Liz Gregory, left, and Natalie Peck, co-owners of Sage Hens Boutique & Resale, stand behind the counter of their new store Aug. 8, 2024, in downtown Pendleton. The pair discuss being named one of Pendleton four 2025 Path to Success winners and share insights they gained from the program to help run their store (Berit Thorson/East Oregonian)

‘Mom-and-pop’ store in city’s downtown wins $20,000 forgivable loan in Path to Success program

PENDLETON — What began as a dream of curated vintage finds and secondhand treasures has turned into an award-winning success for Sage Hens Boutique & Resale, now nearing its first anniversary in downtown Pendleton.

The resale store, which opened in late July 2024, is one of four recent winners of Pendleton’s Path to Success 2025 program — just weeks shy of its one-year mark.

The program awarded co-owners Natalie Peck and Liz Gregory a $20,000 forgivable loan to help boost their storefront. As part of the competitive application process, participants attended a virtual business mentoring course at the Small Business Development Center at Blue Mountain Community College in Pendleton and then presented their business plans to a selection committee.

“We didn’t have a business plan when we started,” Peck said. “But now we have a rock-solid plan, thanks to Jeff Nelson, our advisor at the Small Business Development Center up at the college. He really helped us put it together, and that made a big difference for us in entering the contest.”

Peck said the forgivable loan will allow them to invest in more inventory, make renovations and expand their marketing efforts — particularly online.

“Our biggest goal is to build a website,” she said. “We didn’t have any of that during our first year. We were focused on just getting the doors open. Now, this funding is going to help us take the next steps.”

Gregory said the store is focused on increasing its visibility through improved signage and a stronger social media presence. Most importantly, she emphasized that providing quality customer service remains their top priority.

“Just working with the Pendleton Downtown Business Association has been a great experience,” Peck said. “This is a small town and they’ve been incredibly supportive. To offer these four grants is amazing — truly a blessing for the community.”

Although the store has been open for nearly a year, Peck and Gregory said the Path to Success program opened their eyes, specially when it came to the financial side of running a business.

“I’m not gonna lie,” Gregory said. “We opened this on a wing and a prayer. We’re completely self-funded. We put all our own money into it. No debt, no loans, just what we had.”

She added neither of them takes a salary.

“We don’t really get paid,” she said. “We take a small draw, but everything goes back into the business.”

The pair, former coworkers at a local shop, joined forces to pursue their shared vision: opening a boutique that reflects their passion for vintage Western merchandise.

Their store features a mix of farmhouse and country-style clothing, jewelry, home decor and more — each item selected to celebrate American Western heritage. In the back, a resale room showcases quality cowboy boots, hats and shirts, along with a dedicated children’s section featuring clothing and toys.

The two travel across the Pacific Northwest visiting estate sales, garage sales and auctions to stock their store with carefully selected vintage goods.

Peck described Sage Hens Boutique & Resale as a small, mom-and-pop store that, like many others, depends on extra funding to stay afloat. She said the grant will help them expand and grow and expressed deep gratitude for the support.

Sage Hens Boutique & Resale is open Monday from 11 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. and Tuesday through Saturday from 10:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. The store is at 418 S. Main St. in Pendleton. Customers can stay up to date on the latest inventory and store hours by visiting the boutique’s website and Facebook page.