Mike and Angelika Curtis discuss concerning the historical past and way forward for the Oregon Bee retailer in Eagle Level. [Andy Atkinson / Mail Tribune]
Mike and Angelika Curtis open a brand new signal for the Oregon Bee Retailer. [Andy Atkinson / Mail Tribune]
After a decade in enterprise, the Oregon Bee Retailer closed up store this previous weekend, regardless of plans to proceed providing honey and beeswax candles to longtime loyal prospects.
Homeowners Mike and Angelika Curtis mentioned the rumor mill was churning within the days after they posted a “on the market” signal final summer season close to their entrance lot alongside Freeway 62. The couple mentioned every little thing from a scarcity of labor and an ongoing drought to overload with a canal. a bunch of business ventures prompted their determination to shut the 10-year-old retail entrance beginning December 24.
“We had been unfold too skinny. We stored including an increasing number of issues on high of what we had been already doing,” mentioned Mike Curtis.
“And I by no means took something out!” added Angelica Curtis.
The couple, busy Wednesday unveiling a brand new enterprise signal and promoting the ultimate elements of the Bee retailer, mentioned the response from longtime prospects to the change has been heartening.
“All people was fairly involved, so we needed to inform all people no, we’re not going out of enterprise,” Mike mentioned.
“It was time to decelerate a bit. We’re each 60 years outdated. We want to get to 5 days per week as a substitute of seven. A 40-hour work week would definitely be good.”
Opened in 2012, the retail bee store was an offshoot of the decades-old Wild Bee Honey Farm, based by Mike’s father in 1966. Mike Curtis has lived on the property all his life, changing into a full-time beekeeper earlier than to achieve maturity. Over time, the couple, married in 1995, have added beeswax candles, contemporary produce and U-shaped crops like strawberries.
Within the background, they managed as much as 500 or extra hives for industrial operations within the Pacific Northwest, gearing up in late winter every year to serve totally different crops like almonds and prunes.
In current months, Eagle Level Baptist Church purchased the property alongside a part of the couple’s driveway. A small crimson construction known as the “bee barn” can be moved to the Curtis household’s remaining plot and used for a self-serve honey and candle station, which they hope to open in March.
“We simply bought the farm half, the place the store was. That is all going away, and what we’re doing is taking the Bee Barn right here and shifting it to the opposite facet of the alley,” Mike mentioned.
“Self-service is the way in which we used to do it, so we’re form of going again to the old-school system and actually hoping it really works.”
The most important adjustments for patrons, Curtis mentioned, would be the lack of merchandise and the smaller interface.
Working with the couple, native farmer Octavio Poscidonio will assist with farmers markets and different duties. Poscidonio not too long ago spent 4 rising seasons making an attempt to revive farming operations on the historic Beebe Farms in Central Level, closing in June due largely to smoke, drought and labor shortages.
Poscidonio, who’s now working to domesticate his personal plot of land, mentioned he was relieved by the couple’s determination to downsize, however excited to work with them to maintain domestically produced honey out there.
“There are at all times trials. Issues change and evolve,” he mentioned.
“I am blissful for them although that they are making some adjustments that can work for them and I am blissful that I can keep and assist.”
Poscidonio gave his approval that a part of the bee farm property was bought to a church.
“They’re very nice folks, so it should be nice. It is one factor to promote and go, however that means they know they will have good neighbors,” he mentioned. “I am going to do the farmers markets for them and assist with different issues.”
Mike Curtis mentioned the adjustments will scale back stress on the couple and permit them to deal with the hive operations, which is extra of a full-time enterprise throughout sure occasions of the yr. Providing self-serve honey and candles this spring can be a return to his household roots.
“We can have the choice of self-service seven days per week. That is how it began years in the past. There was solely a small desk with jars of honey. Then we constructed a small log-looking constructing – we did that for a couple of years and it simply stored evolving.”
The couple mentioned they hoped the dignity system could be ample for honey gross sales – previous roadside stand thefts had been virtually a deterrent to the self-service strategy. Angelika Curtis mentioned: “We’re hoping so as to add some fashionable know-how this time and we’re placing it on the market to see what works.”
“We’ve got about two to 3 weeks earlier than the bees are full once more. Proper now, I am in Idaho in a winter facility. In a couple of weeks, they’re going to be in a semi truck headed to California, first to assist with almonds, then with prunes,” he mentioned.
“Do not decelerate.”
For updates and on-line gross sales, go to oregonbeestore.com
Attain reporter Buffy Pollock at 541-776-8784 or bpollock@rosebudmedia.com. Observe her on Twitter @orwritergal.