Bi-Mart files application with City of Sisters

Jim Cornelius, News Editor | Last updated Dec 09, 2008 12:0pm0

Jim Cornelius count

The old Ray’s may become the new Bi-Mart this spring.

After months of rumors swirling around Sisters, a major business development is one big step closer to reality: Bi-Mart has filed an application for a store in the ThreeWind Shopping Center.

The corporate retailer filed an application on Tuesday to modify the former Ray's site for a new Sisters Bi-Mart store.

The application itself is not the final word that Bi-Mart is coming to town. John Harris, President of the company, told The Nugget that he cannot discuss the project because the company has yet to sign a lease for the site.

That final step could come soon.

"I'm hoping by the end of the year," Harris said.

There is a possibility that an application could raise issues that might derail the project. However, the application itself anticipates a spring opening.

"Their target date of opening is April," said Sisters planning director Eric Porter. "We can probably accommodate that."

The application is a "minor modification" and will be handled by staff with no public hearing before the Sisters Planning Commission. However, Associate Planner Laura Lehman noted that "people can give us written comments; they can come in and see me."

Written comments may be sent to P.O. Box 39, Sisters, OR 97759.

Plans call for an expansion of the building from 31,404 square feet to 34,898 square feet, mostly to accommodate extra office space. There will be more porch area and the building will have a new facade that reflects Sisters' Western theme.

"It's supposed to look a lot more Western, so that's what I'll be looking for," Porter said.

The plans show the building keeping its current orange tile roof, which is not fully compliant with the Western theme. However, that does not appear to be an issue in the planning process.

"Since it's a modification and they're increasing their compliance, that shouldn't be an issue," Lehman said.

Plans show an in-store pharmacy as well as the larger retail area.

Bi-Mart is an employee-owned membership retail chain headquartered in Eugene, with stores in Oregon, Washington and Idaho. The stores carry housewares, electronics, sporting goods, office and automotive supplies, clothing and other goods.

Author Bio

Jim Cornelius, Editor in Chief

Jim Cornelius is editor in chief of The Nugget and author of “Warriors of the Wildlands: True Tales of the Frontier Partisans.” A history buff, he explores frontier history across three centuries and several continents on his podcast, The Frontier Partisans. For more information visit www.frontierpartisans.com.

Email: editor@nuggetnews.com
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Businesses welcome Bi-Mart

Official news that Bi-Mart has filed for planning approval for a store in ThreeWind Shopping Center is good news to the other businesses sharing the shopping center.

"I think Bi-Mart's a good thing for me," said Eric Metzel, owner of Coyote Creek Café. "Since Ray's left, this parking lot looks like it's not open."

Coyote Creek is open, however, and will stay that way, despite rampant rumors to the contrary.

"I've made it through 16 winters," Metzel said. "I'll make it through this one. We've got a great local clientele."

Metzel doesn't disguise the fact that an empty parking lot at Ray's has had an impact.

"I think a crowd draws a crowd," he said. "Ray's leaving had a big impact. Bi-Mart will have a big impact in a good way."

Tom Craven, owner of the local Radio Shack franchise, Sisters Electronics, feels the same, despite the fact that Bi-Mart will be competing with him in the electronics department.

"It's good to see somebody go in there," he said. "There's some competitive issues, but some positive issues, too, in terms of drive-in traffic. I'm OK with it."

Metzel recognizes that not everyone will welcome Bi-Mart.

"It's not great for everybody in town," he said. "Bi-Mart has a little bit of everything."

However, Metzel says, things have gotten a lot more competitive in Sisters over the years. That's something he's experienced first hand as a half-a-dozen new restaurants have come on line in just a couple of years.

"I've had to weather that storm," he said.

Overall, Metzel thinks Bi-Mart is good for Sisters.

"I think it's a great company," he said. "It started in Oregon and it's owned by employees."

Metzel doesn't expect anything to change what he sees as a basic Sisters reality: winters are tough on businesses.

"I've been here 16 winters," he said. "I haven't seen a lot of growth (in winter business). We're a summertime resort town."

He plans to weather a tough winter and hope for better times to come.

"Hopefully gas prices will stay low and we'll have a good summer," he said.