Tag: NightOwl Custom Apparel

Community, Event, Food and Drink

Montavilla’s 2025 Fall Crawl and Trick or Treat Events

Starting October 17th, visitors to select Montavilla businesses can pick up a “Fall Crawl Passport” card from participating locations and collect stickers with purchases to earn a raffle entry. Completed passports are due back at Arbor Hall on SE Stark Street or Replicant/Mudd Works Cafe by the close of the event on October 31st. During the sticker collecting and business visiting event, the Montavilla East Tabor Business Association (METBA) will also host a Trick or Treat event on Sunday, October 26th. A printed map shows key participants, and the METBA site displays individual business hours for the candy giveaway.

METBA organized both events as part of its annual tradition to create a safe and fun celebration of Autumn. The idea of a Montavilla pub crawl grew in popularity in 2019 when Threshold opened the neighborhood’s second brewery in the historic SE Stark Street downtown area. The concept grew into a more formalized event as part of METBA’s Harvest Festival and now includes a variety of activities, including a week-long shopping event for a chance to win a prize. Additionally, bars, restaurants, and other participating businesses may offer special entertainment and discounts.

A decorated house at night with colorful green and red lights, featuring Halloween decorations, including skeletons, pumpkin lanterns, and a ghost figure.
Montavilla home decorated for Halloween

Burgerville at 8218 NE Glisan Street will offer a free coupon for a food item with purchase for passport holders. Kim’s Tae Kwon-Do at 9003 SE Stark Street will provide free classes for passport holders on Tuesday and Thursday during the event from 6 to 7:30 p.m. Montavilla Brew Works at 7805 SE Stark Street will host a special beer release on Halloween, celebrating its three new fall/winter seasonal brews. NightOwl Custom Apparel will offer free stickers and treats for those visiting the shop at 7114 NE Glisan Street in costume. The Glisan Fred Meyers branch of OnPoint Community Credit Union, located at 6615 NE Glisan Street, will feature a prize wheel on October 31st and offer candy on all other passport dates.

For October 26th specific activities, Beanstalk Children’s Resale at 8021 SE Stark Street will have “trick-or-treat goodies for the kiddos” from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. DolFUN Dynamics will host a free Halloween party from 2 to 3 p.m. for children twelve years old and younger at 9260 SE Stark Street, along with a discount of $50 off the first month of classes for new enrollments. Personal Beast at 8119 SE Stark Street is offering a 25% discount on select dog and cat bulk treats from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Although not included on the map, Threshold Brewing & Blending, Academy Theater, and Flying Pie Pizza will participate in the Trick or Treat event.

A spooky Halloween-themed display featuring a creepy clown figure with glowing yellow eyes, holding a large lollipop, surrounded by colorful banners and festive decorations.
2023 Nightmare on Taylor Street haunted walkthrough animated creature

Many more locations will participate. An extensive list is available on the METBA Fall Events website page at metba.org. People trying to win the raffle can receive two stickers per purchase of $5 or more from participating locations, and every five stickers counts towards a raffle entry to increase the chances of winning. For a scarier, yet family-friendly event, consider “Nightmare on Taylor St,” featuring The Madhouse of MonstaVilla at 7926 SE Taylor Street. That October 31st event is a haunted walkthrough hosted by a resident who creates an elaborate experience for the neighborhood. As with most years, Montavilla plans to have an active fall celebration throughout the last half of October. Look for these events and more through the neighborhood.

Article and photos by

Jacob Loeb

Entertainment, Event, Food and Drink

NE Glisan Business Fall Event Oct 12

From noon to 5 p.m. on October 12th, businesses on NE Glisan Street, from 70th to 74th Avenues, will host the inaugural “Gored Gourd Gala on Glisan,” featuring food, music, and retail specials. Over 15 vendors and four bands will join the collection of events sponsored by the local businesses as they welcome the community for a family-friendly fall event. People will find vendors in pop-up tents on both sides of NE Glisan Street between NE 71st and 72nd avenues, along with other promotions by area shops.

An advertisement for the inaugural Gored Gourd Gala on Glisan, featuring a large, expressive pumpkin graphic. The event details include a date of Sunday, October 12, from noon to 5 p.m. at NE 70th-74th Glisan, highlighting fall specials, local craft vendors, food, and live music.

The businesses Wildcard Barber, Hinterland, and NightOwl Custom Apparel will present live music on the back patio behind the shops from 12:15 to 4:30 p.m., featuring Base Band, Tragic Lovers, and Diludead. Booth vendors on the sidewalk include Sam Pletcher Goods, Wolf Tea Creations, Yellow Heart Sunshine, Cat Around Stamp, The Way Home Shop, Smash Me Daddy (smashed burgers), Rose City Rec Room, Sister Garden PDX, Think Tank Woodworks, EAB Crafts (crocheted items), Pet Bloc Mutual Aid, Mending Bloc Mutual Aid, and People’s Free Library. Additionally, the majority of businesses on NE Glisan, from 70th to 74th avenues, will open for the event with fall specials on October 12th. Attendees will find other vendors providing face painting and tooth gems. Wildcard Barber will host a flash tattoo artist to offer permanent inking from a set library of artwork.

The NE Glisan business community hopes people will attend their Sunday afternoon inaugural “Gored Gourd Gala on Glisan.” They intend to keep this as a new tradition that attracts neighbors within walking distance and others in the wider community to visit this growing commercial corridor.

Article and photo by

Jacob Loeb

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.

Community, Event, Food and Drink

Spring NE Glisan Block Parties May 31 and June 1

This weekend, Montavilla businesses will host two days of events along NE Glisan Street, featuring music, vendors, and activities. It starts on Saturday, May 31st, with the Montavilla East Tabor Business Association’s (METBA) 2025 Spring Block Party from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on NE 70th Avenue north of NE Glisan Street. Then, on Sunday, June 1st, Wildcard Barber and their adjacent businesses will host a Pride Month kickoff block party from noon to 5 p.m., with flash tattoos inked by Austin Fillmore and free gender-affirming hot towel face shaves.

A lively outdoor event scene featuring several vendor tents, people engaging in various activities, and colorful decorations. Families and children interact in a festive atmosphere.
The 2024 MEBA Spring Block Party booths

METBA’s event is part of its Spring Fling 2025 celebration and will create a mini street fair with three musicians scheduled by the street activation nonprofit Curbside Serenade. Seven vendors and activity booths will line the block party site, including many neighborhood establishments from around the district.

The May 31st music schedule starts at 10 a.m. with performer Jake Soffer, and then, at 11:15 p.m., Jet Black Pearl takes the stage area. Maeve Steir will close out the live performances with a set starting at 12:30 p.m. More information about the first block party can be found on the METBA.org page.

Promotional poster for a block party at Wildcard Barber, featuring colorful graphics, event details including date and time, and services offered like gender-affirming hot towel face shaves and flash tattoos.

Wildcard Barber and NightOwl Custom Apparel recently took tenancy within the building that hosts Hinterland Coffee at 7112 NE Glisan Street. The three businesses are collaborating on a June Pride Month party to celebrate the global recognition of LGBTQ+ culture and identity.

Austin Fillmore posts previews of the flash tattoo options at the artist’s website, awwwsin.com. These pre-designed permanent body art designs speed up the inking process, allowing for walk-in service. This vendor is a fitting event for Wildcard Barber to host, as it recently took over the former Highway Tattoo storefront at 7110 NE Glisan Street.

The business owners on NE Glisan invite people to attend their block parties this weekend, marking the cultural start of summer in Montavilla.

Article and photos by

Jacob Loeb

Business Relocating

NightOwl Custom Apparel Relocates to NE Glisan

NightOwl Custom Apparel recently relocated its screen printing and embroidery business to 7114 NE Glisan Street and launched its first customer-facing storefront. Partners Shelly Hill and Paul Hill ran this business for 15 years as a home-based operation, creating wearable promotional items and custom apparel for local groups. Portlanders have likely seen their work worn by 82nd Avenue parade volunteers and community athletes. NightOwl’s owners expanded onto NE Glisan to better connect with their community of supportive customers and to find more people looking for unique apparel made quickly in Portland.

Inside NightOwl Custom Apparel store, displaying a variety of colorful t-shirts on hangers with artwork on the walls.

NightOwl started as a growing Hill family changed their priorities. “My partner’s been in the [printing] industry for over 35 years, and it’s part of my daily life for over 30. When we had our son, we decided it was time to be done working for someone else who just had the money but not the knowledge. So we started our own business to be able to put family first,” recalled Shelly Hill. She explained that their business has remained consistent in many ways over the last decade and a half, printing by hand with a personal touch. However, the source artwork has evolved, requiring more pre-printing support to translate it onto clothing. “With AI, we’re seeing a lot of artwork that can’t be used, but it looks fantastic on a computer screen. We’ll work with them to get the image they want that works on the particular piece of apparel they’re putting it on. Because what looks great on a business card doesn’t work on a hat,” said Hill.

A screen printing machine with multiple screens set up in a workshop, surrounded by printing supplies and equipment.
Screen print t-shirt carousel

Shelly Hill was raised in a southern Illinois union household and supports people making a living wage wherever they work. That perspective guides the products they produce for clients. “We try to get U.S. made, but we have to be competitive. So we work through a local U.S. company that has their own [supply channel], generally in Honduras. They pay all their employees [fairly] wherever they are, and they take care of them,” explained Hill. She is also adamant that printing services remain in-house with a few exceptions. “As a general rule, when you’re in control of the production, you’re in control of the quality,” remarked Hill. People can work with them to create custom tablecloths, banners, signage, patches, travel mugs, and nearly any promotional items. They can also help with stickers through a local partner.

A blue car parked in front of the NightOwl Custom Apparel store, showcasing colorful clothing displayed in the windows and a vibrant balloon arrangement nearby.

Most longtime clients value their quick turnaround time and focus on supporting local groups. “We work with Columbia Christian [School]. They called on Monday with a soccer camp starting on Wednesday, and we got the shirts done. We tell people it takes 10 to 12 business days, but we almost never take that long, and we understand small businesses don’t need 200 t-shirts at once. We’d love it if people would order at least 24 because it takes time and materials to set up. However, we did one shirt for someone kicking off their business just this week that needed something,” recalled Hill. “We try to support our community every way we can. We make Street Roots stuff at cost. We don’t charge them, and we don’t charge Columbia Slough.”

A display of various shirts on hangers in a storefront, showcasing different colors and styles, next to a wooden product with decorative stripes and a colorful painting on the wall.

NightOwl Custom Apparel held its grand opening on April 27th after working from the space during the build-out process. They are excited to meet new customers and anyone looking for gift items at their shop. People can visit the storefront from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekdays or call/text them at (815) 848-2216. For examples of their work, visit the company’s Instagram page, showroom, or the Hinterland Coffee & Clothing shop next door, which uses them for many of its apparel products.

Article and photos by

Jacob Loeb