While the dedicated yoga practitioner in your life may be more focused on giving than receiving, they are sure to appreciate apparel and gear that enhances their daily practice while making them look and feel as inspired as they are. If you’re looking for a way to regale your yogi while at the same time […]
small business Saturday
Posted inSpecial Issues & Guides
Outside the Box for the Shoppers in Training
As the holidays approach, it’s easy to spend those late nights trolling the Internet for gifts for the kids. That may be good for your busy schedule, but not so great for an effort to support a thriving local scene. Teach your kids the value of spending money in the local economy by quoting the […]
Posted inSpecial Issues & Guides
Outside the Box for those Livin’ Large
Are you among those enjoying the fruits of Central Oregon’s booming economy? Then this list is for you. Here’s where you can buy those big-ticket items, while still supporting the local businesses that are helping our region thrive. Tumalo Art Company This fine art gallery in the Old Mill District in Bend is owned and […]
Posted inSpecial Issues & Guides
Outside the Box for the Soccer Mom (and Dad, too)
If they aren’t on the job, they are running the kids to and from their various activities or pulling the house together and planning the next family event. Soccer moms (and dads), simply put, are super and they deserve to be showered in gifts whenever the opportunity arises. This holiday you have the chance to […]
Posted inSpecial Issues & Guides
Outside the Box for the Trail Warrior
One of the keys to successfully tackling any trail is having the best gear. And that doesn’t only apply to hiking through the woods. Whether you’re exploring Crater Lake, climbing Broken Top or falling through the skies above Central Oregon, having top quality gear can make or break the experience. Luckily, adventurers don’t have to […]
Posted inSpecial Issues & Guides
Shop Small Saturday
Why there isn’t just one reason to shop local
It isn’t a challenge to find local shops in Bend. More than 350 small businesses are registered within the City and approximately 150 of those fill ground-level spaces dotting several downtown blocks with window displays filled with books, shiny jewelry, toys, antiques, and an endless list of products, according to the Downtown Bend Business Association […]
Posted inSpecial Issues & Guides
Small Business Saturday
Bend makes top 10 for shopping locally!
Last week, in a matter of something old, something new, and something borrowed (as in personal opinions), Yelp, the app that curates online user reviews, teamed up with Nielsen, which for decades has provided information about audience habits, primarily about TV watching trends. The marriage of the new and old was intended to locate which […]
Posted inSpecial Issues & Guides
Instead of Toys “R” Us, try smart local toy stores
Baby Phases Tot2Teen, Wonderland Toy Shoppe, Wabi Sabi and Leapin’ Lizards
By Phil Busse From role and pretend play, to constructive and scientific play, toys for the younger set are going back to the basics—what Baby Phases-Tot2Teen (759 NE Greenwood Ave) owner Molly Ryan simply calls, “Back to nostalgia.” “It really has to do with imaginative play, and going back to the building blocks,” she says. […]
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Instead of Backcountry.com, try WebCyclery/WebSki
550 SW Industrial Way 150
By Phil Busse WebCyclery is an anomaly. It began in 1997, during the nascent days of online shopping. Amazon was only four years old and other (no longer existent) companies like 800.com were booming with the then-novel idea that everything could be sold online—even something as fitted and individualized as shoes or bikes or skis. […]
Posted inSpecial Issues & Guides
Instead of Amazon.com, try Cosmic Depot
342 NE Clay Ave
By Erin Rook Tucked away down a winding path just off Third Street, Cosmic Depot looks like the home of the friendly neighborhood witch. A black cat named “Shadow” roams between the butterfly-bedazzled shrubbery and the bright yellow house speckled with purple stars. Inside, the shop is bursting at the seams with all manner of […]