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FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 3, 2023
VOL. 132, NO. 26 Serving the Lower Columbia Region since 1891
Big Guy’s Nightmare on Nehalem a success WILL LOHRE Country Media, Inc.
In its first year, the Nightmare on Nehalem event presented by Big Guy in Clatskanie was a dream come true, as hundreds of kids flocked to the trick-or-treating event hosted on Halloween. As part of the fun, Big Guy hosted the trick-or-treat event in their parking lot and a Halloween costume party for adults at the bar on Oct. 28. Both components were a success, and the turnout symbolized a strong foundation to build off of in future years. For the kids Vicki Davis, owner of Big Guy and organizer of the event, said that close to 600 kids came to the Big Guy parking lot to trick-or-treat at the assorted tables, which were attended by a variety of local businesses and organizations. As part of the festivities, Davis and the restaurant gave out free corndogs, and Davis estimated that they gave out about 300 corndogs, with not every kid taking one. Some of the vendors who set up booths were the Rainier Eagles, Clatskanie Kiwanis, Wauna Federal Credit Union, House Valley Venue, Cryptid Cookie, the Clatskanie Fire Department, the Columbia County Sheriff’s Posse, and RainbowMarx Art, among others. One small setback for the event was that not all of the vendors who committed to setting up booths showed up. Despite that, the event was well attended, and Davis was happy with Nightmare on Nehalem Street overall. “I was a little bit disappointed; we had commitment for 25 vendors, and 14 showed up. So I need to find a way next year to secure the commitment,” Davis said. “We did have 14
Courtesy photo from Vicki Davis
The Nightmare on Nehalem Street featured 14 vendors and about 600 kids showed up, according to organizer Vicki Davis.
booths, we had music, we had lots of fun. I’ve been getting non-stop compliments from people sent to my page, thanking me and asking if we’re going to do it again. I think it was a huge success.” Even though there was a bit of disappointment about those who did not show up, the vendors who did were engaged and made the event a good time. Davis said that each booth was decked out in their own decorations, and the folks attending the booths were dressed to their spooky best in costumes. With all the kids who participated, it was hard to keep candy in stock for the entirety of the event, which lasted from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. “Several booths ran out of candy, then other booths gave them candy, a couple people went to the store and brought candy,” Davis said. “It was a big turnout, it was a lot of fun.” One adjustment Davis wants to make, in addition to securing the ven-
dors, is starting the event earlier. With all the kids who were trick-or-treating downtown following the children’s parade, Davis said starting earlier may help get even more kids out. For the adults While Big Guy wanted to make sure to offer a big family-friendly event for the community on Halloween, they also had something for the adults in Clatskanie. Big Guy hosted a costume party on Oct. 28 that saw the community come out in full force in the Halloween spirit. “We packed the house. I don’t think we could have had anymore people here than we had,” Davis said. “I think we had about 175 people here. Over 100 of them in costumes; the amount of adults that dressed up was unbelievable.” The party featured a photo booth, a raffle, and they collected cans to be donated to Turning Point. Davis said they collected about 125 cans of
Courtesy photo from Vicki Davis
Big Guy owner and organizer Vicki Davis with her booth during the event on Halloween.
food but emphasized that they will be continuing to collect cans for Turning Point through the holidays. The raffle, in which people could get tickets for purchasing items at the bar, was a smashing success. Davis said they had over 800 raffle tickets in the “bucket,” and they gave out 82 prizes to winners. The event also had a costume contest component, which they gave ten prizes and trophies for. The winners were announced at midnight. The last call was at 1:45 a.m., and the bar was busy the entire night. Davis said that there wasn’t a particular highlight from the event but that the whole night was special. “The amount of people that dressed up. I think last year, our first Halloween party that I did, probably had about 40 people in costume. This year we had like 100 people in costume. The amount of participation just wowed me for sure.” Going forward, Davis encouraged the community to follow Big Guy on
Facebook to stay up to date on events they have going on. One exciting promotion Big Guy has going for the month of November is a raffle for an invite to the VIP Holiday Party they will host. To enter, customers put their names on the back of a receipt and enter the receipt into a raffle to a party that is closed to the public. “Thanksgiving we draw 25 names, all of those people get to bring a plus-1. My staff all gets to bring a plus-1, and I bring in guest employees. We host a party for about 60 people, and last year it was a very fun big event. We did a gift exchange, lots of prizes, and all the food and drinks were complimentary. It was a lot of fun,” Davis said. Davis hopes to continue offering events for the people of Clatskanie. Davis emphasized that Big Guy is here for the families and told the community to “follow us, watch us, and see what we’re doing.”
Columbia County shop local for the holidays WILL LOHRE Country Media, Inc.
In an effort to increase local spending, Keep It Local Columbia County and the Columbia Economic Team are bringing back the Keep It Local for the Holidays drive program. The holiday campaign will run from Nov. 17 until Jan. 7 and encourages the people of Columbia County to spend their dollars on the home front. Sierra Trass is the Director of Keep It Local, and she said the campaign helps address the need for supporting local businesses. “73 percent of people that live in Columbia County work outside of Columbia County. It has huge implications to our local economy because if you think about it, three out of four people, every day, leave to go work, so that’s a lot of local spending not happening here,” Trass said. “We’re trying to encourage people to support their local businesses in the community
because this is where they live.” Grassroots beginnings
Trass said Keep It Local Columbia County started out as a grassroots movement to help people find and support local businesses. The Columbia Economic Team took over the program to provide more financial backing to the organization, according to Trass. The holiday campaign started out in 2016 as a grassroots program in Clatskanie that the Clatskanie Chamber of Commerce used to head. Before the pandemic, the campaign drove $96,000 of local spending, according to Trass. When Trass took over the program in 2021, she made efforts to market and recruit businesses to the program and has seen huge increases in local spending during the campaign as a result. “My first year was 2021, and
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Local spending campaign has seen exponential growth in the past two years.
Courtesy photo from Sierra Trass
Craft in Clatskanie at the Little Red Truck LAUREY WHITE Chief Guest Article
Kristin Strafford and Krystine Rose, owners of the Little Red Truck
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Contact The Chief Phone: 503-397-0116 Fax: 503-397-4093 chiefnews@countrymedia.net 1805 Columbia Blvd., St. Helens, OR 97051
Design Company, a new business in Clatskanie, have been friends for more than 25 years. And for a great part of that time, they have shared a vision of what they would like to create in a business – an arts and crafts store that would encompass nearly every type of craft. And it all started with a little red truck. Both completely enamored with vintage trucks, particularly red ones, the idea of a shop was borne out of that fondness. It didn’t hurt that Rose had been gifted a vintage red pickup from her grandfather. “I drove it to Rainier High School every day,” Rose said. “And I loved every minute of it. My new dream is to acquire a 1955 International, and park it in front of the store.” As the years progressed the dream shape shifted into, in their words, something more sophisticated. Stafford’s mom owned a craft shop in Rainier for many years. Sadly, she passed away in 2022. Both ladies had worked in the store for her – truly a labor of love. When they knew it was time to close her beloved mother’s store, the ladies took the brakes off their dream and hit the accelerator. “At first, we were going to do it online,” Rose said. “But then things shifted again. We decided brick and mortar was the way to go, and we
Kristin Stafford (left) and Krystine Rose (right) cut the ribbon for the grand opening of their new business.
called our realtor.” Within a few days they had decided on Clatskanie. And quickly they found the perfect site. The duo sum up their company as warm, creative and inviting, adding that Little Red Truck is a brand that thrives on the spirit of the community and family. “Our audience is a diverse mix of makers, DIY enthusiasts, and those who appreciate the beauty of handmade goods,” Stafford and Rose said. “Our style is friendly, like a chat over
coffee with an old friend. We love to share stories about our products, the people who make them and the customers who love them.” “We love the community aspect of Clatskanie,” Stafford said. “And everybody has been so welcoming.” The store is located at 275 E. Columbia River Hwy. They offer curbside pickup, in-store pickup and in-store shopping. The store is packed full of goodies, just ready to pop into someone’s hands for a
Courtesy photo
winter of crafting while the rains come down. The store will feature classes in all types of arts and crafts and DIY efforts. Eventually they may add helpful classes such as how to refinish furniture and woodworking. “We have been friends for so many years, and we are the perfect business partners,” Stafford said. “We took art classes together for six years and have been together for many ups and downs of our lives. We can’t wait to meet our new customers!”