Ranch & Home founder is grand marshal for Pasco’s Grand Old 4th parade

For nearly two decades, George Dress and his family ran their Pasco business from 1,400 miles away.

Then, when Mary Dress visited to help a son relocate, the matriarch professed her love for the Tri-Cities and joked that she wasn’t returning to Minnesota.

The Dresses moved out west to be closer to their Ranch & Home store in Pasco and took stock in their new home, sponsoring concerts, sporting and outdoor events and the Benton Franklin Fair & Rodeo.

It is because of that dedication to the community that George Dress has been chosen as grand marshal of Saturday’s Grand Old 4th of July parade in Pasco.

“I thought that was pretty nice of them. It’s quite an honor,” said Dress, 82. “I want to thank whoever was involved for how this took place.”

The parade, sponsored by HAPO Community Credit Union, starts at 10 a.m. at Memorial Park.

Dress, the founder and owner of what has grown to three stores with a fourth on the way, asked his 12-year-old grandson, George, to ride with him.

His wife of 55 years, Mary, died June 20 after a long battle with lung disease.

Pasco Mayor Matt Watkins selected Dress after reviewing a group of nominees that came from the Park and Recreation Advisory Board.

“Most notably he has been a longtime businessman here locally, and he’s been a very strong supporter of community events, including the Grand Old 4th in the past,” said Pasco spokesman Jon Funfar.

The first Ranch & Home store opened in 1974 on North Oregon Avenue in Pasco. Dress was familiar with the West because one of his brothers had a store in Moses Lake and another had retail outlets in Northern California.

Kennewick’s North Columbia Center Boulevard store has been open for 15 years, and the Milton-Freewater store has been on Highway 11 for three years.

The Dresses aren’t done expanding. Hermiston will welcome a Ranch & Home in early 2016.

The store initially catered to the farmer, rancher and homeowner, but it soon diversified into sporting goods, archery, hunting and pet supplies.

Dress said the store now boasts 17,000 jeans and 15,000 pairs of boots.

The business continues to succeed, he said, because sons Jeff and Bill could take over for him.

“They’re the ones really running it now, and I’m toning down,” he said. “It’s a way of life for them.”

The brothers moved to the Tri-Cities from Minnesota in 1991 to run the Pasco store, and their parents followed them out three years later. Dress previously had been in the real estate business for about 32 years.

“Basically as somebody said, it is Minnesota’s loss and Washington’s gain,” joked Dress, who likes that you don’t have to travel far to fish, golf or even hunt.

The Dresses — including Jeff’s and Bill’s wives and young children — were honored in 2008 as grand marshals of the fair parade. They rode in a horse-drawn carriage.

Dress wants to thank Pasco and the entire Tri-City community for making his family feel so welcome and accepted.

“We love it here,” he said. “This is our home.”

This story was originally published July 2, 2015 at 10:01 PM.