Shops have home, but no owner

Whatever happened to the mini-market that was to be built at Hillcrest Road and Eagle Trace in east Medford? Some of us are eagerly awaiting it to cut trips to town.

-- F.S., Medford

The city last fall approved construction of two commercial buildings, each about 4,000 square feet, on 1.8 acres at that intersection.

But nobody yet has sought city building permits, says Mark Gallagher, a city planner.

The property is owned by Amblewood Development of Medford and is zoned for commercial use; the application and the building layout were done by Gary Breeden, a Medford architect. Breeden says Amblewood wants to sell the property and the plans for the project.

Breeden says a variety of businesses would be OK there, but a mini-market might not be placed at the site. He says one developer was eyeing the property last month with plans that did not include a mini-market.

TIRED OF THIS?: We've been informed that Total Tire Center, 2001 Biddle Road, will honor all warranty work and other service that had been offered to customers of Riverside Tire. The agreement was worked out last week when Riverside Tire closed its doors. Riverside Tire is owned by Lila Spirtwalker; we included the wrong name in this column Wednesday.

A note from her advertising agent says Spirtwalker had trouble competing with the big chain stores that sell tires.

(Send your questions to "Since You Asked," Mail Tribune Newsroom, P.O. Box 1108, Medford, OR 97501; or by fax to (541) 776-4376; or by e-mail to: youasked@mailtribune.com