The East Oregonian's Sheila Hagar reported that Everett Carson, founder of Carson Footwear, purchased the historic Pendleton Grain Growers elevator in Athena, Oregon, for $175,000 in May 2025, converting the 1880s structure into a shoe manufacturing facility.
The grain elevator, originally built when railroads arrived in the area, served local growers for more than a century before Pendleton Grain Growers dissolved in 2016. Carson plans to use the building for sole-pouring operations and employ approximately 20 people.
The Athena City Council supported Carson’s proposal after he addressed environmental and safety concerns about the manufacturing process. Carson, who previously operated Pacific Marketing and Publishing before founding his footwear company in 2013, aims to create supportive-yet-flexible running shoes using American-made materials starting at $225.
