NEw in town

Walking around downtown Ellensburg, there are businesses that have been here for decades, buildings over 100 years old, and locals who have lived their whole lives here. However, as college students bring new ideas and culture to the ever-changing and evolving small town, local businesses are doing the same.

From toys and collectibles to breweries and burritos, Ellensburg is a place to find new businesses booming all around.

Enchantment Brewing

This brewery is one of the fresh faces on Main Street. Located in the heart of downtown, they opened in October 2022. Founder and owner, Darren Nelson attributes his inspiration to the Enchantment mountain range located near Leavenworth and his Oregonian upbringing surrounded by local breweries and nature. A sense of the future began in Nelson when he was in high school, “I kind of just had that idea in the back of my head that it’d be really cool to have a brewery . . . from the days when in the late 90s I was stocking beer on the shelf at the grocery store.”

Not only was the influence there, but as a beginner, brewing came naturally to Nelson. Nelson recalls his first batch of beer in 2010, “It came out pretty good. Everybody that was trying it, was liking it”. This gave him confidence to continue, “And I was just like, ‘okay, maybe I could do this’.”

Years from then, Nelson would visit the Enchantment mountains and decide later down the line to give his dream a go. Even years after hiking the enchanting mountain range, the name stuck with him. In early 2020, Nelson decided to give it a shot. Nelson says, “It was kind of a year of test recipes, brand design, and just kind of building a mini version of the idea.” Mid-pandemic, he leased his current space on Main street and decided to purchase full-scale brewing equipment. Through building, brainstorming and working out the kinks, two and a half years later, Enchantment Brewing was ready for the public eye.

As far as starting your own business, Nelson advises to expect challenges. Not one huge challenge but thousands of little challenges that arise daily in the process. Things like getting not one but two liquor licenses or permits that took longer than expected. A couple pieces of advice he wanted to share is to, “double your budget, double your timeframe and don’t expect anything to be easy.”

He’s not only interested in creating beer, but also creating a culture. Despite the challenges, Nelson wouldn’t change a thing considering the response they’ve gotten since opening. He wants Enchantment to be a source of happiness, “I don’t really think about the dollars and the numbers. It’s more about, how happy are people when they walk in? They come here and then they walk out the door, ‘are they smiling?’” “And they are!” Nelson says, “People are enjoying it, having fun, they like to do their thing, and in general everyone’s responding welltoo, so that’s really been the best thing.”

Going forward, Nelson is dreaming even bigger for Enchantment. He wants to become a classic, something Ellensburg can take pride in. Sharing his hopes he says, “I’m hoping for people to say, ‘I’m super proud that I can say this started in my hometown’, you know like that’s the kind of impact I would like to have.”

I Wanna Own A Toy Store

Chris Fowler, owner of Toy Stable said this all throughout his childhood. Little did he know that this dream of his would become a reality.

Opening in November 2022, Toy Stable has quickly become a hit for toy and collectible fans in Ellensburg. Chris and Ann Fowler purchased Toy Stable nine years ago. And while Toy Stable may be new to Ellensburg, 2023 is actually the store’s 30th Anniversary.

The original owner ran the business out of her home which had an attached horse-boarding facility – hence the name Toy Stable. The now owner, Chris Fowler came into the picture in 2014, beginning as a customer and then as an employee. His wife described Chris’ transition to owner. “So, she ended up hiring him to come and help with the shipping . . . And then eventually, she just decided to sell it to us, like ‘Why don’t you just buy it from me?’”

From then on, the Fowlers have worked to maintain the authenticity and nostalgia of Toy Stable. While continuing to build up their new store location, that same goal remains. Ann Fowler says, “I think one of the big things that’s unique about us is when people come into the store, it’s like a walk back in time, right? They’re like, ‘Oh my God, I remember this, this is bringing back my childhood’.”

Even though what may be considered nostalgic to someone in their 20s, may be very different from someone in their 40s, they have it all. Their main demographic could be described as “people who have been collecting Pokémon for decades, all the way to young college kids”. The sheer size of their collection allows whoever walks in to find something for themselves.

When asked how they want to leave their mark on Ellensburg, Chris Fowler describes, “We want to be a destination.

We want to be involved in the community. We want to give back to the community.” They also want people to know that, “these are wholesome people, a small business, you know, a mom-and-pop shop, not some corporation with corporate dollars.” Being a small business, as much as they rely on their local community to build them up, they want to be a pillar that their community can rely on to build themselves up as well. From fundraising to community events, Toy Stable is investing in Ellensburg and plans on sticking around.

LOOKING FORWARD TO THE FUTURE: SENOR BONES, HOUSE OF BURRITOS

Walking into Senor Bones, located in Cle Elum, you are hit with upbeat music, smells of garlic and spices, and a warm welcome from all of the employees on the clock that day. Shannon and Russ Weaver have lived in Kittitas County for six years and for the past three of those years have owned Senor Bones, House of Burritos. Coming from a background in the “big-burrito” business, the Weavers decided they wanted to take their experience in a different route.

Opening in 2020, Senor Bones has bloomed in the neighboring town of Cle Elum. Inspired by the plastic skeleton that used to hang off the back of Weaver’s bike rack, the name Senor Bones came about. The same plastic skeleton now hangs from the ceiling in the restaurant. Weaver describes the aha moment, “And so we said what about Senor Bones and it rolled off the tongue. So, Senor Bones and House of Burritos is a play off the House of Blues, one of our favorite places to go and then big burritos, one of our favorite things to eat.” The combi- nation of loud music, vibrant colors and huge burritos makes Senor Bones one of a kind.

Not for long will the residents of Ellensburg have to do the 30-minute drive to visit. Senor Bones plans on opening a location in Ellensburg soon. When asked ‘Why Ellensburg?’, the Weavers have many reasons, the student population being one of them, “I think students are grossly underserved with options of eating burgers and pizza, which I love . . . But I think there’s a call for us.” While they can’t divulge their new location yet, they expect to be able to announce their Ellensburg spot sometime in June.

With their “farm to tortilla” philosophy, along with aiming to be an employer of choice, they plan on leaving a positive impact on Ellensburg. “We are open-minded. And I don’t think we have a corporate structure here. We encourage our employees to fly their own flags and to be who they are,” Weaver describes.

They continue their theme of inclusivity in their menu. From traditional burritos to Birria ramen, their menu explores all. Shannon also wants people in the burg to know “Everything we make, we make from scratch. We make all the salsas, all the meats from scratch. We have really great vegetarian, vegan and also gluten-free options.” She wants her customers to know their food. “We love to sample too, so people can taste it. We like to explain what’s in the food so they feel very educated and good about what they’re eating.”

Overall, Senor Bones plans on “coming in hot” to Ellensburg by collaborating with other local businesses and embedding themselves in the community.

story by Charis Jones

photos by Dylan Hanson

design by Makayla Zayic

FOR MANY COLLEGE STUDENTS, THEIR RESIDENT ASSISTANT (RA) IS THE FIRST PERSON THEY TURN TO FOR HELP OR GUIDANCE. BUT WHAT DOES A DAY IN THEIR SHOES REALLY LOOK LIKE? FROM ANSWERING LATE-NIGHT CALLS TO ORGANIZING COMMUNITY EVENTS, THE LIFE OF AN RA IS A COMPLEX AND DEMANDING ONE. HERE'S A BEHIND-THESCENES LOOK AT WHAT IT TAKES TO BE AN RA.

Becoming An Ra

Junior Film major, Tyler Neher, became an RA for Dugmore Hall at the beginning of the school year and hasn’t looked back since. The comradery and social interaction that his RAs offered him the previous year are what prompted him to acquire the position himself.

“My RAs last year were just amazing [and] I knew that I wanted to be a part of that,” Neher says.

Ra Duties

Neher is on duty one day a week beginning at 8 p.m. and ending at 7 a.m. , and during this time he can be found in the RA office of his building ready to provide assistance to any residents in need.

Additionally, he carries a “duty phone” that residents may use to contact him instead of visiting his office. This phone is also utilized in the event of an RA needing to reach CWU police or Kittcom to handle a situation out of their jurisdiction. As part of his evening routine, Neher conducts rounds of the building to ensure resident safety before they start retiring for the night.

Handling Conflict

When conflicts arise in the dorm, Neher encourages open communication and works with residents to find a mutually agreeable solution to the problem. In cases where outside resources are needed, such as mediation or counseling, he works with his supervisor to connect residents with the appropriate resources.

Event Planning

Neher also spends time planning and organizing events for the residents of Dugmore Hall. These events are held in hopes of bringing residents together and fostering a sense of community within the dorms.

“Myself and another RA just [the other] weekend hosted an Oscar movie marathon [where] we watched eight of the top Oscar films,” Never says. “We put up fliers around the building for residents to acknowledge that we were going to be there and that anyone was welcome to pop in and say hello.”

Addressing Homesickness

RAs often encounter the challenge of assisting students who feel homesick, and Neher acknowledges that this is a prevalent issue.

“I approach this [by] just telling them something along the lines of ‘you know you're not alone, right? I was the exact same way during my first year … it definitely took a little while for me to get used to the atmosphere,’” Neher says.

To address this, Neher prioritizes building connections with his residents by maintaining positivity and motivating them to participate in social engagements, aiming to build a welcoming environment that helps them settle in.

“I try to be A: optimistic and B: I also [encourage] relying on a roommate, on your RA, and also even relying on some group of friends around you,” Neher explains.

Maintaining Positivity

To maintain a positive attitude on the job, Neher says he tries to keep a smile on his face. He acknowledges that looking at the bright side is often easier said than done, but “When times are tough, just power through [and] do your best even if it's not perfect,” Neher says. “[It’s important] to keep your hopes high.”

Challenges And Tips For Success

Each of us has a life outside of work, and Neher admits that the biggest challenge he faces in his job is finding that balance and managing his time.

“Between classes, the RA role and my relationship, finding a good balance between the three was definitely one of the challenges that I’ve faced,” Neher says.

Essential Qualities

To be a successful RA, Neher believes that one must be open-minded, optimistic, and willing. While struggles are bound to arise during the day-to-day, maintaining these qualities are essential to the role.

“Sometimes, things are just not going to go the way they seem,” Neher explains. “And [it’s important] to just being willing to be there for your residents and your staff in tough times because, at the end of the day, there's going to be more benefits and negatives.”

Skills Developed

Through his work as an RA, Neher has developed strong leadership and communication skills. He has also gained experience in event planning, crisis management, and working with diverse populations.

ADVICE FOR NEW/STRUGGLING RA’S

For those struggling or new to the role, Neher suggests reaching out to more experienced RAs or a supervisor for guidance and support. He also encourages new RAs to be patient with themselves and not to be too hard on themselves if they make mistakes.

“Don’t be afraid to ask for help,” Neher says.