news and events in portland...

Who is responsible for job creation? The president, local government, entrepreneurial business people? As we expressed last month in the first installment in our Thinking Local series, you don’t have to look to ambiguous entities to create change in your community. You, and your neighbors, have the power to effect considerable change by just changing your habits. There is power in your dollar, but there is also power in your more...

While new restaurants and bars ruled the business landscape of early and midwinter, late winter in Portland belonged to consignors, refurbishers and providers of vintage threads. While February brought new businesses specializing in baked sweets, cotton candy, authentic Iraqi cuisine, and chicken and waffles (plus fitness classes to work it all off), it also brought retailers of jewelry made from found fossils, resellers of gently used more...

Thinking Local is a new monthly series that examines the reasons why thinking and buying local matters to Portland's economy and neighborhoods. It's no secret that Neighborhood Notes loves local—we're not shy about professing our support of local coffee micro roasters, new locally owned businesses, or evenneighborhood-specific honeys. And while it's fun to share the love for local artisans and indie business more...

From multi-week courses to single workshops, a variety of small business education opportunities are available to all entrepreneurs more...

With Portland’s ubiquitous farmers markets, a committed locavore “foodie” movement, and the great luck of being located in the Willamette Valley—home to some of the most fertile soil on the planet—how could the Rose City possibly face any food security issues? But the facts don’t lie. According to the Multnomah Food Action Plan, adopted by the County Board of Commissioners in January 2011, there are more...

The first graduates of the Beginning Urban Farmer Apprenticeship program look to make an impact on the agricultural scene of the Portland metro area. more...

Any small business owner or organization can create value through creative calendaring. more...

Imagine that you're a florist. You've spent years working in the industry, you've learned the art of arrangement and now you're ready to strike out on your own. So you begin scouting for locations and then, there it is, the ideal place for your dream shop, which you envision in an old house a couple of doors down from a small neighborhood market on a street lined with single-family homes. You're sure that you can more...

Portland's small retailers have always had to stay on their toes to be competitive in the face of online and big-box stores. Owners work hard to create personal relationships and shops that offer great experiences. Local leaders and business organizations have tried to help inform and motivate consumers with buy-local campaigns. Now, small retailers face an emerging threat from mobile apps that can turn a shop created with love into more...

At the tail end of the last century, as independent craft brewing was on the rise, an inexpensive domestic beer that was nearly forgotten got a new lease on life. The beer, of course, was the iconic Pabst Blue Ribbon. The place, of course, was here. But the reason? Pabst didn't have the capital to market itself, so it didn't, which is exactly why Portlanders embraced it. Well, that, and the beer was, and remains, cheap. In more...