Cooper’s Food and Drink is a locally owned restaurant and bar that serves great food and beverage, but also celebrates both its own history and that of the saloon industry itself. “The idea for our name can from a popular dog in the neighborhood, back in the day,” says owners Greg and Tanya Toger. “It also inspired us to find out the true definition of a ‘Cooper’ which is a skilled artisan who makes wooden barrels and casks for beer, wine and spirits. At Coopers, we have both the wooden vessels and a painting of that dog over the bar.”

Unfortunately, the dog days of the pandemic were quite hard on Cooper’s. “We had to endure severe cutbacks in labor due to COVID regulations,” says Greg. “We also had to take many steps to protect our staff and the public and that came at a hefty price toward our revenue.”

Yet, a place like Cooper’s is too important and too beloved in its community to stay down forever, and that is a big reason why the Toger’s are participating in Columbia Bank’s Pass It On Project. “People have really struggled, but they’ve also been resilient during the pandemic,” says Tanya. “That’s why we are passing it on to customers who want to enjoy some great food and drinks during this time of recovery. With Columbia Bank’s help, we are going to serve our customers and hopefully enjoy much better times ahead.” Cooper’s Food and Drink is providing free food and drink to customers, and Columbia Bank is picking up the tab.