Seaside
entrepreneur Warren Kan wears many hats: One of them reads "mentor."
His latest import is not really an import at all, but rather a
child of Seaside come home to roost.
Peggy Chesnut-Cohen went to school with Warren and Irene Kan's
daughter, Pam, and returned with her for their high school 20th
reunion. At that time she decided to "pick Warren's brain"
about a way to get back to Seaside, and he "showed us the
way." The way turned out to be as new managers of a retail
clothing store on Broadway in Seaside.
Peggy was born in Wheeler, Oregon, but grew up in Seaside. She
left the area for college and worked at one time for the Golden
State Warriors basketball team. While there she began selling
Mercedes trucks and became the #1 Isuzu sales manager in the country
for the last three years. While selling trucks she met Lewis "Lew"
Cohen. Lew owned an import business that sold bicycles to drug
store chains and batteries to grocery stores and he needed a new
truck. The salesperson, Peggy, would later become his wife.
A San Francisco native, Lew will be contributing his background
in the garment industry, including a grandfather who owned a garment
factory, a father who worked 33 years with Montgomery Wards plus
his own experience which includes time with Macy's. He also has
experience working as an entrepreneur with his own company, and
with the Pacific Stock Exchange.
The store at 111 Broadway opened as Sports Alley in 1983, as a
Nike-dominated shoe-apparel store. It later merged with another
Kan enterprise called Pacific Mercantile, in 1986 and its former
space, right on the main street, became Kirsten's corner, reflecting
the new stockholders/managers, Doug and Kirsten Ray. The store
remained Kirsten's Corner until the departure of the Rays, when
it became once again Pacific Mercantile in October, 1998. As of
January 1, 2000 it will transform again, to Chesnut's.
Chesnut's after Peggy's family name, well known in the area for
construction, will carry ready-to-wear lines from Columbia, Gear,
and Outback labels. The least expensive items will be socks for
$7 ranging up in price to a Goretex waterproof rain jacket selling
for $250.00.
The store will be closing sometime early next year to expand both
the space and the inventory offerings from the current Pacific
Mercantile merchandise, and Peggy hopes to appeal more to the
locals.
Good Luck Peggy & Lew! LCB
Chesnut's
Owners: Peggy Chesnut-Cohen
and Lew Cohen
Address: 111 Broadway, Suite 8
Seaside, Oregon 97138
Telephone: 503/738-3024
Fax: 503/738-3519
E-mail: lcohen5640@aol.com
Website:
www.oregon-coast.net/chesnut's
Hours: 10a - 5p, seven days, Staying open later during the holidays
if needed
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