News and Opinion from Sisters, Oregon
News and Opinion from Sisters, Oregon
Chris and Pam Wavrin with long-time employees Sami and Cher Madsen.
Chris and Pam Wavrin are marking their 10th anniversary as the owners of one of Sisters' landmark restaurants - The Depot Café.
Chris and his brother Bill launched the venture, purchasing the then-Depot Deli.
"My brother and I basically did this together," Chris recalled. "He had a chef background. He rolled out for other interests shortly after purchase."
That left Chris and Pam, recently moved from California, to operate the business. They largely stuck with what had worked in the past - a strong breakfast and lunch menu.
"It took a while to feel like our place," Pam said.
Gradually, they streamlined the menu, keeping best-sellers and adding new items, and increasingly moving into sourcing their ingredients locally. The café serves up homemade, healthy options, and has become a go-to stop for people who are gluten-free - which reflects a family dietary change.
"Three of four of us are gluten-free," Chris said, "so we really try to take care of people who are."
Pam enjoys coming up with the new options.
"I do like to cook," she said. "Not on the line; I'm not a line cook. I get to create recipes."
Each year, the couple engages in one big improvement project - a back patio and stage; a new front patio; new siding.
"What we'd like to do is expand our kitchen to better serve summer crowds," Chris said.
Both Pam and Chris expressed their appreciation for the support of the Sisters community. They were surprised at how connected their business has become with the community. The Depot Café is a Sisters Folk Festival venue, and it has been a summer job for many a Sisters teen.
"We've had people who worked with us when they got their first driver's license and now they're having their first babies," Pam reflected. "We've been a part of that, and that's pretty cool."
The Depot Café employs from eight to 25 people depending on the season. Some have been on staff for the whole time Chris and Pam have operated the restaurant.
Running a successful restaurant in Sisters is challenging - coping with a seasonal economy and wearing multiple hats as a small-business owner. And it's physically demanding, too. But Chris and Pam enjoy the people on both sides of the counter and enjoy being one of Sisters' destinations for thousands who visit here and for the locals who rely on their offerings for a tasty - and good-for-you - meal.
The Depot Café is located at 250 W. Cascade Ave.
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.
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