He Started With $4.65. Now Roseburg Lines Up For His Bread.
The rise of a Roseburg bakery built on heart and hustle.
I thought Richie was going to sit down with me.
He did not.
When I walked into the Oregon Sourdough Company, he was already elbow deep in dough. Timers were going off. Ovens were humming. Trays were sliding. He looked up, smiled, and kept moving.
So I followed him.
Short bursts of conversation.
Long pauses.
A rhythm that matched the shop.
A Business Born From Almost Nothing
This story started during a moment most people never recover from.
Richie and his wife, Gretchen, had walked away from a failed business partnership that left them with almost nothing. Their account showed $4.65. That was the real balance.
Most people would panic.
They got to work.
With their last bit of cash, Richie tracked down a sourdough starter from San Francisco, the gold standard for serious bakers. He brought it home, set a Dutch oven on the counter, and learned the craft one loaf at a time.
Burned the first loaf.
Tried again.
Learned the timing.
Learned the feel.
Their First Win
Their first farmers market was tiny.
Seventeen loaves.
Gone in minutes.
Not life changing money.
But it changed everything.
“You only need one win,” Richie told me. “Just one. After that, you keep going.”
They reinvested every sale.
One Dutch oven became four.
Four became commercial equipment.
The kitchen became a real bakery inside the old Pizza Hut they now lease.
The work never got easier.
“Bread does not care about your schedule,” he said. “It is physical. It’s early mornings. It’s late nights.”
Roseburg Showed Up
Markets grew.
Stores called.
Then more stores.
Then even more.
Their bread spread across the region while Richie and Gretchen kept their heads down and kept baking. No shortcuts. No preservatives. Just skill and patience.
The Next Chapter
Now they are expanding again.
They are purchasing a former fire station that will become their gluten free production facility. A larger space. More room to grow. Plans for pastries. Systems. Mentorship. Investors are on the sidelines and paying close attention.
They are building something real and sustainable.
And yet Richie is still here every day.
Hands in dough.
Eyes on timers.
Focused on the rise.
Advice For New Entrepreneurs
I asked Richie for one piece of guidance.
He answered instantly.
“Most people quit too early. Have grit. Keep going even when it makes no sense.”
A Roseburg Success Story
Oregon Sourdough Company did not start with a dream.
It started with survival.
It started with a Dutch oven.
It started with $4.65 and a decision not to quit.
Today it stands as one of the most inspiring small business stories in Roseburg.
If you want to taste what grit and patience can create, stop in and pick up a loaf. Their bread is the real deal and the holidays are the perfect time to bring it to your table.
You can visit them at 485 NE Stephens St in Roseburg.
Sherms Market and Crystal Creek Quality Meats in Sutherlin carry their bread too.
Grab a loaf.
Try the baked goods.
Share them with people you care about.
That is how a local business grows. One person. One household. One table at a time.
P.S. > If you know a local business owner with a story worth telling, reply to this email and I’ll reach out.
Marketing Minute: Your Website Might Be Confusing People
Here is the truth. Most small business websites confuse the life out of customers.
People land on the homepage.
They look around for three seconds.
Then they leave because they cannot figure out what you actually do.
Here is how to fix that this week.
Make your offer obvious.
Put one clear sentence at the top of your homepage.
Something like “We fix plumbing problems fast in Roseburg.”
Keep it simple.
Cut the clutter.
If you have five buttons in the header, remove three.
People love simple choices. Simple choices lead to more calls and more sales.
Add one call to action.
Do not hide it. Make it bold.
“Call now.”
“Get a quote.”
“Book today.”
Use whatever makes sense for your business. Just make it obvious.
P.S. > If you want me to take a look at your website and give you a quick punch list of what to fix, reply with “Website review.”
Why Your Facebook Page Is Not Enough
A lot of Roseburg small business owners fall for the same lie.
They think a Facebook page is a business.
They think a few posts and a phone number count as a real online presence.
It does not.
Facebook is rented land.
You do not own it.
You do not control who sees your content.
You cannot rely on a platform that hides half your posts.
And here is the part nobody wants to admit.
If Facebook closed your page tomorrow, most people would not notice.
Your customers would simply move on.
That is why real businesses build homes they own.
A simple website.
Clear information.
Your hours. Your products. Your story.
Nothing fancy. Just real.
People want answers fast.
If they cannot find them, they leave.
They do not call.
They do not hunt you down.
They click the next result and spend their money there.
Reviews matter even more
They are your reputation.
They are proof that you show up.
A page with no reviews feels empty.
A page with old reviews feels abandoned.
People can feel neglect.
And they walk away from it.
This is not complicated.
It is discipline.
Clean website.
Current information.
Fresh reviews.
A system you control.
That is how small businesses grow.
Not by shouting the loudest.
But by removing friction.
By making it easy for people to trust you and find you.
If you want help building the foundation your business deserves, reach out and we will point you in the right direction.
Community Conversation
The Roseburg Reader should feel like a chat over coffee, not a broadcast.
Tell us:
• What local business deserves a shout-out?
• What kind of stories do you want more of?
• What challenges are you facing as a small business owner?
Your answers shape what this newsletter becomes.
In Other News
• 2025 Cyber Monday strategies and tips for small businesses and retailers.
• Small and mid-sized business owners expect revenue to increase in the next year.
• 7 small business grants entrepreneurs can apply for this season.
• Oregon’s business reputation has taken a hit. Are businesses really leaving?
• Ingram Content Group is expanding its workforce at its Roseburg location.
Recommendations
✅ Read: The top-100 must-read books of 2025.
✅ Laugh: A crowdsourced collection of the world’s worst business ideas.
✅ Grow: Fall garden chores that will make your spring work easier.
✅ Print: The 6 most reliable printers for small businesses.
Thanks for Reading
If you made it this far, thank you.
You are helping build something that matters. A voice for small businesses in Roseburg. A place for real stories. A place for real people.
I want this newsletter to grow, but I cannot do it alone. If you enjoyed this issue, share it with a friend. Hit subscribe if you have not already. One click from you makes a big difference.
And I want to hear from you.
Tell me what you need. Tell me what you want more of. Tell me which local business deserves a spotlight. Tell me what challenges you are facing as a small business owner.
If you need help with your own marketing, reach out.
That is what I am here for.
Let’s keep building this together.