Tag: Redwood

Community, Entertainment, Event, Food and Drink

Montavilla’s December Holidays Celebration

Starting this December, the Montavilla business community will launch into a month-long celebration of the Winter holidays. Businesses and organizations will offer a mix of giving opportunities while encouraging people to support their community through shopping locally. Even without spending money, people can participate through two free events offered on SE Stark Street to get into the seasonal mood with friends and neighbors.

Next Saturday, the Montavilla East Tabor Business Association (METBA) will host its Tree Lighting in the public plaza at SE 79th Avenue and Stark Street. The tree lighting ceremony will take place on December 7th from 4 to 6 p.m. Organizers will light up the Montavilla holiday tree at 5 p.m. and serve hot cocoa while supplies last. Participants can enjoy community cheer and seasonal music as they start the countdown to the new year.

A week later, on December 14th, people can gather for a free Santa picture event from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Board Bard Games. The gaming shop at 7960 SE Stark Street will offer an opportunity to take a seasonal family picture with Santa. People waiting for their turn to pose with the jolly icon can partake in hot cocoa and other treats. The organizers remind people to bring their own cameras to capture the moment.

Shopping locally is essential to maintaining a strong community, and METBA wants to reward those who help keep Montavilla thriving. From December 1st through the 21st, people who eat, drink, shop, and recreate at participating businesses will earn raffle entries through completed passports. Every qualifying purchase of $5 or more from the list of locations earns a sticker to go inside a passport. Participating businesses will have passports to get people started, and collecting six stickers completes a passport. Each entry increases your odds of winning the raffle, and there is no limit to the number of passports a person can complete. To enter, drop off completed passports at Redwood at 7915 SE Stark Street or Arbor Hall at 7907 SE Stark Street by the close of business on December 21st.

Graphic courtesy METBA

As a bonus, purchases made during the Merry Montavilla Soiree on December 21st earn participants two stickers for their passports. The Soiree is a one-day event full of special offers and discounts to help last-minute shoppers and Portlanders looking for a special night out.

Many Montavilla shops are embracing the giving season with a donation drive. Participating businesses will collect Adult-sized jackets or coats, warm hats, gloves, scarves, hand warmers, and sleeping bags for Rahab’s Sisters. The organization’s beneficiaries will appreciate those new and gently used items during the cold weather. Rahab’s Sisters have a particular need for plus-size or extended-size donations. Participating locations are listed on the METBA website.

Montavilla Brew Works at 7805 SE Stark Street will host a special Giving Tuesday event on December 3rd, supporting Cultivate Initiatives. Giving Tuesday follows the busy seasonal shopping days and encourages people to support local organizations supporting positive change in their communities. Michael Kora from Montavilla Brew Works explained that his company has a long relationship with Cultivate Initiatives’ leadership, which has grown into the brewery’s expanded support of the group’s efforts. “Over the years, we’ve spearheaded a winter clothing donation drive in the neighborhood that directly supports the more marginalized people in our neighborhood and beyond. With its success during the winter season, we eventually just made it an all-year-long donation drive.”

Graphic courtesy Montavilla Brew Works

Montavilla Brew Works’ Giving Tuesday event runs from 5 to 8 p.m., and donators will receive $1 off their first beverage. People should bring new or gently used warm clothing. They will also accept new underwear, socks, pet food, and hygiene products. Briel’s Barbecue popup will sell food at the event, but Kora noted the BBQ food often sells out and recommends people stop by early. This event is limited to people 21 or older, and organizers hope people will have a good time while supporting a cause they care about.

Once again, Montavilla businesses are doing what they can to celebrate the winter through giving and creating a space for people to enjoy the company of their community.

By

Jacob Loeb

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Community, Entertainment, Event, Food and Drink

Plaza Berry Bash July 18

On July 18th, from 4 to 8 p.m., the Montavilla Farmers Market will host a Berry Bash Summer Celebration in the Montavilla Plaza on SE 79th Avenue at SE Stark Street. Attendees can receive free berry recipe tastings and make shortcake treats. The event will feature live music and berry sales from market vendors. Threshold Brewery will host a beer garden at the plaza during the celebration. As an extension of the event, Redwood restaurant will host a Strawberry Social happy hour featuring on-theme cocktails and desserts a few doors down the street at 7915 SE Stark Street.

Funding from Prosper Portland and Portland Events and Film helped create this Plaza activity as part of the reimagined Thursdays on the Plaza summertime programming. Berry Bash is an interactive event that celebrates locally grown Oregon berries. The Montavilla/East Tabor Business Association (METBA) coordinates 79th Avenue Plaza activities with summer events like this, Montavilla Movie Nights, and many other family-friendly activities to bring people together in the seasonally comfortable weather. Later this month, METBA will host the 11th Street Fair on Sunday, July 28th. The well-attended event closes SE Stark Street from 82nd to 76th Avenues and offers food, music, beer gardens, and vendors. This year’s street fair lasts an hour longer, running from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

People looking for a mid-week activity should consider attending the Berry Bash Summer Celebration this Thursday and keeping an eye on the METBA calendar for future Plaza events. The Firsts Montavilla Movie Nights starts at 8 p.m. on August 8th with Ghostbusters Frozen Empire. People can attend Rock’ N Roll High School on August 15th and Cloak & Dagger on August 22nd.

Article and photos by

Jacob Loeb

Promotion: Montavilla News will have a booth at this year’s Montavilla Street Fair. Please see us for a free sticker. We hope to see you there.

Community, Event

Last Show for Montavilla Movie Night

The Montavilla business district will host the final free movie night of the season tomorrow evening. For all of August, the Montavilla/East Tabor Business Association (METBA) presented weekly group viewing events in the Montavilla Public Plaza at SE 79th Avenue and Stark Street. Local businesses sponsored one movie each Wednesday, with other area businesses offering special concession packages. The 1986 film Labyrinth by Jim Henson will close out the successful community entertainment series on September 7th.

Chantel Chinco of Redwood organized the evening events for METBA, growing the audience weekly. This year, movie nights shared the street space with another first-time Plaza program presented by Montavilla Farmers Market. The 79th Avenue square features an evening min-market on Thursday nights, running through September 29th. This public street venue is supported by the Vibrant Spaces Community Events Activation Fund grant from the City of Portland, in conjunction with the Portland Bureau of Transportation (PBOT) Public Street Plaza Program. 

For the second year, the Montavilla Public Plaza at SE 79th Avenue and Stark Street has driven community engagement into the business district’s core with events like the movie night and market. Public support for these events will influence their return in subsequent seasons.

METBA invites the public to view David Bowie and Jennifer Connelly in the Labyrinth this Wednesday, September 7th. The Show begins at 8:30 p.m., and people are encouraged to bring chairs or blankets to the showing.

  • Aug. 10th: The Sandlot (Mr.Plywood)
  • Aug. 3rd: Ferris Bueller’s Day Off (Natural Furniture)
  • Aug. 17th: Don’t Tell Mom the Babysitter is Dead (Wink Vintage)
  • Aug. 24th: Dazed and Confused (The Observatory)
  • Aug. 31st: The Princess Bride (Redwood)
  • Sep. 7th: Labyrinth (Bonus Screening)

By

Jacob Loeb

Disclosure: The author of this article serves on the METBA Board.

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.

Community, Food and Drink

Redwood’s New Owners

Last week, the founders of Redwood announced the restaurant’s sale to Brenda Dunn and long-time employee Chantel Chinco. Located at 7915 SE Stark Street, this well-reviewed dining destination opened in early 2013 and will continue with new but familiar management. Maintaining Redwood’s quality and dining experience is the core focus as staff train for their new roles during the next few months.

After nine years of growing Redwood into the celebrated business it is today, Susie Blue, Austin Putnam, and Jessie Hawkins believed it was the right time to find a new owner for the restaurant. However, they wanted to sell it to a person who would preserve the same environment and keep Redwood’s culture alive. In the Fall of 2021, the group spoke to their employee, Chantel Chinco, about taking over Redwood. “They approached me probably about mid-September and just let me know kind of where they were at and that they were looking to sell the restaurant,” explained Chinco.

Redwood’s sale to Chinco fit in many ways and was an easy choice for everyone. “I’ve been an employee at Redwood for about five years now, and so I have a really strong relationship with Susie and Jesse,” said Chinco. At the time of sale, Chinco worked in nearly every customer-facing position; server, bartender, and front-of-house manager. Consequently, she has extensive knowledge of the operation and existing customer relationships. Most importantly, the founders trust that Chinco will keep the restaurant on its successful path. 

After 20 years working in the service industry, Chantel Chinco feels owning Redwood is a natural career progression and the best opportunity to participate in a remarkable business. “It’s such an important part of the community and the kind of environment that Susie and Jesse built there you can feel the love in the restaurant, you can taste it in the food. It’s just something special, and I wanted to be a part of that.”

Admiring Redwood’s existing culture and cuisine, Chinco and Dunn do not plan on changing much. “We’re going to keep our signature dishes. We’ve been working with Susie one on one to make sure that we can come as close to cooking her food as she does,” commented Chinco. Chef Susie Blue will stay on for a month to help train the kitchen staff. Like many restaurants, Redwood has struggled with staffing over the last two years. Most servers returned after they reopened from the pandemic closure. However, “back house has always been a struggle,” confessed Chinco. That is quickly changing as they train new cooks and expand the kitchen support. “Irene, who is our main prep cook, she does everything for us. She’s been with us for several years, and we just brought her daughter on for some back-of-house support as well. It’s a real family business,” Chinco remarked.

Chinco and Dunn are currently running Redwood with a focused schedule until they have a firm grasp on operations. “At this time, we just want to make sure that we get everybody properly trained for breakfast and lunch before we move on to bigger endeavors,” explained Chinco. “We would love to offer happy hour or dinner again at some point, but we do not want to compromise the quality and integrity that people have come to expect from Redwood by trying to do too many big things right off the bat.”

After staff are trained, and Redwood is back to a full schedule, the new owners will look at augmenting the menu with a few different items. “We want to keep the same Redwood that everybody loves and expects, but also introduce some of our own flavors and ideas,” Chinco explained. The pair hopes to offer a more comprehensive selection of fresh-baked pastries, weekday specials, and some dietary variety. “My partner Brenda is really excited about doing some more vegan and vegetarian options to make the menu a little bit more diverse,” added Chinco.

Changes at Redwood should be unnoticeable to the regulars but look for small additions over the year. Currently, they offer extended Brunch service from 9 AM to 3 PM Wednesday through Sunday with indoor and outdoor seating or takeout.

By

Jacob Loeb

Disclosure: The author of this article serves on an association board with Chantel Chinco.

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 Relocating, Event, New Business, Property Lease

Union Rose Open in New Location

Union Rose completed the move one block east to a new location. Now at 8029 SE Stark Street, the longtime Montavilla retailer has doubled the shop’s footprint. The storefront exchange, completed two days ago, was briefly documented on the shop’s Instagram account with pictures and a video tour.

The new location also has update hours of operation. The store is open from 10:00 AM to 6:00 PM Tuesday through Saturday, and 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM on Sundays. The store is now closed on Mondays in alignment with the neighboring children’s retailer Beanstalk.

The impending move was previously reported at the beginning of December 2020. The former location of Union Rose will soon be available to rent. Located at 7909 SE Stark street, the vacant shopfront is between Vintage Cocktail Lounge and Redwood restaurant. Union Rose owner, Rita Hudson-Evalt, describe the previous space as “a fantastic location” that the store just outgrew.

The paper is down from the windows at the new Union Rose location. Stroll-by the shop and peek in the expansive storefront windows anytime. Shoppers can drop in to see some of the new items filling the larger store, and everything is also available online for local pickup.

Bar, Event, Food and Drink, Restaurant

Parking Plazas on Stark

As Montavilla restaurants and bars continue to reopen, Parking Plazas are now appearing on SE Stark Street. Businesses are converting parking spaces to extensions of their regular indoor seating.

Portland Bureau of Transportation (PBOT) offers Healthy Businesses permits, enabling the closure of curbside parking and streets. These spaces allow business to distance customers from one-another, without sacrificing too much seating. Plazas like these are part of the PBOT Safe Streets Initiative and the hope is it will be a safer way to visit local businesses.

Vino Veritas, at 7835 SE Stark Street, was the first along Stark Street to open their Parking Plaza. Vino Veritas is a wine bar with a select offering of food items. Between 4PM and 9:30PM, the Parking Plaza is decorated with colorful umbrellas. They provide shade over a handful of tables, that are placed within the wine barrel parameter.

Redwood restaurant will open their Parking Plaza Wednesday, June 24th. This is the first day since the COVID-19 closure, that Redwood has opened for dine in and take out. Redwoods’ Parking Plaza is the most elaborate in Montavilla to date. They have constructed a double sided Shadow Box fence around the area, where others have just used rope or chain. Redwood is located at 7915 SE Stark Street.

Each business is using Parking Plaza in a method that matched their business. Threshold Brewing & Blending has their own take on a Parking Plazas, just around the corner from these two. While the weather is nice, these should be a good aid to deal with the challenges of reopening. Patrons can already be spotted making use of these outdoor venues, to the relief of many business owners.

Event, Food and Drink, Restaurant

Redwood Opening June 24th – UPDATED

UPDATE – Redwood restaurant has decided to push back their opining until Wednesday Jun 24th. Jessie Hawkins, Front of the House Manager at Redwood, informed Montavilla News about the change. In a text message she wrote “The numbers were not looking good so we hesitated to prep a bunch of food before we knew for sure.”

This echoes the choices many restaurant owners have made recently. With last week’s delay in entering Phase 1, many chose to wait and see if Multnomah County would be delayed again. Today, Governor Kate Brown announced we can enter Phase 1 this Friday but for many that assurance came too late.

  • Original Post from June 12th

Redwood is scheduled to reopen Friday June 19th. Originally staff planned to open the restaurant on the 17th but that’s “currently not possible.” Said Jessie Hawkins, Front of the House Manager at Redwood. Hawkins explained that the date could change again, depending on whether Governor Kate Brown gives approval for Multnomah County’s Phase 1 reopening.

Redwood, like many local restaurants and bars, had to adjust their plans. Thursday evening Governor Brown announced a week long pause to Oregon’s phased reopening. This last minute change caught businesses off guard, some planning on opining the next day. Many hope that this will only be a seven day long delay and not a prolonged wait to enter Phase 1.

Redwood is located at 7915 SE Stark Street, in the center of Montavilla Town. They offer brunch and dinner from Chef Susie Blue and drinks of all types, at their bar.