· Sports Clips opened in the Cascade Village Shopping Center. The hair-care chain offers haircuts to men and boys in a sports themed environment.
· Allyson’s Kitchen opened in the Old Mill District. The store features cooking classes, food to go, wine, cookware, cheeses and other kitchenware items.
· Rite Aid Corp. finalized the $2.7 million purchase of three separate properties in Redmond. The company plans to move its existing pharmacy to a new building at the location. The company which also has plans to open a new store in Madras, has four locations in Central Oregon.
· Redmond Airport recorded 20,509 passenger boardings in February, a 214.1% increase over February 2007. Passenger boardings have exceeded every month, year over year, since 2003.
· Finally, the wait has come to an end. Trader Joe’s opened their new store doors on March 28th. The store is 13,000 square-feet and is situated in the Cascade Village Shopping Center between the highway and Food 4 Less. This is the first Trader Joe’s in Central Oregon.
· The Five Pine development on Sister’s east side has opened its first restaurant---Pleiades at Five Pine. The 3,000 square-foot restaurant will have 80 seats and feature Northwest cuisine. According to chef and owner David Berger the restaurant will be open seven days a week.
· A new restaurant is coming to Bend. Volo, billed as an upscale yet casual restaurant serving contemporary American cuisine is scheduled to open in May. It will be located on the ground floor of Bend’s new 919 Bond building in downtown Bend. The space will occupy 4,000 square-feet according to owner Chris Jones. Jones said he would try and distinguish Volo with its design, food and ambience in an increasingly competitive restaurant environment.
· Mt. Bachelor announced it has opened up 160 acres for snow riding on the backside of the mountain that was previously out of bounds. The expansion of terrain adds an additional 800 feet of vertical skiing in the Cow’s Face area.
· Two restaurants have closed in Bend. Robbie J’s Bistro has closed its Mill Point Business Campus location. Chef and owner Jacques Duc, who bought the restaurant in 2005, could not be reached for comment. And, after 20 years of staying open 24 hours a day, seven days a week, Denny’s restaurant has closed. According to owner Dean Moe, it just didn’t make financial sense to remain open. Moe added that, “Costs just keep going up and that building is so limited in size…there’s competition nowadays that can seat double what we can seat.”
· The Old Mill District is getting its first pizza eatery this summer…Flatbread Community Oven, a Neapolitan-style pizzeria and wine bar. The Boise, Idaho-based restaurant will open its 3,100 square-foot, 98-seat restaurant in a corner space facing the Deschutes River according to owner Robert Lumsden III. The restaurant is expected to open by June and employ 50 people.
· Fireside Red, an American tapas lounge has opened in The Old Mill District. Co-owner Michael Jasilewicz said the restaurant will offer Spanish-inspired small plates and meals ranging from brunch to dinner. The restaurant will employ 45 workers and will hold 90 seats inside and 100 outside on the deck, which has a view of the Deschutes River.
· The population growth bumped in Deschutes County up to 58th out of the nation’s Top 100 fastest-growing counties in 2007.
· Klamath Falls-based South Valley Bank & Trust submitted site and design plans to the city of Madras for a new bank at the north end of town. The bank, which has locations in Bend, Redmond and Prineville, also is preparing to submit plans to the city of Sisters for a bank just off Highway 20, near the planned Ray’s Food Place.
· Kohl’s, a national department store chain, has filed preliminary building plans to open at the Bend Promenade according to documents submitted with the city. The nearly 69,000 square-foot store is proposed for vacant land located on the backside of the mall, between the Bend Parkway and Macy’s.
· Christy Kabachoff, former owner of one of Bend's favorite restaurants Zydeco, has purchased TLC Restaurant and Catering and is open for business on NW 2nd Street, call (541) 382-1646). "Congratulations, Christy! I know the food will be fresh, natural and delicious!"