‘Grinch’ Orders City Tree Removed Sandpoint’s 35-Foot Grand Fir Too Big For Front Of Store, Bridge Owner Says
Coldwater Creek owner Dennis Pence earned a place alongside the Grinch and Scrooge on Wednesday after ordering the community Christmas tree removed from outside his store.
“He is the Grinch that stole Christmas,” said Donna Deshon as she watched crews haul away the 35-foot grand fir.
Deshon is a member of a Chamber of Commerce committee that selected the tree and helped decorate it with 35 strands of lights and bowling ball-sized ornaments.
All the decorations had to be removed Wednesday and the tree hauled to the Chamber parking lot after Pence complained it was too big and blocked the sign and entrance to the Cedar Street Bridge.
“I know we look like the Grinch that stole Christmas, but we are trying to get one back up that everyone will be happy with,” Pence said. “It was a disaster. Year after year it’s been a certain size tree, but this year it turned into the most enormous one I’ve ever seen.”
The tree was donated by longtime resident Francis McNall. GTE crews helped haul it in, set it up and string the lights with a boom truck. Chamber volunteers also bought new ornaments this year and were angry when the tree was ordered down right after they finished decorating.
“A lot of people put in a huge amount of work to get this up, but it turned into a community effort that didn’t work out,” said Chamber Executive Director Jonathan Coe.
The chamber will put a smaller Christmas tree in a downtown fountain near the Cedar Street Bridge. The planned tree lighting ceremony will still take place Friday evening.
The bridge, a downtown landmark, has been the traditional site for the community tree for nearly 30 years. Even before the bridge was built, a Christmas tree adorned that location.
“This will be the first time since I can remember that we won’t have a tree here. This is a blow to the community spirit of Christmas,” Deshon said. “As far as I’m concerned all he (Pence) wants to do is reap from the community and not give back.”
This is not the first time Pence has ruffled community feathers. He leased the entire 28,000 square foot Cedar Street Bridge shopping mall last year. He ousted about 10 of the local businesses, giving them eviction notices on New Year’s Eve.
The bridge is now a retail store for Pence’s successful Coldwater Creek mail-order business. The company focuses on environmental and wildlife themes, selling a line of clothes, Native American crafts and jewelry.
Because of the company’s environmental leanings, Deshon said Pence at first even objected to having a cut tree in front of the building.
He later agreed to carry on the community tradition. Coldwater’s bridge manager even helped select the tree and place it in front of the store. But after Pence saw it he said it was just too big.
“We agreed to try and squeak it in but it just didn’t fit,” Pence said. He promised to pay for another tree to be put in its place.
“We want to get Christmas back for Sandpoint and we will get a tree up in front of the bridge for Christmas, I promise,” he said.
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