Amaye International Restaurant celebrated the opening of its second location serving Somali food in July. The larger space at 10114 SE Division Street made room for its growing success as a community dining destination. A month later, they closed the original space at 8000 NE Glisan Street for renovations. At 5 p.m. on September 4th, the corner space on NE Glisan will officially welcome HK Smash alongside many of its traditional Somali menu items. Guests can now order Halal smash burgers, wings, fries, and milk cakes from this Glisan Street location.
Posted sign saying the location closed for a new look and menu rollout
Amaye International Restaurant took over the NE Glisan storefront from Paitong Thai Cuisine in late 2022 and steadily grew its regular customers. Weekends saw hours of full tables as people cycled through the space for food and connection with friends. The new SE Division Street shop offers three private sections for women-only events and families. They now advertise seating for over 50 guests and room for people to enjoy their renowned meals comfortably.
HK Smash uses Halal meat—butchered from permitted animals that have been slaughtered according to Islamic dietary laws—to create popular American fast casual foods. The new embedded restaurant was created by Hamza Kassim, the son of Amaye’s owner. His team will serve the signature pressed burgers alongside smoothies and slushies, with Milk Cakes and other dessert options to expand the menu. HK Smash pop-up events received many positive reviews, and now fans can find it as part of the permanent menu.
Recently repainted black and red highlighted interior at 8000 NE Glisan St with new flooring in a gray finish
The shop has received new flooring and paint as it readies for customers. After the Grand opening this Friday, people can order the Halal smash burgers Wednesday through Thursday from 1 to 10 p.m. Friday through Sunday, the hours shift later, with service from 3 p.m. to 1 a.m. HK Smash is closed on Mondays and Tuesdays.
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On August 30th, My Voice Music (MVM) and Ascending Flow will host a Block Party with live youth music, DJs, and skateboarding to introduce the BUS-A-Flow mobile studio. The MVM youth-focused nonprofit organization opened its Montavilla facility at 8911 SE Stark Street in September 2023. Recently, muralists completed work on the outside of the building, highlighting this music-based after-school program provider’s activities within. People are invited to visit between 1 and 6 p.m. to participate in this free gathering.
Event organizers will close SE 89th Avenue north of SE Stark Street beside the MVM building preceding the Sunday, August 30th, activities. The block party will showcase performances representing the range of music being created by My Voice Music and Ascending Flow participants. Ascending Flow will use its converted transit vehicle dubbed BUS-A-Flow to bring a mobile recording studio, performance stage, and creative hub to communities across Oregon. This mural-painted, customized vehicle will further the nonprofit’s work, including free programs for young people navigating foster care, experiencing housing instability, and seeking to build positive life skills.
Ascending Flow works out in the community but lists the SE Stark Street address as its main location, joining MVM in its rehabilitated former bakery building. Since 2008, MVM has served young people by facilitating their artistic expression through writing, recording, and performing original music. Several setbacks delayed the opening of the Montavilla SE Portland headquarters, including the 2021 death of MVM’s founding Executive Director, Ian Mouser. For the last three years, the youth music center has helped expand the organization’s programs and supported efforts by similarly aligned organizations.
This co-hosted event serves as the annual Ascending Flow Show and showcases the new MVM mural created through a partnership between the two non-profits working from the location, with support from an Oregon Metro Community placemaking grant. Members of the MVM community shared the program’s significance to their lives, and young artists translated those stories and experiences into the mural’s imagery and design with guidance from Damon Smyth and OC Note.
The block party includes many activities with skate ramps, basketball, and face painting. Attendees can enjoy free food, Live DJs, and youth performances. The Portland Bureau of Transportation will have bike helmets and supplies for bike-decorating activities. The community is invited to experience the new mural, see the BUS-A-Flow mobile studio up close, and learn about the supportive programs at this East Portland resource destination.
By
Jacob Loeb
Promotion: Check out East Portland News as it continues to advocate for and report on outer East Portland. You will find frequently updated articles and an archive of more than 5,000 stories written over the past 20+ years alongside a robust Community Calendar of events.
Wendy’s has reportedly experienced several straight quarters of U.S. sales losses while Burger King has worked to rehabilitate its image and earn back customers. This comeback is attributed in part to property investments and the hiring of head chef Amy Alarcon, who previously worked at Popeyes, designing that company’s chicken sandwich, which went viral on social media in 2019. The company also began courting vegetarian and vegan customers in 2019 with the plant-based WHOPPER ® burger made with Impossible meat, which customers can order without mayonnaise and have cooked on a separate surface to remove animal products.
Burger King is predominantly a franchise chain, with this location operated by Ambrosia QSR and the underlying property owned by Weston Investment Co. Portland businessman and developer Joseph Weston recently donated his remaining commercial properties to the Weston Public Foundation managed by Oregon Community Foundation. The franchise operator, Ambrosia QSR, operates over 200 Pacific Northwest restaurants under the Burger King, Arby’s, and Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen brands. An Arby’s is next door to this location at 10071 SE Washington Street.
Investment in this area has rebounded among fast food establishments over the last few years, with the opening of a new Chick-fil-A a block over from the Burger King in January and Chipotle replacing a Baja Fresh storefront in 2024 across SE Washington Street from this location. City code allows renovation work at these pre-existing fast-food locations despite the area’s new zoning. City officials up-zoned much of the land in the Gateway Regional Center in the late 1990s, making this block Central Commercial (CX) which is designated for high-density commercial developments within Portland’s most urban spaces like the downtown area. If this were a completely new building project, the team would need to construct a much larger building to meet minimum density standards.
The remodel approach should also allow this store to retain its drive-through facility. A 2018 Portland City Council-enacted ban on new drive-throughs in commercial zones has prompted many existing Eastside restaurant locations to remodel. The pre-existing status has elevated the location’s value, as businesses seek to retain historical uses that would not be allowed under new building standards. This project is in the early planning stages and may change based on city feedback or other business decisions. However, it represents further investment in the Mall 205 area among fast food and established national brands.
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The Montavilla Farmers’ Market began in 2007, but this is not Montavilla’s first such market. The earliest one opened in a nearby location on July 7, 1914. Back then—whether large or small—such markets were called public markets. But the economics were similar: farmers sold directly to their customers rather than to a middleman. That meant better profits for farmers and better prices for customers.
Produce from the Montavilla School garden was for sale at the Montavilla public market in 1914 and 1915. Photo courtesy of the Oregon Historical Society
In the early 20th century, a well-known example of a large public market was Seattle’s Pike Place Market. So popular was this market that on opening day, August 17, 1907, produce was sold out by lunchtime. Within three months, this Seattle market had its own building.
Seattle Post-Intelligencer cartoon shows direct selling from farmer to consumer at Pike Place Market on opening day, August 17, 1907. Cartoon by George Hager. Source: Wikipedia Commons
Portland didn’t get on the public market bandwagon until 1912. At that time, there was a big push to establish a large public market in the City. Had it passed, the bond measure on the 1912 ballot would have financed a large building. It lost by a mere 493 votes.
Portland’s Times newspaper advocated the establishment of public markets—from large to small—in various parts of the city as a way to cut the profits of the middlemen. They called for large markets on the east side and west side of the Willamette. They also advocated for neighborhood markets in Montavilla, as well as Albina, St. Johns, Sellwood, Kenton, Arleta, and Woodstock.
Portland’s Times newspaper of November 1, 1912 predicted the public market bond issue would pass. It did not. Source: Historic Oregon Newspapers
Although the 1912 ballot measure failed, local interest in public markets persisted, and in 1914, another push to establish public markets in Portland emerged. At this time, there is evidence that Montavilla’s interest in a public market was rising. Two Montavilla businessmen—A. N. Searle of the Montavilla Board of Trade and Dr. C. B. Zeebuyth of the Montavilla Civic League—served on the Progressive Business Men’s Club committee assigned to study the public market issue.
In Montavilla, public market advocates were pushing for a Montavilla public market in 1914. The Montavilla Civic League said it favored opening parts of the neighborhood’s suburban streets for farmers to market their goods. The League invited Josephine R. Sharp, a well-known advocate for neighborhood public markets, to speak at their April meeting. At this time, Mrs. Sharp was helping to establish a public market in the Alberta neighborhood. Meanwhile, Montavilla activist Sarah H. Wilder was advising the Montavilla Parent Teachers’ Association to organize a public market similar to the one about to open in Alberta.
Josephine R. Sharp, advocate of neighborhood public markets, spoke to Montavilla Civic League members in April, 1914. Photo from the Oregon Daily Journal of May 24, 1916
Montavilla public market enthusiasts were probably encouraged by the success of the new Yamhill Street market, which opened in downtown Portland on May 16, 1914. The huge market had 300 feet of booths lining the street. On opening day, thousands gathered to watch the opening-day parade and then headed for the stalls. The farmers’ offerings were sold out in less than an hour and a half, according to the May 17 Oregonian.
Opening day of the downtown Yamhill Street Market. Source: The Sunday Oregonian, May 17, 1914 (Historic Oregon Newspapers)
In June, 1914, two Montavilla School students sold their own produce in the children’s section of the Yamhill Street market.
Montavilla students in their stall in the children’s section of the Yamhill Street public market. Source: Oregonian, June 27, 1914 (Historic Oregon Newspapers)
Montavilla public market advocates may also have been encouraged by the success of the Albina neighborhood market on Knott Street. On the second day of this market, 10 to 15 wagons filled with farm products arrived and quickly sold out, according to the Oregonian of May 3, 1914.
You might wonder why the Montavilla PTA—rather than a community activist group—spearheaded a Montavilla public market project. No information came to light about this. Perhaps the Montavilla School garden was a factor. Produce from this garden could—and would—supplement what local farmers and neighborhood gardeners provided. Produce from all three sources were on sale in the actual Montavilla market, according to newspaper accounts.
The Montavilla School Garden viewed from the school building (date unknown). Photo courtesy of the Oregon Historical Society
The Montavilla market was scheduled to premiere on Tuesday, July 7, at the corner of Stark and 81st. But when the PTA farmers’ market committee members arrived to set up the six display booths built by Montavilla students, they had vanished. They began to search and finally found them in a nearby alley. They had them assembled by the time the first customers arrived at 6 p.m. Opening day was a success. When the market ended at 10 am, all the produce—including the school’s bumper popcorn crop—had sold.
The Montavilla market continued throughout the summer on Tuesdays and Saturdays. In its August 3, 1914 edition, the Oregonian declared the Montavilla market a success.
On June 22, 1915, the Montavilla PTA held a mass meeting to consider whether the market should continue. The answer was “yes.” This time, a market association with a board of officers was formed. The market would again be held on Tuesdays and Saturdays, but it would open half an hour later, at 6:30 p.m.
The 1915 Montavilla market opened on June 29 in a slightly different location: 79th Street on the north side of Stark. Now there were ten booths instead of six. And there was a big sign on Stark to call attention to the market. As before, the market offered produce grown by school children and teachers, private gardeners, and farmers. The Oregon Journal of June 30, 1915, listed the farmers’ offerings: peas, carrots, beets, turnips, new potatoes, and cherries.
Was this the last Montavilla public market? It is not clear, but I found no further press coverage. The Alberta market celebrated its third anniversary in 1917, but then, it too, faded from the press.
Montavilla School garden during World War I, 1918. Source: Portland City Archives, P/11266
Whether or not the Montavilla market continued, the Montavilla School garden did. And it was greatly enlarged and produced food to support the war effort. But that’s another story…
By
Patricia Sanders
Title image digitally restored
This is part of Montavilla History Questions Answered, a series of history related articles. If you have questions about Montavilla’s past that you’d like answered, local historian Patricia Sanders will investigate your question. Please email your questions to history@montavilla.net and we may feature it alongside Patricia Sanders’ research in a future.
This year, deconstruction crews mostly demolished the former Burgerville location at 3504 SE 92nd Avenue, leaving just one wall standing. They proceeded to construct a practically new fast-food restaurant with a drive-through around that wall. This process of leaving minimal structure allowed the project to file for permits as a remodel project, rather than a new development, and to bypass a 2018 Portland City Council-enacted ban on new drive-throughs in commercial zones. This is a similar process used to create a new Chick-fil-A restaurant near Mall 205, where its Central Commercial (CX) zoning would not allow low-density construction. This process relies on rebuilding provisions in code designed to respect a property owner’s need to enhance an existing site by permitting work under its previous zoning rules. Consequently, the exceptions for built properties create additional real estate value for existing buildings that harbor attributes some businesses want, such as drive-throughs.
Permit applications noting the Oregonian’s incoming business and property ownership research identify Panda Express as the presumed future tenant of this building. It fills an Eastside gap in the American Chinese fast food brand’s Interstate 205-adjacent distribution and will give it a drive-through option for Portland customers, as it has at its Happy Valley, Oregon, location. Panda Express has not officially announced this location or stated if it will relocate an existing store to this space. This is possible because of a provision added when the City Council updated the rules. “Existing drive‐through facilities are allowed. Existing facilities can be rebuilt, expanded, or relocated on the site” for Commercial Employment (CE) zones in city code Chapter 33.130.260.
Panda Express online location map with MV News illustrations showing 3504 SE 92nd Ave
That text allows property owners to build a modern building for their business while still offering prohibited functions, such as drive-throughs. To some observers, the tactic used at 3504 SE 92nd Avenue appears to be an exploited loophole that circumvents city climate goals. However, to certain members of the business community, it is a necessary exception to code or zoning changes that officials enact before market changes support the new use of those sites. In this case, the new owners of the property at SE 92nd Avenue and Powell Boulevard expect that a drive-through-related business will continue to do well at the location, particularly given its location off a State Highway and near a freeway. They could have rebranded the previous building and opened it with minimal investment. Instead, they wanted to modernize the structure and worked within the confines of Portland regulations.
Until City officials remove prior-existence exemptions for projects like this, only market forces will reduce the number of drive-throughs in the city. When the property becomes more valuable for higher-density uses, people can expect redevelopment that does not retain its more car-centric character. Consequently, for fast-food restaurants in Portland, the famous real estate phrase may become “There are three things that matter in property: location, location, and an existing drive-through.” Work at the site is underway, with much of the exterior work completed.
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For sixteen years, the Landmark Saloon served the community below the western base of Mt Tabor at 4847 SE Division Street before closing on February 13th. Regulars at that establishment, Graham Talley and Scott Phillips, feared the loss of an affordable community gathering space in an area undergoing significant redevelopment. They took over the lease of the converted 1906-era house and brought on Nick Wilson, who previously owned the Landmark, to guide them as they spruced up the place. On Friday, July 24th, they will begin a two-day grand opening celebration for the Switchback Saloon with drink specials and live music.
The Switchback Saloon is a cultural continuation of the Landmark, but it’s also a new business that draws inspiration from the community and staff as it constructs its future. The owners want to make sure Landmark regulars feel at home in the updated establishment, but they also want to make their space inviting to all people looking for a third space—a location that is neither home nor work. “We’ve met a lot of folks here over the years, and it’s been a good community gathering space,” explained Phillips. “The watering hole that everyone goes to.” However, they know the national trend shows people drinking less adult beverages. Consequently, they are embracing non-alcoholic drink options that include mocktails and NA-beers. They are also looking at serving coffee in the morning with breakfast items that will not price out a neighborhood regular. “We really want to be a resource to serve the community,” said Talley. “We probably won’t be doing anything really fancy, but if someone can come and spend $10 to $12 to get a good filling breakfast, and a cup of coffee under $5, I think that would be great.”
The well liked photo-booth will remain but the arcade games will be replaced by a pooltable
People will have to wait for some of the new additions. Work to this point has focused on repairing the hardwood floors inside, completely reconstructing the two bathrooms to remove their “dive-bar” aesthetic, updating the kitchen, and general decluttering of the building. As they make changes and plans for the future, the partners say they are involving staff in those choices. “We’re passionate about alternative business models and methods, a more democratic workplace where the staff gets to decide the policies, not just us dictating them,” explained Talley. They will be instituting profit-sharing programs and keeping the books open, letting employees see the finances.
Both the new owners are experienced businesspeople, but have never owned a foodservice or bar establishment. That is why they are seeking help from the former owner and the people who know the space well. “The decisions we’re making around here are coming from literally interviewing the customers and our staff to figuring out what they want to see,” said Talley. “There definitely seems to be a demand for a little more low-scale offerings, like the cowboy breakfast and cowboy coffee.”
Outdoor stage for scheduled performers
The nod to the cowboy in the menu is intentional. The Landmark Saloon was a well-received country and western music venue with small stages for recognizable regional performers and developing musicians in the genre. The Switchback Saloon will continue that to a degree but will also make room for other tastes. “We’re planning on expanding outside of just the classic kind of country western honky tonk, still doing live instrumentation, but we’ll be expanding into jazz, funk, and soul,” said Talley. They removed the permanent stage at the front of the interior seating area to make room for more tables, but will replace it with a convertible stage that can transform from a guest area in 30 minutes on event nights. The existing outdoor covered stage will remain the primary venue space, as it is centrally located in the large private yard adjacent to the saloon.
Covers outdoor seating and racked corn hole game boards
The new owners acknowledge that there are several other bars in the area, but note that this one offers a unique format that is not easy to replicate in an area where available land is rapidly being redeveloped for multifamily projects. The saloon’s property features a large outdoor patio that is several times the size of the bar’s interior. Within that fenced outdoor area is a stage, a secondary bar serving canned beers and shots, and clusters of covered seating fill all corners, and bark-chip-covered grounds make room for outdoor game play, including corn hole. Within the exterior space is Leroy’s Familiar Vittles food cart. That independent business operates overlapping hours with the saloon and is the primary food service provider. The menu features smoked and grilled meats along with mac and cheese, collard greens, and other classic country dishes.
Their drink menu features mostly local beers on tap and whisky. The owners explained that they sell a healthy number of packaged beers, with some notoriety. “We sell a ton of cans. I think at some point, [Landmark Saloon] was like number five for Rainier sales in the entire country,” recalled Talley. “We still sell out of Rainier cans every weekend,” added Phillips. They will add craft beer and some top-shelf whisky to meet higher-end interests, but appreciate the affordability of canned beer. “It’s one of our cheapest drinks. Buying a Tallboy, coming out here, hanging out with friends, that’s very much one of the things that we want to keep alive,” said Talley. “Regardless of what is in your bank account, people should have that third space they can go to and just actually hang out with old friends and new ones.”
Second bar outside for cans and shot sales
The regulars are already back in the space as word of the reopening spreads, but the owners know they will need to find new people looking for a social space. “Gen Z’s not as active in the bar scene, and I think in Portland you’ve seen less activity in some of these local bars, which is why they’ve closed,” said Phillips. He hopes their investment in the Switchback will keep Portlanders invested in their local bar spaces and help bolster personal interactions. “Whether it’s for music, or events, or just to hang out with their friends after work, whatever it is, just keeping that social connection alive.” Talley acknowledges it will take work to keep this space alive. “I know from experience it’s not easy running a small business, and there are a lot of bars shutting down. I’m just hoping we keep getting the support that we’ve been getting so far from the Portland community, so that we can keep going.”
New owners Scott Phillips (left) and Graham Talley (right)
The Switchback Saloon’s grand opening spans Friday to Saturday, July 24th and 25th. They currently serve people from 3 pm to midnight on weekdays and open an hour earlier on the weekends. Times will adjust as they update offerings. The event will feature live music both nights and a mustache-shaving service, where the new owner, Graham Talley, will remove his well-groomed lip hair in solidarity with patrons who want to start the long and awkward grow-out period. Past patrons and interested people are invited to the grand opening of the Switchback Saloon. The owners hope everyone will enjoy the updates and the homage to its past incarnation. For those not excited for the name change, they may only need to wait until the old name becomes available again in the State registry. Graham Talley and Scott Phillips said the new name is an inside joke because, after much effort to find a new name, they decided it didn’t matter and may “switch back to calling it Landmark.”
Article and photos by
Jacob Loeb
Promotion: Check out East Portland News as it continues to advocate for and report on outer East Portland. You will find frequently updated articles and an archive of more than 5,000 stories written over the past 20+ years alongside a robust Community Calendar of events.
On Sunday, July 26th, the Montavilla East Tabor Business Association (METBA) will host the 13th annual Street Fair on SE Stark Street. Early that morning, crews will close the road from SE 82nd to 76th Avenues, along with segments of side streets, to allow the 150 booth operators to set up ahead of the 10 a.m. opening. Vendors will sell a variety of items, including food and drinks, unique artwork, handcrafted goods, and clothing. Mixed in with people selling items, organizations will provide information, and performers will entertain the crowds until 6 p.m. Vehicle traffic will resume on the street later that evening after organizers clear the area. Still, people can stay in the neighborhood to visit the bars and restaurants along SE Stark and NE Glisan Streets. Last year, a record-breaking number of people from around the region visited Montavilla’s historic downtown to participate in the annual community party. Event organizers expect that it will increase again this year.
Montavilla Street Fair 2026 banner
A week before the event, sign installers placed the banner over SE Stark Street at 80th Avenue, announcing the Street Fair date to everyone passing by. Although many people in the area have already marked the date on their calendars, raising the banner represents Montavilla’s invitation to the city of Portland. Thousands of visitors attend this annual neighborhood event, driving record sales for local businesses and introducing people to the historic downtown Montavilla.
This year’s event is music-forward with four stages. HONK! PDX will offer a special all-acoustic stage experience. People can also enjoy performances at the SE 79th Avenue Plaza Stage next to the Threshold Brewing beer garden. The Main and Brewery stages will feature a diverse mix of larger acts throughout the day. Montavilla Brew Works, Threshold Brewing, and The Observatory will again feature beer gardens. Many past fair booth operators are returning, alongside a new crop of makers, food vendors, and organizations. As a bonus, the Montavilla Farmers Market will be open during its regular hours on the 26th, providing attendees with access to more booths and food options at SE 76th Avenue and Stark.
Parking in the neighborhood is always in short supply during the street fair. People are encouraged to take public transit to the event or explore other modes of travel. Portland transportation leaders organized a Community Ride/Bike Bus to the Montavilla Street Fair this year to reduce parking challenges in the area while providing a family-friendly ride along neighborhood greenways and new protected bike lanes near downtown Montavilla. Interested participants can gather starting at 10:30 a.m. near the Irving Park covered area for a relaxed 5.6-mile ride to the fair leaving at 11:00 a.m.
Promotion: Montavilla News will have a booth at the fair this year. We will give away stickers and sell year subscriptions that will come with a logoed hat or pin, while supplies last.
On Saturday, July 11th, Montavilla Brew Works will host an eleven-year all-ages celebration event featuring special beer releases, food from Oi! The Sausage, and music provided by DJ MD. Melissa and Michael Kora opened Montavilla Brew Works at 7805 SE Stark Street on July 15th, 2015, and started using the annual celebration of that event to host a summertime gathering. Michael Kora saw this year’s event as a way to support Friends of Seasonal & Service Workers (FSSW) by donating a portion of the proceeds from the beer, with longtime neighbor Mr. Plywood matching the brewery’s contribution.
Montavilla Brew Works grew from a home-brewer’s passion and a desire to create a neighborhood-scale enterprise. Before starting his brewery, Michael Kora secured work with Bridgeport Brewing Company after briefly working for the owner’s winery business. His time working as a seasonal employee influenced this year’s support of FSSW, which assists independent organizing efforts by farm, seasonal, and service workers with efforts including food drives and medical access. When Kora’s seasonal wine work ended, Dick Ponzi learned of Kora’s desire to work in the brewing industry and found a place for him in his other business where he could learn about operations. “I didn’t get to brew because I didn’t go to brew school. I was driving a truck, working in the warehouse, shipping, distributing, moving beer around, and learning brewing at home. I then nano brewed for a while at the Green Dragon,” recalled Kora. After growing his skills and experiencing the brewing business from the inside, it seemed time to branch out on his own. Sitting at McMenamins Edgefield, Michael and Melissa Kora sketched out a five-year business plan and agreed to start looking for a space to rent.
Melissa and Michael Kora touring the Daugherty Auto Service garage 2013 that became MBW. Photo courtesy Michael Kora
The couple moved into Montavilla several years before starting their business. After agreeing to start a brewery, they looked for commercial spaces in neighboring areas but could not find a suitable location that fit their vision for the taproom. However, with some luck and good timing, Michael Kora discovered the neglected former Daugherty Auto Service garage at the corner of SE 78th and Stark Street. “I was riding home from the gym and came by Stark Street just to kind of look at what was going on and there was a for sale or lease sign. This building was so dilapidated it was nothing to look at, but Melissa and I were from the Detroit area of Michigan. I’d seen worse, so [I thought] this building is pretty cool and would make a cool brewery,” said Michael Kora. William “Dave” Beets, the operator of the now-demolished Beets Auto Body, owned the property and was excited to see it go to new owners for such an unexpected use. “He was a character, but he was surprisingly stoked. He said, ‘I think this is awesome. You guys are gonna be the first. There’s no breweries around here like this. It’s gonna be good for the community and the neighborhood.’ He was a neighborhood guy even though he didn’t live here,” recalled Kora.
The Kora’s became tenants of the Stark Street building in 2013, but it would take over two years to open the doors to the public. The original owners of the 1922-era auto garage never designed it to house any other type of business, and it took substantial efforts to rehabilitate the building. Permits took four months to approve, and construction lasted another nine months. Kora discovered that the building roof slopes significantly to the northwest corner of the property for rainwater drainage, forcing him to place his tall brewing equipment at the south-facing front of the building, blocking windows and putting beer production centerstage. During construction, he added onto the north side of the building to create a walk-in cooler and storage room needed to keep finished beer and ingredients out of the limited customer-facing space.
Construction delays, the added brewery inspections, and unanticipated expenses drained their cash reserves. Michael Kora started beer production offsite to begin bringing in funds and building the brand. Flying Pie Pizzeria was an early supporter, buying the pre-opening batches and installing a permanent Montavilla Brew Works tap handle at the restaurant, replacing Bud Light. Initially, they relied on help from friends, but the couple mainly worked alone at Montavilla Brew Works for the first few years. “Melissa designed everything on the interior. So she made this place feel like it does. And I was the beer guy and eventually the business guy. It was her and I for the first four and a half years,” recalled Kora. After the early lean years, they brought in help to brew their beers and cover bar shifts. With the added staff, it was beginning to feel sustainable until the pandemic upended the business model. Montavilla Brew Works focused on serving draft beer onsite with little attention paid to the at-home market. They distributed a limited number of kegs to local businesses but had not embraced canning. COVID-19 bar closures forced a change in the whole microbrewery industry. “We completely 180’d, and we’re in this world where we were doing 100% draft, and then we switched to 100% cans. Melissa and I were out there every week delivering to people’s homes,” said Michael Kora. They had to let their employees go to keep the business going. The brewery survived that scary time and invested early in outdoor seating to bring people back as soon as possible.
Post-COVID, Melissa and Michael Kora spend less time in the brewery during service hours. Both are more focused on improving operations and branding, with a goal to make each subsequent batch better than the last. For the celebration, they will release an Anniversary Pilsner which is a special dry-hopped version of Plywood Pilsner, a Montavilla Brew Works’ mainstay beer. Attendees of the 3 to 9 p.m. anniversary celebration can also purchase two additional special releases, Lesh Is More, an India Pale Ale honoring Grateful Dead bassist Phil Lesh, and the Peregrin porter aged with Palo Santo wood.
On June 6th, the White Lotus Summer Market began its four-weekend-long event featuring food, culture, and community behind the Fubonn Shopping Center at 2850 SE 82nd Avenue. Every Saturday and Sunday in June from 2 to 10 p.m., the over 40 vendors invite people to experience the outdoor market bringing together local vendors, cultural energy, and a community atmosphere.
Past occurrences of this summer event took place at the Shun Fat Supermarket, 5253 SE 82nd Avenue near Foster Road. The organizers designed the pop-up market to support Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI)-owned businesses and local entrepreneurs, providing a place for people to shop, eat, and connect. Entry to the market is free, with vendor assortments changing each weekend. People should review the market’s website to see the specific weekend guides. The 2026 White Lotus Summer Market season ends on June 28th.
People wanting direct access to the market can use Fubonn’s new, permanent, secondary entrance on SE 85th Avenue. The market removes some parking, but space remains around vendor stalls and in front of the complex adjacent to SE 82nd Avenue. Attendees are also encouraged to visit the year-round tenants of Fubonn Shopping Center who offer complimentary items and services. Time is running out to visit the White Lotus Summer Market, but residents will have another opportunity to shop at a market-style event on August 29th during the Jade International Night Market 2026, taking place at the nearby Portland Community College’s Southeast campus.
Promotion: Montavilla News is supported by contributions from businesses like Otter Wax, a neighborhood producer of small-batch specialty goods handcrafted in Portland. Using only natural ingredients, they make modern care products that are steeped in tradition. We thank them for their support.
On Monday, June 22nd, Portland Parks & Recreation’s (PP&R) Free Lunch + Play program returns to Montavilla Park on weekdays from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. with free lunch from 11:15 a.m. to 12:45 p.m. for youth 18 years or younger. For many children, school offers activities and services that extend beyond education. Some students rely on school as their only structured playtime with peers and depend on the free lunch program for a midday meal. Thanks to funds provided by the 2020 voter-approved Parks Local Option Levy, the Free Lunch + Play program offers children weekday activities without registration or cost. From June 22nd to August 21st, kids can visit 23 parks citywide for recreational activities and a nutritious lunch.
Portland Public Schools closed for the summer on June 5th. With over half the city’s school-age children qualifying for free or reduced-price meals during the school year, PP&R’s Free Lunch + Play program is a critical tool in keeping young people fed during the summer break. However, the free lunches are available to anyone meeting the age requirements, regardless of enrollment in a school district’s free lunch program. Adults bringing 10 or more youth to a location for a free lunch should contact 503-729-0332 at least 5 business days in advance, so park staff can accommodate the group. USDA Federal guidelines require recipients to eat their meals on-site in the designated area, and youth are limited to one serving per day. Locations will have a No Thank You Table offering unwanted lunch items that youth can take to supplement their meals during the designated lunch hours.
Montavilla Park at 8219 NE Glisan Street, Gateway Discovery Park at 10520 NE Halsey Street, and Lents Park at SE 92 Avenue and SE Steele Street will host Free Lunch + Play activities for Montavilla area residents. Meal times vary by location, but Parks employees will organize games and other group activities throughout the four-hour sessions. The program staff will observe the July 4th national holiday on the 3rd and will take the day off.
All meal packs comply with USDA Federal Lunch Program regulations. Youth must attend in person to receive meals and eat all the food on-site. Foodservice occurs only during stated mealtimes. For Montavilla Park, that is from 11:15 a.m. to 12:45 p.m. At Lents Park, food is available from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Gateway Discovery Park has a shorter mealtime window, 11 to 11:45 a.m. Staff will require everyone to wash their hands before receiving food.
Free Lunch + Play is part of Portland Parks & Recreation’s (PP&R) Summer Free For All program, offering more than 50 free outdoor events for all ages, including multicultural festivals, free outdoor movies, and concerts across the city. It also includes activities at PP&R outdoor pools, opening on June 18th. Six outdoor pools will host a weekly free swim session in addition to their fee-based swim lessons, open-play swims, and water fitness classes. Montavilla’s pool offers free swim sessions on Tuesdays from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. People will find a complete list of Summer Free For All’s inclusive and family-friendly activities on the PP&R website.
Promotion: Montavilla News is supported by contributions from businesses like Catalyst Construction & Kitchen Remodeling, a top-rated general contractor specializing in kitchen, bathroom, basement, and garage remodeling, as well as ADU construction and home additions. We thank them for their support.
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