T H E M O N T H LY B U S I N E S S S E C T I O N F O R L I N N A N D B E N T O N C O U N T I E S A N D T H E M I D - W I L L A M E T T E VA L L E Y
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November 2011
Casey and Dennis Collett, owners of Oregon Coffee & Tea in Corvallis, display tea and coffee at their store. The business was a finalist in the Austin Family Business Awards. JESSE SKOUBO | CORVALLIS GAZETTE-TIMES
Community through coffee Oregon Coffee and Tea owners embrace conversational atmosphere By JENNIFER ROUSE
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or Casey and Dennis Collett, owners of Oregon Coffee & Tea in Corvallis, providing a wide array of quality coffees and teas to the mid-valley is about more than just making a living. It’s about creating a community. “We are a family business, but it goes beyond that,” Casey said. “Here, our customers feel as welcome as family members.” That wasn’t always the case. When the Colletts bought the business in 2003, it was Oregon Legacy Coffee — no tea involved — and it was primarily a wholesale business that sold to coffee to gift shops. The store was open to the public for only limited hours. When it did move to having more regular retail hours in 2005, Dennis said, it took awhile to catch on. “People weren’t sure if they were supposed to come in here or not,” he said. The answer was yes: People were supposed to come in. And they have, to the point where the business was honored as a finalist in this year’s Austin Family Business Awards, run by Oregon State University’s Austin Family Business Program. (See the related story on this page for a list of other finalists and winners.) Now, the Colletts say, they have many regular customers who stop by to find a particular coffee or tea, to discuss the finer points of coffee roasting, or just to visit. On Saturdays, Dennis puts his former experience as a professional baker to use and makes Danish pastries. Although they don’t sell lattes or mochas, they serve brewed coffee, and customers can order a cup of any of the more than 300 teas they stock. “Coffee and tea are like comfort foods to people,” Dennis said. “They have a very strong history with people. They come and seek out those associations.” The Colletts said that residents and students from other countries often come in looking for “their” coffee or tea — a place where they can get a cup of something that reminds them of home. And the Colletts said they are happy to oblige. “We listen extensively, and respond to requests,” Casey said. By 2006, the community had embraced the store to the point that the Colletts decided to let go of their wholesale business — the thing that they’d started off with — entirely. Casey said they decided they had to let the business evolve if it was going to stay viable — first with adding tea to the menu, and then with making the
move from wholesale to retail. “That was a turning point. A place where we just had to take a deep breath, and have faith,” she said. So far, so good. After beginning with Dennis as the only full-time employee when they purchased the business in 2003, both Dennis and Casey are now full-time employees, as well as their daughter Miriam. Their son Jordan works with them half-time, and their grandson Christian, a sophomore at OSU, works during the holiday season. Dennis roasts all the coffee himself and bakes the pastries, as well as being involved in customer service, buying and long-term strategy. Casey, a former business professor and quality management consultant, does merchandising, handles the tea buying, and also also is involved in customer service and strategy. Their children help out in many aspects of the business, especially design-oriented responsibilities, such as logos and window displays. Their grandson is in charge of the green coffee beans that they stock. “We’re very fortunate,” Casey said. “We actually do enjoy being with each other. We work together all day and then we still hang out after work together, too.”
Mid-valley businesses among those winning Family Business Awards By ANGELA YEAGER
Bike Newport of Newport, Colas Construction of Portland, IB Roof Systems of Eugene and Wilcox Farms of Wilsonville and Roy, Wash., were the big winners in the 2011 Excellence in Family Business Awards, presented by Oregon State University’s Austin Family Business Program. A mid-valley business, Oregon Coffee & Tea, was named a finalist in the “micro” category, for businesses with nine or fewer employees. (See story, this page.) Another longtime mid-valley business, Starker Forests, won the Dean’s Award for Family Business Leadership. (See story on page A6.) In all, six companies and two individuals were winners of the Excellence in Family Business Awards. Eight additional companies were recognized as finalists at the awards event. More than 170 companies have received this recognition since the awards were first presented in 1988. Sherri Noxel, director of the Austin Family Business Program, said the event offers an opportunity for families to be recognized for their commitment to family business. Bike Newport of Newport won the award in the micro category, which is open to businesses with nine or fewer employees. Expansion plans? Oregon Coffee & Tea of Corvallis and Hybrid Real Estate of EuIn 2009, the business expanded from its original gene were the finalists in the micro category. storefront on Second and Monroe to incorporate two Portland-based Colas Construction Inc. won in the small family business category, which honors businesses with 10-24 employees. neighboring storefronts, more than quadrupling its The finalists in the small business category were The Joel Palmer space. It now has a separate storage and roasting area, plus a wide storefront with a “wall of tea” showcasing its House of Dayton and Koeber’s of Beaverton. Eugene-based IB Roof Systems won in the medium category, for diverse wares, many teapots, cream pitchers and other items on display, and tables for customers to sit and en- businesses with 25-99 employees. Denton Plastics and Meyer Sign Co. of Oregon, both in Portland, joy a hot drink. were the finalists in the medium category. The Collets say they work hard to source a variety of In the large category (100 or more employees), Wilcox Farms coffees and teas that are both unique and ethically produced. Casey said they’re especially proud of some cof- from Roy, Wash., and Wilsonville was recognized. GloryBee Foods of Eugene and Wilson’s NAPA Auto Parts of fees they recently acquired from Cafe Feminino, a Wilsonville were the finalists in the large family business category. woman-owned coffee trader that makes sure women— Also honored were Brad Withrow-Robinson, a forester from the often some of the primary laborers in the coffee busiOSU Yamhill County Extension office, and Alyssa Duval, who is from ness—receive the profit from their work. the DuVal Farms family in Silverton and is studying crop and soil The Colletts say they’ve been asked if they’re interest- science at OSU. ed in expanding the business. And while they would like Sokol Blosser Winery of Dundee won the Director’s Award for to add some warehouse space in the future, they currently Family Business. don’t have plans to create franchises in other cities. Founded in 1985, the Austin Family Business Program is a univer“We really have a magical set-up here, all working to- sity-based family business program providing inspiration, educagether as a family,” Casey said. “We want to work this tion, outreach, and research to support the success and survival of model as long as it’s practical.” family businesses. Jennifer Rouse, a freelance writer who lives in Albany, is a frequent contributor to Mid-Valley InBusiness.
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Angela Yeager is a writer with Oregon State University’s Office of News and Research Communications.