171st Avenue Watch

Hi from Ernie (?“Dog?”) Fortney and Clydea Cook, the new owners of the Oso General Store. We have lived in Oso, on the ?“Stilly?” for two years. Ernie coming from Lake Stevens, Clydea from N. Everett. We have great plans for ?“your?” general store, not all will be implemented right away, but we hope to open in late July with groceries, fast food (hot dogs, pizza, biscuits and gravy, etc..), gas, propane, bear and wine. We will have a limited amount of cigarettes and tobacco products, as they are very expensive, but if you plan on purchasing tobacco products from the store on a semi-regular basis, we will certainly have what you want in the store. We will also have a general merchandise section with Prison Blues and a new line of heavy canvas bags, clothing, and wonderful hats from Kakadu of Australia. We also have t-shirts being printed, of the trestle over Deer Creek with ?“Oso Party Town U.S.A.?” on them. We would love to put out neighbors to work making things we can sell on consignment. Marla Ward is making her birdhouses and leather earrings and has so kind as to get some flower planters ready for the store. She tells me we need flowers. Judy Hedrick has neat photo cards with pictures of Oso scenery, her son Mark is tying flies used specifically used in this area (wow what talent)! I am working on someone to make old-fashioned frilly aprons. Anything of a ?“cottage industry?” nature is most welcome. Yes, we are having a large round table, donated by Ron and Gail Thompson, for our coffee drinkers. The original table was burned, but we will continue the tradition of carving names and dates into it. I am also looking for donations of fishing rod reels and old lures to decorate the ceiling. They don?’t have to be in working order or in great shape as they are for decorations only. Some of our vendors have agreed to donate anything they have to take back (but not out of date) to our Oso Food Bank and I will also have a barrel near the doors for donations. Our summer hours will be from 4 am. to 10 pm. Derrek Smith is opening the store and he happens to be the best barista in the area. Coffee is his passion. Lucky us! Ernie will be in the store in the mornings and Clydea will be in there from 4 pm. to closing. Rachael Kuonen is our manager, previously at the Trafton Store. She has lots of experience and has been invaluable to us with her knowledge. We have sots of future plans, such as a hardware dept., feed store, shuttle service for fishermen and rafters, horseshoe pits and a hitching post for the horse riders. We have completed and extensive six months feasibility study to answer questions surrounding the store, such as ground contamination, gas tank quality, and to put to rest all unfounded rumors. Currently we are awaiting inspection and approval of the Snohomish Health Dept. and the state liquor board, all of which takes time, and as you know, govt. agencies can be daunting in these times of cut backs and reorganization. Also waiting for Verizon to set us up with a landline and (hopefully) high speed internet. If you drive past the store and see Clydea?’s black Hummer out front, she?’s there, please stop by and we will have a phone number soon. Please hear with us, as we are so anxious to open as you are. Thank you, Ernie and Clydea

Such exciting news!  Thanks so much, Ernie & Clydea, for filling us in.  I, for one, am looking forward to supporting your efforts.  Be sure to keep us posted with all the details and your progress.  Best of luck! 

It's great......I don't have to fix Bruce lunch anymore!!  Thanks you guys..

Have the store back is great. I just filled my 25 gal propane tank there yesterday, you even helped me load it. Thanks again!!