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Come take a look at our new backyard!!
Here at Wilderness Way we have finished our re-model project on the street-side of our building! To see the final photos and construction views of our new image, click here. Our goal was to have a nice grassy area between the store and the street, with trees and plantings to surround the mural on the back of the building. We believe this new look not only helps improve the appearance of the building, but will greatly add to the look and feel of downtown Soldotna. This project underscores Wilderness Way's commitment to preserving the environment and adding to the value and livability of our community.
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Wilderness Way News, Specials and BargainsCheck out our new make-over!
 Ever since we moved into our new location in downtown Soldotna, we've been itching to re-do the outside of the building to upgrade our appearance.
Well, we've been working hard this summer get the project done, and we are excited about our new look! With our new logo and the new wood product signs up front we have tried to make an attractive home for our great outdoor products. We still have a few improvements to make, but we've come a long way towards making our store a more attractive part of our community.
 Last summer we removed the old plywood deck and temporary wood sign, and re-built the deck and stairway. After a fresh new coat of paint we had Philip Vasquez, a great young local artist, paint an outdoor scenic mural on the back wall of the building.
This summer the project continued with landscaping the area between our store and the sidewalk along the Sterling Highway. We also put up our new logo on the back of the building, and now we just need to wait for the grass and trees to grow!
Soldotna City Right-of-Way Beautification Program
When we first moved into our new building we were unhappy with the gravel strip separating the building from the Sterling Highway road. But landscaping can be expensive, and as a new business we weren't sure we could even get permission to landscape, let alone afford it. Fortunately, as our artist was working on the new mural, our Soldotna City mayor and planner stopped by to tell us about a great new program the city has sponsored. In order to assist in improving the appearance of Soldotna, the city government has earmarked funds for a right-of-way beautification grant program. With this new grant program, the city will pay for 1/2 of the costs for landscaping or other beautification projects on DOT right-of-ways within the city of Soldotna.
Well, we jumped at the offer, and with a minimum of paper-work and the assistance of our capable city engineer and planner, we were ready to go. They even helped us obtain the necessary permits from the DOT to allow us to do the work. We elected to do the landscaping work ourselves, although we could have hired a professional landscaping firm if we had wanted to.
(Compare the above photos to this older picture.
We think you'll agree we've come a long way!)  So, why have we gone to so much trouble to re-do the back of our store? Several reasons, actually.
First, we've really appreciated the enthusiastic reception the citizens of Soldotna have given our new store location, and we want to give something back to the community. Sprucing up the street-side appearance of the building is our way of saying thanks for your support. Second, we at Wilderness Way like to feel that our store really stands for protecting and enhancing our environment. From light-impact, green camping gear to selling American-made products and boosting local businesses, we are all about doing our best to make the world a better place to live. What better way to show our commitment to the environment than to enhance the appearance of our town? Finally, we believe in being good neighbors. We hope that our improved appearance will help, in our own small way, to make Soldotna a more attractive tourist location, bringing in outside dollars for all local businesses. We're all in this together, and we just want to do our part. So by anytime to come watch our grass grow!
About the artist: Philip Vasquez
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Philip Vasquez is a 27 year-old native of Sacramento CA who began painting at age 6, following the example of his painter father. By age 15 he had art work on display in art galleries in California, and after graduating from High School he began attending the California College of the Arts in San Francisco. As a high school senior, however, he travelled to Alaska for a trip and fell in love with the wild scenic grandeur of the state. Soon he was spending his summers working in Alaska, and he finally moved to the Sterling area full-time at age 24. He recently has taken a hiatus from painting, but we have lured him back into active art work to paint the Wilderness Way mural, and we are thrilled with the beautiful job he did on this mural. Phil is a great friend and a versatile guy. He even helped us with the landscaping project! For those trying to reach Phil, he can be contacted at 
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