|
558 N. Main St.,
Prineville, OR 97754
Phone: 541.447.6205 |
|
|
| Preserve the Schwab legacy |
|---|
|
|---|
 | | | RON RAASCH/CENTRAL OREGONIAN |
|
By Chad Richins
As construction moves toward completion on the new Les Schwab Tire Center on Hwy 26 in Prineville, the old Les Schwab building gets closer to demolition and with it a part of Prineville history.
"We're not going to sell any more tires in the new place," Schwab said a few weeks ago. "We're doing it for the town."
To have a nice modern building on the main road through town will make the town look prosperous and it will show that the Schwab company cares about their image in their hometown as well as the larger cities they have stores in.
With so many people passing through town to or from other destinations, it would be nice to have a showcase for the business that helped as much as any other to put Prineville on the map. It seems a shame to tear down the old store, with its classic look and rich history.
Perhaps the company doesn't want to make a big deal, or perhaps the company doesn't think people are interested in the shared heritage of the company and the town, but imagine if 30 years from now the name Les Schwab should become as commercial as Fred Meyer or any other brand name without as much personal character as the Les Schwab name. When you think of Fred Meyer or Albertson's, you realize the legacy these people left behind, but you don't necessarily know anything about the men themselves. There isn't the same sort of connection as there is with Les Schwab and his company's image.
To Central Oregonians, Les Schwab is more than a successful businessman. He is an example of someone who didn't change because of that success, who still lives in his modest Prineville home and still goes to work like the rest of us- albeit in a limited role these days.
If the old store were kept as a walk-in museum of sorts, an American roadside attraction like Wall Drug in South Dakota or various nostalgia points along Route 66, then people could come and see how it all began, see Les and Dorothy smiling in those 1950's photos, see the hat and jacket that are Les' signature look and see the other artifacts and memorabilia that have been collected over the years.
Perhaps other local organizations or public entities would be interested in collaborating in the effort to keep the old building around. Maybe the county, city, Chamber of Commerce or historical society could help ensure that the old building could stay. That way dads could bring their sons over when they are in town for a classic car show, or road-weary travelers can stop in for a look at a piece of American history that began in a simpler time when people were proud of owning American cars and running them on Les Schwab tires.
|
| Go to top. |
|
|
