<p><strong>Sean Hart photo</strong></p><p><strong>Owner Connie Burke searches for a suitable watermelon for a customer Tuesday at Alive & Well. The business features organically grown, local items from Finley’s Fresh Produce.</strong></p>

Alive & Well owner Connie Burke moved to Hermiston 28 years ago and soon after opened a 10-foot by 10-foot consignment spot downtown in The Village, where she sold supplements and health foods. She moved to several locations with The Village before the owner moved away, when Burke acquired the antique business herself. She then bought a Christian book store and included it in her offerings. About 11 years ago, she bought and renovated the building that currently houses the business at 2150 N. First St., Hermiston.

Its been a journey, she said.

1. Number of employees: Four full-time employees, one as general manager oversees the books and gifts, one manages the health foods, one manages the kitchen and one fills in everywhere as an assistant, along with two part-time clerks.

2. Products offered: Vitamins, supplements, health foods, gluten-free products, organically grown local items from Finleys Fresh Produce, Christian books, Bibles and music, inspirational gifts and home decor and vegan juice and smoothies. We do a lot, Burke said. Theres a little something here for everybody.

3. Busiest time of the year: Summers are the slowest part of the year. Otherwise, its pretty steady.

4. Most popular items: Anything Dr. Oz recommends … Weight loss products are high on the list. We sell a lot of pro-biotics. Vitamins and supplements are our biggest sellers.

5. Biggest challenge: Splitting my time between my grandchildren and my business. I suppose the biggest challenge was initially moving into this building and just making it work, filling up the inventory. Every business is evolving. Mine is at a state now where I can come and spend an hour a day, and it runs just fine without me. I just had my 65th birthday, so I can go home and spend time with my grandchildren. 

6. Biggest success: The fact that its become a viable business in this community, that, if I wanted to, I could sell and somebody could make a living off of it. People walk in all the time and say, This is a wonderful place. I love this place. If thats their first time in the store, theyre kind of in awe.

7. How do you keep up with trends: Your suppliers let you know … and Dr. Oz, of course. Anything he promotes, wed better hurry up and get it on the shelf, because everybody in Hermiston is going to be in looking for it.

8. Plans for the future: New signs, new computers and a new pumphouse. Were probably going to add to our baby line and downsize the books and music and add to our supplement lines, Burke said.