializes in small engine service, parts and sales, representing some of the most respected manufacturers in the industry. “New businesses don’t get the top lines when starting out,” points out Dave. “You have to first build up a reputation for quality and stability, which takes years.”

Today, Alsea Bay Power Products sells and services Stihl chainsaws and landscaping equipment; Honda mowers, tillers, pumps and generators; Evinrude and Tohatsu boat engines; Toro mowers; and Husqvarna mowers and chainsaws. The store also sells work apparel and footwear by Carhartt, Danner, Georgia and Prison Blues.

“As technology has advanced and become more complicated, the demand for skilled technicians has skyrocketed,” says Dave. “Through online training and sending our technicians to factory schools, we’re certified to fix everything we sell and repair.” But it’s not just his employees who have undergone special training, Dave himself is certified as a Master Mechanic for all of Alsea Bay Power Products’ lines. “That way I can answer any questions our customers or techs may have,” he explains.

Another thing you should know about Dave. If you see him at a pool table, walk away. He’s good, good enough to place in regional tournaments. In fact Dave and Cynthia remodeled their home just to fit a snooker table.

So do Dave and Cynthia have any plans to retire from Alsea Bay Power Products? “Why would we,” he says. “We love our customers, we love our employees and we love this town,” adds Cynthia.

The Brooks visit our Oregon Coast Bank Waldport office most every day and are on a first-name basis with the entire staff. “Oregon Coast Bank has been wonderful for our business and family,” explains Cynthia. “I guess the best way to put it,” says Dave, “is that they’re committed to this community and so are we.”

Eager Beaver Mattress & Furniture Outlet

Listen to Abe Silvonen for a few moments and whether he’s talking about the furniture business or six-man football, you’ll be inspired. He’s passionate about everything he’s involved with.

Abe grew up in Newport and worked in the construction trades after graduating from Newport High School. When he was able to save money, he began to dabble in local real estate. In 2007, as construction slowed during the recession, Abe purchased the original Eager Beaver Store in Nye Beach from his dad.

At that point, the Eager Beaver Store dealt only in secondhand furniture and business was steady. But realistically, Abe could see that technology was changing the industry. With the advent of eBay, Craigslist, and other online marketplaces, individuals could easily sell their used furniture directly. So Abe decided to diversify.

By 2009, the Eager Beaver Store was offering new discount mattresses. Over the next five years, he began carrying new furniture and décor items, both imported and domestic. Abe describes his original store as a “hole in the wall”, but those 2,500 square feet were filled to the brim with an ever-changing array of product. The new strategy was working. The store’s volume increased by several hundred percent.

In 2015, Abe made another sound choice, although this was a decision of the heart. He married Mariah; the Silvonens were now a blended family with a family business. Mariah shared his commitment to customer service; in fact, even to this day, both Mariah and Abe provide their cell phone numbers to customers and let them know that they’re available seven days a week.

2015 was also the year that Abe and Mariah got the opportunity to lease the old J&N building in Waldport, a 13,000 square foot structure on Highway 34, just off of 101. Their original intention was to use the facility strictly as a warehouse, but after four weeks of extensive cleanup, and plenty of positive feedback from the community, they decided to put a store in the building. As Abe puts it, “within a couple of months we were overwhelmed with business, had to hire more people and buy more trucks.” Within a year, Abe and Mariah had purchased the building, poured in several hundred thousand dollars of improvements, and expanded the showroom to 9,000 square feet.

A year later, Eager Beaver Mattress & Furniture Outlet opened a new 6,500 square foot showroom at Highway 101 and Hurbert Street in Newport. Two years later, a 7,500 square foot store was added in the Lincoln City Outlets. The three current stores all have distinct offerings appropriate to their customer bases and all offer free delivery on the coast from Florence to Tillamook, and inland as far as Philomath and Dallas. Recently, because of customer demand, Eager Beaver Mattress & Furniture Outlet began providing valley delivery from Corvallis to Vancouver for a nominal charge.

“We’re now up to four trucks and about twenty employees,” says Abe, who is particularly proud of what he calls Eager Beaver’s family dynamic. “Wealth is measured in different ways,” he explains. “To be able to hire family and friends, and help them succeed, is enormously satisfying.”

Using their business mantra of “best products / best prices / best service”, Abe and Mariah keep a close eye on every aspect of their stores. Savvy purchasing, particularly of container loads of unique imports, has meant that customers return often, knowing that fresh offerings are always arriving. “This is what I was born to do,” expresses Abe. “The relationship we’re able to have with our customers, vendors and employees means everything to us.”

Abe and Mariah are just as passionate about Eddyville Charter School, where three of their four children attend. Mariah coaches volleyball and Abe coaches middle school six-man football, a program he helped pilot. “Win or lose, having parents, grandparents, uncles and aunts at the games supporting the kids is amazing to see,” he explains. “It’s such a great community activity.”

In their spare time, which at this point in their lives they don’t get much of, Abe and Mariah work on their 54-acre hobby farm east of Toledo. “We’re more than content on the tractor or just fishing with the kids,” he says.

Abe and Mariah began their relationship with Oregon Coast Bank working with Becky Lytwyn on some real estate loans. “She was able to minimize the hassles and just get things done, which was very refreshing,” remembers Abe. Since then, the Silvonens have moved all their business and personal accounts to Oregon Coast Bank. I guess you could say Abe is now also passionate about his bank. In his words: “We’re Oregon Coast Bank customers for life. We wouldn’t go anywhere else.”

Seal Rock Espresso & Bakery

Full disclosure – I’m writing this having just devoured one of Jeni Drescher’s freshly baked Morning Glory muffins (see photo above). Easily the best muffin I’ve ever had, healthy too.

It’s certainly not a lack of education that led Edd (yes, that’s a proper spelling – his parents were fans of the actor Edd Byrnes) and Jeni Drescher to work side by side, nine and a half hours a day, seven days a week, in a tiny building. Edd was an electrical engineer with an expertise in circuit board design. Jeni had a degree in education, a Masters in social work, and a successful career as a counselor and medical social worker.

About three years ago the Dreschers purchased a home on four acres south of Waldport. Edd commuted to Corvallis while Jeni drove to Coos Bay and the Eugene area to do hospice care. Living at the coast suited them. “From our front door we can be at the beach in ten minutes or lost in the woods in five,” explains Edd. But he was tiring of the corporate grind. Jeni was also contemplating a change. In her words, “hospice care makes you understand how important it is to do something you love while you’re still living.”

Jeni’s mom had taught her to bake and over the years she had studied the craft persistently to develop her own skills. Needless to say, she’d become quite good at it. Edd had developed a fascination with coffee. They both were ready to open a business of their own.

Their opportunity came in the Fall of 2014. A popular drive thru coffee stand became available in Seal Rock and the Dreschers purchased the business. By January, Seal Rock Espresso & Bakery was open to the public. The coffee was sourced by Pacifica, a Corvallis roaster with a considerable following. That’s Edd in the picture above at the controls of the Simonelli (the Ferrari of Italian Espresso machines) they purchased.

Open 5 am – 1 pm each day, Seal Rock Espresso & Bakery typically has a steady stream of customers at both of their drive-up windows. When there’s a line, the Dreschers are able to recognize their regulars’ vehicles and have their drink-of-choice prepared by the time they arrive at the window.

As a drive-up bakery, the company fills a special niche. Everything is baked fresh from scratch each morning including Danish, sweet croissants, strudels and bear claws. Hot croissant sandwiches, quiches, spanakopita, and English sausage rolls are popular for breakfast or lunch.

Working long hours side by side in a tiny space can be stressful for any couple, but the Dreschers are happier than ever, perhaps because of humor. “I’m a little boisterous and tell the same stories repeatedly,” laughs Edd. “I should have fired him five times over,” adds Jeni.

The company has an additional employee, who the Dreschers consider to be “like family”. “We’ve been trying to adopt her, but she’s 30 years old and her parents won’t let us,” jokes Edd.

About a year ago on the advice of other local businesses, the Dreschers transferred their business accounts to our Oregon Coast Bank Waldport office. “We wanted a bank that was involved in the community,” explains Jeni. Edd, who admits to “having an obsession with fifty cent pieces”, asked the bank if they could supply them to him each week to give to customers as change. “They loved the idea,” he says. “Now it’s fun to see fifty cent pieces recirculated all around town at other businesses.”

So after leaving the corporate world to become entrepreneurs, do the Dreschers have any regrets? “We’d do it again in a heartbeat,” says Jeni. “Owning a small business means not having to answer to anyone but ourselves.” Edd sums it up nicely: “We don’t get vacations, but we don’t have to go to meetings.”

Curtice-Hayden

She has such a positive attitude that just talking to Linda Curtice-Hayden makes you feel good. But you’ll feel even better after visiting her business in Waldport. Linda is a licensed massage therapist and she’s amazing at it.

It takes more than 550 hours of academic and hands-on training to become licensed by the Oregon Board of Massage Therapists. And after 11 years in private practice, she’s clearly mastered the craft. A good massage is beneficial on physical, mental, spiritual and emotional levels. Linda’s clients come for relief of neck pain, muscle tension, back pain and stress. She’s able to bring comfort and therapeutic improvement to victims of whiplash and sports injuries. Most of Linda’s clients visit at least monthly, some as often as twice a week.

Linda calls Waldport, where she’s resided since 1988, “the greatest place to live in the world”. Linda’s passions include music (she’s active in the Central Coast Chorale Choir) and acting (she’s performed roles with Newport’s Porthole Players and Yachats’ One of Us Productions). She’s also an avid golfer, bowler and dancer.

Linda is just as enthusiastic when she talks about her bank. “You walk into the Oregon Coast Bank lobby and everyone is so friendly.” She uses Oregon Coast Bank for all of her business and family banking needs, but she’s yet to try one of the bank’s most popular services – Online Banking. “Why would I do that,” she laughs. “Then I wouldn’t have a reason to stop in every day and see my friends.”

She does have a point, and our Waldport staff would certainly miss talking to her, too. In fact, it’s customers like Linda that make it such a pleasure to be a community banker.

Sea Aire Assisted Living

Stroll through the halls of Sea Aire Assisted Living in Yachats and everyone seems to be smiling. Hugs are a common occurrence – the residents seem to love the caregivers and the feeling is apparently mutual.

The spotless 44-room residential facility provides housing, meals and housekeeping for up to 50 elderly residents. A staff nurse oversees medical needs and a physician’s assistant visits regularly. Residents rave about the food and their families tend to extend their visits to include a meal. Sea Aire’s social calendar is always filled with a wide array of activities including baking, shopping, movies, trivia, cards, crafts, scenic drives and parties.

With so much to offer it’s not surprising that Sea Aire Assisted Living’s occupancy rate typically exceeds 95 percent. Some of Sea Aire’s residents have lived in Lincoln County for years; others come from all areas of the country, typically to reside near family members. Most residents like it so much they choose to stay for the restof the lives. Naturally as they grow older, they may require additional care. “We consider all of our residents part of our family and Sea Aire is their home as long as we can meet their needs, and keep them healthy and happy as possible,” explains Kathy Meyer, the facility’s administrator.

Spend a few hours visiting Sea Aire and it’s apparent that this is the way that assisted living facilities are supposed to be. What makes Sea Aire so friendly and inviting compared to more institutionalized facilities? Residents credit Sea Aire’s owners – Gordon and Shirley Flaming. While caring for the needs of their own elderly parents, Gordon and Shirley began studying assisted living facilities. Before building Sea Aire, they observed that well run family-owned assisted living centers were superior to corporate-owned chain facilities because decisions were based on what was best for residents, and not simply determined by profitability. Watching Gordon and Shirley interact with Sea Aire’s residents, it’s obvious they do care. It’s also obvious that their 33-person staff shares the same values.

About two years ago, Gordon and Shirley first talked to Oregon Coast Bank about refinancing a business loan they had at another bank. Oregon Coast Bank quickly agreed and the Flamings were so impressed with the personalized service that they decided to move their business account also. “It’s been a great relationship,” explains Gordon. “We really like Lynn (Manager of Oregon Coast Bank’s Waldport office) and her staff; she even comes out and visits us at Sea Aire.”

Having an exceptionally well-managed assisted living facility is a tremendous asset for our South Lincoln County communities. We’d like to salute Gordon and Shirley for enhancing the lives of so many seniors and we’re proud that they’ve chosen us as their bankers.

Nyhus Surveying

Aside from his years studying forest engineering at Oregon State University, Gary Nyhus has lived his entire life in Tidewater. His great grandfather began farming in Tidewater in 1910. Both his grandfather and father were loggers. As a licensed professional surveyor, Gary is the fourth generation of his family to earn a living from the land, and he won’t be the last. His sons Steven, a forest engineering major at Oregon State University, and Eric, who starts at OSU this fall, already spend their summers working for Nyhus Surveying.

With a background in logging, Nyhus Surveying has particular expertise in marking boundaries of large timber tracts for forest product firms, including industry leaders like Plum Creek, Hancock and Forest Capital. But the company has diversified, providing boundary, topographical and mapping services for realtors, developers, attorneys and private property owners.

Active in the community, Gary has been a volunteer basketball coach and currently serves as President of the Tidewater Cemetery Association. Most of his spare time is spent working his family’s 500 acre ranch and tree farm. Although his company employs additional crews, Gary himself is a hands-on surveyor who loves working outdoors, particularly in the woods.

Gary is also an enthusiastic supporter of his bank. “Because Oregon Coast Bank is locally owned, I can talk face-to-face with decision makers,” explains Gary. He uses the bank for all of his family’s personal and business accounts. “Our Oregon Coast Bank line of credit allows us to stay current with expenses while we’re working on large jobs that we won’t receive payment for until a later date… that’s important for a small business.”

When the real estate and timber industries recover, Gary expects that his company will expand. Of course that means he’ll need additional equipment, but he’s confidant that Oregon Coast Bank will provide the financing.

All of us Oregon Coast Bank understand that it’s entrepreneurs like Gary who fuel our coastal economy. We appreciate his loyalty and hope to be his family’s bankers for generations to come.

KOA – Waldport

The wide smiles rarely leave their faces. Ron and Amanda Remund clearly enjoy raising a family and running a successful business in Waldport. Apparently, they know what it takes to have a great relationship. And having a good relationship is in fact why they chose to become customers at Oregon Coast Bank.

Several years back, Ron and Amanda were raising their family in Yucaipa, California, close to Ron’s job as a banker. Vacations were spent camping. “Camping was a great way to see the country and a safe environment for our children,” remembers Amanda. It was during one of those camping trips, that the couple decided that they’d like to leave the hustle and bustle of Southern California and purchase their own campground in a friendly small town. After investigating many opportunities, they discovered that the Waldport/Newport KOA was for sale and found that it was exactly what they had been searching for.

When it came time to arrange for financing, the couple talked with a number of bankers in California. However, while visiting Waldport, they struck up a conversation with Joe Postlewait and Lynn Thomson at Oregon Coast Bank’s Waldport office. “We just hit it off,” remembers Ron. “It’s great to be able to bounce ideas off your bankers and get honest opinions.” Oregon Coast Bank soon provided the financing for the Remund’s purchase of the KOA and also opened business and personal accounts for them. “We always enjoy our visits to the bank because everyone is super friendly,” comments Amanda. “We couldn’t be where we are today without them,” adds Ron.

At Oregon Coast Bank all of us feel that the Remunds have been a great addition to the community. Ron now serves on the board of the Chamber of Commerce, the children attend local schools, and the business, which employs 12, is thriving. The Remunds have continued to reinvest in their KOA by adding cabins, developing trails, landscaping, adding playground equipment, upgrading restrooms, even re-siting existing cabins to take advantage of the property’s amazing views.

The Remunds describe Waldport as “very relaxed, easy going and friendly”. Perhaps most important, they also call Waldport “home”. The couple is genuinely as happy as they look. They do have a great relationship – with each other, their family, their community, their business and even their bankers. We’re just glad to be part of that list.

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