Along the Street: Century Cafe opens in BoHo Building

The Century Cafe has opened at 824 S.E. First St. in the BoHo Building. A grand opening event is planned Saturday, April 25.

Hours are 6:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. daily.

In addition to serving coffee and pastries, the cafe connects to Mac Bike Rentals, which is open seasonally. After the rental program resumes on May 1, customers will enter through the cafe’s First Street doors to reach the bike area.

Eric Ladouceur, who owns both businesses as well as Tommy’s Bicycle Shop at 103 N.E. Baker St. with business partner Matthew Roth, said he considered opening a cafe for years. After starting the bike rental place, he decided it was time to combine his two interests.

Ladouceur, who has cycled through Spain, Italy and other countries as a tour guide with Trek, named the new shop after a riding term. To cyclists, “century” means a 100-mile ride.

Cyclists often like to start such a ride with a cortado, a shot of espresso with an equal part of milk — or a Gibraltar, which includes a double shot.

“And we have a variety of other drinks, like there are a variety of bikes and types of rides,” Ladouceur said.

Century Cafe serves coffee sourced from multiple vendors, with a new guest vendor every 100 days — another “century.” It will serve an array of special beverages along with traditional cafe drinks.

The current special is “Banana Daydream,” based on a type of coffee called “Banana Candy” because it is roasted with bananas. “It tastes like banana bread,” said Alora Gates, manager of the cafe.

The cafe has a mid-century modern feel with seating at a counter, tables or in easy chairs. Walls are painted in blues, whites and greens, and the coffee machine is a teal reminiscent of 1950s classic cars. Pendant globes light the space, along with natural light from big windows.

Signage was created by Colt Bowden of Gold Hand Signs. Ladouceur will be hanging art on the walls, and a tiny cyclist already races across the top of the front door.

MacFresco will be three weekends, rather than weekly

MacFresco, the summer program in which restaurants and other businesses set up on Third Street, will happen on three weekends this summer — the third weekend of June, July and August.

Since it started in 2020 as “Dine Out(side),” MacFresco has been every weekend from mid-June to early September.

This year, Third Street will be closed Friday through Sunday of the third weekend. Diners can eat outside and shoppers can browse tables set up on the street.

Several other weekend activities are planned on Third Street during the summer, including Cruising McMinnville on the fourth Saturday of August and the new Vintage in the Valley shopping event on July 25.

In addition, Make Music McMinnville will organize free, live performances throughout the downtown area and other venues around town on June 21.

Ticor Title relocates to West Second Street

Ticor Title will reopen Tuesday in its new location, 2185 N.W. Second St., McMinnville.

The title and escrow company moved from a building it occupied for decades at 1215 N.E. Baker St., the northwest corner of Baker and 12th. The McMinnville Area Chamber of Commerce purchased that 4,000-square-foot building and will be relocating its offices there in May.

According to Kim Dunckel, branch manager and senior escrow officer, the McMinnville office employs about six people. Working with both commercial and residential real estate, they handle title insurance and escrow closing services, ensure clear title transfers and provide other support.

Ticor’s employees have workstations at home as well as in the office. Their new space is smaller than the former, but that’s fine for how real estate transactions are handled these days, said Dunckel, who has been with the company since 2004.

When she started, it was called Yamhill County Title, then became Western Title & Insurance; Ticor acquired the business in 2016.

Today, some functions are centralized, she said. Many elements of the transactions are electronic, instead of on paper as they used to be.

“We’re not required to keep a lot of paper anymore,” she said.

For more information, call Ticor at 503-472-6101.

Downtown farmers market will return next month

The McMinnville Farmers Market will open for the season on May 21 on Cowls Street from Second Street to half a block south of First. It will continue from noon to 6 p.m. every Thursday through Oct. 22.

Many vendors are returning from last year, including springtime favorites such as Pablo Munoz and Guerrero farms, Sweet Oregon Berry Company, Grateful Gardens and Oregon Cream Honey. This year marks the return of Bode Bakery, who will be joined by several new vendors.

Since Briar Rose Creamery owners are retiring, a new booth will sell cheese this year, according to Samantha Monagon, co-director of the McMinnville Downtown Association. She recruited Helvetia Creamery, which makes artisan Swiss cheese from cows’ milk. Helvetia will set up on June 18 and be there every other week, she said.

This year’s market will feature more fresh and dried mushroom options. Left Coast Fresh also will return with mushrooms and microgreens.

Food trucks — Neely’s, Soup for Soul, Lucy’s Lemonade and Omar’s Mediterranean — will be parked in the lot behind city hall. Customers can purchase food to go or eat it at the market with reusable stainless steel tableware provided by Zero Waste. Vendors have agreed to not use plastic straws or plastic water bottles, Monagon said.

“It’s part of MDA’s sustainability protocol,” she said. “Small steps.”

Monagon added, “We want to continue what Zero Waste has built” with its efforts to reduce waste, reuse and recycle.

Zero Waste will not sort recyclables at the market, as it has done in past years. However, it still will have a tent with information about plastics.

Celebrations and special activities are planned to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the market and the 40th year for MDA itself — along with McMinnville’s sesquicentennial and the United States’ 250th birthday.

The farmers market also will recognize National Farmers Market Week on Aug. 6. Special music is planned that day.

Monagon and Emily Matsuda, co-director of the MDA, said they are considering live music or other activities from 4 to 6 p.m. some weeks. The community has been asking for later hours, they said, although 4 to 6 usually is the slowest time for the market.

“We want to entice people to come during those hours,” Matsuda said.

They also are planning children’s activities to increase attendance, in addition to the McMinnville Parks and Recreation Department’s annual zucchini race, which occurs at the market in early August.

This year’s farmers market poster was designed by Andrea LaRue of Nectar Graphics, who won the annual competition for the assignment. Elements of her design are being used on a T-shirt, as well, which will be on sale at the market along with previous years’ editions.

The McMinnville Farmers Market plans to hire a few staff to help set up and operate the events, work in the information booth and clean up during and afterwards.

In addition, the market is looking for volunteers to act as crossing guards at First and Cowls streets.

Natural Grocers meets community

About 70 people attended a community meeting hosted by Natural Grocers, which will open a store in McMinnville this summer.

Recruiters from the company’s home base in Colorado discussed both shopping and working at the store.

Natural Grocers is hiring in all departments, they said, from cashiers and managers to a nutritional health coach who will provide classes and advice to shoppers.

Jack Carmone, one of the recruiters, said the McMinnville store will be “large for our standards.”

Natural Grocers is renovating the former Rite Aid building at Highway 99W and Evans Street to house the all-organic grocery store. In addition to produce, meats, bulk foods and other groceries, the store will carry vitamin supplements, skin and beauty products, pet food and home care goods, such as cleaners and toilet paper.

The company sells organic produce; pasture-raised dairy along with dairy-free milks and other options; sustainably raised, hormone-free meats; frozen foods; and bulk foods, including nuts and flours that are refrigerated. It is known for its eggs, which are available at several levels of sustainably, from cage-free to pasture-fed, Carmone said.

It has a long list of additives that it doesn’t sell, including pesticides, many preservatives and artificial flavors, colors and sweeteners. The list is posted on its website, naturalgrocers.com.

One of the company’s mottos is “our animals don’t do drugs,” Carmone said.

Customers must bring their own bags, purchase reusable bags or use cardboard boxes available in the store. Natural Grocers has been bag-free since 2009, he said.

Job information is listed on the website. Carmone said the company will hire full-time workers for training in June, with plans to open the store in July. Some positions will change to part-time in the fall, he said.

Natural Grocers has about 170 stores across the country, including 18 in Oregon.

Preservation and history professionals to be honored

Individuals with connections to Yamhill County will receive two of the Oregon Heritage Excellence Awards that will be presented April 29 during a ceremony in Mt. Angel.

“Recipients are representative of efforts and activities that are exemplary and go above and beyond for an individual, organization, and project, serving as a model for heritage preservation work in Oregon,” said Katie Henry, coordinator for the Oregon Heritage Commission.

Among the winners are Paul Falsetto, a Portland architect who worked on the remodeling of a vintage bank building in Dayton to create the Inn at Dayton, developed by The Stoller Group. H&R Construction completed the renovations, which included seismic reinforcing.

Falsetto has worked on building rehabilitation for three decades. Henry said he is receiving the award because he performs quality work with deep knowledge of preservation and exemplary dedication to the field of historic preservation in Oregon.

Another award will go to Tim Hills, lead historian for McMenamins, who worked on the Hotel Oregon renovations and art that depict McMinnville history. Henry noted his dedication to uncovering history and his love of storytelling, along with his research and community partner collaboration.

They and 10 award winners will receive their honors during the 2026 Oregon Heritage Conference. The Oregon Heritage Commission will also recognize 12 “Standout Heritage Volunteers” from heritage organizations across the state.

Jersey Mike’s set to open in McMinnville

Jersey Mike’s sub shop is scheduled to open Wednesday, April 22, in McMinnville.

The restaurant is located at 2275 N.E. 27th St., near Walmart.

Greeters to gather, grand opening planned

Berry Creek Garden, 1140 N.E. Alpine St. in Mac Market, will host the McMinnville Area Chamber of Commerce Greeters program Friday, April 24. Greeters runs from 8 to 9 a.m.

The program will include a ribbon cutting for the new garden store, which will hold its public grand opening all day Saturday, April 25. The grand opening will feature music by cellists Ames Bierly and Sherrill Roberts.

In Newberg, the Chehalem Valley Chamber of Commerce’s Friday, April 24, Greeters program will be hosted by Juliette’s House, the Yamhill County child abuse assessment and prevention center. The program will run from 8 to 9 a.m. at Argyle Winery in Dundee.

To submit items for consideration in Along the Street, email Starla Pointer at spointer@newsregister.com.