By Ellen Spitaleri Although Portland is known as a foodie paradise, Zicra Lukin found something lacking in the landscape, so she opened Babkush, a Jewish bakery at 935 SE Hawthorne
Babkush Fills Niche With Delicious Jewish Baked Goods Read More
By Ellen Spitaleri By the time John Thomas retired from engineering, he had accumulated so many books that his wife asked him to move them all out of the house.
Chaparral Books Offers High-Quality, Reasonably Priced Books Read More
By Ellen Spitaleri Sometimes you have to try something new to find out that you have a knack for it. That is what happened to Teo Lee when he was
Earth & Fire Pottery Studio Brings Classes, Membership and Community to SE Portland Read More
By Ellen Spitaleri After years of holding classes in various places, PHAME has finally landed on a new program space to call home. The building, at 2446 SE Ladd Ave.,
PHAME, an Arts School For Adults With Disabilities, Opens Near Ladd’s Addition Read More
By Ellen Spitaleri At 5,000 square feet and 250 feet in length, the new mural at Abernethy Elementary School is a colorful, eye-popping wonder to behold, and Aaron Stoertz considers
Vibrant New Mural Showcases the Artwork of Students of Abernethy Elementary School Read More
By Ellen Spitaleri Laura Masterson loves growing food for people, and in 1996, when she moved to a house with a double, oversized lot on SE 47th Ave. in the
CSA Farm-Share Program in Woodstock Offers Shareholders Year-Round Bounty Read More
By Ellen Spitaleri For years Pat Lando and Pete Muñoz had a goal: provide nutrient-rich fertilizer to local home gardeners and small growers in a sustainable way. They knew it
Nutrient Recovery Services Offers Sustainable Fertilizers Read More
By Ellen Spitaleri Colin Sharp grew up in Japan, where his father worked for an international bank. When he was in the seventh grade, a boy brought a skateboard to
Commonwealth Skateboarding Welcomes Riders of All Skill Levels Read More
By Ellen Spitaleri These days it is almost a cliché to describe a partnership as a win-win situation; however, in the case of the pairing of Childswork Learning Center and
Childswork Learning Center and The Lantern Partnership Will Benefit Entire Community Read More
By Ellen Spitaleri Loni Gray, a Richmond resident, wants to “establish a dynamic, healthy relationship between the people who live in our neighborhoods and those who build in them.” She
Neighborhood Placemakers Network, a Big Vision For Small Portland Entrepreneurs Read More
By Ellen Spitaleri Ask owner Candy Yiu what sets The Turning Peel, located at 4546 SE Division St., apart from other pizza places, and she will enthuse eloquently about three
The Turning Peel Offers Neapolitan-Style Pizza in a Welcoming Environment Read More
By Ellen Spitaleri Dozens of Abernethy Elementary School students, teachers, staff, parents and community members showed up on November 14 for the Ruby Bridges Walk and Bike to School Day.
Abernethy Elementary School Students, Community Come Together For Ruby Bridges Event Read More
By Ellen Spitaleri November is an exciting month for Milagro, the premier Latino Center for Art, Culture and Heritage, located at 525 SE Stark St. The organization marks the 30th
Milagro Celebrates 40th Anniversary With Events and Fundraiser Read More
By Ellen Spitaleri Jana Fulop has always been a lover of words and stories, so when it was time to come up with a name for her first stand-alone vintage
Storied Vintage Offers Quality Vintage Furniture and Home Goods Read More
By Ellen Spitaleri Sometimes the planets do align, and things swing back to the way they used to be. A case in point is the grand re-opening of 3 Doors
Original Chef/Owner Dave Marth Re-opens 3 Doors Down Café Read More
By Ellen Spitaleri There’s a lot going on at the corner of SE 22nd Ave. and Powell Blvd. The outside of the building features a colorful mural and a sign
Enjoy Food, Revel in Sports Memorabilia at Big Daddy’s Badass Bento Read More
By Ellen Spitaleri July is Disability Pride Month, which commemorates the signing of the Americans with Disabilities Act in July of 1990. This year’s theme is We Belong Here and
VioletSuitesPDX Boutique Hotel is Hidden Gem in Belmont Neighborhood Read More
By Ellen Spitaleri You could call Joe’s Authentic Supply Co. a “casual haberdashery” or even a men’s boutique, said co-owner Joe Glode, but he and fellow owner Jacob Schoen, emphasize
Joe’s Authentic Supply Co. Offers Classically-Inspired Clothing, Focusing on Fit Read More
By Ellen Spitaleri Sometimes dreams do come true. Just ask Literary Arts staff and board members, who dreamed of having a larger space. Now, with the December 2024 move to
Literary Arts Bookstore Opens in Historic SE Grand Ave. Building Read More
By Ellen Spitaleri The Brooklyn Grocery Co-op has a new name and a new location, but the hyper-local, value-based products are the same.The co-op began as a private buying club
Brooklyn Grocery Co-op and Cafe Opens in New Space Read More
By Ellen Spitaleri Looking for a place to leave all your worries behind or a spot where you can let go of all those aches and pains? If so, Float
Discover the Joy of Sensory Deprivation at Float On Read More
By Ellen Spitaleri Some people see a need in the community and do something about it, and that perfectly describes Craig and Ronit Gerard, the co-founders of Stone Soup PDX.
Stone Soup Teaches Skills, Reducing Barriers to Employment Read More
By Ellen Spitaleri There is hope for Portland’s unhoused adult population now that Urban Alchemy has been tapped to be part of one of the largest shelter expansions in the
Urban Alchemy Opens Two Wellness Villages in SE Portland Read More
By Ellen Spitaleri When Hungry Dumpling House, a new Chinese restaurant, opened on August 1 at SE 41st Ave. and Hawthorne Blvd., it marked the coming together of three best
Hungry Dumpling House Offers Dumplings and More in a Neighborhood Setting Read More
By Ellen Spitaleri The rainy season is in full swing, and people are starting to looking for something different to do inside. Sure, there are TV shows and movies out
Hopscotch Portland Brings Art and Fun Together Read More
By Ellen Spitaleri Aaron Stoertz has never forgotten the freedom he felt as a 10-year-old child, being independent while riding his bicycle. That is why the founder of the most
Abernethy Bike Bus Provides Safe, Fun Ride to School Read More
By Ellen Spitaleri Cody Knope-Jenkins’ desire to help people has taken him from being a personal trainer in his parents’ basement and backyard to opening Skyhook Ninja Fitness in Tigard
By Ellen Spitaleri A huge elm tree dominates the scene, roses are in bloom, neighbors are walking their pets or bicycling by, and the sun is always shining on the
7-Eleven Mural Shines a Light on Vibrant SE Neighborhood Read More
By Ellen Spitaleri For Reed Dow, the Farmhouse Carts site is more than just another cart pod: It is a “complement to the neighborhood” and provides a welcoming space for
Farmhouse Carts Offer Diverse Culinary Options in Neighborhood-Friendly Space Read More
By Ellen Spitaleri Shopping at the Radical Abundance Thrift Shop is a win-win opportunity: shoppers can purchase gently used clothing for pay-as-you-will prices, and the money supports an often-overlooked community.The
New Thrift Store Seeks to Support Vulnerable Communities Read More
By Ellen Spitaleri Shannon Levens, owner of Shoofly Vegan Bakery and Café, loves to look around the café and see it filled with people enjoying a hot drink and a
Shoofly Vegan Bakery and Café Read More
By Ellen Spitaleri “I really love connecting with people and learning what they are looking for. I love helping people get what they need and seeing how it empowers them,”
Backstory Books & Yarn Read More
By Ellen Spitaleri Leonard and Andrea Allen, owners of the new ECOVIBE shop on the corner of SE 23rd Ave. and Hawthorne Blvd., want everyone to know that this is
By Ellen Spitaleri In late August, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) awarded a $100,000 Environmental Education Grant to Growing Gardens, a nonprofit organization set up to provide gardening education to
Growing Gardens Receives EPA Grant to Support Programs Read More
By Ellen Spitaleri The Great Notion taproom that opened at 2105 SE Division St. on June 23 in the former Ether Shoes storefront is the result of a project started
Great Notion Brewing and Papi Sal’s Team Up on SE Division Read More
By Ellen Spitaleri Food carts were always part of Katie Proctor’s plan for the parking lot at 1401 SE Division St. when she bought Books with Pictures three years ago.
Sweet and Savory Dishes at Division Food Cart Pod Read More
By Ellen Spitaleri The word “akadi” means tasty in Bambara, a native language in West Africa’s Cote D’Ivoire, where Fatou Ouattara grew up — that is why she chose it
By Ellen Spitaleri The 4th Wall PDX is a cinema-themed cafe and lounge located at SE 14th Ave. and Hawthorne Blvd., but it is so much more. However, there is
By Ellen Spitaleri The Ship John logo says it all: Made in the USA and Stuff That Holds Up. The shop, located at 4310 SE Division St., focuses on American-made
By Ellen Spitaleri At Oscar’s Burgers, the impossible is possible — at least in the plant-based burger world. During the pandemic, the restaurant, located at 3500 SE Milwaukie Ave. across
By Ellen Spitaleri As Evan Shlaes was on his way to work on the morning of October 5, 2021, he saw two fire trucks headed in the direction of Really
Really Good Stuff Vintage and Collectibles Reopens Read More
By Ellen Spitaleri Don’t let the name fool you, yarn bombing is not an act of war. Instead, it is the act of covering objects or structures with crocheted or
Yarn Bombing Spreads Love on SE Division St. Read More
By Ellen Spitaleri When Heidi Weiss decided to rebrand her business in 2021 and call it Lemon Tree Wellness, she took inspiration from a lemon tree she had been given.
By Ellen Spitaleri Currently the lack of affordable housing and the homeless situation are two challenging issues in Portland. “We’re all concerned and not sure how to help,” said Beckie
Family Promise of Metro East to Open Family Shelters in March 2022 Read More
By Ellen Spitaleri Ross Ching knows that Mama & Hapa’s Zero Waste Shop isn’t going to cure climate change, but he hopes it does make people more mindful of where
Mama & Hapa’s Zero Waste Shop Read More
By Ellen Spitaleri If cats could dream, they would conjure up an environment exactly like the one at House of Dreams cat shelter in NE Portland where felines have room
House of Dreams: A Loving Home For All Cats Read More
By Ellen Spitaleri When Portland City Commissioner Nick Fish died in January 2020, the metro area lost a beloved and resolute city activist who prioritized affordable housing and accessible green
Human Solutions: Community Where Everyone Can Thrive Read More
By Ellen Spitaleri To get closer to nature, all you have to do is look up. Go outside, look up at birds in the sky and to find out more
Pacific Northwest Birding Companion for Novice Birders Read More
By Ellen Spitaleri The City Repair Project is a nonprofit with a mission to educate and inspire communities and individuals to creatively transform the places where they live and gather.
City Repair Project Brings Art to the Streets Read More
By Ellen Spitaleri As tradition has it, June is the most popular month for weddings, but with pandemic restrictions in place, large gatherings are not recommended. However, two things remain
By Ellen Spitaleri WildCraft Studio School has come a long way from its roots, moving from a rural studio in White Salmon, WA, to a roomy, light-filled space on SE
WildCraft Studio School Read More
By Ellen Spitaleri Even with the advent of vaccinations, COVID-19 is still with us and pandemic depression is a real thing. Bratcher is the owner of Ritual Dyes, a yarn
By Ellen Spitaleri The pandemic is not the only crisis in Oregon right now. Unfortunately there are nearly 8,000 children in foster care and the spread of COVID-19 has made
Boys & Girls Aid Fosters Futures Read More
By Ellen Spitaleri It has been a long time coming, but construction has finally begun on improvements to Laurelwood Park, a third-of-an-acre green space at the intersection of SE Foster
Laurelwood Park Construction Underway Read More
By Ellen Spitaleri Change is in the air and on the ground at Portland Parks & Recreation’s Leach Botanical Garden, the former estate of botanist Lilla Leach and her husband
Improvement Projects, New Leadership at Leach Botanical Garden Read More
By Ellen Spitaleri Everyone is hoping for better times in 2021, but Jacobsen Valentine has specific items on his wish list for the new year. As the founder and executive
Feed the Mass Feeds the Community Read More
By Ellen Spitaleri Even though AARP Oregon’s 9th Vital Aging Conference took place in November, people still have the opportunity to access speaker presentations from the conference on the AARP
AARP’s Vital Aging Conference Read More
By Ellen Spitaleri When Rhys Scholes set out to write his first book, he decided to focus on something familiar. The Hawthorne area has been his home for decades and
Portland’s Hawthorne Boulevard, A New Book Read More
By Ellen Spitaleri A normal summer for Portland Parks & Recreation (PP&R) features crowded swimming pools, alert lifeguards and plenty of outdoor activities for families and seniors. However, the summer
Measure 26-213: PP&R Operating Levy Read More
By Ellen Spitaleri “We view the internet like electricity and Free Geek provides the light bulbs,” said Adelle Pomeroy, the digital inclusion manager at Free Geek, a nonprofit community organization
Free Geek Helps PPS Students Read More
