Category: Business Relocating

Business Relocating, Food and Drink, New Business

Dollhouse Espresso Opens on SE 82nd

In Late March, Dollhouse Espresso opened its bikini coffee stand at 1133 SE 82nd Avenue and has served caffeinated drinks to drive-through customers every day since. Owner Jessica Cody bought the cart with donations from supporters interested in seeing a woman-owned stand that would create a safe space for the people working there. Although barista attire is a theme of the cart, Cody and her staff strive to deliver well-made coffee, tasty food, and friendly service for all customers.

Jessica Cody has worked as a dancer and bartender for several years. She continues to do that work to help support this new business, some days working from 6 a.m. to 3 a.m. the next day. However, it was her work abroad that gave her a true passion for coffee service. “I used to live in Australia before the pandemic on a working visa. I lived there for about two years, and I managed a really great coffee shop in Perth. That’s where I learned how to make good, authentic coffee,” Cody recalled. That experience and an Australian influence shape some of the drinks on the menu. “I’m bringing a little bit of my experience there, out here, with the style of coffee that I make,” said Cody. “I have normal coffee, and I also do things like Aussie iced coffee, which is iced coffee with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. That’s a staple drink in Australia.”

The Aussie iced coffee is not the only sweet thing on the menu. “I also have real cotton candy and cool candies, different things to make our drinks a unique and cool experience. It’s a lot of fun,” said Cody. The shop also offers traditional breakfast items, including muffins and a French toast breakfast sandwich. On the savory side, Dollhouse Espresso can sell guests egg and cheese, ham and cheese, or sausage breakfast sandwiches. Cody is particularly proud of their feta cheese and spinach brioche wraps. Because of the limited space and a need for fast service, all food is prepared by a partner kitchen in Washington State and heated to serve in the stand on SE 82nd Avenue.

Bikini coffee has a varied history in the Pacific Northwest, and Jessica Cody was an early employee in that industry before moving to Australia. Through that tumultuous experience, she developed her idea for a respectful woman-run business. “I had a very bad experience working at a bikini coffee stand when I first did it years ago. It was called Dream Girls,” recalled Cody. The former owner of Dream Girls now faces charges of sexual abuse and rape, along with other crimes reportedly committed against some of his employees. Cody felt Dollhouse Espresso was an opportunity to come back to bikini coffee from that experience and create a safe place for this type of service. Many of the people working there are her friends, and she operates the stand similar to an employee-run shop.

Part of Cody’s vision for Dollhouse Espresso is to make people feel respected inside and outside the cart. “I feel like we are friendly and welcoming enough for everybody, any part of the community. I try to hire women of all different shapes, sizes, and colors,” said Cody. The organization is LGBTQ-friendly, and Cody says families come through often. “I try to make it exciting for everybody,” explained Cody.

The path to opening this new business has not been without issues and false starts. Dollhouse Espresso opened last year in Vancouver, Washington, operating for just three months. Cody said the landlord raised the rent on her with little notice and caused property damage when she did not pay the increase. In 2024, she had to relocate and regroup. Having lived in the Montavilla during her youth and working in some nearby businesses, this location on SE 82nd felt appropriate for the stand’s long-term home. “The demographics seem great for what I’m trying to do here, especially for girls being in bikinis,” said Cody. So far, customers are responding well to the new location, and Dollhouse Espresso is seeing consistent business. Expanding to more areas is not out of the question for Cody. However, she will focus on building this location into its best version before considering taking on more work.

The shop is currently open from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. every day, but Cody is considering plans to start opening early at 5 a.m. on Monday through Saturday in the near future. The stand can support two drive-through windows, and Cody hopes to reconfigure the cart’s placement to open up that second window. Walk-ups and bicyclists are welcome, but the staff recommends drive-through visits for the safest experience because the stand is in a parking lot.

Article and photos by

Jacob Loeb

Promotion: Help keep independent news accessible to the community. Montavilla News has a Patreon account or you can pay for a full year directly online. We invite those who can contribute to this local news source to consider becoming paid subscriber or sponsor. We will always remain free to read regardless of subscription.

Business Relocating, Community, Construction

VOA Oregon Seeks Input on NE Glisan Campus

On Wednesday, April 3rd, Volunteers of America (VOA) Oregon will hold its second public meeting to present preliminary designs for the group’s six-acre campus at 8815 NE Glisan Street. People planning on attending should RSVP for the event and then arrive at the Multnomah University President’s Dining Room at JCA Student Center by 4 p.m. for the start of the event. The University is located near the future VOA site at 8435 NE Glisan Street.

Article originally published on March 7th, 2024

On February 24th, Volunteers of America (VOA) Oregon held its first town hall meeting, where organization leaders and architects presented preliminary designs for the group’s six-acre campus at 8815 NE Glisan Street. Over the coming years, VOA Oregon intends to consolidate its administrative services and some of its substance use, behavioral health, and childcare services onto this former church property. Project designers with Opsis Architecture explained that the multi-phased project would utilize the site’s sloped topography to hide increasing building height and borrow inspiration from residential rooflines to match nearby structures. A second meeting is scheduled for April 3rd from 4 to 5:30 p.m. at Multnomah University in the President’s Dining Room.

Looking Northwest at future site. All renderings by Opsis Architecture provided courtesy VOA Oregon

Designers structured the proposed campus with external functions in buildings adjacent to NE Glisan Street and internal services in the site’s northwest half. VOA Oregon buildings will stand two stories tall along the site’s southern edge, increasing to three levels as the land slopes downhill, presenting a consistent scale along its frontage. Crews will reconstruct the existing parking lot to include more trees and landscaping between the 92 stalls. Another cluster of lots along the property’s northern edge will provide an additional 54 on-site parking spaces. The early redevelopment will raze the 1950s-era church building and add frontage improvements along NE Glisan Street with significant work on NE 90th Avenue. Road Crews will reconstruct sections of NE 90th, adding sidewalks, street trees, and 17 curbside parking spaces to the street’s western edge.

Image looking north, courtesy VOA Oregon

VOA Oregon’s schedule for development is dependent on fundraising efforts. Construction will occur in phases, and the nonprofit will reuse existing site attributes, such as the main parking lot’s location, to save on costs. The first phase will prepare the site to host future buildings. The second phase will construct the NE Glisan adjacent administrative building and one of the residential treatment structures. Additional buildings will follow as funding allows. VOA Oregon also owns property across NE 90th Avenue. That site will allow for future multi-use development on the northeast corner of NE Glisan and 90th. Crews will construct a secure storage facility for company vehicles and supplies north of that building after demolishing the church’s storage structure, which is currently serving that purpose.

Opsis Architecture will design all buildings to serve distinct uses and complement VOA Oregon’s support programs. The main building will contain offices and community space with outward-facing uses, including a cafe and meeting rooms. Two L-shaped buildings will offer short-term units for the Women’s Residential Treatment program, where people and their children can stay between three and six months while receiving care. Each housing building can support 50 residents, meaning up to 100 people will reside on campus when fully occupied. Staff will work all hours of the day, year-round, making this formally dark and underutilized property consistently more active. Other structures will support community clinic services and childcare for employees and program participants.

Site map showing all phases, by Opsis Architecture provided courtesy VOA Oregon

In 2022, VOA Oregon President Kay Toran spoke with Montavilla News about the group’s hopes for the property. Since then, Toran has worked with the organization’s Board of Directors, staff, and designers to create a facility that she expects will provide the positive change that Portland’s behavioral health crisis requires. For 125 years, VOA has worked to rebuild lives after experiencing substance use and behavioral health issues. This campus will bring operational efficiencies to the organization and expand some offerings. However, they will maintain many other locations throughout the Portland Metro area and Oregon. They operate in an environment that has a nearly endless need for services as people transition out of addiction, incarceration, or trauma and into stable lives. VOA Oregon invites the community to attend the April 3rd meeting to receive more information, ask questions, and provide feedback.

By

Jacob Loeb

Promotion: Help keep independent news accessible to the community. Montavilla News has a Patreon account or you can pay for a full year directly online. We invite those who can contribute to this local news source to consider becoming paid subscriber or sponsor. We will always remain free to read regardless of subscription.

Business Relocating, Food and Drink

Hungry Heart Comes Home

On January 5th, Hungry Heart Bakery reopened in its original storefront at 414 SE 80th Avenue, consolidating three brands and two restaurants back into one business. For the owner and staff, this will create a sustainable environment while allowing them to continue the work they enjoy. The shop has returned to a breakfast-focused menu in a takeout and counter service format.

Jax Hart started the Hungry Heart cupcakes food cart in 2010 and then opened the Hungry Heart Bakery in Montavilla on January 3rd, 2015. Hart planned to open a new restaurant on SE Stark Street called White Rabbit Cafe and Bakery in the spring of 2020. The pandemic set White Rabbit’s launch date back, with the 7940 SE Stark Street location opening in early 2021 under the Hungry Heart brand. In 2022, Hart reopened the original storefront on SE 80th as a sugar-focused shop called Rabbit Hole Market and Sweets.

The two locations with split identities sometimes caused misunderstandings about the menu options at each space. “It’s been a challenge to create these different brands and give each their own identity. I think it created a lot of confusion over time for people because they would come into Hungry Heart in the morning for cupcakes or they come into Rabbit Hole looking for espresso,” explained Hart. Additionally, the expanded footprint and full-service restaurant generated more work than the profits from both places justified. On December 18th, having considered the best options for staff and customers, Hart closed Hungry Heart’s Stark Street location and retired the White Rabbit/Rabbit Hole branding.

Hart is still developing the new Hungry Heart format, with several classic items missing from the menu. Currently, they only offer their renowned cupcakes by special order, and the Rabbit Hole soft-serve ice cream is unavailable due to space constraints. Brunch and Lunch items once served on SE Stark Street are no longer on the menu, and the shop now closes at 1 p.m., reflecting its breakfast focus. However, starting in March, a retail business will share the SE 80th Avenue storefront after they close, and that group will sell some Hungry Heart baked items. “We can’t announce yet who, but we’re gonna try out having an afternoon roommate in this space, and they will be selling our cupcakes,” said Hart.

Although Hungry Heart is geared towards takeout, they still have 14 seats inside, with an outdoor seating area planned for summer. Hours of operation could also expand in the warmer months with the possible return of soft-serve ice cream. Hart is not trying to take on too much while integrating the brands, instead focusing on the core business. “I feel fortunate and proud of all these different concepts I’ve had a hand in. Not all of them were highly successful or profitable, but the pastries, coffee, and sandwiches continued to be profitable. I think a valuable lesson is that bigger isn’t necessarily always better. It was really cool being in a bigger space, but I missed being in the smaller space, having a smaller crew and a smaller menu, and just having things be a little bit simpler. The bigger space just felt like a hustle,” said Hart.

The downsizing and return to its origins is not a regression for Hungry Heart. Hart sees it as an opportunity to safely experiment without the pressure of a large restaurant’s staff and overhead. People should expect to find new, exciting foods coming from the bakery alongside the classics. “I’m hoping to take some of the pastries in a more Hispanic direction and do a play on a modern Mexican bakery, offering some more things from my background that I grew up eating. I’ve just been so focused on French pastry since we’ve been open. I’m really excited to take things in a different direction and still offer people the things that they’ve come to know over the years,” said Hart. Hungry Heart is open daily from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. except Tuesdays.

Article and photos by

Jacob Loeb

Promotion: Help keep independent news accessible to the community. Montavilla News has a Patreon account or you can pay for a full year directly online. We invite those who can contribute to this local news source to consider becoming paid subscriber or sponsor. We will always remain free to read regardless of subscription.

Business Closing, Business Relocating, Food and Drink

Hungry Heart Consolidates

On December 18th, Hungry Heart Bakery served its last meal from the 7940 SE Stark Street location and will return to its former space a block away at 414 SE 80th Avenue. Since April 2022, the Rabbit Hole Market and Sweets shop has operated from the SE 80th location. Jax Hart owns both businesses, and the two locations worked together to meet the varied appetites of customers throughout the day. This weekend, December 30th and 31st, the restaurant’s owner will sell surplus supplies as they consolidate operations into the smaller space.

Inside Rabbit Hole Market and Sweets

Hungry Heart Bakery opened in Montavilla on January 3rd, 2015, after five years of running the successful Hungry Heart cupcakes food cart. From 2017 to 2019, Hungry Heart opened a sister business, Heartbreaker, a block over at 411 SE 81st Avenue. They closed that business with plans to open a new restaurant on SE Stark Street called White Rabbit Cafe and Bakery in the spring of 2020. The pandemic set White Rabbit’s launch back, with the SE Stark location opening in early 2021 under the Hungry Heart name. As restrictions lifted on indoor dining, Hart expanded the menu and embraced the original brunch menu planned for White Rabbit. The restaurant began a transition to the intended name, adopting both logos. However, they never completed that transition, and a change of business operations was needed.

In December, Jax Hart publicly announced that the company would relocate to the original space. “The decision to downsize has not been easy, but gives us the opportunity to slow down and return to our roots,” reads a notice on the Hungry Heart website. Consolidating the two locations requires selling some of the surplus restaurant supplies. The staff invites people to buy items at the weekend sale from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on December 30th and 31st inside the closed location at 7940 SE Stark Street. They intend to reopen the consolidated shop at 414 SE 80th Avenue on January 5th, 2024. Watch the Hungry Heart Instagram account for updates.

Article and photos by

Jacob Loeb

Business Relocating, Food and Drink, New Business, Restaurant

Replicant Bar and City Noise Records Coming to NE Glisan

In early 2024, City Noise Records will relocate from NE Broadway to 7035 NE Glisan Street. Next door at 7033 NE Glisan Street, the owner of the punk and metal music store will launch a new beer and wine bar called Replicant with his partner Lydia Crumbley. Renovation crews working on the 1917-era storefronts encountered some age-related complications, but work is now well underway for a mid-March or April opening.

The 810-square-foot bar’s name originates from the 1982 sci-fi movie Blade Runner. The film featured synthetic humans known as replicants, hunted in a futuristic Los Angeles. Bar and record store owner Gianpiero Milani is a fan of the film and will use it for some of the bar’s theming. However, co-owner Lydia Crumbley explained they will not attempt to recreate a bar environment from the film. Replicant will offer non-alcoholic drinks alongside beer and wine, with a food menu that includes vegan options.

The bar and record shop connect through a hallway, allowing people to move between the two locations as they drink and shop. The record store will utilize its new 516-square-foot storefront to increase the music genres offered and add more products. In addition to vinyl and cassette-based albums, the shop features books, magazines, jewelry, and apparel. The back portion of the music store will contain City Noise’s growing online order fulfillment business, shipping across the country.

Crumbley and Milani chose this Montavilla location because of its proximity to their home and the rare option to combine the existing store with a new bar. The shop is also near Crumbley’s Certified Public Accountant business, located above the Bipartisan Cafe on SE Stark Street. The two record store employees will transfer to this new location by April, joining a bar manager working next door. Replicant will serve guests from 3 to 10 p.m. every day except Mondays. City Noise Records will maintain its hours of noon to 7 p.m., Tuesday through Saturday, with similar hours on Sundays but closing at 6 p.m. Look for work to pick up pace in January and February, with a soft open anticipated for March.

Article and photos by

Jacob Loeb

Promotion: Help keep independent news accessible to the community. Montavilla News has a Patreon account or you can pay directly online. We invite those who can contribute to this local news source to consider becoming paid subscribers or sponsors. We will always remain free to read regardless of subscription.

Business Relocating, Community, Services

Rahab’s Sisters Path to a Dedicated Facility

On December 6th, the non-profit Rahab’s Sisters will relocate all functions from St. Peter and Paul Episcopal Church to the Montavilla United Methodist Church at 232 SE 80th Avenue. Their move one block west allows the day services provider to maintain operations as it seeks Multnomah County funds to create a dedicated facility. The group serving women and gender-diverse individuals will keep the same operating hours while embedded in its temporary location. The organization’s leadership hopes to offer an expanded schedule after they set it up in a long-term space.

Rahab’s Sisters started serving those marginalized by poverty, houselessness, sex work, violence, and substance use in 2003. They have worked from the church building at 247 SE 82nd Avenue the entire time, making this move a significant event for the organization. “It’s the very first location and only location. So we’ve been there 20 years,” explained Desiree Eden Ocampo, Executive Director of Rahab’s Sisters. The program stemmed from the church’s community but without a religious agenda. “A group of Episcopal women, both lay and clergy, wanted to care for folks working on 82nd at night, giving them a place of safety without any sort of preconceived notions that somebody has to be fixed or saved. It’s harm reduction,” said Ocampo.

Rahab’s Sisters’ move coincides with the closure of St. Peter and Paul Episcopal Church. At the end of 2023, the congregation will turn over the SE 82nd Avenue property to The Episcopal Church in Western Oregon (ECWO), which will begin the site’s transformation into affordable housing. Initially, Rahab’s Sisters hoped to return to the property after crews completed construction, working from a ground-floor commercial space. Early concepts for the housing development included non-residential storefront space on the first floor. However, those plans changed as the church worked to maximize available housing and secure specific funding. Ocampo explained that the Episcopal Diocese of Oregon offered Rahab’s Sisters continued use of the SE 82nd Avenue building until its demolition. However, the cost of operating the old building without other tenants sharing the expenses was not practical for the non-profit’s budget.

Fortunately, the organization was able to expand on an existing relationship to find temporary accommodations. Rahab’s Sisters began renting office space from Montavilla United Methodist Church in May as they were outgrowing St. Peter and Paul’s facilities. When the church announced its closure this year, Ocampo approached the Methodist church leadership about moving all activities into their space. This relocation will double the interior area available to the group while still offering a kitchen space to prepare the meals served at Friday community dinners. It also allows them to bring some previously outside activities inside the building. The Multnomah County’s syringe exchange program van uses the St. Peter and Paul Episcopal Church’s parking lot to distribute harm reduction kits. Ocampo said that with this move, that interaction will now focus on Rahab’s Sisters’ guests within the church building, although those guests can share supplies with people not served by the organization.

Montavilla United Methodist Church

Montavilla United Methodist Church will be a valuable transition space for Rahab’s Sisters. Its proximity to the original location helps alleviate fears of change experienced by some frequent guests. Before the move, Rahab’s Sisters staff will take guests on walks to show them where to go starting on December 6th. They also intend to post signs with directions to the new location. Although the larger facility at the Methodist Church will work well to maintain services, it is not the dedicated location Rahab’s Sisters needs to grow the organization.

On September 28th, the Multnomah County Board of Commissioners allocated $62.5 million in one-time-only funding for added shelter capacity. The County set aside $3.3 million within that package to expand daytime support services. Rahab’s Sisters applied for $775,000 of those dedicated funds to cover the buildout costs needed to develop day services within a dedicated facility. Nearly $500,000 would go towards capital improvements to the building, creating a suitable kitchen and constructing interior amenities using trauma-informed design. The remaining funds will add furniture and cover other costs related to starting a new facility. Desiree Eden Ocampo explained they have already looked at locations between 122nd and 70th Avenues, giving the group an idea of what spaces the organization could lease. All potential sites will need work to meet their unique needs. However, with the County’s one-time funds covering the significant startup costs that previously prevented expanded operations, Rahab’s Sisters can finally step towards enhancing services within a reasonable operating budget.

Rahab’s Sisters currently supports over 300 people annually, operating two days a week. A dedicated facility will allow them to grow that number, but more importantly, it would expand support throughout the week. If Rahab’s Sisters receives the Multnomah County support, they will need to move quickly, with the bulk of the work happening in the summer of 2024. Ocampo thinks Rahab’s Sisters’ expansion is precisely what the County is looking for when expanding the provider network. There is a significant gap in day service providers operating in East Portland. Most facilities are concentrated Downtown and on the inner Eastside. 

Ocampo acknowledges that moving the organization twice in less than 12 months is not ideal and would have liked to work from the original location longer. However, Rahab’s Sisters fully supports the SE 82nd Avenue property’s redevelopment and looks forward to the speedy construction of affordable housing. The first half of 2024 will likely feature substantial growth for the day services provider. The staff will have more private space within Montavilla United Methodist Church for community partners to work from, increasing the quality of service. Then, the group will have the substantial task of locating and creating a dedicated site to grow its supportive community. Expect updates on this process in early 2024.

Article and photos by

Jacob Loeb

Promotion: Help keep independent news accessible to the community. Montavilla News has a Patreon account. We invite those who can contribute to this local news source to consider becoming paid subscribers or sponsors. We will always remain free to read regardless of subscription.

Business Relocating, Community

Unitus Moving Mall 205 Branch

Unitus Community Credit Union will permanently close its Mall 205 branch on November 16th, relocating operations to a new Cascade Station storefront the following week. Credit Union management expedited the planned move after an early October car crash damaged the building, compromising security. Consequentially, tellers are no longer able to complete cash transactions at the Mall 205 location.

Unitus moved into its current Mall 205 space at 1052 SE 96th Avenue on July 25th, 2011, relocating from its former Mall 205 location less than a mile away. The credit union had outgrown the smaller space and wanted to modernize the branch. In a 2011 press release, the financial institution presented the new storefront as “one of Unitus’ signature branches with artwork, a tech center, coffee kiosk, contemporary furnishings and décor.” A little over a decade later, Unitus’ Chief Retail Officer Corlinda Wooden explained they need less space to support members. “We felt that the space at Mall 205 had become too big for the use we need, so we looked for another location nearby to help reduce our lease expenses. We decided to relocate the branch to the Cascade Station shopping center, which is about five miles from the Mall 205 location.”

Repair to the southeast corner of the of Unitus after car crash

Unitus Community Credit Union’s decision to shrink its footprint follows many organizations that have reduced leased space post-pandemic. Even before health concerns forced companies to embrace work-from-home operations, the banking industry was adjusting to the mobile-first preference of users who now complete most banking services via smartphone. 

Unitus’ move out of the area further reduces banking options for Montavilla residents. US Bank closed its NE Glisan Street branch three years ago, and Riverview Bank consolidated operations out of the neighborhood in 2021. In late 2020, Chase Bank closed its location inside Fred Meyer at 6615 NE Glisan Street. However, OnPoint Credit Union opened in its place a few months later. Montavilla residents also have BMO Bank, formerly Bank of the West, at 8135 SE Division Street.

Unitus Community Credit Union plans to open its Cascade Station branch on November 20th. The Mall 205 location no longer supports cash transactions. However, cash is available through the on-site ATM. Credit union members should look for an email from Unitus announcing the new branch opening sometime in November or check the institution’s website for more details when they post that information.

Article and photos by

Jacob Loeb

Promotion: Help keep independent news accessible to the community. Montavilla News has a Patreon account. We invite those who can contribute to this local news source to consider becoming paid subscribers or sponsors. We will always remain free to read regardless of subscription.

Business Relocating, Community

Recuperative Care Program Greeting Guests

On October 10th, Central City Concern (CCC) will begin transporting Recuperative Care Program (RCP) participants from the Blackburn Center to their new Evergreen Crossing facility at 8225 NE Wasco Street. Earlier this year, CCC bought the former Comfort Inn to expand its ability to provide ongoing medical and housing support for people recently discharged from the hospital but needing continuing care. Last month, Evergreen Crossing staff invited people to see how a three-story hotel transformed into a medical recovery site.

Resident transfer to the new facility will take place in one day using taxis to carry people between buildings. An expected 45 people will move to this newly updated space with their possessions. Over the last few months, crews removed carpet throughout the building, leaving just the entry room’s flooring as it was. The floors now have easy-to-clean hard surfaces, more fitting a medical environment. Locksmiths installed electric latches operated by keycard readers mounted on the wall. The onsite manager’s apartment provided the ample platform to become an onsite clinic providing primary care within two exam rooms. Staff converted the apartment’s kitchen into a modest lab space, and the living room serves as a reception area.

Evergreen Crossing single occupancy room

During the search for a new building, CCC staff were impressed with this Comfort Inn’s amenities and condition. It has onsite commercial laundry facilities with double the equipment seen in similarly sized buildings and a large communal dining area. The multi-story building also had an elevator to assist the predominantly mobility-impaired guests. The program will reuse much of the hotel’s furniture in the rooms, with the exception of the couches and beds. For over four decades, the organization worked towards ending homelessness. During that work, they developed their own bed design that uses a welded metal frame and easily sanitized sleeping mat. The couches were part of larger rooms labeled suites. Those expanded spaces with small divider walls will become double occupancy rooms when the program scales up.

Some elements of the hotel will not work for the RCP, and CCC will need to perform future renovations to address those issues. The building came with an indoor swimming pool that they will need to decommission. Most residents are newly released from the hospital with conditions that would not mix well with chlorinated water. That large pool room could become space for visiting medical providers to perform onsite treatments for patients unable to travel easily. The facility also lacks a full kitchen capable of cooking meals. At first, residents will receive a dinner prepared offsite and brought into the facility. In the future, CCC will build out the existing food prep room to accommodate a commercial kitchen and create meals onsite. The Evergreen Crossing staff also intend to install gates around the parking structure to create a secure environment for residents enjoying the courtyard.

Evergreen Crossing Clinic medical supply room

CCC expects residents to be self-sufficient and somewhat autonomous within their rooms. Each room has a mini-refrigerator and microwave for breakfast and lunchtime meals. Guests must be able to use the restroom independently and get into and out of a seated position without assistance. Staff will be available around the clock on each floor to assist within reason, but current training levels will only allow them to provide certain levels of care. That could change as they increase staffing levels over time. With 66 available rooms, some of which enable double occupancy, they anticipate housing a maximum of 90 people. Still, they will always attempt to run at 90% usage to allow for emergency placements or delayed checkouts.

Evergreen Crossing double occupancy room

Montavilla residents and the thousands of vehicles rushing past this building will likely be oblivious to this hotel’s transformation into a recuperative care site. People are only placed into the program through medical referral, and visitors are not allowed, keeping site activity at a minimum. CCC does offer walk-in medical services, but not at this facility. People seeking that assistance can visit the Blackburn Center at 12121 E Burnside Street.

Article and photos by

Jacob Loeb

Promotion: Montavilla News has a Patreon account. We invite those who can contribute to this local news source to please consider becoming a paid subscriber or sponsor. We will always remain free to read regardless of subscription.

Business Relocating, Food and Drink, Restaurant

Sebastiano’s Relocating to Sellwood

October 4th, Sebastiano’s announced their intention to close the original Montavilla location at 411 SE 81st Avenue and move operations to Sellwood. The transition will happen in early 2024 after completing construction at the new shopfront. For the owners, this difficult choice resulted from steady growth and a pragmatic investment in their business.

Since opening in June 2020, Sebastiano’s Sicilian Deli has increased its citywide brand and expanded its customer base, often bumping into the limits of the sub-700 square foot storefront on SE 81st. The pandemic prevented the store from offering indoor seating at launch. By the time restrictions were lifted on table service, kitchen operations had already expanded to take over the entire shop. Over the years, owners Elise and Daniel Gold invested in sidewalk coverings, parking lot tents, and food trucks as a way to make their constrained space support onsite dining while expanding their offerings.

In May, the Golds leased a second location at 8235 SE 13th Avenue to serve as a production kitchen. A healthy farmers market presence, event popups, and diverse menu items require a full commercial kitchen that will not fit in their current location. Even as they worked on that new 2000-square-foot space, the Golds intended to keep Montavilla at the center of their business. However, the kitchen space at SE 13th and Umatilla Street had enough floor area to support a respectable amount of customer seating, and the other restaurants around the Sellwood storefront were creating substantial foot traffic.

The opportunity to create a quality indoor dining experience for their customers appealed to Daniel Gold, and it was not something he could accomplish in the existing Montavilla storefront. “All the cool and quirky things that we’ve gotten good at – whether it’s popups, aperitivo, special meals or, you name it – in that [new] space, we can do those sorts of things on a daily basis and provide seating.” Even before completing renovations, the purpose of the Sellwood shop shifted towards a full restaurant format and a true second location.

With rising build-out cost and cautionary tales from other multi-location restaurant owners, the reality of running two locations became apparent and now seem excessively ambitious to the Golds. Although the couple are no strangers to taking on business challenges, running both restaurants full-time would stretch the family business thinner than they would like. The practical choice is to focus on one location that can serve all their needs and free up a mighty micro kitchen for another startup business. Daniel Gold feels the affordable space that hosted their creation is one of the factors that helped Sebastiano’s pass the three-year mark where most restaurants fail. He is looking for another fledgling business seeking the same opportunity they had to take over the Montavilla space.

Even after transitioning to Sellwood in the new year, Sebastiano’s will continue its Montavilla presence at the Farmer’s Market and potentially hold special events with other businesses. Daniel Gold expressed sadness regarding this change. The connections within the community have been greater than he imagined when starting this journey, and he hopes people will still support them in their choice. There are still several months before Sebastiano’s moves, and all their regular customers will find an enhanced dining experience at the new Sellwood location in 2024.

Article and photos by

Jacob Loeb

Promotion: Help keep independent news accessible to the community. Montavilla News has a Patreon account. We invite those who can contribute to this local news source to consider becoming paid subscribers or sponsors. We will always remain free to read regardless of subscription.

Business Closing, Business Relocating

Clogs-N-More Moves Out for Ceramics Expansion

The Clogs-N-More shoe store closed its Montavilla location at 7821 SE Stark Street on July 23rd, consolidating operations to its Westmoreland location. JaMpdx will expand from their shared workspace in the back of the storefront to occupy the entire shop, developing a retail space. The unique ceramics maker predominantly sells online and at events, making this their first dedicated store.

The new retail space will take on the name Glaze and offer various products alongside the company’s hand-crafted products. “We’ll carry our own JaMpdx ceramics as well as bring in some other products we love – tea, honey, candles, some work by other artists – with intentions to expand our selection as business allows,” explained Meghan Radick of JaMpdx. Reworking the front space will take a month to complete. The JaMpdx owners anticipate holding a Grand Opening by September 1st.

Clogs-N-More and JaMpdx took over the former Pottery Fun location on Stark Street in September 2020. Meghan Radick worked for Clogs-N-More for 12 years, so when the shoe store owner found the Montavilla space with kilns in the backroom, they instantly thought of sharing a new retail location with the former employee. At the time, each business only needed part of the square footage available, and JaMpdx was primarily interested in production space. The cooperative leasing worked out for three years, but changes in both companies have shifted, presenting this new opportunity.

Expect signage to change over the next few weeks as the interior takes on a new design. Follow the JaMpdx Instagram for updates about the storefront’s transformation and opening dates. People looking for Clogs-N-More should visit their 6809 SE Milwaukie Avenue location eight miles away. That location is open seven days a week.

By

Jacob Loeb

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