The Star - News, views and advertising of the Grand Coulee Dam Area

by Scott Hunter

A year ago, it was an idea shared while visiting in a garden. Last week, Plain Jane's was named "Business of the Year" for 2022 by the Grand Coulee Dam Area Chamber of Commerce.

Caroline Walsh had cancer then and was going through chemotherapy. She decided to start a business that would research and bring in healthy products for the local community.

Rachel Anderson was helping her with her garden the day Walsh presented the idea to her.

"I was like, absolutely!" Anderson told people attending the chamber's annual award dinner at PK's Culinary Wednesday. "We're both really passionate about this business."

It wasn't easy.

"It was quite a bit to start under those circumstances," Walsh said, adding simply, "We worked through it."

Now, if you visit the store, one of them will be there to tell you the details of their offerings, about who makes it and why it's healthy. Local honey, laundry detergent, bamboo wash cloths are among their offerings.

"We want to bring our community safe, natural USA-made products, because you were tired of having to order them online or try to find them," Anderson said. "And a lot of the times they're greenwashed, which means they will say that they're natural and safe, but they're really not. So, we do our best to do our research."

She said customers also give them ideas for products to bring in.

"Our community has been so supportive, and we gain new customers daily that care about us," Walsh said. "And I want to thank the chamber too, for all the support they've given small businesses. And they've helped us grow."

Walsh said the area needs more small, diverse businesses to bring the community "things we don't have. That's our plan, and we're going to keep working at it."