He’s been in the hospitality biz since he was old enough to work, following life’s lead to various locales. But Brett Pires says he never expected to find what he’s found in Cottage Grove.
“Never in a million years would I have thought I’d be living in Cottage Grove,” he says. “I thought of it as just another small town, but it’s definitely not.”
Brett grew up in Myrtle Creek, learning to appreciate the perks of small-town living, which he says also figured into his later love of the Hawaiian island of Kauai, a place that held his heart for a decade until a relationship prompted a move back to the mainland.
“I get stuck,” he says. “It’s the small town in me. I loved Kauai because it’s one of the smaller islands, and the atmosphere was just great. It was my second home.”
Sadly, the relationship that prompted a move from Hawaii to Spokane didn’t last, and the Covid pandemic put the skids on a move back to Hawaii.
After about a year, a new plan began to form.
“One of my childhood best friends, my brother’s friends, moved here,” he recalls. “I wasn’t doing anything, so we started Brunch and Crunch.”
Locals may remember Brunch and Crunch as one of the food carts stationed behind Covered Bridge Brewing, the one that churned out a mean chicken sandwich. It also served as Brett’s introduction to the community of folks that help make Cottage Grove so special. And when the food cart’s time ended and he found himself in the Brewstation kitchen, Brett says he found the same small-town feel that he’s always loved here.
“This place is what makes me love this job,” he says. “We’re treated like family here, and the customers that come in here are like family too. That’s what it’s all about.”
Brett’s been a musician most of his days, playing bass in addition to other instruments for many bands over the years. He’s happy to have found a musical crowd here, along with a “gig” at Coast Fork that lets him do something something else he deeply loves.
“I love what I do because it’s making people smile,” he says.
