Cricket launch draws crowd

By Darryl Swan

The South County Spotlight, Oct 29, 2008, Updated Oct 30, 2009

More than 100 people gathered Friday, Oct. 24, along Columbia River Highway in Scappoose for the launch of a Cricket wireless retail and service store.

Many in line were drawn to the opening for more than just a better deal on wireless phone and Internet services. The opening was backed by a promotion advertised exclusively in the South County Spotlight pledging $50 in free gasoline to the first 100 people through the door.

People attending the grand opening had to bring canned food to qualify for the free gas voucher. The food was donated to the Columbia County Women’s Resource Center.

“I was the first in line,” said Lamont Jayne. Jayne volunteers as a van driver for Creekside Baptist Church on Old Portland Road in Scappoose.

Lamont uses the van to give people a lift who otherwise couldn’t make it to church. When he heard about the promotion, he figured it was a good way to cut his fuel costs.

Others, such as Richard Forcier of St. Helens, said he, too, showed up for the gas. “I could always use the free gas,” said the 51-year-old St. Helens man.

Forcier said he hesitates to part with his current wireless phone provider, but added he would still look at the new store’s product offering.

Storeowner Anatoliy Sosnovskiy signed the lease for the store at 52515 Columbia River Hwy. on Oct. 2 following the expansion of Cricket wireless services in Columbia County. This is Sosnovskiy’s 10th store, with others in Portland, Beaverton and Canby.

Cricket, found online at www.mycricket.com, offers unlimited anytime phone services within the calling area, absent of signed contracts required of other providers.

A new phone planned for release in November is named after Portland Trailblazers center Greg Oden, and will be called the O-Fon.

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