The Olga Store is a beloved historic building and a vibrant East-side community anchor.

Mission

The Olga Store on Orcas Island has charmed residents and visitors for decades.

The landmark building stands as a beacon of simpler times and rural community, yet it has stood vacant and abandoned for many years.

It all began in May 2019 when the current Olga Post Office building was put on the market, with the current lease ending in October 2019. The situation became urgent, both to save the building from development and to ensure that Olga retains its post office as the focal point of the community.

We, Friends of the Olga Store Building, moved to reclaim this beloved space for the community in 2019. On January 21, 2020, after 10 months of persistent organizing, fundraising, and becoming a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, we purchased the building with hundreds of donations from those who shared the dream.

We envision a revived historic East-end community anchor, housing The Olga Post Office and Orcas Food Co-op, an inclusive and welcoming place to receive mail and sip coffee.

It took a community to buy and it will take a community to build now in 2020!

History

Olga was founded in 1860 and named after the mother of the first Olga storekeeper, Anthony Ohlert. This small hamlet has retained its rustic beauty for more than 100 years.

In the early 1900s, The Olga Store was located in a different building nearer to the beach. It moved in 1937 to the current beloved building. As a general store, it was the hub for the east end of Orcas Island. The store was close to the dock where fresh strawberries were shipped to Seattle markets. The mail would arrive by boat before it started coming from Eastsound by road.

The first Olga Post Office, established in 1890, was initially housed in a log cabin at Buck Bay, then later moved to the current Olga Store Building. The Post Office was moved across the street to its current location, and the store evolved into different establishments: a lunch nook, a fine dining restaurant, and a general store where you could get homemade ice cream.

(Edited excerpt from Images of America Orcas Island, published by the Orcas Island Historical Society and Museum, page 29.)

Purchase History:

June 30, 1883 - Property deeded {homestead act} to John W Gray 

March 23, 1896 - Purchased from Gray by James McDonald

March 10, 1903 - Purchased from McDonald by Charles S Rice  

July 25, 1906 - Purchased from Rice by J S Shockey who sold for $1 to his daughter Jessie Zoe Shockey Hill the same year *documents do not list specifics as to a structure on the property 

December 10, 1910 - Jessie Zoe Hill & Elmer W Hill sold to Winnie Tatum and T V Tatum  *Ohlert was already running a store on the property at this time based on dated photo with store sign

August 29, 2017 - Winnie Tatum and T V Tatum sold to Ohlert  

February 21, 1922 - Ohlert sold to Duncan Bower (Eddie Bauer's father)

OUR TEAM

Liz Rodriguez

VICE PRESIDENT

Liz has lived in Olga since 2016. She grew up in Seattle, visiting Olga every summer.  Her grandmother brought her family to Orcas in the late 1920’s, settling in Olga. Her mom graduated from Orcas High School.   

She fondly remembers visits to the Olga Store and is excited to see it reopen for the community. 

Debbie Durand

tREASURER

Debbie has been on Orcas since July 2017 and has family ties to the Olga community dating back to the late 1800’s. She provides bookkeeping services for several Orcas businesses and is Administrative Assistant at the Orcas Island Historical Museums. Debbie is also a member of the Choral Society and serves on the Boards for the Olga Strawberry Council and Doe Bay Community Association.

Bizzy Riley

Bizzy spent her summers growing up wandering in the woods behind the Olga Store, picking flowers, getting stung by nettles, and racing to the store to buy long ropes of licorice. She considers it to be one of the most cherished landmarks in Washington State and is passionate about sharing it’s rich history with all who pass through Olga. She is a Naturopathic Physician with a special focus on Women’s Health and Mental Health, and she has volunteered her time on non-profit boards to broaden the scope of practice for Naturopaths and further the work of Naturopaths in primary care. She spends her time raising her two boys with her husband and dreaming of ways to be a full-time Olga resident.

Colleen Stewart

Over the years, Colleen has pressed her face up to the old rippled glass of the Olga Store, imaging what could be.

Her non-profit management, art and media experiences have included Youth Arts Mentorship Program through San Juan County Arts Council, Farm to Classroom and Art for Orcas Kids at Orcas Elementary, Hariyo Chowk and Kolor Kathmandu (Sattya Media Arts Collective, KTM Nepal,) daily newspapers in Savannah, GA; Portland, ME and Portland,OR, and various grassroots Kentucky publications and organizations.

Oshen Schiweck

Oshen thrives on being a catalyst for cultivating innovative visions. He first walked into The Olga Store in 1980 and, after engaging in a conversation with the owner, felt the need to return someday. Oshen moved to Orcas in 1986 when an opportunity became available to be a kayak guide during the day and massage practitioner in the evening at the start up of the Rosario Spa.

He has over 10 years experience in Horticulture, 25 years in Corporate Wellness, and 5 years as a civil servant. His wealth of knowledge in a variety of businesses in which he has engaged in provides a strong foundation for growth of The Olga Store, and has been instrumental in creating the vision of its return.

PAST BOARD MEMBERS

Frank Martin

Frank has been a resident in Seattle since 1992, returning to his ancestors’ roots. Visits to the San Juan Islands have been numerous over the years, both pre-kids and as they have grown. Marine and mountain environments, and an ever-growing community of friends have been the sustenance of his life.

He served on the Edwards Mother Earth Foundation Board (WA) for 10 years, is a licensed architect since 1989, and an artist-builder, specialized in the trades. Past projects have included residential remodels, historic renovations, multifamily, high-rise and research facilities and with focus on community fabric and energy conservation. He is sole-proprietor of Martin Development Services, established in 2000.

Shawna Hanan

Shawna is a mother and baker/owner of Three Sisters Bakery on Orcas Island. In 2019 She opened Luna’s Cafe, and prior to moving to Orcas she ran a bakery, farm and outdoor education school in Ashland, Oregon.