PENDLETON — The Pendleton flour mill has new owners.

Grain Craft sold the mill to United Grain Corp. for $1.25 million. Umatilla County recorded the sale Monday, Nov. 6.

Grain Craft owned the buildings when a devastating fire erupted Aug. 10, 2022, at the mill, 501 S.E. Emigrant Ave. The Pendleton Fire Department lead the fight against the blaze with numerous local fire agencies assisting.

The fire department made repeated trips to the location as it was difficult to eradicate hot spots, even two months later when crews arrived to plan demolishing the original buildings at the site.

A single grain elevator and a 19,000 square foot warehouse survived the blaze and demolition, and those two buildings are the only “improved” real estate, plus the land itself, Grain Craft transferred to United Grain Corp. in the sale.

“The Pendleton flour mill was not only an important component in providing our customers flour, but it was also a significant piece of history for the city of Pendleton and for the milling industry,” Grain Craft President and CEO Pete Frederick said. “We are sad to leave the Pendleton community, however, we feel we are leaving the footprint of the Pendleton grain and flour legacy in good hands with United Grain Corp.”

United Grain Corp. Public Relations spokesperson Stephanie McClintock said the remaining mill buildings will help United Grain with additional storage for grain products “as we expand in the area.”

“We were looking for something like this to keep it alive,” she said. “If the presence of the mill buildings works for our business and works for the community, it’s a win-win.”

McClintock said repairs and cleaning of the two remaining structures are all done.

“It’s full of wheat now, but we’ve got some specialty programs and crops and purchasing this facility will give us space to do that,” she said. “There are different specialty items that some customers ask for that we’re testing in the company right now. It’s still the initial phase of looking to move in that direction because there’s demand.”

McClintock said the company will request local farmers to try growing the planned specialty crops for United Grain to purchase for market.

The company’s news release said, “The Pendleton acquisition will support UGC’s McNary River Terminal by acting as a wheat satellite and position the company for growth in existing and new product lines.”

McClintock wrote in an email “the specialty products are becoming a demand nationally more so than globally.”

Employment at the site pretty much vanished because of the fire, and McClintock said United Grain will initially depend on an existing pool of about 20 employees to operate the elevator and warehouse when the growing season demands.

“At harvest we certainly do our seasonal hires,” McClintock said, “and we will see if we need to add the staff on a permanent level.”