The Tillamook County Creamery Association (TCCA) opened its new Tillamook Creamery visitor experience. This new facility is the culmination of a multi-year project by the farmer-owned co-op to completely redesign and rebuild the visitor center at the Tillamook Creamery.
Designed by Olson Kundig, Seattle, Wash., and built by Precision Construction, Portland, Ore., the new Tillamook Creamery is located adjacent to the company’s flagship manufacturing facility and headquarters in Tillamook, Ore.
“This new facility brings to life TCCA’s story, from our vital history as a farmer-owned co-op, to our modern-day commitment to dairy done right,” says Patrick Criteser, TCCA president and CEO. “The project also represents a significant investment in our local presence here in Tillamook County, and one that we anticipate will attract even more visitors to our area.”
The new Tillamook Creamery was built in the same location as the former visitor center, but is more than 50% larger at approximately 42,800 square feet.
“For Tillamook, we designed the opportunity for visitors to make a connection between the food on their plates and the story behind it. It was a chance to tell previously untold stories of Tillamook’s 109-year history – the creamery, its cows, its farmer-owners and the high-quality products they produce,” says Alan Maskin, design principal, exhibit design, Olson Kundig.
Some features of the new Tillamook Creamery include:
• A larger dining area with more indoor seating and a spacious outdoor-covered patio for visitors to enjoy year-round.
• A new menu, created in partnership with Sarah Schafer, chef of Irving Street Kitchen, was designed to showcase Tillamook products through dishes inspired by classic dairy comfort food and Tillamook’s coastal location. The menu includes offerings from the creamery’s new pizza oven, grilled cheese sandwiches and more. It also features wine and beer from the Pacific Northwest.
• An expanded Tillamook Ice Cream counter, available for indoor and seasonal outdoor service, including several specialty ice cream sundaes, shakes and floats, in addition to every flavor of Tillamook ice cream.
• A new coffee and yogurt bar, where visitors can purchase coffee and espresso drinks and customize their favorite Tillamook yogurt with a variety of toppings.
• A new retail market featuring a large selection of Tillamook’s products, local specialty food items and branded apparel and goods.
• An enhanced viewing experience of Tillamook’s cheese production and packaging operations with better acoustics and exhibit signage, as well as a small theater space where visitors can view short videos about how Tillamook products are made.
• An in-depth farm exhibit where visitors can learn about cows, dairy technology and life on the farm.
• Tillamook samples,
“It’s very exciting to see this project, which has been in the works for more than six years, come to life,” says John Russell, TCCA’s executive vice president of marketing. “The creamery is the home and epicenter of our brand, and this new facility allows us to truly showcase who we are as a premium, iconic brand of the West to visitors from around the country and the world.”
“Generations of dairy farmers are proud to call Tillamook home, and now we’re thrilled to be able to invite even more Tillamook supporters into our home and better educate them about dairy farming and what makes our co-op so special,” says Shannon Lourenzo, TCCA farmer-owner and board chairman. “We’re excited to share this new facility with many future generations of Tillamook fans, and we hope they all will love it as much we do.”
