Sunriver has a new hotspot just in time for summer visitors with the expanded retail options of Camp Abbot Trading Company, set to serve as a wide-ranging general store for the popular residential and resort community.
The project was the brainchild of Bob Mitchell, who bought the former Hammer Time Home Center property on Venture Lane in late 2015 and set about undertaking a major remodel and conversion as part of bringing the outlet into the Ace Hardware fold. Mitchell owns ten Ace Hardware stores in Oregon and Washington, including three locations in Bend.
The renovated 16,000 square foot store – which features a 20,000 square foot garden center with a greenhouse – was named in part in homage to the site of the U.S. Army camp used to train combat engineers during WWII, where much of the resort was later developed, but also to reflect a wider format typical of an earlier era.
Mitchell said, “Camp Abbot Trading Co. is far more than just a hardware store. Not only was the store reconfigured to offer an expansion in hardware, it has a Hallmark Gold Crown, Purina feed and pet supplies, full rental department, gifts, sporting goods, housewares, garden center
and clothing.
“Camp Abbot Trading Co. will be an authorized dealer for brands such as STIHL Power Tools, Carhartt, Craftsman, Big Green Egg, Yeti, Traeger and Segway, just to name a few.
“Like most remodels, the Camp Abbot Trading Co. has taken much longer and has cost much more than expected! Though we ran into many issues with the old building, we wanted to see it through and make sure it was done right because we plan on being here for a long time.
“Along with restoring and making modifications that would allow us to function better as a retail store, we did things like adding HVAC, which the building never had, changing all the interior and exterior lighting to LED and making improvements to the ADA accessibility.”
Mitchell added that as Ace is the world’s largest hardware retail cooperative, and the largest non-grocery American retail cooperative, stores buy many lines of palletized goods by the semi-truckload which can help reduce overall costs for local stores.
Features of the new Camp Abbot Trading Co. departments include:
• Ace Hardware – the hardware department will offer more products than the old store and with three other affiliated stores in the area and a main distribution warehouse nearby, is able to offer better pricing and the ability to keep inventory in stock.
• Hallmark Gold Crown – Hallmark will carry all the signature items and collectibles only found in a Hallmark Gold Crown store. Mitchell’s company put the first Hallmark Gold Crown store within a store in Washington last year, which proved so successful that Hallmark is looking to expand the concept throughout the country.
• Pet, Feed and Rural Farm Supply – Carrying the full line of Purina pet and feed products, along with most everything needed for the care of pets and farm animals, even ranging to carrying live chickens.
• Clothing – The store carries Carhartt clothes and shoes as well as a line of women’s clothing and accessories.
• Sporting Goods – Camping, hunting, fishing and general outdoor recreation gear.
• BBQ – Authorized dealer for Big Green Egg, Traeger, Weber and Charbroil.
• Housewares – Everything from small appliances and cleaning supplies to
kitchen gadgets.
• Rental – Tool and equipment rental department as well as recreational equipment and party rentals.
• STIHL Power Tools – Authorized dealer and service center for the full line of outdoor power tools.
• Gifts – Candles, home décor’ and collectibles
• Garden Center – Over 20,000 square foot of garden center with a 3,500 square foot greenhouse, selling items such as plants, shrubs, lawn furniture, soils, pots and planters and pavers
• Segway – Only authorized Segway dealer in Central Oregon.
• Building Materials – The store will carry lumber, insulation, steel works, and most of the products expected from a builders store.
The extensive remodel covered installation of new flooring, ceiling, lighting and shelving systems. The lumberyard will carry expanded wood products offerings, and larger equipment and power tools will be made available for rent, which previously residents may have had to trek to cities north to find.
The building exterior has also been remodeled to reflect more of a lodge theme in-keeping with the area’s traditional look, and with stone columns around the entry and various stylized facades facing the South Century Drive frontage to add
individual character.
The parking lot has been updated including ADA upgrades and enhanced landscaping features.
Camp Abbot Trading Company
56820 Venture Lane
541- 593-8168
