Story Photos
 Sloan Nelson and his wife, Jennifer, have purchased the Ol' Pastime Tavern in downtown Rainier. Roger Werth / The Daily News
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Talking Business: Rainier couple enjoys new 'Pastime'
Monday, May 12, 2008 12:06 AM PDT
By Erik Olson
Printable version
E-mail this articleSloan Nelson was growing weary of his daily commute to Portland to his job as an electrician.
So when the Ol' Pastime Tavern in downtown Rainier came up for sale, Nelson saw an opportunity to quit his job and cut his drive time to zero. And the purchase of the building gave his wife, Jennifer, a chance to help her home-based property-management business grow.
"This is where we live, and this is where we want to work," said Nelson, a member of the Rainier City Council.
The Nelsons bought the building in December from JoAnn Helligso and George Flatt, who ran the 70-year-old tavern for the past 22 years. The tavern and Hometown Property Management are located next to each other at 105 and 107 East A Street in downtown Rainier. The Nelsons also manage 20 apartments above the tavern.
Jennifer Nelson has run the property management agency since 2003 out of her home. The move downtown gives her much more visibility to attract customers, she said.
"Before, a lot of people didn't realize there was a property management company in town," she said.
Sloan Nelson said he's planning renovations to recapture some of the flavor of the tavern's heyday in the 1950s. He said he hopes to bring back the awning that used to hang over the sidewalk, and he wants to touch up the mural on the side of the building that depicts scenes from Rainier's history.
Oregon is set to enact an indoor smoking ban at the beginning of 2009, and Nelson said he's planning to extend and cover the porch in the back as a smoke hut.
The transition in ownership has been smooth, he said.
"The customers have been really welcoming and supportive of the whole process," he said.
The Ol' Pastime is open seven days a week from 10 a.m. until the late evening. The phone number is (503) 556-2442.
Hometown Property Management is open Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. For more information, call (503) 556-8000.
State wants to hear small-business concerns
Representatives from six state agencies will be in at the Cowlitz Expo Center from 7:30 a.m. to 11 a.m. on May 20 to kick off a four-city tour to learn more about the challenges facing small businesses.
The meeting is targeting business owners and managers of companies with fewer than 20 employees, minority-owned businesses, and small businesses looking to expand, according to a release from Gov. Chris Gregoire's office.
The six state agencies involved are the governor's Office of Regulatory Assistance, Department of Revenue, Department of Labor & Industries, Employment Security Department, Department of Community, Trade & Economic Development and the Office of Minority and Women's Business Enterprises.
Comments from the meeting will be forwarded to the governor. The meeting is free and open to the public.
Talking Business is a weekly column about business openings, closings or major changes. Contact reporter Erik Olson to submit business news tips at eolson@tdn.com or at 577-2510.
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clear up please wrote on May 12, 2008 9:04 AM:
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