OnBiz: Downtown wine shop has new owner, Italian theme

A taste of Italy is coming to downtown Roseburg.

Susan Stiles is taking over The English Garden, a wine and floral shop at 556 S.E. Jackson St. Current owner Claudia Suess is retiring.

The shop will close during the first few weeks of March while Stiles remodels. The result will be cin cin!, the shop's new name, which means "cheers" in Italian and is pronounced "chin chin."

The shop will have a decidedly Italian theme, offering Italian wines, cheeses and specialty foods.

"My tag line is 'Your home for a taste of Italy,'" Stiles said.

Stiles has worked for California's E.& J. Gallo Winery, as well as Douglas County's Steamboat Inn. She said owning a wine shop has long been a dream for her.

A Roseburg native, Stiles said local wineries also have a special place in her heart. They will also have a prominent place in her store.

"Umpqua Valley is getting real well known for its wineries, so I wanted to feature their wines too and promote the wine industry around here," she said.

The downtown location will be perfect, Stiles said, because people can stop in her shop and buy a bottle of wine they may have just tried at one of the area's restaurants. She also plans to host wine tasting events.

Stiles is hoping to have cin cin! open by the end of March.

Information: 440-9007.



HOLISTIC HEALING: A new practice in Roseburg is offering holistic healing for the mind, body and spirit.

Rae Copitka has started OM, a holistic health practice. OM, as a phrase, signifies the first breath of creation, she said.

Copitka has been practicing alternative healing and herbal medicine for more than 20 years.

Also an ordained minister, Copitka offers nutritional and spiritual counseling, Lomi chair massage, ionic foot baths, aromatherapy, herbal medicinal alternatives and her own line of skin care and bath products.

"We also understand that Western or conventional medicine has its place, but the majority of issues can be healed with natural and non-invasive methods," Copitka said in a press release.

Call to make an appointment at 673-2758 or 301-7278.



FRED RE-MEYER: A makeover is planned for Fred Meyer in 2006.

A major remodel of the store is planned this year, according to Julie Bell, store manager. A timeline is not yet in place for the work, though.

The Roseburg store is the smallest in its region, which is basically from Salem south and encompasses 20 stores.

Since it's locked in between the Veterans Affairs Medical Center, the duck pond and Garden Valley Boulevard, it won't be getting any bigger, but various departments will be expanding. Notably, the meat and seafood department.

Bell said the store will not close during the makeover. Fred Meyer currently employs 200 in Roseburg.

"We're probably going to have more employees than that, because we're going to expand some of our departments quite a bit," she said.



COOKIE MONSTER: File this under either a) witty party banter or b) absolutely useless information you're about to forget.

Following is the number of Oregonians employed to make cookies -- yes, like chocolate chip.

In 2001, there was more than 800 employed cookie makers in the state, each making around $42,000 a year. Three years later, there was closer to 700, but those lucky dough rollers were also rolling in the dough, to the tune of around $48,000 a year.

You can thank the Associated Oregon Industries' Business Viewpoint magazine for that conversation starter.



* Got tips? You can reach reporter Paul Craig at 957-4211 or by e-mail at pcraig@newsreview.info.