Tribal convenience store reinventing itself

The Tribal convenience store adjacent to Spirit Mountain Casino on state Highway 18 has been reinventing itself over the last few months.

Tribal Council, which had been overseeing store operations, turned operational control over in April to Tribal Finance Officer Julio Martinez, charging him with making the store profitable and ensuring that going forward the operation hires as many Tribal members as possible.

Martinez immediately closed the money losing restaurant and divided the workload among other Finance Department staff members, principally Larry Leith and Ken Trevino. At the end of June, he hired new store manager Opal Hale, and already the Tribe is seeing a profit from the business.

The convenience store had not been profitable in years. For 2012, Tribal Council budgeted a capital contribution of $121,000 to keep the operation solvent, but with the new changes, said Martinez, no capital contributions will be budgeted for 2013.

Currently, seven of 14 employees are Tribal members.

"One of the things we do," said Hale, "is when we do need employees, we advertise in Smoke Signals. That's been the best form of advertising for us. A lot of Tribal members come in when jobs open up."

Plans for the food service part of the business, said Martinez, continue to be evaluated in coordination with the Tribe's Economic Development Department.

Since arriving, Hale has sharpened up the merchandising at the store, from the gas pumps to parking stripes to signage.

Gone with the restaurant is the restaurant signage on the east outside wall of the building. It has been replaced with another sign advertising the current price of diesel fuel.

"You can see that sign a mile-and-a-half down the road," said Hale. "That's what we're trying to do. Clean up the appearance, and provide the best service you can buy. We're keeping the pumps' appearance really clean. We just had the parking spaces repainted. Our signage has been cleaned up and updated. There's a new propane sign. And the price of propane is more visible now."

The pumps all offer self-service, saving 10 cents over the full-serve price. Even Elders will save five cents over what they used to pay, said Hale, "and we still offer full service to anyone who wants or needs it. It's a better deal both ways. You save money and you have the option of self- or full-serve."

The car wash, a touchless system, is running, she said.

"We're saving money, too," Hale said. "It used to be, for the last 10 years, all the lighting for the station was on 24-7. We have that now on a timer, so the lights actually go off at 7 a.m. and come back on at 8 p.m. That should save us a lot of money and be energy efficient as well."

Before coming to the convenience store, Hale worked four-and-a-half years as Spirit Mountain Casino Banquet and Events coordinator. She has experience in grocery retail, fast food and catering.

All Tribal Council members serve on the Grand Ronde Food and Fuel Company Board. Council member Toby McClary chairs the board.