Column: Local Grads Make the World A Better Place Episode 7; Meet Rachel Cole Miller
Rachel Cole Miller graduated TDHS in 1996 and has gone on to serve The Dalles at both The Next Door and at many a table as she has put together a successful career in hospitality during the past 27 years. Thanks to getting a good education in The Dalles, she can do practically whatever she sets her mind to.
Editor’s Note - This is the seventh part in a multi-part series of columns looking at students who were educated within The Dalles School system and who have gone on to make major contributions to our community by bringing their skills and experience to make a positive impact for all of us. A huge thanks goes to Nancy Turner and Patty Rolen.
Nancy Turner
By Nancy Turner and Patty Rolen
The Dalles, Ore., September 2023 - The other morning Patty Rolen and I met at Zim’s Sports Bar and Grill, with the owner, Rachel Cole Miller. When we walked in, we walked past about a dozen elderly men, eating breakfast, engaged in conversation.
Patty Rolen
They gather at Zim’s on a regular basis for the best breakfast in town, and the camaraderie. Elders often suffer from isolation and lack of social contact, but not these guys. Some of them have known each other for decades, and sadly, there are a few empty chairs. Zim’s is glad to host their social hour.
Sometimes kids need a helping hand. When Rachel Cole Miller was a sophomore at The Dalles High School, she had a baby. Rather than be shunned and kicked out of school, she was able to attend a childcare program provided by the school district. Unfortunately, this program no longer exists, but at the time it was a godsend for Rachel. She was able to continue her studies, and one day a week the moms got together and shared their experiences of being a teen parent. Without that support, she doesn’t think she would have graduated. This program was free and she was able to get credit for time spent with this group. Without that program, she reckons she would have been a stay-at-home mom, probably on welfare. Instead, she graduated in 1996.
Her first job was at Big Jim’s as a cashier. She moved on to bus tables at The Clubhouse at The Dalles Country club, and then became a waitress on Friday nights. Her living situation really made a huge difference for her. Four generations of her family lived on the same corner of a city block in The Dalles. They helped with childcare. At twenty-one, she became the manager of The Clubhouse for twenty-one years. Years later her children, two boys and a girl, also worked at the golf course.
Rachel attributes her attention to details to her ancestors from the 1900s, and advice from customers. They instilled in her the etiquette of serving the public. If there were two cigarette butts in the ashtray, it got emptied. She knew exactly when to refill a cup of coffee, where to place utensils and plates, and other basics of good service. She wasn’t paid much, but she learned a lot.
Jason Miller and Rachel Cole Miller after making the deal to purchase Zim’s from Connie and Bill Ford last spring.
In 2019 owners of the HiWay House remodeled and recruited her to be their manager. Then, in August of this year, she and her husband, Jason Miller, bought Zim’s Sports Bar and Grill on 2nd Street, in The Dalles. They kept the place pretty much the same as the previous owners had established. Same menu, same crew, same environment. She only altered a few things to help everyone work more efficiently.
Jason is a Portfolio Manager for Wilbur-Ellis Company, a leading international marketer in agribusiness. He designs the web page and is the technology guy at Zim’s, but basically, Rachel runs the show. She’s always liked learning new things, especially “hands-on activities.” She and Jason share the idea of keeping Zim’s a friendly community gathering place. Kids are welcome in a special area set aside for them. Rachel wants everyone’s experience at Zim’s to be positive. It’s not about money, it’s about service. Sure, she appreciates tips, but that’s not why she does a good job taking care of customers. She treats everyone equally. She believes what’s most important is her relationships with her customers. For her, it’s not just a job, it’s a calling.
In the past, Rachel was a volunteer at the Next Door Program. This program helps kids in need, providing a safe place for them to meet and linger after school, , especially those in foster care.
It was a great time, with good food, games, and gifts.
Rachel believes each of us must find our own niche, and apply our skills in our community. Thanks to getting a good education in The Dalles, she can do practically whatever she sets her mind to.
“The Dalles is like the Bermuda Triangle. You’re not getting out of it,” she exclaimed.
Some of the best people, generation after generation, live in The Dalles, she said. Rachel’s been around long enough to know. She’s one who found her niche, loves her work, and appreciates everyone, old and young.
Her mission in life stems from getting strong family support and a good education in The Dalles. Rachel’s goal is to give anyone who comes to Zim’s a great meal, and some of the best food and friendly service in town. She’s turned Zim’s into The Dalles “Cheers,” a place to go where everyone knows your name.
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