Tag: 145 SE 82nd

New Business, Services

ZenTech Auto Repair Opens on SE 82nd

ZenTech Auto Repair opened on August 3rd at 145 SE 82nd Avenue in the former auto spa location next to Hong Phat Food Center. This three-bay repair shop services all vehicle types, and the staff speaks Vietnamese and several Southern Chinese dialects in addition to English. Their fluency in people’s native languages sets this shop apart from other service centers, and the owner hopes it will allow his family-run business to support local residents and the broader Asian American community.

Wayne Zhen operates ZenTech with his father and mother. His father developed decades of experience servicing vehicles in China before moving to the United States 30 years ago and passed along his knowledge to Wayne. The family, with another employee, works on all makes and models. They specialize in full engine replacements and transmission work but pride themselves on fast, affordable work for whatever vehicle people bring in. They welcome walk-ins and offer a free check engine light diagnostic.

Trust and communication are vital to vehicle service work, which is why ZenTech Auto Repair considers its multi-lingual staff a great asset. “We mostly serve the Asian populations because [some] Chinese and Vietnamese people don’t speak English well. Then they’re afraid to go to dealerships and other shops. They find us more convenient, language-wise,” said Wayne Zhen. He also explained that understanding a variety of Chinese dialects like Taishanese is essential to supporting Portland’s diverse Asian community.

Finding a location for his first shop, Zhen looked for a place central to his prospective customers and equipped with a turnkey auto shop space. “This is a great location. It’s on the main road with lots of traffic, and people shopping next door [at Hong Phat] see the sign and come over,” explained Zhen. The only obstacle to opening was the road construction at SE 82nd Avenue and Ash Street. During their first month of operation, crews rebuilt their sidewalk corner and blocked off entrances to the property as workers reconstructed the intersection with new left turn controls.

ZenTech Auto Repair from August during the now completed sidewalk corner reconstruction

ZenTech Auto Repair is open Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. and 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturdays. They welcome all car owners to bring their vehicles and hope to support the community as a local repair shop. They already have many customers but can often complete repairs in one or two days. In the future, ZenTech hopes to offer auto bodywork to its list of services. People can call them at 503-265-8778 or message them on the business’s Instagram account.

Article and photos by

Jacob Loeb

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Community, Event, Food and Drink

Food Cart Week 2023 Starts April 16

Because Portlanders love food carts and week-long eating celebrations, the food cart community created Food Cart Week. Sponsored by  Downtown Portland, The Oregonian/OregonLive, and Here Is Oregon, the second annual street-food dining event runs from April 16th through the 22nd and spans the entire city. Although cart discovery is the primary focus for participants, people can also enter several contests to win $100 in prizes.

Contestants have a few ways to participate. Oregon Live is hosting a People’s Choice Award. Submissions of a favorite Portland food cart will enter participants into a chance to win a $100 Visa gift card. Cart diners can also participate in a mobile app-based contest run by BabbleBuy. Top posters could win $100 worth of food from their favorite cart. Organizers will update the event’s website (portlandfoodcartweek.com) with more information as the festivities kick off this Sunday.

Supporting food carts helps small business owners and is an excellent way to experience the widest variety of culinary possibilities. Montavilla has a collection of options inside the Yard at Montavilla Food Carts pod at 8220 NE Davis Street. Other carts are anchored next to local businesses, including Rey Taco Cart at 145 SE 82nd Avenue and Thai Me Drunken Noodle at 803 SE 82nd Avenue. Beyond the neighborhood boundary, CORE – Collective Oregon Eateries at 3612 SE 82nd Avenue and Eastport Food Carts at 3905 SE 82nd Avenue host many eating options. There are also often overlooked nearby pods, including Powell 82nd Food Carts at 3405 SE 82nd Avenue and The Barley Pod at 6035 NE Halsey Street.

By

Jacob Loeb

Disclosure: The Author of this article serves on a board with BabbleBuy’s founder

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 Closing, Food and Drink, New Business

Rey Taco Food Cart on SE 82nd

This week, Rey Taco opened at 145 SE 82nd Avenue, replacing Su Casa Taqueria. This standalone food cart is a new venture offering “LA Street Food.” Although reusing the Su Casa Taqueria cart, Rey Taco staff upgraded interior kitchen elements ahead of opening. The owners demolished the preexisting outdoor seating area and created a new covered deck with tables. The black cart now has a colorful wrapper featuring LA skyline imagery and the restaurant’s logs.

Su Casa Taqueria opened in that location around 2007 as the lone food cart in the area. Based on filings with Oregon’s business registry, several people operated the cart over its sixteen years. The host business for the restaurant also changed during that time. When food service began from this site, Meineke Car Care Center operated out of the single-story service station building. Later, Trendsetters Truck and Auto upgraded vehicles from this location. Now, the mobile kitchen sits in the northwest corner of the parking lot for Max’s Auto Spa. 

Old Su Casa Taqueria logo

Rey Taco serves an assortment of tacos, birria quesa tacos, machetes, tortas, mulitas, burritos, enchiladas, and chilaquiles. Consider visiting this new open-air dining destination and explore the extensive menu. The cart is open daily for lunch and dinner. There is a discrepancy between Facebook and Google Maps regarding the hours of operation. However, they should start serving guests by 11 a.m. and close sometime after 9 p.m.

New Rey Taco logo

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.

New Business

Max’s Auto Spa on SE 82nd Ave

In August, Max’s Auto Spa opened at 145 SE 82nd Ave in the former Trendsetters Truck and Auto location. The husband and wife team named the company after their son, intending to build a multigenerational business. They started this venture further south on 82nd Avenue in a shared space. In less than two years, they have managed to grow the operation to the point it needed a larger dedicated location.

At just three years old, Max comes to work with his parents regularly. Sitting at his table, he works on puzzles and greeting guests. For both his parents, creating a family-friendly business is one of the core values of their company. As a mother, co-owner Denise Lazatin wanted to build an inviting business for women with respectful staff who do not pressure or talk down to customers. For her, a key component is creating a clean and safe waiting room where families can stay clear of the vigorous scrubbing happening in the nearby work bays.

In addition to the interior enhancements, the building’s exterior received some attention. The small structure next to Hong Phat now features a white band of paint wrapping the building, contrasting the dark grey body color. Cleaning up the 1950s era building took time for the staff at Max’s Auto Spa, but the work is essential for the type of service they provide. The business owners know from experience the need for good hygiene within the building and inside the cars. Before starting this business, co-owner Curtis Crandall worked for eight years in the medical industry. First as a surgical tech and then with the quality control group in a hospital’s infectious disease department. That experience cleaning medical facilities and hospital equipment prepared Crandall for the deep cleaning service his business now offers. Staff clean all vehicles with hand tools for the best reach. There are no spinning bush tunnels to drive through at this location. Instead, they invest in quality extractors to clean deep into fabrics where mold can grow inside a vehicle.

The building last winter before Trendsetters moved out.

Curtis Crandall is a former member of the US armed forces. That experience created a deep respect for the uniformed members of the community. He knows those professions consume a considerable amount of time, preventing some people from giving their vehicles a deep cleaning. Additionally, he knows public service professions aren’t the highest paying job in our society. For that reason, Max’s Auto Spa offers a 1% discount for each year of service. This discount extends to active or former US armed forces members, police officers, firefighters, and healthcare workers.

Max’s Auto Spa is scheduling appointments now, and customers can reach them at their website or by calling (503) 444-1100. They work Monday through Friday from 8 AM to 5:30 PM.

Business Relocating

Trendsetters Truck and Auto Relocating

Trendsetters Truck and Auto is relocating to a new service shop later this year. For ten years, the custom automotive tire and accessory specialist has operated out of the building at 145 SE 82nd Ave. Having outgrown the space years ago, the company wanted to secure a larger facility in a better location.

Within the next few months, vehicle repair and installation operations will move to the new site, located at 13018 SE Stark Street. Beyond gaining a larger space, the company is looking forward to moving out of the area. Citing problems with hypodermic needles and houseless people near the property, a Trendsetters Truck and Auto representative expressed disappointment in their current location. They described the 82nd Ave building as affordable but poorly maintained and the neighborhood as in-decline.

The building at 145 SE 82nd Ave should be available for lease by another automotive business when vacated. However, that day is months away. Until then, Trendsetters Truck and Auto will continue to work from their current shop. Keep an eye on the company’s website for information on the official move date.