Editorial: Let’s celebrate decades of loyal business service
Published 3:34 pm Tuesday, December 16, 2025
Recent news stories about ownership transitions at Deals Only and Video Horizons remind us of the importance of family-owned businesses in our area and throughout the nation.
Calling each of these an “Institution” is no exaggeration. In their unique ways, these businesses and many others are a large part of what knits local people together.
Video Horizons, being sold as an ongoing enterprise, is a bright temple dedicated to moving pictures. It has endured and succeeded at a time when most similar businesses have faded away in the face of streaming channels and other changes in the constantly evolving home-entertainment marketplace.
That it prospered for decades says a great deal about Astoria and owner Neal Cummings. There is an impressive reciprocal relationship there, a devotion to the community and the cinematic art form that has been rewarded with customer loyalty.
Deals Only has cultivated a somewhat similar following, filling an important role in downtown Astoria with everything from discount groceries to art supplies and lots more. In addition to providing affordable products to we who live here, Deals Only nearly qualifies as a tourist attraction, recalling the town depicted in “The Goonies” — a hard-working place that appreciates a good deal when it sees one. On cruise ship days, you can count on out-of-town shoppers wandering down the aisles on the hunt for strawberry jam and other miscellaneous stuff.
The Bjornsgard family, with deep roots in the Columbia estuary communities, is understandably ready to retire from retail. It will be interesting to see what comes next at that key downtown address.
Covering these two iconic businesses doesn’t mean we don’t notice other comings and goings throughout Clatsop County. It is one of rewards of small-town journalism that we are privileged to witness the hard-won victories and painful retreats of all the entrepreneurs who try to make a go of it here.
Business people may not fully appreciate how lucky we are to have such a dynamic economic development organization in CEDR, which along with the Small Business Administration has aided in launching hundreds of businesses in the county.
It’s important when starting or buying a business to understand the basics of hiring, taxes, financing, marketing and nearly countless other technicalities. Around here, although it isn’t as harshly seasonal as it used to be, it’s still so important to have a plan for getting through these slower months of storms and short days.
It’s also vital, better sooner than later, to begin formulating an exit strategy. Having a small business isn’t for everyone. Children and grandchildren may reasonably choose to either take over, or chart different paths. Succession planning is essential.
CEDR helps with all these basic principles of business.
Operating Deals Only and Video Horizons for decades was no small feat. Their decades of operation deserve celebration. We hope our stories will motivate you to stop, shop and say congratulations.
If you know of a notable business story we haven’t covered, please drop us a line. News editor Jeanne Huff can be emailed at Jeanne.huff@dailyastorian.com.
