>La Grande Observer | Union and Wallowa Counties' News Leader

reaching out: Judy Hector (left) and Brenda McCrary are the prime movers behind "This Week in La Grande," a brochure spotlighting downtown businesses, events and services. (The Observer/BILL RAUTENSTRAUCH).

- Bill Rautenstrauch

The Observer

Brenda McCrary and Judy Hector are starting small, but thinking big.

The two women, both members of the La Grande Downtown Development Association, are in the thick of the fight to improve the city center's business climate.

Like everyone downtown, they want to see more customers coming through their doors.

Their answer? "This Week in La Grande," a tiny brochure placed in local motels, one that points the way to local businesses and lists events visitors might want to take in and services they might find useful.

"This is the cheapest advertising I've ever seen, and it works for me," said McCrary, owner of Beezer's variety store on Adams Avenue.

Hector, who runs the nearby Brown Bag Market, is taken by the idea, too.

"I'm really pleased by the responses we've had from advertisers. It's not been hard at all to get them to participate," she said.

McCrary said she lived in Hawaii for 10 years and was a regular reader of "This Week in Oahu," a slick, full-color publication highlighting local businesses, attractions and events.

She'd always thought La Grande merchants would do well to put out something similar. At an LGDDA brainstorming session recently, she floated the idea. People were intrigued.

"After Brenda brought it up, we decided it was worth investigating," Hector said.

The project quickly picked up speed. Word went out to downtown merchants that ads were for sale in the new publication at $5 apiece. For that money, businesses got their name and address listed plus a brief description of goods and services.

McCrary and Hector took charge of design and distribution. Using a desktop publishing program, Hector put together a single-page, tri-fold brochure, packing information on the front and back.

She included sections on restaurants, retail stores, services and events. She also made room for a map showing the location of all the advertisers.

When the first issue was ready — two weeks ago — McCrary did the proof reading. She also saw to it that the publication reached its audience.

"I cold-called all the motels in La Grande and every one of them said they'd love to have it," McCrary said. "I thought this would especially appeal to tourists, people who might not pick up a paper because they're not going to be in town that long."

Advertisers also receive copies to distribute to people coming into their stores. McCrary keeps some around and said the feedback's been great.

"People come in and pick it up and say, ‘Oh, here's something new that's pretty cool.' " she said.

Writing, designing, printing, folding and delivering a weekly publication of any kind is a lot of work. Luckily, LGDDA members have been willing to pitch in.

Doug Campbell of McGlasson's Stationery and Kelly McGee of Marie Josephine are signed on, informally at least, as "This Week in La Grande" staffers. Also helping out is non-member Doug Caulkins.

And in the early going, the collective efforts seem to be paying off.

Both McCrary and Hector say they've had customers who found out about them in "This Week in La Grande." Other advertisers are reporting the same, they said.

It's all enough to make the publication's creators think bigger, and better.

McCrary dreams of a time when "This Week in La Grande" rivals "This Week in Oahu."

Hector does the same.

"Someday I'd like it to be calendar or tabloid size," she said. "I'd like it to be so big that we'd have to have it printed at The Observer."

For more information or to advertise, contact McCrary at 962-7000, Hector at 663-0759, or any LGDDA member.