This ‘n’ that ‘n’ this ‘n’ …

If you’re following the library saga, you know it closed this week. And the county Board of Commissioners has rescheduled a meeting to receive results of polling, and decide what the next ballot proposal will look like. Originally scheduled for July 6, that meeting has been postponed to 1:30 p.m. July 12 at the Board Conference Room, 6th and State. …

OPB covers the library closure …

The wheels of tenancy turn slowly. The latest from North Cheatham and the Paris Fair building is that he is working with someone who would like to use the former Annz Panz restaurant space. Said restaurateur has confirmed it, but there are … details. Always, details. The Buzzer knows more, but is sworn to secrecy …

Stephen Ford of Current Commercial is equally optimistic about the details associated with an eager tenant for the Franz Hardware building at 2nd and Oak. “Expect we’ll have that one under contract within a couple of weeks,” Ford says. … And it sounds as if there’s progress on efforts to develop a medical building across from Walgreen’s, on vacant property west of Tucker Road and east of the Columbia Gorge Hood River-Indian Creek campus. Expect firmness by mid-August …

Here’s a credo for you, if you want to survive trying times and evolve with the algae: Never stop learning. Take a class. Learn new software. Explore old software. Learn to become a more polished public speaker. Huh? Who said anything about embarking on the most terrifying of all possible acts (worse than eating live piranhas)? Seriously, though, imagine how valuable you would be to your employer, or how much confidence you would bring to your other business interactions, if you could become a better — i.e. less fearful — speaker? Now, the best news: You can! Join Toastmasters. It’s cheap, it’s fun, it’s supportive, and you WILL move quickly into the top 5 percent of business professionals — the 5 percent who can speak clearly, confidently and well. Want to learn more? Come to a meeting. Noon Fridays, at The Next Door, on 2nd Street between Oak and State. Just come on in. Bring your lunch with. Do it. NOW! (Daddy says). And, um, clean up your room. …

I love the way our downtown wine tasting rooms have staggered their closing hours (no collusion, I’m sure, but it’s a nice accident). Springhouse at 6. Cerulean at 7. Quenett at 8. The Pines at 9. And Naked at 10. Theoretically, you could taste your way around town, emerging sometime after dark and having no idea where you were, or where you’d left your car. Which is just as well.

Solstice Wood Fire Cafe … staying put, for now

Yes, Aaron and Suzanne Baumhackl were looking seriously at the Annz Panz (i.e. Paris Fair) building in Hood River as a possible site to relocate their Solstice Wood Fire Cafe from Bingen. But it ain’t gonna happen — not yet, anyway.

Aaron and Suzanne are a couple of the nicest people you’d ever want to know, with great kids, and would be a great addition to the Hood River business community (IMHOP), but, as well know, it’s about timing. Coming out of winter, most restaurant owners around here are starting to burn fumes. Capital upgrades to open at 4th and Oak would’ve been too much, Aaron told me.

He started looking for a partner to help make it happen, then talked with someone who also had been looking at the Annz Panz space. Bottom line, it was just not a comfortable financial fit.

So he and Suzanne are staying put (she’s working at InSitu these days, in marketing), at least for the summer. “We’ll try to make some money, focus on our family,” Aaron says. “We’re still looking for a space there. And we’re trying to find someone to either buy our business, or the assets, and take over the year and a half left on our lease.”

Buy the business for $175,000, the assets (minus the Solstice brand) for less. Interested? Call Aaron at 509-493-4006.

No tenant yet for remodeled Paris Fair space

The rumor mill has been churning with regard to who might be setting up house in the Paris Fair building (the former Annz Panz) at 4th and Oak. We’ve been in regular contact with owner North Cheatham. Here’s the latest word from him about progress on finding a tenant:

“Much has been happening since we last talked. The onerous requirements
of Hood River’s building dept pushed project costs so high on the
remodel that the previous prospective tenant decided to bail instead
of incurring their portion of the costs to partition the floor. To
avoid these costs, the entire space will need to be leased to one
business. In addition to a great looking classic storefront, the 1st
floor and mezzanine are way more energy efficient, and fire sprinklers
have been added, reducing future utility and insurance costs.

“The wraps will be coming off the storefront by month’s end to dazzle
residents. Unfortunately, the routed woodwork may not last, since the
improvements exceed those approved by the historic building
authorities in Salem. Its removal may be required to preserve the
building’s favorable tax status.

“The Paris Fair space is once again being actively marketed, and
several parties have expressed interest. No commitments to date,
however.”

No news on Annz, but sniffers

Talked briefly this morning with North Cheatham, owner of the old Paris Fair building at 4th and Oak, which was the recent home of Annz Panz. No news yet on a replacement tenant, although North says he’s had serious inquiries from people interested in the space. He’s contemplating a facelift, and a north-south split to create two smaller spaces. One, on the east side, would remain optimized for restaurant use.  Much of the gear is in place, and would come with the lease rate. He’s looking at $1.50 to $1.60 a square foot. The west side would be perfect for … your burning ambition? Get on it. And stay tuned.

A big corner goes looking for business

Spoke today with North Cheatham, owner of the old Paris Fair building at the corner of 4th and Oak Street, as he was posting up a sign advertising his main level space for lease. He says he has a couple of somewhat serious lookers, but nothing firm yet to replace Annz Panz, which is done with its closeout sale. This is a key location for downtown, and could be a major traffic builder. If you know of anyone looking for a roomy space — one with a nice kitchen already in place — send them to North at 541-386-6784. We asked North to share details about his space, so we could share it with you. Once we get info, we will pass it on.

Annz Panz to put a lid on it after 12 years

Proprietor Carrie Nelson has confirmed plans to close her signature cafe and cooking store, Annz Panz. Slow sales were just one of several reasons she cited for the decision. She said the cafe would close after Saturday. She plans a markdown sale to clear out merchandise.

This is sad news for downtown Hood River. Annie’s set a standard for classy retailing. Because Nelson set the bar high, follow-on retailers leaped to compete in look and feel. The block of Oak Street between Third and Fourth streets owes its upscale look in great part to the hard work that Carrie and her crew put in.

Carrie says she’s looking for work. We wish her well, and a soft landing.