Shane Tracey
Shane Tracey's move to Oregon from Arizona was bittersweet. Though he and his wife Tiffany Petry loved the area, his plans for culinary school were dashed when he found the tuition too high, housing in Portland costly and a good job hard to find. It was while staying with a friend in Eugene that Shane and Tiffany decided to locate in that city instead—and that was the day, Shane says, "we both found jobs."
Shane went to work for a bakery, where he continued to educate himself. Pastry was his passion: "It's a very exact science," he says. After four years Shane and his wife launched Kekau Chocolatier, a boutique chocolate company with a tasty array of goodies from savory bites like black truffle honey; to sweet treats like lavender noir. (www.kekau.com)
When the couple decided to open a dessert and wine bar, they turned to NEDCO (Neighborhood Economic Development Organization) and the Valley IDA (VIDA) Initiative for help. NEDCO found a historic space in Eugene and the couple got to work. The pair started with a $125,000 budget for the property's build-out then, laughs Shane, "We narrowed it to fifty thousand." Through VIDA the young entrepreneurs saved nearly $1,700, which the IDA Initiative matched with nearly $5,000. That may sound like a small part of the overall budget, but Shane says "When you're trying to start a business with little or no money of your own, every little bit helps." The funds went toward the purchase of equipment.
The business owner says that the training offered by NEDCO and VIDA not only opened the doors to his company, but applies to his daily life as well. The business and budgeting classes were helpful, and he's encouraging other aspiring business owners to take advantage of the program too.
Now "Nib, A Dessert and Wine Bar" graces the space, and so far business has been good. "We're in a wonderful neighborhood that supports local business, and we get a lot of foot traffic," Shane says. He adds that with its offerings of fine wine, hand-crafted chocolates and plated desserts, "We think it's something Eugene needed."
Future plans? "To sit down!" Shane says. Then, more seriously, he hopes Nib will be "A hoppin' little dessert and wine bar to help support us, and the community we’re in." For now, life is sweet for this chocolate-making family—even Shane and Tiffany's small daughter gets into the act. "She comes in and helps me sometimes," he says with paternal pride. "She likes to eat more chocolate than she cooks… but that's OK with me."
» I started my own business, too!
» I bought my own home!
» I bought my own home, too!
» I went back to school!
» I went back to school, too!
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