Valley Meats of Wallowabuys Stafford’s Meats of Elgin

Valley Meats took over Stafford’s Meats in Elgin more than a month ago and will reopen soon for business.

Owner Kevin Silveira said purchasing Stafford’s doubled his capacity. He said he looks forward to using Stafford’s to serve both Wallowa and Union counties.

In January, Jeff Stafford closed Stafford’s Custom Meats, a business he ran for decades. Two years ago, he added a USDA-approved facility giving ranchers a local option over hauling cattle to the next closest facilities in Nampa, Idaho, or Basin City, Wash.

Silveira said it has taken some time to get all the equipment fully functional.

Silveira and his wife, Lynda, bought their shop in Wallowa 10 years ago and their equipment from the former JC’s Meat Cutting in Enterprise.

Silveira said joining the two businesses offers more options. Valley Meats butchers game as well as livestock. He said the two meat shops also have different busy times so he can move cutters back and forth between Wallowa and Elgin.

“For a while, I’ll be driving over to Elgin a few days a week,” Silveira said. “I can also interchange crews, so they know both sides of the business and try to keep them employed year round.”

Pit Stop set to serve up barbecue in Wallowa

The Pit Stop serves up barbecue from both its drive through and walk-up windows on Highway 82 in Wallowa.

The menu is quintessential barbecue joint style – pork, beef, chicken, ribs and brisket served with classic sides of beans, coleslaw and macaroni and cheese.

Owner Kathy Nelson said her husband had a marketing book from his days working at KWVR Radio. It said a desirable attribute for a business was intrusive visibility. At the corner of Highway 82 and Holmes on the southeast end of town, The Pit Stop is clearly visible.

Nelson said she used to own the Cougar’s Den pizza restaurant on Wallowa’s Main Street. After a couple of years outside the restaurant industry she said she decided to return.

Friends’ suggestions, an old Wallowa County Cowbelle’s cookbook and some research and Nelson and her husband, Dave, began to dream up their barbecue restaurant.

Nelson credits her husband for all the recipes for the sauces and rubs. She said he bought a grill, gave the place a paint job and opened for business in time for summer.

“It’s a limited menu, but it’s simple. Get in, get out,” Nelson said.

Two new Baker City businesses set grand openings Friday

BAKER CITY – New businesses in adjacent buildings will have their grand openings Friday on Broadway Street.

Pat-A-Cake bakery, owned by Terrie Laeger, and Forty Winks and a Splash, a bed and bath shop owned by Stephanie Barger, are next door neighbors on the north side of Broadway near the corner of Fourth Street.

Pat-A-Cake bakery offers a variety of baked goods, including cakes, bar cookies, regular cookies and cinnamon roll cake in the morning. Forty Winks and a Splash offers towels, sheet sets, bed and bath accessories and repurposing of antiques.

Pat-A-Cake is open from 8 a.m. to

3 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday. Forty Winks and a Splash is open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday and Saturday. Starting Monday, she will have regular business hours of 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday.

– From staff reports