Old Town Chinatown's Bright Retail Future
There was a time not so long ago when downtown retail suffered a 12 percent vacancy rate, spurring a coalition of private and public forces to concentrate their efforts on developing a thriving shopping corridor. The most notable effort, perhaps, was a series of holiday-season pop-up shops that featured local makers and retailers, some of which developed into permanent fixtures like Crafty Wonderland and Boys Fort. You can also thank those efforts for the influx of biggies like H&M and Sephora.
Now some of those same efforts—Portland Business Association, Portland Development Commission, Downtown Clean & Safe—are broadening their scope, recasting Old Town Chinatown as a new land of opportunity, something that's already been playing out in discussions over housing development. For one thing, this year will see the return of the pop-up project, this time located on NW 5th and Couch, featuring three local businesses that target the creative class, athletic/outdoor, and the neighborhood's cultural heritage. Additionally, PBA Retail Program Director Lisa Frisch says they are actively recruiting local retailers, particularly those who have been priced out of other neighborhoods, keeping the focus on independent shops rather than the nationals in SW, and taking advantage of the area's lower rents, including office spaces that are being converted back into storefronts.
November 13 is the tentative date for the relaunch of the pop-up, which will also be joined by another "yarn-bombing" effort (you probably recall the public art downtown appearing with scarves and hats last year), and at least three free parking days to encourage shoppers to plop their holiday dollars downtown. In the meantime, anyone interested in opening up shop can check out the recruitment package for businesses of the following types:
· Independent Restaurants - catering to breakfast, lunch, and dinner markets; neighborhood and fine-dining (destination) restaurants
· Businesses Reflecting the District’s Heritage - supporting the multi-ethnic heritage and character of the district
· Hospitality and Entertainment Venues- appealing to a broad range of demographics
· “Creative Class” Retail - specialty retail unique to the District such as Compound, Upper Playground, and Hand Eye Supply
· Grocery Concepts - small scale, specialty grocery/food options
· Basic Neighborhood Services for residents-dry cleaners, banks, pharmacy, and service retail
Look for more info on the upcoming holiday efforts—as well as details on already slated projects like the Grove Hotel and Pine Street Market—to start leaking imminently.
