our history
Cannon Packer is named for an earlier time in the owners life. Living in Cannon Beach, Oregon and putting together gift boxes and baskets for clients was the inspiration for the shop name. It was out of those memories, of those times and friends, that the name comes.
What do you do? As with each shop owner the shop evolves. Each gift market brings new choices. We choose items for our store that will enhance your home or might be a nice gift for a friend. We try to inspire through color, texture and taste.
If you visit our store often, you see it change with the seasons. The colors, textures and mix of items reflect the needs of the season. A Bridal Registry is on-going as is a Baby Registry. Surprises and new styles often appear.
Our mix of old and new gives our store a warm, comfortable feeling. Just one of the reasons for this is due to the restored building we are housed in. The old Great Southern Railroad Depot is owned by the Baker family. The Depot was built in 1904 by Great Southern a railroad owned by John Heirick. The Depot had been located next to the grain elevators at the foot of Brewery Grade, but was moved across the street in the early 1950s.
The building has been home to a restaurant, a shoe repair shop, and second-hand store before going into disrepair. The Bakers purchased the building some 20 years ago and restored it, keeping its original character.
The past year the City of The Dalles has developed a round-a-bout in front of the store. New private parking lots flank both sides of the building. Access to the store is on the West side. The Baker family have plans to upgrade the outside of the building in the near future back to the feel of the Great Southern roots.