Biz Beat 6-6-2013

The Thursday Lane County Farmers Market is moving this summer to Fifth Street Public Market starting June 6. The Thursday market was previously at 28th and Hilyard next to the Amazon Community Center. Hours are 10 am to 2 pm. Vendors include Agrarian Ales, Brandywine Fisheries, Rudy & Amber’s Organic Oasis, Horton Road Organics, Cookie Conscious, Sweet Leaf, Veun’s Garden and Lonesome Whistle Farms. Looks like a good move for the Thursday market that wasn’t seeing a lot of business out on Hilyard. See lanecountyfarmersmarket.org.

Fairmount Farmers Market opens from 10 am to 2 pm Sunday, June 9, at 19th and Agate, in the Sun Automotive parking lot. Local produce from Sweetwater Farm and other local growers, pasture-fed meats from Fair Valley Farm, beans and grains from Camas Country Mill, etc. Call 895-2951 or email farmers@goodfoodeasy.com.

Quite a few enviros are avid fly fishers doing mostly catch-and-release with barbless hooks as they ponder the fate of Oregon’s beautiful waters. And between torturing trout they talk about where to buy their sometimes spendy gear. Cabela’s in Springfield has the biggest inventory but we hear from the old-timers (who never lie) that the smaller local shops, like Caddis Fly downtown on 6th, Home Waters next to REI and Backcountry Fly Shop in Corvallis have better prices, particularly on the higher-end products. James O. Brown at Home Waters tells us he lost half his business when Cabela’s opened, but his sales are coming back thanks to word of mouth. The locally owned shops shine when it comes to customer service, and they will fill your head with flies — and expert advice on where and how to flail them.

Community Alliance of Lane County, better known as CALC, is having a “Pints for a Cause” fundraiser from noon to 9 pm Monday, June 10, at Ninkasi, 272 Van Buren. CALC gets 25 percent of pint sales. Live music starts at 5:30 pm with Walker T. Ryan and Tippin’ In the Parlor. Minors allowed until 8 pm. Call 485-1755 for more information.

Blue Lotus Chai Company, the Eugene manufacturer of artisan-style Masala Chai, has teamed up with a local distributor, Hummingbird Wholesale, according to Blue Chai owners Barbara and Stephen Cameron. The company has been in business for three years and has been expanding into the national marketplace. Email Stephan@bluelotuschai.com or call 683-6391.

Arriving By Bike at 27th and Willamette is celebrating four years in business by opening a new bicycle showroom at 23 E. 28th Ave., across from the True Value hardware store back parking lot. The location was previously occupied by Curves, which still has a gym on West 11th. Owner Paul Moore is planning an open house at the showroom from 5 to 8:30 pm Friday, June 7, including “snacks and libations” and “special deals” on bikes and bike stuff. Call 484-5410.

A free marketing seminar on “Create a Powerful Network in 90 Days” will be presented by author KL Wells from 9 am to noon Saturday, June 8, at the Garden Way Retirement Community, 175 S. Garden Way in Eugene. RSVP to membership@healertoday.com or call 767-6890.

The Creswell Bakery is the new name of the expanded Heidi Tunnell Catering Company. Tunnell’s part-time bakery will be open from 7 am to 6 pm Tuesday through Friday and 8 am to 2 pm on Saturday, beginning June 11. Address of the new baker and restaurant is 182 S. 2nd St. in Creswell; phone is 954-5885. Tunnell says she sources much of the food she prepares from nearby producers, including the Creswell farm started by her great-grandfather Emil Furrer, a physician who was one of the founders of Sacred Heart Hospital.

A fish monger is coming to town. Jonny Rush, aka “Capt. Jonny,” says he’s Ken Kesey’s cousin and he operates a traveling fish market, offering frozen Alaska halibut and sea bass at a discount, depending on where he parks. We hear his prices depend on whether he’s parked in front of a casino or a Walmart, so it’s good to do a little comparison shopping. The decorated old bus in hard to miss.

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