Rainwater Café opens in Sisters

Rainwater Café, which opened recently in Town Square shopping center, has a full menu for breakfast, lunch and dinner. But many customers won't get past the display case filled with tempting pies, cobblers and jumbo cookies - all made by hand by co-owner Dera Rainwater.

She and her husband Gary bought the restaurant January 6 and set about turning the former Ali's Deli space into their own culinary world. They report that they've been embraced by the Sisters community.

"We want to thank all the townsfolk for their support," Dera said. "The businesses nearby, everybody has been extremely supportive."

"The locals around here are awesome," Gary added.

The new restaurateurs already have developed regular customers, including a man who stops in every day for a piece of pie, Dera said.

She previously owned the Red Rooster coffee shop and a quilt store in La Pine, turning both into successful enterprises. She's also a former assistant manager of Sea Lion Caves. Now, with her children grown, Dera wanted to start another business with her husband of one year, who is learning the restaurant business from dishwashing on up.

"I have dishpan hands," Gary joked.

He'll do more of the cooking in coming months, saying, "I love to cook. I've cooked since I was a little guy."

He previously managed a Teen Challenge store in Eugene, which was a form of thrift store. He met Dera when she applied for the assistant manager job. Together they boosted sales significantly after the owners had considered closing the outlet for poor performance under previous managers.

Gary was confident in his role because his father and stepfather both managed businesses, and he'd seen their examples.

The café is open from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. seven days a week. The Rainwaters are working 13 hours a day alongside their three employees, one of whom will staff a gift shop the Rainwaters also operate in Town Square.

The couple opened their new ventures with a big financial gift from Dera's brother Jack, who died of cancer last September at age 66 and left money to invest in the venture. Jack was an avid outdoorsman who lived the Oregon lifestyle - photographing wild animals, hunting, and telling stories about encounters with elk, deer and cougar that entertained friends and relatives.

The Rainwaters say they are dedicating the restaurant to Jack.

The menu is extensive, and breakfast is served until 11 a.m. Omelets, breakfast burritos, scrambles, French toast, pancakes, and oatmeal and cream of rice (both offered gluten-free) are some of the morning offerings.

There's also a full selection of sandwiches, hamburgers, soups and salads. The restaurant offers a children's menu, too. The owners believe their take-and-bake pizzas will be a hit with people who don't want to drive to Redmond or Bend for the same thing.

"People are really liking that," Gary said of pizza.

He said his previous tenure as a manager has instilled the secret of retail success: good customer service. It's something they promise to provide for every customer. The Rainwaters say God led them to Sisters for a reason.

"We were brought together at the right time in our lives," Dera said. "We both love this town and couldn't have found a better spot."