Milwaukie convenience store 'happy to get out' of selling tobacco with new $20k grant

PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — Out with the tobacco, in with the fruits and vegetables.

That is the mantra of Milwaukie's The Little Blue Store as part of a $20,000 grant provided to them by a Clackamas County Public Health Division pilot project to encourage owners to adopt a "healthy retail" business model.

It's a makeover challenge with a big health twist for the convenience store all the locals know on the corner of Southeast Washington Street and Southeast 30th Avenue.

The community staple has the typical snacks you might expect from a corner store. Only now it's noticeably missing any tobacco products.

Hagos Tekle and his wife bought The Little Blue Store about two years ago. After sluggish sales and community feedback, they decided to take the leap and agree to get rid of any tobacco and nicotine products and adopt a treasure trove and fresh fruits and vegetables.

"Tobacco isn't healthier, we know that, everyone knows that, we're happy to get out of that," Tekle said.

It's part of a pilot project grant using an out-of-the-box approach and funded by the Oregon Health Authority.

According to the Oregon Health Authority, tobacco is the top preventable killer in the state, more than the next six causes combined — even alcohol or other drug use.

Clackamas County decided to pick The Little Blue Store in part due to its closeness to schools, such as an elementary school just around the corner.

This is only the first step as Clackamas County Public Health Division Director Philip Mason-Joyner said he's also working with state leaders to ban flavored tobacco products across Oregon.

"We have more to do to mitigate the threats of tobacco harms and we want our young people to not have a life of addiction," said Mason-Joyner.

Not only will more fruits and vegetables be on offer at The Little Blue Store, but Ethiopian food, too, as part of their "healthy retail" transformation.

"We're not going anywhere so we like to have a better service with better product," Tekle said. "And that grant, it means really a lot to realize that dream."

As part of the grant, The Little Blue Store owners will also receive business advice and technical support from Livelihood NW.