Biz Bits: They’ve got the essentials at new Uniontown store

UNIONTOWN — A sign outside the Uniontown General Store & Cafe brags the business has the best prices in town.

A quick glance down the town’s main street is all it takes to confirm that claim is true. The business is the only one of its kind in this rural Palouse farming town of about 400 people.

As the name suggests, the business carries basics such as milk, eggs, toilet paper, cereal, cleaning supplies and canned goods along with freshly prepared dishes such as hot dogs and submarine sandwiches.

Customers can eat in a small sitting area or take food to go.

“This area needed something,” said Eric “Preston” Montgomery, the business owner, who became interested in the space after spotting a for-rent sign. “It was a nice, awesome building, just empty.”

The Uniontown General Store & Cafe is at 111 Montgomery St., the name of U.S. Highway 95 in Uniontown, in the Jacobs Building that once housed Sage Baking Company and a series of other restaurants.

Montgomery decided what to do with the space using information gathered in a survey by Uniontown Community Development Association, the not-for-profit group that owns the building and is giving him a break on rent.

The survey responses indicated people wanted a place that maintained consistent hours where they could grab something to eat and buy at least some groceries, Montgomery said.

Since opening in May, the volume of sales has increased each week with the business serving a variety of roles in the community such as being a destination for children on walks and bicycle rides, he said.

“The candy is flying out the door like crazy,” Montgomery said.

The business in Uniontown is an expansion for Montgomery. He opened and owns what is now Mad Hatter Tea Shop in Lewiston in 2019. It is located at Newberry Square at 800 Main St., Suite 2, and is open 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday.

UI graduate is named vice president of marketing at SEL

PULLMAN – Bryan Fazzari has been named vice president of marketing at Schweitzer Engineering Laboratories in Pullman.

In his new role, he will oversee the global marketing strategy at SEL, leading a team of more than 80 marketing professionals, such as writers, editors, videographers, market researchers, event specialists, and web, graphic and instructional designers, according to a news release from SEL.

A native of Walla Walla, Fazzari began his career at SEL as a research intern in 2007 while attending the University of Idaho on a music scholarship as a classical violinist focusing on music and engineering.

After graduating with a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering in 2010, he was hired by SEL as an engineer and worked in company operations in Atlanta.

His work at SEL has included developing and supporting automation hardware and software products in the company’s research and development division where he worked closely with SEL’s marketing teams.

“(Fazzari’s) extensive experience developing products and working directly with our customers, along with his focus on creativity, give him a unique set of skills that will enhance our marketing activities around the world,” said SEL CEO Dave Whitehead in the news release.

Headquartered in Pullman, SEL is the largest private employer in the region. It invents, designs and builds digital products and systems that protect power grids around the world.

Health care foundation announces latest round of grants

Two eastern Washington community gardens are among the recipients of a recent round of grants from the Lewis-Clark Valley Healthcare Foundation.

The group announced $87,760 in grants this month to 11 organizations in north central Idaho and eastern Washington.

The foundation was established in 2017 by former Idaho Attorney General Lawrence Wasden as part of the sale of St. Joseph Regional Medical Center by Ascension Health, a not-for-profit, to RCCH Healthcare Partners, a for-profit business.

The recipients of the recent round of grants and the amounts of money are as follows:

Alzheimer’s Association of Lynnwood, Wash., $8,000 for northern Idaho and eastern Washington.

Green Apple Project of Lewiston, $10,000, for scholarships and sensory friendly autism support groups.

Community on Call in Clarkston, $10,000, food distribution program.

Clarkston Community Garden, $5,000, add more raised beds with irrigation and weed control as well as chipper shredder to make compost.

Lowell Quick Response Unit, Kooskia, $8,500 for equipment.

Lewiston City Library, $5,260, youth mental health support strategies, yoga and mindfulness for teens and families.

Pullman Community Gardens at Koppel Farm, Pullman, $10,000, capital improvement grant.

Master Gardener Foundation of Asotin and Garfield counties, $3,000, school gardening and nutrition programs.

Salmon River Senior Citizens Inc., Riggins, $6,000, meal site.

Moscow Area Moms Alliance, $10,000, community baby shower and family mentorship.

Whitman Hospital and Medical Clinics, Colfax, $10,000, community wellness, including fall prevention, move it or lose it, injury prevention program and aquatic exercise.

Business owners have opportunity to win thousands

Aug. 14 is the deadline to enter Boise Entrepreneur Week, a competition where more than $210,000 in prize money is at stake.

Applications are being accepted at boiseentrepreneurweek.org. Companies from any industry are eligible for a main pitch event.

One of the competitions presented by Albertsons is for food and beverage start-up businesses seeking help to take their products from farmers markets to the supermarket.

Its grand prize is cash as well as shelf space at Albertsons’ Broadway store in Boise, with the potential for expansion into other stores if sales are strong.

To be eligible, participants’ businesses must be registered in Idaho and have less than $1 million in annual recurring revenue. Past winners of a pitch competition may not pitch again in the same competition.

Williams may be contacted at ewilliam@lmtribune.com or (208) 848-2261.