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September 1989, they opened a craft and hobby shop in a once-dilapidated structure lovingly renovated by Larry. “My Dad’s sweat and tears are in this building,” says their daughter Jessica. She and younger brother Steven, now 29, were in grade school at the time.

All too soon, a larger craft and hobby outlet opened nearby. “We couldn’t compete, but we didn’t have to close,” Jessica explains. That’s because of teenager Steven’s desire for a futon, a difficult-to-find novelty at that time.

The store began to stock them 16 or 17 years ago. Futons and furniture edged out craft items. Now Expressions is known as Portland-Metro futon special-ists, and carries top furniture brands for every room of the home.They also sell office furniture, children’s furni-ture and decorative accessories.

The two children worked summers and helped the business grow. Jessica went on to college at Portland State University. Steven chose Oregon State. After grad-uation Jessica moved to Seattle, worked in real estate and married. Steven went to work at Expressions full time. When Susan Gouze decided to step away from day-to-day operations, she asked her daughter to write an online advertisement for the job.

Jessica realized she had every skill the job required. “Best of all, it was a 40-hours-a-week position. I’d been working 60-plus hours in real estate. I was tired of com-ing home exhausted.” She returned to Oregon and to the business.

Today Jessica Gouze Gatke’s title varies with the paperwork she is filling out. “I’m the web master, accountant, buyer or seller — I wear a lot of hats! I even help unload trucks, and I’m not even 5 feet tall.” Steven manages the store with the help of two employees who do customer service and delivery. Their mother continues in the background, doing bookkeeping from home. Their father works nearly every day. Will the next generation continue the business? According to Jessica, Steven is interested enough to start talking with their parents. She says she has not formed her own future plans.

“We do know this. We might add other lines, but we aren’t looking for other locations. We’ve seen other small family businesses expand into new buildings or open a second location. Suddenly, they’re gone. In this economy we have no plans to move on or to change what we are doing. We know this works.”

Tigard Bowl, 11660 Pacific Highway, Tigard Family? It’s enormous at this boutique bowling facili-ty.

To see them in action, drop in at the adjacent Pizza Caboose on Friday at noon. Pizza Caboose stores are owned by brothers of Lori Pearl, herself the owner and operator of Tigard Bowl.

“My grandparents started the tradition of the Friday Family Lunch. They are gone now, but on Fridays you’ll find from three to 23 family members sharing pizza and conversation. Believe me, there are lots of kids running around,” says Lori.

Tigard Lanes has been in family hands for 34 years. Lori bought the business from her parents, Bob and Marion Powers. Lori is mother of three adult daughters, Kelly, Mallory and Emily Dolbeer. Her second marriage, to Mark Pearl, produced 3-year-old Abby Pearl and twins Mark Jr. and Charles Pearl, now 5 months old.

The youngest three come to work with their mother every day. Mark Pearl, her husband, became a Certified Pro Shop operator and sells bowling equipment at the facility. Daughter Mallory Dolbeer, 25, is the manager. Lori herself comes to work five days a week. Mallory has always worked with her mother. As full time manager, Mallory confesses that “It can be hard working with family, but lots of my friends say they don’t see their families often enough. I get to spend time with my mom and now, my younger brothers and sister. It’s the nicest part of coming to work.”

Lori’s work ethic is engrained in her life. As a regis-tered nurse, she combined work, child-rearing, and fami-ly business responsibilities while raising her first three daughters. Today even her official “day off ” is devoted to bookwork and league bowling.

Her energetic lifestyle is typical in her family. Last year her “retired” father painted the Tigard Bowl building inside and out. Her mother celebrated retirement from the

bowling industry by going into real estate.

There’s an obvious family feeling to this enterprise. Many customers come in two or three times a week to bowl or practice on the 14 lanes. Some just come to visit. “If we don’t know your name, we soon will,” Mallory predicts.

Should the business stay in the family, Lori believes that Mallory is the most likely to continue it.

“She has a business degree and this seems to be her career path,” Lori says.