The Fruit Company

Here in the Great Northwest there is only one professional sports team that has been endeared to the City of Portland and the State of Oregon. The Portland Trailblazers. There is something to be said for the red, white, and black emblem that has brought the city to its feet over the years creating the hype and hysteria that is known as BLAZERMANIA!
Growing up in Dallas Oregon I was fortunate to watch live and on TV, the greatness that was Clyde “the Glide” Drexler. Watching as he and his cohorts, Buck Williams, Kersey, Uncle Cliffy Robinson, and the unforgettable Duckworth, as they defended the Western Conference against the likes of Isaiah Thomas and the Pistons, and of course, Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen’s Bulls.
Growing up in the era we witnessed agreat example of what a team could be. Sadly it took quite a few years and a rough crowd of “Jailblazers,” to get us back on track with drafting the “right” type of players. It’s great to see a team that is growing up together. While sometimes there weakness, the fact that they are all young and learning that game while succeeding together has been great to watch happen.
For the past two years the have surpassed expectations even with, what some might say, setbacks. While they are currently down 3-2 in a best of seven series, they are quietly becoming a west coast force.
So tonight, no matter the outcome, they played a great season and have nothing to regret. They have brought back Blazermania and given us a quality skilled team to cheer on!

by Jed, eCommerce/CS

As I drove aimlessly down the strip on my first trip through Bingen Washington I noticed out of the side window a sign that spoke of pizza. Weeks later wanting something that tasted good, and being too lazy to actually go home and cook, we turned into the gravel parking of Solstice Wood fire Café. After examining the menu, which was varied and filled with an assortment of creative pizzas, sandwiches, salads, and pasta a decision was made. It seemed as though the build your own option was the best way to satisfy the taste buds. 15-20 minutes later after topping of a salad, we dug in to the wood fire baked pizza.
There is something to be said for this method of baking. The pizza came out with a great taste and texture that was immensely enjoyed. Also a great touch was the fact that they offered a whole grain crust that made my guilty conscious somehow feels better!
Overall this was a great pizza and fun environment. On a hot day there is nothing better than sitting out in the shade outdoor eating area that is a relaxing setting to have a cold drink and have a taste of what is quickly becoming a must stop in the gorge. Having been there multiple times now I can’t help but not recommend the Chicken pasta special. Its always a great choice! You can’t ask for a healthier, hip, local spot to stop and enjoy a taste of what the gorge has to offer.

Click here to check out their menu!

by Julie, Customer Service Manager

When I was asked to contribute to the company blog this time I originally planned to pick a customer story and share that but decided instead to share with you some of my personal thoughts regarding customer service and what I want your experience to be like when you contact us here at The Fruit Company.

When you contact our customer service department either to place an order, ask a question, or express a problem I want you to know how important helping you is to us. It is true that sometimes distractions or interruptions do happen but when we are on the phone with you making you happy is our top priority. I know for a fact that my entire team takes a tremendous amount of pride not only in our wonderful fruit and beautiful gifts but in making sure you, our customers, are satisfied, happy and well cared for. It is true that sometimes we drop the ball but please know that we are trying our best to take care of you.

We are always striving to improve the customer experience here at The Fruit Company, whether it be by expanding our line of organic fruit and gifts, changing the layout of our website to make it easier to find what you’re looking for or calling your recipient to make sure they received their gift in perfect condition, we are here to serve. If you ever have any suggestions about ways we can make your gifting experience easier and more pleasant please don’t hesitate to let us know.

Thank you for visiting at The Fruit Company today and I look forward to being able to help you someday.

by Jed, eCommerce/CS

When I first moved to the Hood River area my wife and I spent several weekend days driving around aimlessly trying to find somewhere to explore. We had talked with several people who had passionately tried to explain all the glories to be seen in the area that surrounds The Fruit Company. But after multiple hours of directions explained, and eventually forgotten, we gave up with our search.
Within a week a close friend of ours was listening to me express my disappointment and failure as a directional specialist (Guy), when he clued me into the best kept secret in the gorge. Curious Gorge.
At first I was not interested. Why would I want to read a book with a play on words of a children’s classic? After moving past that I began thumbing through the book. And to my amazement all the information that we had been searching for was laid out in front of me. Organized and including all the facts we needed to know. It included directions to many locations all over the Gorge area. All the hiking and biking trails leading to lakes and running along streams explained and rated as to the difficulty of the endeavor.
Still skeptical I found a hike that didn’t look too hard. We set out the next Saturday only to find the directions given accurate and easy to translate. After a great afternoon hike I was ready to go buy my own personal copy.
So if you’re in the area and looking for things to do that doesn’t involve windsurfing or all the in town amenities that Hood River, White Salmon, and Bingen have to offer I would recommend adding this book to your visit.
It’s a little more difficult to find but I did find it at Dog River Coffee in downtown Hood River. If you’re planning ahead of time you can order it online at REI.

Happy Explorations!