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0 of 3 Premium Clicks used this month SUBSCRIBE Print + Online Subscriber Activation | Register x Forgot Password | Need an Account? subscribe | newsletter | deals Classifieds Jobs Autos Real Estate FEATURED » NEWS NOW Our View: Scouting then and now ... Jeffrey Gillespie: The United States and Iran make a deal ... Guest Opinion: Synthetic turf is the wrong answer ... Our View: Scouting then and now ... Jeffrey Gillespie: The United States and Iran make a deal ... Guest Opinion: Synthetic turf is the wrong answer ... LITHIA WAY Bank and coffee shop space in new concept in new Ashland building Comment By Tony Boom For the Tidings DailyTidings.com By Tony Boom For the Tidings Posted Apr. 19, 2015 at 12:43 PM By Tony Boom For the Tidings Posted Apr. 19, 2015 at 12:43 PM » Social News A long-time Jacksonville coffee café and a bank share customer space as an experiment in downtown Ashland’s newest business location. Pony Espresso Café and Washington Federal Bank occupy 3,324 square-feet of ground level space in the Plaza West Building, 175 Lithia Way. Both business had a soft opening last week Monday and will hold a ribbon cutting at 4:30 p.m. Tuesday, April 21. “It’s a new concept for Washington Federal. It is the first of its kind in the organization,” said Ann Hall, a bank community relations vice president. “We wanted to expand the situation of shared lobby space and using branch automation to some degree.” The bank leases the entire lower area and the sub-leases the cafe space to Pony Espresso.  At the bank’s request,  Pulver and Leever Real Estate Company sought out a local business to share occupancy. “I think they wanted someone local,” said Pony Espresso co-owner Kadie Boivin. “I think Ashlanders like their coffee and their coffee places.” “We looked for a business that had matching values and an appreciation for the community,” said Hall. On the bank side there is a small office, a conference room and walkup stations where client will conduct transactions at machines.  Bank officials have found that many customers do significant amounts of banking on-line and may only need to access machines. Customers told bank officials they like to serve themselves but also want to have someone available if help is needed, said Hall.   Ashland’s menu includes breakfast items, sandwiches, soups, salads and coffee drinks.  There’s a large leather couch, tables and chairs indoors.  Large windows afford street views. An adjacent side plaza has three tables and there will be tables along the wide sidewalk on Lithia Way. Pony Espresso opened 20 years ago and the Boivins purchased the business in 1998.  Ashland isn’t first time Pony Espresso has gone afield. The couple operated Caffé Diem next to Tinsel Town in Medford from 2001 to 2007, when they sold it to purchase the Jacksonville land and building. “We’ve got good foot traffic. I think the potential is there” said co-owner Chris Boivin. There’s parking nearby and a 15-minute parking zone will be in front of the building, he said. The foray into Ashland comes as the same time the Jacksonville location completed major upgrades to its kitchen. The café there now offers a full breakfast menu and additional day time options. Ashland café hours will be 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. seven days a week. “If we feel like if there will be a need for longer hours, I’m not opposed to that,” said Kadie Boivin. The business has eight full and part-time employees.  Staff was left intact at the Jacksonville operation and new employees were hired for Ashland. Washington Federal closed its branch in Talent recently. It has another four branches in the Medford area, 49 in Oregon and 250 nation-wide. “We want to see how this goes; if our clients are happy, if it’s a mutual benefit for the bank and clients,” said Hall.  The bank will consider similar operations elsewhere, she said. Bank space is 2,099 square-feet while the coffee shop has 1,225 feet. Ten condominiums were built in the three-story building. Two on the ground floor are classified as affordable housing. The building sits on the site of the former Copeland Lumber Company. First Place Partners developed the project, which was built by Mahar Homes. Tony Boom is a freelance writer living in Ashland. Reach him at [email protected]. By Tony Boom For the Tidings DailyTidings.com By Tony Boom For the Tidings Posted Apr. 19, 2015 at 12:43 PM » Comment or view comments Reader Reaction » STAY INFORMED Email NewsLetter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Southern Oregon Directory Featured Businesses Loading... 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