Tag: 82nd Ave

Construction, Infrastructure

SE 82nd Median Trees at Clinton Crossing

In January, landscapers working for the Portland Bureau of Transportation (PBOT) installed street trees and other plantings in the new center median on SE 82nd Avenue at SE Clinton Street. Over the last year, crews installed several safety enhancements that have altered the traffic flow at this intersection and will make it safer for people crossing 82nd Avenue. This work is related to a bundle of 82nd Avenue Critical Fixes underway along the corridor. Crews completed the raised median with new sidewalk corners and installed pedestrian crossing signal lights in late 2024. Contractors still need to apply high-visibility crosswalk markings to the roadway and install brick-textured concrete in the unplanted section of the median.

This new in-road infrastructure will block all left turns and cross traffic from SE Clinton Street at this intersection. The new street design encourages northbound left-turning traffic to use SE Division Street and SE 80th to access streets west of the intersection. Southbound drivers can use SE Division Street and SE 84th to access destinations east of the intersection. Although a block from the SE 82nd and Division crossing, city engineers prioritize crosswalks closer together for designated Pedestrian Districts like the Jade District, where this work is underway. “Clinton Street was identified early on in our planning process as a desirable location to fill this gap, being the closest intersection to the mid-point between the two existing crossings, and the closest to meeting the 530-foot guideline, and being a four-way intersection that serves a larger area of the neighborhood on both sides of 82nd Avenue,” explained PBOT representative Hannah Schafer.

Graphic from 82nd Avenue Critical Fixes 60% Draft Concept Design, January 2024. Courtesy PBOT

City planners also prioritized improvements to this intersection based on future projects planned along SE Clinton Street. This crossing will eventually connect to an affordable housing development planned at the former Canton Grill site on the northeast corner, and the street will receive upgrades as part of the Jade and Montavilla Multimodal Improvements Project. “An upcoming funded project will be paving some gravel blocks of Clinton Street just east of 82nd Avenue and adding sidewalks that will connect to this new signalized crossing,” remarked Schafer. She noted that this crossing was the site of a 2015 traffic fatality, along with several other non-deadly crashes involving pedestrians struck by motorists, elevating the need for safety upgrades at this intersection.

PBOT currently has the vehicle and pedestrian signals covered with “out of service” indicators. When PBOT activates the signal, this equipment will work similarly to Rapid Flashing Beacons (RRFB) signalized crossing. People request the light by pressing a button when ready to cross. However, instead of activating flashing amber lights, drivers on SE 82nd Avenue see a standard traffic light progressing from green to yellow to red, clearly halting traffic so pedestrians can cross.

In addition to adding signals and a median refuge island, contractors working for PBOT constructed enhanced stormwater inlets at the corners and installed Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) compliant sidewalk corner ramps at SE 82nd Avenue and SE Clinton Street. This intersection could become the area’s preferred 82nd Avenue crossing point, with fewer pedestrian conflict points caused by turning cars. The planted median provides additional protection for those crossing and is a way to expand the urban tree canopy. PBOT added five trees in the center of 82nd Avenue and one more street tree near the TriMet 72 bus stop. The added shade from these trees should lower the temperature along the road’s edge and help make this area more comfortable for those navigating this busy street. Look for more trees planted at similar projects along the corridor over the next few months.

Article and photos by

Jacob Loeb

Update January 31st, 2025: This article was updated to remove the term pavers. Contractors will stamp concrete with a red brick pattern in unplanted sections of the median islands.

Construction, Infrastructure

Plantable Medians on SE 82nd at Ash

In late December, crews returned to SE 82nd Avenue at Ash Street, constructing a new median island to prevent left turns and provide pedestrians with safer crossing infrastructure. This mid-street raised infrastructure will contain new street trees and feature water-permeable soil cover to aid tree growth in sufficiently irrigated dirt. This in-road work is the final build phase for this intersection, where workers previously updated utilities and store water management before reconstructing the corner ramps and adding rectangular rapid-flashing beacon (RRFB) signal hardware.

PBOT provided intersection design document

To install the new median, crews cut through all layers of the road in the center turn lane and excavated several feet deep. This large trench, placed to the north and south of two street-level pedestrian median cutouts, will provide space for new soil that future tree roots can expand into as they grow to maturity. Arborists working with the Portland Bureau of Transportation (PBOT) will plant and maintain trees during their early years, watering and replacing them as needed.

RRFB request buttons and connective wiring are still needed at this crossing before PBOT can activate the signal lights. When completed, pedestrians and cyclists can activate the flashing yellow lights that indicate drivers on SE 82nd Avenue should yield. The raised median island also gives crossers a safe space to wait for traffic to stop as they travel across the five-lane road. These crosswalks at SE Ash Street are closed until workers complete the mid-street construction. During the closure, people should detour to the signalized crosswalks at E Burnside Street or SE Stark Street. Contractors are on track to complete this project in early 2025, but winter weather could push some final work to later in the year.

Article and photos by

Jacob Loeb

Promotion: Help keep independent news accessible to the community. Montavilla News has a Patreon account for monthly support 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.

Community, Government, New Business

Oak Street Village GNA Moves to Signing

On December 9th, the Montavilla Neighborhood Association (MNA) voted unanimously to sign the Good Neighbor Agreement (GNA) for the Oak Street Village shelter site at 333 SE 82nd Avenue. The Multnomah County-owned property will open to temporary residents in early 2025, and formalizing a community agreement is a significant step toward launching this shelter. The 32-page non-binding document covers the signers’ shared commitment to adhere to their agreed responsibilities and follow set communication standards to resolve conflicts.

The GNA signers include the Joint Office of Homeless Services, the City of Portland, shelter services providers Straightway Services, the Montavilla East Tabor Business Association, and the MNA. Each party has distinct responsibilities and roles in the agreement, and the GNA can update through its duration with the consent of the signers. The MNA sees the Community Advisory Committee formed by the GNA as a critical part of the document’s strength. That committee meets monthly with members from each signing party and village residents to review operations in a collaborative problem-solving format. This continual engagement ensures the parties maintain strong lines of communication and identify opportunities for collaboration between the village participants and the Community.

The GNA establishes an Engagement Zone bordered by the west side of SE 80th Avenue, the east side of 83rd Avenue, the north side of SE Ash Street, and the south side of SE Stark Street. The City will grant high-priority services within the defined area, and the site operator commits to regularly engaging with people in the zone to limit community impacts around Oak Street Village. The prioritized city services include the removal of unsanctioned campsites or abandoned vehicles, emergency calls, non-emergency calls, and cleaning services. The City has to adhere to its policies regarding each service but agrees to rank occurrences higher in the Engagement Zone.

Zone map from GNA (Engagement Zone – Red, Good Neighbor Zone – Blue)

The GNA states that the service provider will initially favor referrals into Oak Street Village from Montavilla’s unsheltered population, potentially reducing the number of persistent unsanctioned campsites in the neighborhood. This site prioritizes individuals living in vehicles who want to keep their car while moving into sleeping pods. Oak Street Village supports people making that transition by offering onsite parking for one personal vehicle per resident. This somewhat unique shelter feature generated many questions from neighbors during community engagement meetings. The GNA includes Straightway Services’ written policies, which outline the provider’s prohibition of onsite vehicle repair, prolonged idling, sleeping in a vehicle, or extensive property storage in the cars. The cars must fit within the marked parking stalls, blocking the storage of recreational vehicles or other oversized trucks. Owners of parked cars leaking fluids must use drip pans and properly dispose of hazardous materials to prevent runoff contamination of the stormwater system.

The agreement also covers future site placement, limiting Multnomah County’s expansion of the JOHS Community Sheltering Strategy within the Good Neighbor Zone. The Good Neighbor Zone surrounding the Engagement Zone is bordered by SE 75th Avenue, SE 88th Avenue, E Burnside Street, and SE Yamhill Street. It also has an extension from E Burnside Street up NE 80th Avenue and NE 82nd Avenue to incorporate the Vestal School. This agreement and other potential sites with a similar GNA will significantly reduce the potential for more County-owned sites along Montavilla’s section of 82nd Avenue.

The GNA mandates the regular collection of metrics to track the shelter’s impact on the neighborhood. Members of the Community Advisory Committee will monitor the data, which will become publicly accessible through existing dashboards and other group communications. As the County prepares a second site at 1818 SE 82nd Avenue, this GNA will likely play an influential role in that site’s Good Neighbor Agreement. The other parties will have to sign the document, but JOHS leaders expect that will happen before the residents begin moving into the 333 SE 82nd Avenue site.

By

Jacob Loeb

Promotion: Help keep independent news accessible to the community. Montavilla News has a Patreon account for monthly support 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.

Community, Government, Services

1818 SE 82nd Village-style Shelter Meeting

The Joint Office of Homeless Services (JOHS) will hold a community meeting on December 5th to present information on a new alternative shelter planned for the former RV sales lot at 1818 SE 82nd Avenue. This site is the second location purchased by Multnomah County in Montavilla as a shelter site. Montavilla News first reported on the County’s purchase of the two properties in 2022, and crews working for the JOHS are currently building the Oak Street Village at 333 SE 82nd Avenue.

Harrison Birds Eye View titled image courtesy JOHS

This proposed shelter at SE 82nd Avenue and Mill Street is just 15 blocks south of the site under construction. Several JOHS documents refer to the site as Harrison Village. However, County staff changed the working title for Oak Street Village during community engagement, and the Harrison Village name could be a placeholder. JOHS plans to install 38 sleeping pods and larger portable units that will house showers, bathrooms, kitchenette space, and a laundry facility for residents. Like other shelters of this type, outreach specialists refer people into this temporary housing, and residents receive case management with the support necessary to move into more stable housing.

JOHS staff anticipate that this second County-owned Montavilla shelter will begin serving unhoused community members in late 2025. Organizers ask that people RSVP for the 6 p.m. meeting that will take place within the Montavilla United Methodist Church at 232 SE 80th Avenue. Attendees will learn more about the JOHS plan for the site and have the opportunity to provide feedback about the project’s design layout. The hour-and-a-half meeting should conclude around 7:30 p.m. People interested in staying informed but unable to attend the Thursday night gathering can follow the JOHS site for details.

Article and Photos by

Jacob Loeb

Promotion: Help keep independent news accessible to the community. Montavilla News has a Patreon account for monthly support 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.

Community, New Business, Property Sale

Abandoned Driving Range to Become Wildlife Hospital and Sanctuary

The Bird Alliance of Oregon recently completed its purchase of a 12.51-acre property on NE 82nd Avenue across from Leodis V. McDaniel High School. For decades, this overgrown field was known for the graffiti-covered remnants of a golf driving range built on top of a landfilled quarry. Within the next several years, it will become a new wildlife hospital and nature sanctuary for the 122-year-old organization formally known as Portland Audubon.

The organization plans to restore much of the land to its native habitat with nature trails and park space for public use. The site’s proximity to schools and connectivity to the MAX light rail and Portland’s most active bus line made it an ideal location for the Bird Alliance of Oregon to host educational programs and showcase its wildlife viewing opportunities. Portland has limited sites that offer the continuous acres needed for a wildlife hospital and rehabilitation center. The organization operates year-round, providing injured native birds and other wildlife opportunities to return to the wild. This site will support a new building expected to double the floor area of the Bird Alliance’s current Center with the capacity to treat more than 6,000 animals a year. The site’s topography is challenging for any development, and other potential buyers have failed in past attempts to transform it into a large shopping complex.

Aerial image from Portland Maps

The Rose City Sand and Gravel company excavated an 80-foot-deep hole in the center of the site during its many years in operation. Around 1972, site owners converted operations to support the H.G. LaVelle landfill. Over the next ten years, they filled the pit with construction debris, including wood products, metals, and rubble, comprising approximately 2 million cubic yards of solid waste. Landfill deposits included rubble from Interstate-205’s construction. When the landfill closed in 1982, operators covered the site with a clay cap, installing a landfill gas extraction unit and methane monitoring equipment to treat decomposing organic material. Building a substantial structure over the clay cap takes significant engineering. However, the perimeter of the former pit is stable ground and suitable for conventional construction.

Former pro-shop building and offices for golf driving range

The Bird Alliance of Oregon embraced the site’s past and actively supports the remediation of brownfield sites like this one, bringing them back to productive use. Earlier this year, the group secured a Portland Clean Energy Community Benefits Fund (PCEF) grant to restore native habitat across the property. They plan to plant hundreds of native trees and create a pollinator habitat underneath and around a two-acre community solar array on the sloped land at the property’s south side. The multiple PCEF grants received by the organization will power the new structures and offset utility costs for around 200 low-income community members while strengthening the urban tree canopy.

Long unused golf driving range

The plans for this site align with the Bird Alliance of Oregon’s commitment to climate resiliency and habitat protection. These principles complement the work that started over a decade ago at the adjacent Dharma Rain Zen Center. That group purchased the nearly 14 acres to the east in 2012, restoring it to an urban greenspace with habitat for native plants and animals. They created walking trails open to the community and built several small buildings at the center of their property. Together, these two organizations and Glenhaven Park across the street will preserve a green band in the urban core that will support the surrounding community with accessible natural spaces.

With grant funding available, work could begin next year, clearing old structures. The group plans to add additional soil to the property, giving tree roots the depth needed above the clay landfill cap. Developing new structures on the site will take years and require additional funding. This location will become the Bird Alliance of Oregon’s second Portland metro area site, and they will continue to operate in Northwest Portland along with this planned new facility.

Article and photos by

Jacob Loeb

Promotion: Help keep independent news accessible to the community. Montavilla News has a Patreon account for monthly support 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.

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

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.

Infrastructure

PBOT Open House Shows a Connected Future

Within project maps presented in the Portland Bureau of Transportation’s (PBOT) Building a Better 82nd Avenue 2024 Online Open House are a collection of active and longer-term visionary projects that could reshape multi-modal access in the area and help reconnect communities divided by a former state highway. The four maps covering 82nd Avenue also include proposed station locations for TriMet’s FX Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) under development for the 72 line. Several projects on the map are under construction or funded and awaiting final designs. Others represent identified needs seeking funding or general project ideas collected from community feedback that require further support before moving forward.

Since the jurisdictional transfer of 82nd Avenue from the Oregon Department of Transportation to PBOT on June 1, 2022, planners have worked to implement safety improvements and address deferred maintenance along the seven-mile stretch of a roadway designed to move people across the city. Like a freeway, its pre-2022 design segmented communities and split neighborhoods. As housing around the road became more dense and businesses took root on 82nd Avenue, conflicts between motorists and neighborhood users became pronounced, leading to fatalities. Community advocacy and leadership at all levels of government helped transfer this section of 82nd Avenue to Portland with $185 million in support funding. Many projects on Open House maps include projects funded by that pool of money, but additional financial support could come from proposed transit investments and Tax increment financing (TIF).

2024 Online Open House project maps courtesy PBOT. – These maps include projects that have secured funding and are currently underway, projects that are planned and will be prioritized based on available funding, as well as longer-term visionary projects that are in the planning stages and currently lack identified funding sources.

Montavilla residents will find many nearby mapped projects underway or funded, including pedestrian and bicycle crossings of 82nd Avenue at NE Davis, SE Ash, and SE Clinton Streets. Crews recently completed a new enhanced crossing of NE Glisan at 80th Avenue, enabling a future extension of the 70’s Greenway on NE 80th Avenue north of NE Everett Street to the future mini roundabout on NE Halsey Street. Current plans also have funding for a sidewalk extension across from Portland Community College’s southeast campus between the mid-block crossing and SE Division Street.

PBOT encourages residents and street users to review the maps and other Open House materials before participating in its survey. This feedback method is the community’s latest opportunity to guide the next wave of project priorities as the Transportation Bureau seeks new funding and allocates current resources.

By

Jacob Loeb

Disclosure: The author of this article serves on the Building a Better 82nd Community Advisory Group and serves on the 82nd Avenue Business Association board.

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.

Construction, Infrastructure

SE 82nd and Ash Crossing

Road crews have reduced travel lanes on SE 82nd Avenue as workers reconstruct the southbound segment of the street. This work at SE Ash Street at 82nd Avenue supports a new signalized crossing and traffic pattern change underway. Recently, utility workers and cement masons have gradually moved this project forward, completing new eastern sidewalk corners and northbound repaving earlier this year. Work will now focus on westside corner reconstruction and the installation of a more durable support base layer and curb.

Contractors working for the Portland Bureau of Transportation (PBOT) cut through the road surface at this intersection, where a gravel-supported outer lane compacted over time. They removed the existing pedestrian refuge island and paved over the center turn lane so it could act as a travel lane as crews shifted traffic away from the work zone. The new mid-street structure will offer pedestrian cutouts for at-grade crossings from both corners of SE Ash Street but prevent drivers from turning left and prohibit cars from traveling through the intersection on SE Ash Street.

PBOT provided design document

This project is part of the “82nd Avenue Critical Fixes” collection of safety improvements underway across 82nd Avenue. PBOT expects work to conclude in 2026, but crews will likely complete this segment ahead of other locations included in this package of critical fixes. This project will create planter space for street trees or other vegetation in the raised concrete median, and updated stormwater inlets will improve rainwater management at this intersection.

Eastern half of SE 82nd Avenue at Ash Street

The crossing point will see a significant uptick in usage after future developments break ground at this intersection. The Episcopal Church in Western Oregon owns the property on the southwest corner and intends to redevelop the former church site for affordable housing. The owner of the former RV sales lot on the southeast corner investigated building a food cart pod in 2022 and may pursue that development or other increased activity usage. Those pending changes to the intersection’s usage reinforce a need for a safer crossing on this street.

Drivers should be cautious when traveling past the worksite and expect to encounter roadblocks when attempting to cross SE 82nd Avenue on SE Ash Street. Pedestrians may want to cross at E Burnside Street or SE Stark Street until PBOT crews complete this new signalized crossing.

Article and Photos by

Jacob Loeb

Disclosure: The author of this article serves on the Building a Better 82nd Community Advisory Group

Community, Infrastructure

Artist Needed for NE 82nd Ave MAX Station

TriMet is seeking proposals from qualified artists for a new art installation on the MAX train platform at the NE 82nd Avenue Station. The creative work will reside between an existing shelter and a new covered waiting area planned as part of the Blue Line Station Rehabilitation (BLSR) project. People have until August 12th to submit their application for a site-specific exterior sculpture with a design and fabrication budget of $70,000.

Street level elevator and stairs on the east side of NE 82nd Avenue

Crews working for TriMet are renovating 14 stations between Hollywood/NE 42nd Ave Transit Center and Cleveland Ave MAX Station in Gresham as part of the multi-year BLSR project. These improvements will update station appearance, improve safety, and aid staff with long-term maintenance. The NE 82nd Ave MAX Station’s platform is adjacent to Interstate 84 and accessible from the street-level TriMet bus stops via a single elevator and stairs on the east side of NE 82nd Avenue. This station is a frequently used connector for riders of the 72, 77, 287, and 292 bus lines transferring between Blue, Green, and Red MAX trains.

In addition to the second shelter and new sculpture, TriMet plans to install new site furnishings. BLSR project updates have included shelter rehabilitation, station lighting, paving repairs, E-Fare infrastructure, and staircase rehabilitation. Similar updates will likely occur at this station as workers install the new shelter and sculpture.

Illustration courtesy TriMet

Crews will install a circular 24-inch diameter concrete base that stands 24 inches tall to support the sculpture. Inground lighting pointing upward will illuminate the artwork, which should feature a strong vertical design. Its placement near the freeway will make this artwork visible to transit riders and motorists, creating a distinct sense of place in the community. TriMet asks that proposals consider the existing mural in their designs. Local artist Alex Chiu created the How They Grow mural in 2017, extending from the street level along the stairs towards the lower train platform. However, because murals are temporary, the sculpture must also be a self-contained expression that encourages connectivity between the transit system and the community.

MAX Station platform adjacent to I-84

TriMet will select the winning artist by the end of August, and the chosen creator will present a concept proposal in October. After refining the proposal, the artist will present the final design in January 2025. Program planners expect contractors to install the finished sculpture in November 2025. The artwork will be the first in a series planned for each future BLSR station upgrade. TriMet will post those opportunities separately in the future.

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.

New Business, View of Montavilla

Hong Phat Supercenter Opens July 26

Hong Phat Supercenter will open to the public on July 26th after a 30-minute ceremony that begins at 9 a.m. The store owners invite shoppers and community members to tour the new grocery store and indoor mall shops starting at 9:30 a.m. This Eastport Plaza situated location is the company’s fourth store, which opened a Tigard location last year. The store’s owner, with a partner, purchased this 154,000-square-foot building at 4200 SE 82nd Avenue from Walmart at the end of 2023. It now stands as one of the largest stores of its kind in the region, offering food familiar to Montavilla residents who have shopped at the brand’s 101 SE 82nd Avenue location since 2013.

The expansive building has room for many store-within-a-store shopfronts, offering retail spaces for smaller businesses. Shops open at launch include a hair salon, jewelry store, insurance office, beauty and skincare supplier, and a clothing boutique. One of the building’s owners explained two established food brands will rent around 20,000 square feet of space within the Supercenter later this year, expanding the variety shoppers will find during their visits.

In 2006, Fubonn Shopping Center at 2850 SE 82nd Avenue pioneered this model of an anchor Asian grocery store on 82nd Avenue, sharing its property with retail tenants. Hong Phat emulated that design slightly by adding an adjacent multi-storefront building to its Montavilla store in 2015. In 2019, SF (Shun Fat) Supermarket opened in the former Foster Road Fred Meyer building less than a mile from this newest Hong Phat location. This continued expansion indicates a successful model for joint grocery and retail operations.

Although these newer grocery stores predominantly offer culturally specific foods and brands, their size could allow them to meet most households’ general food-buying needs. As many national grocery stores consolidate and reduce the number of stores in the area, these growing food retailers are filling the gap in communities looking for neighborhood resources. Area residents can start stocking their pantries at this new Hong Phat store beginning Friday.

Update: Read the article covering the event with pictures of the store and celebration.

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.