Known 150 years ago as the commercial center of Yamhill County, Lafayette is currently experiencing a bit of a glow-up after a flurry of businesses have set up shop in recent months.

The Vault Cider House, located at 392 3rd St, Lafayette, OR, opened earlier this month in downtown Lafayette. While I haven’t been there yet, it appears to offer a casual, neighborhood vibe while serving a selection of Oregon ciders along with the required number of food items, per OLCC law.

And while Hamblin Eatery (416 3rd St, Lafayette, OR) did close this past April after five years of operation, according to social media posts, the restaurant was swiftly replaced by another that might be familiar to local folks. The building is currently under construction and is planned to be a pizza joint owned and operated by the same folks behind Mikey’s & Joysticks in McMinnville and Retro Pizza in Amity. According to staff at Mikey’s, the Lafayette location will open sometime this year and will be bringing near the same lineup of games and grub from the McMinnville Mikey’s to Lafayette’s 3rd Street.

Other businesses have also launched heavily visited destinations around the city in recent years. As previously reported, The Bakery, a weed dispensary, opened earlier this year on Bridge Street. Dollar General added a location at the east end of town along Highway 99W in 2021. And in late 2023, Head Start of Yamhill County opened up it’s Lafayette location at the corner of Lafayette Highway and 99W.

Red vs. Blue. Right vs. Left. Jake Paul vs. Mike Tyson. When you’re only given two options, ya gotta make a choice! And for those growing up in Lafayette in the ’90s, there were only two options when it came to patronizing a business with your allowance: People’s vs. Bill’s.

(To the people who are saying, “What about Carnicería Abastos?!” I say ‘this is a piece comparing People’s vs Bill’s’. But, I fair point. I added a few paragraphs at the bottom.)

Where you choose to drop that trickle-down cash said a lot, and absolutely nothing, about who you were as a person. Did you just hit the closest spot for that (zebra) cake? Or did you trek a whole extra block for those hot and delicous, crispy, deep fried potatos wedges curiously called “JoJos”? (I’m a People’s man, myself. But, clearly I did like what Bill’s “deli” did with a deep fryer.)

Why bring up this battle of good vs. evil? Because the old People’s Market is currently being transformed into a larger, more modern grocery and convenience store. The bright yellow or mellow white on the side of the People’s building has morphed into open windows and updated branding. And with this talk about People’s, you might be wondering: what’s up with Bill’s Market (293 Bridge St, Lafayette, OR) these days? Still peddling horny goat weed? Meth pipes? Questionable magazines in the back?

Like any grimy small-town stop-and-shop, I drive past, see ads for beer I wouldn’t touch plastered like showbills on the side of a building that’s seen better days, and lose interest instantly. So… where’s the Bill’s glow-up?

-Andrew Brunello

PS. Someone in the Lafayette group seemed disappointed that I didn’t mention Carniceria Abastos. So, I’m mentioning it now.

Sometimes, when I was extra grounded as a pre-teen and needed a longer break from my 8th Street holding room, I’d walk all the way down to the relatively new Mexican grocery store and butcher, Carnicería Abastos. Walking that whole extra block and a half past People’s gave me a glimpse into the world of Mexican-centric foods, treats, spices, and most importantly to me, Mexican Coca-Cola. Heck, that store being there is probably one of the reasons why I wanted to learn to read, write, and speak spanish (poorly).

Si, me encanta Mexicana coke! I’d always roll out of that place with a glass bottle of Mexico’s finest and a small 16-gram container of Limon 7. To me and my sixth-grade Bus 2 cohort, that was the original upper and downer. A hit of the lime salt would make you pucker up, but the soothing bubbles of the Coke would mellow out any lingering tang on your tongue.

Have another Lafayette business you’d like mentioned? Email me at admin@yamhillae.com