Montavilla Community Acupuncture

Maintain Yourself PDX will relocate from a 200-square-foot office above the Bipartisan Cafe to a ground-floor storefront off SE Stark Street. In December, the therapeutic massage provider is taking over Montavilla Community Acupuncture‘s former space at 7925 SE Stark Street. The larger multi-room office will allow the business to grow its client base and hire more massage therapists.

Diane Barker worked for an established massage provider in NW Portland for seven years before branching out on her own. Being a Montavilla resident wanting to work closer to home, she opened Maintain Yourself PDX at 422 SE 79th Avenue, suite 203. In less than two years, the business grew beyond the confines of the current location, prompting this move.

The vacancy on SE Stark came at just the right time, and the space is practically move-in ready for the business. “Things already set up,” said Barker. “Since it was an acupuncture place before, it’s pretty much set up for massage at that point.” Currently, plans for the space focus on painting walls and a few other updates. Barker also appreciates the new location’s ground-level entrance. “One of the big things I’m excited about is not having stairs for people to come up. Being able to walk right off the street is going to be fantastic because a lot of folks have chronic knee issues or back problems.”

Beyond accessibility, street access will help facilitate exposure for the business and allow drop-in clients once a week. The storefront’s large front room is an ideal place for Maintain Yourself PDX staff to offer chair massages for casual clients. Sessions can last less than an hour and focus on just one area needing treatment.

Diane Barker intends to hire more staff soon, eventually having five massage therapists working at this new location. “I have one other person that I just brought on, and I’m actively hiring at the moment for the other positions,” explained Barker. The new space will become available in November, giving the Maintain Yourself PDX crew just a month to prepare everything for the move. All the work will happen while continuing to see clients at the original office.

The Stark Street location should open on December 3rd. Expect to see updates inside the office during November. Follow the Maintain Yourself PDX website and Instagram for updates.

Jacob Loeb

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After fifteen years on SE Stark Street, Montavilla Community Acupuncture will relocate to a new office. Owner Mia Neuse recently completed renovations to an accessory building at 212 SE 79th Avenue and will move her practice to that space starting November 1st. Until that date, clients can continue to visit the location at 7925 SE Stark Street.

Neuse opened the Stark Street location with John Blank, bringing their individual practices together and creating an affordable treatment system for those without insurance coverage. Both practitioners treated insured people privately and helped the uninsured or underinsured in the community room, taking walk-ins when space was available. Blank retired from the business eight years ago. In 2015, Julie Koroch joined Montavilla Community Acupuncture. She continues to work from this location. However, Koroch will relocate her practice to another office after the move.

Montavilla Community Acupuncture’s transition will require some changes to the business. The new building is nearly one-third the size of the current storefront and located in a residential area. As a single practitioner in a home-based setting, Mia Neuse expects to see fewer people. Currently, fifteen to twenty people walk through the door each day, but that should slim down to around eight. Clients can schedule treatments Tuesday through Friday. Drop-in care was suspended during the pandemic and will not return.

*Transformation of 212 SE 79th Avenue. Image curtesy of Montavilla Community Acupuncture*

Moving after so many years is difficult for this longtime staple of downtown Montavilla. “I love my current office, and there are many things about it that I’m going to really miss,” remarked Neuse. “But I thought it would be nice being nestled in a pretty backyard and have less traffic noise going by.” Montavilla Community Acupuncture will continue to offer the same services with the same commitment to making acupuncture accessible, regardless of insurance coverage.

After completing the interior, work will begin on the grounds around the new location. Clients will walk through an open driveway gate down the newly constructed path that will take them to the blue single-story building in the back. Neuse will apply a Japanese garden design surrounding the walkway, using native Pacific Northwest plants. The goal is to make the space calming and inviting.

Neuse was committed to remaining in the neighborhood when deciding to change locations. “I’ve been living in this community for over 20 years and working in this community going on 15… I really appreciate Montavilla. It’s my home.” Look for the move to begin at the end of this month and expect to see a new business taking over the vacant storefront on Stark Street in the coming months.