TWIN FALLS, Idaho (KLIX) – Hundreds of people gathered at Clif Bar on Tuesday afternoon for the bakery’s grand opening in Twin Falls.

Among those who attended the event were Gov. C.L. “Butch” Otter and Lt. Gov. Brad Little, as well as Twin Falls Mayor Shawn Barigar and other city and county officials.

“It’s a great day of pride for Idaho,” Otter said.

The governor, as is his style, wore blue jeans and cowboy boots to the event. He said it is not the state’s job to choose what businesses come into a community, but to support the community after it has made a decision.

“Twin Falls and the Magic Valley have done a tremendous job” with their decision to help make Clif Bar a reality in the area, he said.

'You couldn’t find a better place to cook your biscuits,' says Gov. Otter.

The grand opening included refreshments and wine tasting, rock climbing, free energy bars, and a live band whose closing song was a heartfelt performance of the Prince classic “Purple Rain.”

Twin Falls resident Don Coker said he was impressed by what he saw Tuesday afternoon and believes Clif Bar will have a positive impact on the community.

"I had to come out to see what this is all about," he said.

Soon, employees wearing Clif Bar t-shirts or other apparel gathered with guests under or near a pavilion to hear more about the company.

General Manager Dale Ducommun, who lived in North Carolina before moving to Twin Falls, told News Radio 1310 that the community has been very welcoming to him personally and to the company as a whole. He is excited to work with a “top notch team,” he said.

Ducommun said the company selected Twin Falls after evaluating the company’s fit into the community against three benchmarks: the community’s response and support, the rural location of the site, and the opportunities for outdoor recreation – three things important to the company. In all respects, he said, Twin Falls fit the bill.

Little echoed similar sentiments, saying Twin Falls was the perfect location for the company that shares similar values. “The Magic Valley is a nice place to work, live and raise your families," he said.

Barigar said the community celebrates “this bakery, which is a little different than your mom’s kitchen. But,” he continued, “I would argue that it’s not that different,” referring to where company founder Gary Erickson made the first energy bars – in his mother’s kitchen.

Erickson was unable to attend the celebration due to health issues, Ducommun said.

The 275-square-foot Twin Falls bakery – one of only two in the country – incorporates biophilic design elements including more than 200 windows and vaulted skylights. A climbing path is included in the building’s design, and an outdoor walking/running trail is planned outside. The bakery employs 200 people with another 60 to be added next year, Ducommun said. The lowest wage is $15 an hour.

“You couldn’t find a better place to cook your biscuits,” Otter said.

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