When William Hamley left Cornwall, England, in 1848 en route to America, little did he realize he was writing the first chapter in an exciting saga that would eventually lead to what was described more than a century ago as the “promising and booming Oregon Trail town of Pendleton.”

William Hamley himself settled in Ripon, Wis., where he began plying the leather trade that had been passed down through his family. He, in turn, tutored his two sons, John and Henry.

His sons eventually headed west making several stops along the way before John and his son Lester found their way to Pendleton in 1905, where they built Hamley & Co. into a world-class saddlery.

Ironically, several years ago, the venerable downtown landmark business almost found a path back overseas before Parley Pearce and Blair Woodfield bought the company and embarked on a multi-million dollar mission to restore Hamley’s to its original position atop the trade.

The first stage of that mission involved the renovation of the store itself and a grand opening was held in time for the 2005 Pendleton Round-up. It has since become much more than a source of products designed in the Hamley tradition, but also a popular tourist destination.

A coffee shop was added in the spring of this year, and, on Tuesday, June 19, Hamley’s opened its new steakhouse to the public.

This new venture is every bit as elegant as the store itself and continues to demonstrate the obvious commitment that Pearce and Woodfield have to downtown Pendleton.

To say that Hamley’s Steakhouse anchors the corner of Court and Main would be something of an understatement. To say that it could anchor a revitalization of the entire downtown business center would be a more accurate characterization.

We applaud the bold vision of these two entrepreneurs.