We moved to Tonasket in 2015 with the hopes of purchasing the local pharmacy. At that time, Mike had been a pharmacist for 15 years and was burned out working for corporate pharmacies. He found an opportunity with an independent pharmacy in Tonasket and after several visits, we decided to move our family here. We love living in a small town and Mike loves practicing pharmacy in an independent pharmacy. Everyone knows one another and our community steps up to help people out when needed. As healthcare providers, we really felt like we could make a difference here and it has brought us both back to the reasons we became healthcare professionals in the first place - we wanted to make a difference and help people.

We did not reach an agreement with the owners of the local pharmacy in 2015, however, a few years after we moved here Tonasket found itself without a pharmacy and we decided to open a new pharmacy in town. We knew that a pharmacy is a vital piece of a small town and our town needed a pharmacy to help keep people shopping local and to make sure our neighbors could get the care they needed close to home. We now own two pharmacies in North Okanogan County and love this area. There have been many times that we've wished we would have moved here sooner, but now that we are here we plan on staying here for many years to come!

Tonasket is a great place for P1FCU to be because it is a rural, small, and close knit community. When the community has a need or a tragedy everyone works together for the best interests of the town. Members of the community in Tonasket genuinely care about each other much like P1FCU cares about its members.

Hello, My name is Korie Johansen and I am the owner/operator of Beanadiction, LLC, a quaint little coffee shop. I was recently asked why I chose to open a business here in Tonasket. Here is our story.

My husband and I moved here about ten years ago. We both work in the medical field and that is what brought us to the area. We didn't come from far away, just south, down the road a bit. I grew up in a small town in Washington State not far from here and love the small community aspect. I think there is something to be said for knowing your neighbor and watching out for one another. And your children growing up with friends they can play with in the dirt.

We plan on being here for the duration. We love our home and space. We have younger children that are in this school system. They are involved in sports and activities. And we want to see them grow up with a tight knit community and friends. The saying goes-It takes a village to raise a child.

We chose to open a business here in Tonasket because we want our roots here. We want to see our town thrive but in keeping the small town charm. It' s like the old show Cheers, ' you wanna go where everyone knows your name'. We wanted to be a part of our community and know one another as individuals, not just a car driving by. We wanted to have a place for people to come and enjoy one another or have quiet reflexion time. We wanted it to be a safe place for children and comfortable for the elderly. And we wanted to be able to give back to our community as much as possible.

So, by opening a business locally, we can support locally. We shop here and support other small business here, so that helps keep revenue in our own town. I think that it is important for local businesses to support one another and help each other out. When times get tough, I feel it's easier if we can all lean on one another and not deal with things by ourselves.

© 2020 Opportunity Tonasket
Pictures taken and provided by Patty Spade and Karen Moore