Nixyaawii Community Financial Services and partners break ground on June 6, 2025, on a new food truck park in Mission. (Berit Thorson/East Oregonian)

Nixyaawii Community Financial Services announces name, takes applications for tenants

MISSION — Construction is starting on the new food truck park from Nixyaawii Community Financial Services.

NCFS held a groundbreaking ceremony June 6 to celebrate taking the next step toward the park’s opening. Attendees included representatives from NCFS and its board, the Wenaha Group, a construction consultant business, and Bryson Picard Grading and Excavating, a local Native-owned business that won the bid to set up the park.

Jacob Wallis, business services manager for NCFS, said it’s exciting to be finishing phase one of the project — getting the park up and running — after working for a few years to make it happen. He added that the park has many sponsors and he thinks that’s because “everybody sees how special this is” and wanted to be part of its success.

“I think it will be a beacon for a lot of our small businesses out here,” said Wallis. “So (I’m) really excited about that and also to be able to share their recipes and their gift to us.”

What’s in a name?

The park’s official name is Tx̣táyma Food Truck Park. Tx̣táyma (pronounced “tie-Eema”) means to exchange or barter in Umatilla.

Wallis said the name “represents what (he wants) this small business ecosystem to be.” Wallis’ hope for the park is that it will grow into its name, as phase two of the project will be adding a commissary trailer for people in which people can make their goods and crafts.

Dave Tovey, NCFS executive director, said with a chuckle they settled on the name after some heated debate. He said it fits with goals to provide opportunities to small businesses.

Rather than always bringing in established companies, Tovey said, “We need to start growing our own.” Once they’re settled, he said, they may choose to expand into a brick and mortar spot with the necessary experience and preparation and customer base to make the endeavor a success.

For now, NCFS is taking applications of interest from people who want to open a truck or use the permanent, rentable NCFS truck on the lot. Wallis said there almost certainly will be fry bread sold at one of the trucks, and there may be coffee, pastries, hot dogs or tacos at some of the others.

He’s hoping people will continue reaching out to pitch their business plan to NCFS. If there aren’t enough applicants, it’s possible established food trucks from outside of the tribes will set up shop in the park temporarily.

Supporting small businesses

NCFS board member Monica Paradise said she’s thrilled to see the vision come together.

“It’s exciting for all of the small businesses who will be able to be a part of each phase, especially our small businesses who are going to be able to provide food,” she said. “I think it’s really part of our cultural background, so that’s one thing that they’re able to bring forward is to provide food and use it in an economical way.”

One of the small businesses already benefiting from the park is Bryson Picard Grading and Excavating. The contracting business started in June 2020 and is co-owned by Bryson Picard and Dana Quaempts, enrolled members of the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation.

The pair said they’re happy to be involved with a project like the food truck park.

“We’re a 100% Native-owned business, so it’s nice to work right here at home,” said Picard.

Quaempts added, “We’re excited for this. We want to be a permanent fixture out here. I’m looking forward to the success of other tribal businesses that come out here as part of the food trucks.”

Construction is scheduled to finish July 11, with a soft opening of the park to follow shortly after. By the end of July, Wallis said he hopes to host a grand opening.