Historically the city's economy has been based on timber from federal owned
land. However, in recent years logging has been heavily reduced. As a result,
only one of the original twenty mills are currently in operation. The loss of
the timber industry has had a heavier impact on Josephine County as a whole,
but is still felt in the city. The city has tried to replace the lumber
industry with tourism. Although tourism is nothing new to Josephine County,
tourism is now a very visible part of the city.
Grants Pass is also the birthplace of Dutch Bros. Coffee which began at the
"coffee house" on the corner of D and
