Crowds of eager shoppers packed the queue outside Portland’s first 99 Ranch Market on August 16th for the Pan-Asian grocery’s opening day celebration. Attendees waited in a one-hour-long line to enter the new 40,174 square foot store and waited another 25 minutes to check out. Inside, people found a brightly LED-lit and fully stocked store featuring fresh produce, live seafood, meats, housewares, and foods from domestic and Asian suppliers.
Crowd waiting in line under event tents
The opening ceremony, featuring a lion dance, started just before 8:45. Then, organizers asked people to join the waiting area that had already grown beyond the double event tents constructed to shelter guests. Under the white canopy, a zigzagging felt rope controlled a holding area that felt more fitting for an amusement park ride queue than a store opening. However, it remained full for hours after the 9 a.m. launch, as Portlanders showed a large-scale interest in seeing inside this long-anticipated store. Event organizers kept the shop at a reasonable capacity, waiting for people to leave before letting new patrons enter. The crowded store was always functional with minimal challenges caused by competing interests in items blocked by the checkout line that wrapped around to the back of the store.
The store’s designers utilized an open ceiling configuration painted matte black, with much of the lighting hung low off the product shelving. The overhead illumination bounced back up from the polished concrete floor, making nearly all angles of merchandised space bright and easily seen. Hanging banners helped direct people to the food items they desired and sell the attributes of the shop’s selection.
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The 9th Annual Jade International Night Market returns to the Portland Community College’s Southeast campus on August 16th for an evening offering food, entertainment, and vendor booths. The event organizers invite people to arrive any time between 3 and 10 p.m. at 2305 SE 82nd Avenue for the Saturday community gathering that celebrates the people who make up the multicultural district.
Graphic and title image courtesy of the Jade District
The one-day community celebration will concentrate its family-focused events earlier in the afternoon with a free plant potting booth for youth sponsored by Portland Nursery. People ages 20 and younger can decorate a free pot and fill it with a selection of donated plants, while supplies last. Twenty-five food vendors and 19 drink specialists will sell tasty treats to attendees throughout the event. Scheduled speakers and performers will begin the entertainment on the main stage at 5 p.m., with a program that runs until 10 p.m.
Entertainment will start with The Last Regiment of Syncopated Drummers, followed by the Portland Art & Cultural Dance Team. Around 6 p.m., Ballet Papalotl will perform folkloric dance from across Mexico in traditional dress and with authentic choreography. Then the Cambodian Dance Troupe of Oregon will perform, followed by Team Japonesque, which represents Japanese culture through a mixture of traditional and modern dance movement, music, and costumes. Other performances include the White Lotus Dragon and Lion Dance team, pop and R&B artist Rachel Wong, martial arts movements by Summit Wushu Academy, Nattasinh Lao PDX, McDaniel High School Stomp & Shake, Huehueteoh Ihtotiani, and Japanese taiko drumming group Portland Taiko. Event organizers note that performers and the order of appearance are subject to change.
The performances are always free to watch, and 20 community partner booths offer information to all attendees. Still, event organizers wanted to make sure everyone has access to the cuisine and products available at the Night Market. “We are offering a program called Jade Dollars to lower financial barriers by giving out vouchers for both food and retail,” explained Alisa Kajikawa from market sponsors the Jade District and APANO. “Everyone belongs [at the Night Market] and we do this for the community. There are tons of things that you don’t need money for to enjoy. At the same time, it’s still about commerce, and it’s still about supporting our small business owners. So we’ll have five-dollar increments of Jade Dollars that we will give out to folks in two different ways.” People can receive $10 worth of vouchers at the Jade District booth by showing government benefits like SNAP or OHP cards. Additionally, anyone can receive a $5 voucher for completing a survey.
Last year’s Jade International Night Market had an estimated 13,000 attendees, and they anticipate similar interest this year. The market will maintain last year’s layout, with food vendors along the west edge of the campus in the parking lot and booths lining the inner courtyard walkways. Unlike other fairs, Night Market organizers provide canopies, offering consistency and convenience to participants. “It looks nice because it’s all uniform with three different colors,” said Kajikawa. The main stage is north of the booths next to Tabor Hall.
People can enjoy an interactive art installation during the market located west of the food vendors
Jade Night Market planners recognize the long-standing importance of this event, but circumstances this year have reinforced the need to appreciate all the cultures and communities that feed into the district’s foundation. “It’s very important for our communities to come together right now and show support for people and families who are being targeted and attacked for their identities by the government,” said Kajikawa. “I think it’s important to come together and show that everyone is welcome at the night market.”
People interested in attending the Jade International Night Market should plan on large crowds and limited parking options. Organizers recommend people take public transit via the TriMet 72 bus line or the SE Division FX 2 bus rapid transit system. The mid-August date often brings warm temperatures. The campus has many shade-providing trees, but anticipate significant sun exposure while walking around. The Night Market’s web page and social media will have updates about the schedule and event information. Anyone interested in volunteering for the Night Market should complete the form at bit.ly/nm25-volunteer, which offers several three-hour shift options and shorter post-event cleanup opportunities. Volunteers receive a meal voucher and a free t-shirt.
Pictures from the 2025 Jade International Night Market
In the days before Montavilla became a popular suburb in the early 1900s, it was largely farmland. Gradually, fruit, vegetables, nuts, and other crops were displaced by houses and commercial buildings. But as late as the 1920s, there were still pockets of arable land in sections of northeastern and southeastern Montavilla. I recently learned about the Newell and Matsen cut-flower farm on NE 87th Avenue that may deserve the distinction of being Montavilla’s last farm.
The Newell and Matsen floral nursery after a snowstorm with owners Harry Newell (left) and Hank Matsen (right) and long-term employee Mel Wilkinson (center). Photo courtesy of the Matsen Family Photo Archive
Harry L. Newell (1891-1976) and Hank F. Matsen (1894-1962) established the business in 1922. Hank’s son, Kenneth H. Matsen (1921-2024), continued it until 1973.
I learned about this business from two of Kenneth Matsen’s daughters, Nancy Palomino and Marje Rhine. They suggested that I speak with their mother, 100-year-old Janice Urquhart Matsen, who knew a great deal about it. So, I interviewed Janice, and she generously shared her memories and allowed me to use photos from the extensive family collection.
Janice Urquhart and Kenneth Matsen in a Newell and Matsen greenhouse shortly before their marriage in 1946.
Janice has a remarkable memory. She has stories to share about her life in Montavilla and about the flower business. She lived in Montavilla for most of her life, and her memories go back to her earliest years. She remembers, for example, entering Vestal School‘s first kindergarten class in 1930. In the 1930s, she walked to school along Glisan Street, and she can tell you stories about nearly every business on her route. She also told me about a Depression-era “shanty town” just west of NE 67th Avenue and how her father gave food to the men who knocked at the back door of their nearby home.
Janice’s memories of the Newell-Matsen flower farm date back to her marriage to Ken Matsen in 1946. At that time, he worked on the farm, and for a time, the newlyweds lived in his parents’ house located on the farm property. Ken worked on the farm until it closed in 1973. So even though Janice did not work in the business—although she lent a hand from time to time—she was in a position to know how it operated.
The business was founded by two young men, Harry Newell and Hank Matsen, just after their service in World War I. The two men had known each other for several years, and Newell married Matsen’s sister Rose in 1920. Newell had been employed in the floral business for several years, but Matsen had established himself as a dentist after the war. Somehow, Newell convinced his new brother-in-law that a flower business was worth trying.
Newell knew there was money to be made in this trade. He had worked for Rahn and Herbert, one of the largest nurseries in Oregon, with greenhouses in Clackamas. The flower trade was growing, according to the 1920 U.S. census. So, Matsen gave up his dental practice and purchased a large plot of land on 87th Avenue, just north of Glisan from his mother Christina Matsen Tranberg (1852-1934).
Christina Matsen Tranberg’s house and property before the Newell-Matsen greenhouses were built. Photo courtesy of the Matsen Family Photo Archive
Newell and Matsen glass greenhouses under construction. Photo courtesy of the Matsen Family Photo Archive
This 1922 plumbing permit establishes a beginning date for the Newell-Matsen business. It shows that the dry well and rain drains needed for the greenhouses had been approved on September 30, 1922. Source: Portlandmaps
The 1928 Sanborn map below indicates the location and scale of the Newell and Matsen greenhouses. It was opposite another farm, the Benedict Nursery, which grew shrubs and trees. The Benedict Nursery, by the way, is now the eastern portion of the Multnomah University campus.
The 1928 Sanborn map above shows the Newell and Matsen Nursery in the upper right
Detail of the 1928 Sanborn map
The Newell and Matsen nursery sold its flowers in a variety of ways. They supplied local florist shops. They did wholesale business through the Oregon Flower Growers Association warehouse on Grand Avenue. Some flowers were shipped by train to other locales. And they also created funeral sprays.
Ken Matsen continued working in the business after his father died in 1962, and he became the sole proprietor when Newell retired in 1967. He renamed the business Matsen Greenhouses.
Newell and Matsen grew yearly crops. In this photo, the crops are carnations (left) and snapdragons (right). Photo courtesy of the Matsen Family Photo Archive
In the early 1970s, Ken faced at least two significant challenges. One was the deadly tornado that swept through Portland and Vancouver on April 5, 1972. Vancouver suffered greater losses — in both lives and property — but the Matsen greenhouses were among Portland’s few damaged properties. When the Portland tornado touched down on his property, it struck the greenhouses, breaking so much glass that it took months to repair, and lifted a tree into the air.
The Oregon Journal, April 6, 1972, page 6
Janice told me about another challenge to the Matsen business: the increasing competition from California flower growers, who did not have the expense of oil heating required during Oregon’s colder winters. By 1973, petroleum prices had skyrocketed due to OPEC’s oil embargo against the U.S. Consequently, California growers could ship flowers by rail and undercut Oregon prices.
Ken Matsen closed the nursery business in 1973, but he stayed in the flower trade, working for flower wholesalers on Swan Island.
Kenneth Matsen resting from greenhouse work. Photo courtesy of the Matsen Family Photo Archive
If you want to see a remnant of the Newell and Matsen flower farm, you can find the remodeled 1908 Matsen farmhouse at 750 NE 87th Avenue. Now it’s surrounded by mostly single and multifamily housing. But a bit of the more open, rural land is preserved in Montavilla Park and the Multnomah University campus.
The remodeled Matsen home at 750 NE 87th Avenue today. Photo by Thomas Tilton
Note:
Some of you may remember when Montavilla still had open spaces other than parks and school playgrounds. Please feel free to share your memories about remnants of Montavilla’s rural past. You can email them to me at history@montavilla.net.
Acknowledgements:
Much of the information in this story was generously supplied by Matsen family members. I want to thank Janice and her daughters for their help. Janice shared her invaluable memories with me in two interviews. Her daughter Marie Matsen sorted through thousands of family photos and selected most of the ones appearing in this article; she also provided additional details about the Newell-Matsen business. Janice’s daughters, Marje Rhine and Nancy Palomino, brought my attention to the Newell and Matsen flower business, setting me on this quest.
Correction: An earlier version of this article had Janice Urquhart Matsen’s first name typed at Joyce in several locations and Marje Rhine’s first name spelled as Marjae. The text is now corrected and Montavilla News regrets this error.
East Portland’s 2025 Sunday Parkways falls on the same day as the Montavilla Street Fair, July 27th. However, their proximity to each other could allow for an outdoor excursion of nearly car-free biking, followed by a stroll down a car-free section of SE Stark Street. The East Portland Parkway route covers a 4.5-mile path closed to most vehicle traffic, with volunteers helping to direct people rolling and walking through the streets from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Participants can start at any section of the path and travel between Gateway Discovery Park, Ventura Park, Lincoln Park, and Parklane Park. Each of the four park stops features local entertainment, community booths, and vendors.
Those looking to participate should connect with the planned route at a convenient point and follow the path as directed by the organizers. The route is as follows: “From Gateway Discovery Park, traveling along NE Wasco Street to 107th Avenue, 107th Avenue to Oregon Street, Oregon Street to 108th Avenue, 108th Avenue to Everett Street, Everett Street to 113th Avenue, 113th Avenue as it passes Ventura Park to SE Yamhill Street, Yamhill Street to 117th Street, 117th Street to Main Street, Main Street until it crosses 122nd Avenue, jogging slightly to continue on Salmon Street until 130th Avenue, 130th Avenue to Mill Street, then along Mill Street until it hits Lincoln Park. Traveling past Lincoln Park along Mill Street, North on 139th Street, and on SE Main Street traveling east until reaching Parklane Park.”
Map courtesy of the City of Portland Sunday Parkways
Participants will need to watch for automotive traffic while crossing certain intersections where cars are permitted to pass through. These include NE Glisan Street, E Burnside Street, SE Stark Street, SE 122nd Avenue, SE Madison Street, SE 135th Avenue, 140th Avenue, and 148th Avenue. People can text “East” to 888-520-0526 for event updates.
Sunday Parkway events are family-friendly and a slow-paced way to explore the neighborhood while visiting Portland Parks. A large number of participants makes it safer for road users, but congestion and navigating novice riders require patience with a relaxed attitude. Plan to travel the whole route, but participants do not need to feel compelled to reach all the destinations; it is about fun, not mileage.
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On Sunday, July 27th, the Montavilla East Tabor Business Association (METBA) will host the 12th 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, an estimated 25,000 people visited Montavilla’s historic downtown from around the region, participating in the annual 1,400-foot-long community party.
On Wednesday, July 16th, sign installers placed the banner over SE Stark Street at 80th Avenue, announcing the Street Fair dates 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 to local businesses and introducing people to the historic Montavilla downtown area.
Event organizers will feature the big brass sounds of a mini HONK! Fest PDX on SE 80th Avenue. People can also enjoy performances at the SE 79th Avenue Plaza Stage next to the Threshold Brewing beer garden. The main stage will feature a diverse mix of local Portland music and national touring artists. Montavilla Brew Works will sponsor a special stage located across from their brewery at SE Stark Street and 78th Avenue, where they will host one of the four beer gardens, with Tinker Tavern and The Observatory rounding out the beer-centered street fair destinations. 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 27th, providing attendees with access to more booths and food options at SE 76th Avenue and Stark.
Promotion: Montavilla News will have a booth at the fair this year. We will giving away stickers and sell year subscriptions that will come with a logoed hat or pin, while supplies last.
On July 14th, Beer Bunker reopened after a refresh by its new owners, Rob Allred and Kimberley Hill. The brief closure allowed the new owners to secure their approval from the Oregon Liquor and Cannabis Commission and refresh the tap room with an eye towards improvements that will keep the place looking clean for its loyal patrons. Guests returning to 7918 SE Stark Street will notice the polish but still feel at home, having seen one of the new owners behind the bar for the last five years. Things will change slowly over the coming years as the management invests sweat equity into this 13-year-old staple in Montavilla’s historic downtown.
Co-owner Rob Allred left a career in finance and soon learned of an opportunity to take over the taproom and bottle shop. His partner, Kimberley Hill, has worked at Beer Bunker for half a decade as the manager, helping to drive its success. When Beer Bunker’s founder, Kevin Overby, decided to exit the business, Hill and Allred took a leap together to purchase a place that was special to them. “I’ve met all my greatest friends here. The love of my life, I’ve met here. Yeah, it’s just a great community spot. It almost feels kind of like a clubhouse,” said Hill.
When transitioning ownership, Hill and Allred wanted to pause operations to address issues that would ultimately cause problems in the future and make it harder for the partners to run the shop on their own. The decades-old space required a thorough cleaning, along with the reorganization of inventory storage. Its bathroom needed an overhaul to address long-standing deficiencies that kept it hard to clean and maintain. The pair, with help from friends, also tackled the weathered outdoor picnic tables, sanding and staining the wood. They plan to significantly enhance the outdoor service area behind the shop with more weather coverage, a fire pit, and natural elements to soften the enclosed pea gravel yard, which is popular with the dogs accompanying their humans on a night out. “I want a lot of plants to make it lush and cozy out there,” explained Hill.
The new owners aim to retain much of what made Beer Bunker popular among regulars, while also welcoming new guests. For Hill and Allred, that requires slow updates with deliberate iterations that enhance what Overby built. They are pondering expanding the food options to include items not well represented on SE Stark Street, wanting to supplement the already well-developed menus offered by neighboring businesses. “We want to focus on salty snacks and nachos because there’s not that on the street. It would fill a niche that’s not represented through our partners in the area here,” said Allred.
Hill and Allred will reconfigure the seating to provide more guest space near the windows, presenting people with a pleasing view of Montavilla’s main street and also advertising to passersby that customers are inside enjoying themselves. Kimberley Hill has spent years developing a weekly live music offering at Beer Bunker and intends to keep it thriving with more purpose-built facilities for live performances. They will also collaborate with friends at Ground Kontrol Classic Arcade to feature at least five pinball machines in the tap room, allowing them to host weeknight pinball league tournaments. These old-school games will be in addition to the classic arcade cabinets already in the space.
In addition to amenities, the new owners have also focused their efforts on highlighting the beer selection by launching a new Beer Bunker website, bunkerpdx.com, which accurately displays the complete lineup of 24 beers on tap. They also refreshed the tap board, with new paint and increased lighting for better legibility. The reorganization of the west wall clears a path for people to explore Beer Bunker’s hidden feature: a row of glass-fronted coolers where patrons can purchase an extensive range of packaged beer to go. Allred explained that they want to expand the beer selection to build a reputation for having the harder-to-find brews that people will travel from places outside the neighborhood to find.
Posted message from Kevin Overby announcing the sale to customers
Both Allred and Hill are grateful for Kevin Overby’s “passing of the torch” to them, and they threw him a well-attended retirement party on the 13th anniversary of the tap room’s opening, just before closing for the past few weeks. Beer Bunker is now open from 3 to 11 p.m. daily. The new owners are familiar to most regulars, but they are looking to meet new customers so they can show off the cleaned-up space to those people and their dogs. Look for improvements over time and follow the company’s Instagram page for updates on an official grand opening celebration later this month.
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On July 8th, Adventist Health Portland hosted its first weekly produce stand popup of the summer at the healthcare organization’s 10123 SE Market Street complex. The community farm stand will open to the public on Tuesdays from 3 to 6 p.m. through October 28th. The food primarily comes from gardens operated by the project partner, Outgrowing Hunger.
The 2025 produce stand season is the second year Adventist Health Portland has facilitated the sale of fresh foods on its campus. The stand operates outside Adventist Health Portland’s main hospital entrance under some trees lining the driveway, attracting hospital staff and visitors to the shaded display of fruits, vegetables, and honey. Vendors collect most of the items for sale the same day, and Adventist Health representatives explain that the farmers keep all proceeds from the stand.
The medical provider representative noted that sourcing fresh and healthy food in the area is difficult, with few grocery stores within walking distance of the community surrounding the hospital. In 2019, Adventist Health Portland and Outgrowing Hunger collaborated to create a community garden adjacent to the hospital. This new resource helps the Outgrowing Hunger member farmers grow food for their families. Many program participants are immigrants who use the garden space to grow produce familiar to their upbringing, along with crops traditionally well-suited to the Pacific Northwest.
Adventist Health Portland invites anyone interested in fresh produce to shop at the stand on Tuesdays from 3 to 6 p.m. until it wraps up for the season in October. They accept cash and credit cards at the stand and offer a variety of locally produced fruits, vegetables, flowers, and other items from local farmers.
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.
The operators of a Wendy’s restaurant at 232 NE 82nd Avenue have recently closed the location’s dining room for renovations, while maintaining drive-through access for customers. Upgrades underway include modifications of interior walls along with the installation of new equipment and fixtures. Exterior work involves rearranging this location’s Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) parking spaces, adding bike parking, and installing new exterior lighting mounted on poles.
Signs of construction are apparent as crews have removed one front window from the building and covered it with plywood. Guests on foot are greeted with a typewritten note on the restaurant’s door from Wendy’s management, stating that the dining room is closed for renovations. The sign provides no reopening date, but the work detailed in building permits is substantial, and it will likely take months to complete. Wendy’s placed a portable restroom trailer in the parking lot for staff to use during the interior renovations that will impact the location’s bathroom access.
Typewritten note on the restaurant’s door from Wendy’s management that the dinning[sic] room is closed for renovations
This 1981-era dine-in and drive-through building features the brand’s classic stylings and has outgrown its current configuration. Previous remodels included the creation of an exterior detached cooler that crews demolished as part of this round of enhancements. Building permits list the planned addition of an attached cold food storage room to accommodate future kitchen capacity and replace the old detached unit. Electricians will replace lights in the dining area and soffit, in addition to installing a new menu board. Plumbers intend to relocate two toilets and one hand sink as part of the interior reconfiguration.
The Wendy’s fast food chain did not respond to requests for details regarding this remodel. However, the company has recently embraced its Global Next Gen design strategy for new and refreshed stores. This concept prioritizes higher order volume with streamlined buildings supporting increased digital orders and delivery customers. The square-patty burger maker says their modern restaurants can significantly upscale production compared to previous designs, increasing kitchen output capacity by nearly 50%. However, it is not certain that this location will embrace the new store design and may retain its classic appearance, with most renovation efforts focused on the interior and some parking lot reconfiguration.
Image from 82nd Avenue Glisan and Davis May 2024 Draft Design. Courtesy PBOT
Work at this location will complement the Portland Bureau of Transportation’s plans to widen the sidewalk in front of this restaurant to 12 feet, adding room for possible street trees or a planting strip in the furnishing zone between the curb and sidewalk. The pedestrian zone widening is part of the 82nd Avenue Glisan and Davis Signal Improvements project developed in 2024, with an expected groundbreaking in 2025.
Wendy’s south parking lot show with a trash dumpster and construction storage shipping containers
Visitors to the Wendy’s restaurant on NE 82nd Avenue should anticipate using the drive-through window during much of the ongoing construction and exercise caution when traversing the south parking lot, which serves as a staging area for construction storage and equipment.
Update July 19, 2025: As crews peel away the layers of parapet cladding for the Wendy’s restaurant, passersby can see the outlines of the chain’s past branding designs. In the 1980s, the old-fashioned hamburger company decorated the top band of its buildings with diagonally aligned siding with raised rectangular trim featuring scooped corners. Later updates featured the base painted bright yellow and the raised detail in red. Contemporary stores use flat and box-ribbed metal panels in dark colors to decorate the top section of the restaurants.
Update August 23, 2025: Crews installed the new front parapet cladding and modern sign. Visitors can now see the old mansard roof style next to the contemporary design.
Dollhouse Espresso recently reopened its Bikini Coffee stand in the Taboo Video parking lot at 2330 SE 82nd Avenue. Earlier this year, the coffee cart vacated its previous location at 1133 SE 82nd Avenue to find a more supportive host business and is now featuring an expanded shop with a new menu in the parking lot of the adult entertainment store. Montavilla News spoke to owner Jessica Cody in April 2024 about her latest venture, and the following is an updated version of that article.
Jessica Cody purchased the original Dollhouse Espresso cart with donations from supporters who were 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 to all customers.
Dollhouse Espresso’s original cart in 2024
Cody has worked as a dancer and bartender for several years. She continues to do that work to help support the growing business, sometimes working from 6 a.m. to 3 a.m. the next day. However, it was her work abroad that sparked a genuine 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.
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 that Dollhouse Espresso presented an opportunity to return to bikini coffee work while creating a safe space for this type of service. Many of the people working there are her friends, and she operates the stand in a similar manner to an employee-run shop.
Dollhouse Espresso’s new larger cart at its current location
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 previously 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 Montavilla during her youth and worked in some nearby businesses, SE 82nd felt like the ideal spot 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.
The shop is currently open Monday through Friday from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m., but Cody expects to extend the hours soon. She placed the stand near Taboo Video’s north parking lot entrance, close to the building. Walk-ups and bicyclists are welcome to visit the window adjacent to the sidewalk, but people outside a vehicle should use caution, as it serves drive-up customers.
Crews are assembling the refrigerated display cases and product shelving inside East Portland’s first 99 Ranch Market location at 10560 SE Washington Street. The highly anticipated Asian grocery store began hiring for nearly 100 positions at the new location in May, with a Job Fair and postings on job websites. The hiring manager for this location anticipates the store will open in late July or August, with trainees reporting to the Beaverton location as they learn to perform their roles within the organization.
Partially assembled refrigerated display cases and product shelving inside 10560 SE Washington St.
The new store required more effort to open compared to the only other Oregon 99 Ranch location, which took over an existing grocery. Plans for the latest store became public in 2023, with construction starting in 2024. The California-based chain opened its Beaverton store at 8155 SW Hall Boulevard on August 23rd, 2017. Although the two stores are comparable in size, representatives say this new location will feature the company’s modern design updates, and the custom-configured space will better align with the brand’s goals for its store layout.
Beaverton 99 Ranch Market
Beaverton 99 Ranch Market
Beaverton 99 Ranch Market
Beaverton 99 Ranch Market
Beaverton 99 Ranch Market
With over 60 stores nationwide, the company is renowned for offering a wide range of imported products alongside local meats and vegetables. As with most stores in this chain, the new Montavilla adjacent location will offer prepared foods and baked goods made in an onsite kitchen. In addition to grocery items, shoppers will find a hot deli, an extensive meat department, and a seafood area with live seafood tanks. The store will carry a diverse assortment of Asian ingredients and packaged items alongside other grocery staples.
The job poster has a typo, (510) 309-1057 is the correct contact number
Ten Seconds Rice Noodle
The Alley
The Plaza 205 buildout for the 99 Ranch Market created a larger floor plan for the grocer at the back of the space while making room for complementary businesses along the shopping center’s frontage. Ten Seconds Rice Noodle restaurant and The Alley tea shop recently opened next door to the grocery store’s entrance. Foot traffic on the eastern side of Plaza 205 should increase once 99 Ranch Opens later this summer. However, the long-vacant storefronts at this location have encouraged more consumer activity on the Mall 205 adjacent side of the property, making it harder for people to discover the two new businesses in the shopping complex. People can expect to learn more about the official opening date for the SE Washington Street grocery store on the 99 Ranch website or its social media sites, including Instagram and Facebook. Jobs at this location are still available for anyone interested in working at this new location.
Graphic courtesy 99 Ranch Market
Update August 9, 2025: The 99 Ranch Market at 10544 SE Washington Street will officially open on Saturday, August 16th starting at 9 a.m. The store’s Instagram page touts a celebration featuring a lion dance and ribbon cutting event at opening. People can also attend a Bluefin Tuna cutting demonstration at 1 p.m. and the First 100 people in line before 9 a.m. will receive a $10 gift card.
Note: Title image digitally edited by MV News to show 99 Ranch sign as originally proposed in permit drawings. Finale store signage will differ and include FRESH PRODUCE, LIVE SEAFOOD, HOT DELI, and BAKERY under the 99 Ranch Market logo based on LU 24-073292 DZM documents
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Neighborhood news site focused on buildings and changing businesses
