The Latest Business Buzz in Sisters, Oregon

It's been a particularly busy month or so for the Sisters business community. First, shortly after the closure of Wild Dusty Rose florist (located in the RE/MAX Town & Country building), Flowers by Deanna opened in its place. Next, Blue Skies Gallery opened downtown (upstairs at the Sisters Town Square on Cascade Avenue), along with the Spirit of Sisters, a consignment gallery located at the corner of Hood and Elm, owned by bead-maker Sue Purcell.

Then the Sisters Dollar Store opened in the Three Winds Shopping Center adjacent to the new Bi-Mart -- just in time for plenty of Halloween hoopla (see photo below). A joint venture between one of my RE/MAX cohorts (Cynthia Hydes) and Sisters resident Matt McCurdy (husband of another RE/MAX cohort, Marina McCurdy), the Dollar Store stocks a bit of everything, from household goods and food staples to office supplies and Christmas décor.

Meanwhile, in the blink of an eye, the Jennifer Lake Gallery had moved from one end of Cascade Avenue to the other. And, with little warning and no fanfare, the venerable Coyote Creek Café closed after several decades of business.

The topic of perhaps the most discussion, however, was the potential annexation of the 30-acre McKenzie Meadows property at the west end of town (adjacent to Sisters High School). After much heated debate (and a strong resident turnout), the Sisters City Council voted 4-1 to accept the annexation agreement with McKenzie Meadows owners Bill Willitts, Curt Kallberg and the Reed family, who hope to build "McKenzie Meadows Village," a retirement community that would ultimately include an assisted-living "lodge," public park, senior center, medical facility and single-family residences geared toward seniors.

Having cleared that hurdle, the owners must now return their attention to their other daunting challenge: finding the $4 million necessary to fund the ambitious project (so far, they've garnered a little over $1 million).

About the Author:
Lisa Broadwater is a Central Oregon-based real estate professional who specializes in listing and selling homes, especially in Sisters, Tumalo, Redmond and Bend. If you'd like to learn more about Central Oregon, please visit www.CentralOregonHome4You.com.