News and Opinion from Sisters, Oregon
News and Opinion from Sisters, Oregon
The Mansfield family have made a home — and a successful retail business — in Sisters.
Mitch and Julie Mansfield's story is a familiar one.
Just over a decade ago, they visited Sisters at Thanksgiving time and they fell in love. They decided that Sisters was the place where they wanted to raise their daughters, and they made the move.
They purchased Sisters Olive & Nut Co. from friends of a friend and went into business. His friends and family thought he'd gone... well... nuts.
"I owned a machine shop and never worked a day of retail in my life," Mitch recalled. "They all thought we'd lost our minds. 'You're going to sell what, where?'
"And here we are."
And here they've been - for 10 years this month.
"It went fast," Julie said.
Any local retailer can tell you that if you can make it for 10 years in Sisters, you're doing something right. Through economic hard times, "snowmageddon" and wildfire, Sisters Olive & Nut Co. has continued to offer delectable gourmet items for visitors and locals alike. Julie notes that many visitors are regular customers, year after year. It's a happy relationship, which, to Julie is no mystery.
"They're on vacation and we're giving them food!" she said.
According to the Mansfields, oils and basalmics are their top-selling items. And, of course, they have an array of olives and nuts. But that's not all.
"We are certainly more than the (name) olives and nuts," Mitch said.
The shop also has a unique selection of Oregon-crafted art, gifts and home décor items.
"We have all sorts of made-in-Oregon products," he said.
And, they note, their prices are not (as is sometimes assumed) at a premium.
"We're very comparable," Mitch said.
The Mansfields emphasize how much they appreciate the way Sisters businesses feed each other - directing visitors to the various shops across town. And sometimes there are particular synergies.
"The distillery (tasting room) right next door has been a boon for our particular genre of condiments," said Mitch with a grin.
Sisters Olive & Nut Co. is located at 271 W. Cascade Ave. For more information see www.sistersolivieandnutco.com or call 541-549-8047.
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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