Montavilla Farmers Market (MFM) is examining relocation options ahead of a land sale that could displace the nearly two-decade-old neighborhood icon. In October of 2024, the owners of the 0.84-acre lot at 7700 SE Stark Street informed the operators of the Sunday market that they were seeking a buyer for the combined lots. The market is allowed to use the space until the land changes ownership. The Commercial Mixed Use 2 property became publicly listed for sale a year later and currently has an asking price of $4,999,000. With a sale possible, the MFM leadership team is strategically looking for a new location and has created a user survey to guide the search team.
Montavilla’s farmers market opened in 2007 within a smaller portion of the current SE Stark Street lot, featuring 17 initial vendors. A private trust purchased the MFM property and adjoining Montavilla Animal Clinic veterinary building at 7714 SE Stark Street in April 2018. In June 2019, the trust purchased the Beets Auto Body building at 518 SE 76th Avenue. The new owners demolished the automotive repair structure in February 2020 and later added the Beets Auto Body gravel lot space to the MFM footprint.
In a social media post announcing the survey, the MFM assured visitors that they will operate on a normal schedule without a change in location as “no sale is imminent.” They continued to explain that the research to find a new location will take considerable effort and should not be done under a tight timeline. “We’re grateful for the past 19 years in our location, and want to plan carefully for what comes next. With a dedicated site search committee leading the process, vendor and community input is needed.”
A property sale could also displace the Portland Guitar Repair shop located on the eastern edge of the parcel in the only remaining building at the site. However, a new owner may not have immediate redevelopment plans and could extend leases. The site could host up to four stories for retail, offices, and housing. Any substantial redevelopment could take over a year to receive building permits. Beyond participating in the survey, MFM leaders ask people with connections to a large lot that satisfies their location requirements to email president@montavillamarket.org. An ideal site would fit a similar number of vendors, currently over 70, and be available on Sundays from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Cleanup crews from Central City Concern (CCC) began providing basic sidewalk cleaning services in Montavilla’s major business corridors in October. The Public Environment Management Office (PEMO), part of Portland Solutions, contracted with the employment opportunity program operator to improve conditions around neighborhood economic centers, aiming to create safer, more welcoming spaces. The rollout’s timing coincides with the critical holiday shopping season when small businesses depend on customers coming out to local storefronts and shopping within the community.
CCC crew member Victor Leon collecting litter from NE 82nd Ave and Glisan St
In November alone, CCC Crew 3 removed 8,820 pounds of trash from City sidewalks in Montavilla and parts of East Portland. Cleanup crews work on a fixed schedule determined by need and resources, using trikes in areas closer to the city center and logoed trucks farther out in areas with larger volumes of trash. With this new program, contractors visit Portland’s busiest locations to clean up trash and biohazards from sidewalks on a weekly, bi-monthly, or quarterly cadence, depending on conditions in the area, and adjust their schedule based on demand. In the Montavilla area, workers will maintain SE Stark Street from 76th to 82nd Avenues, 82nd Avenue from SE Stark Street to NE Pacific Street, and NE Glisan Street from 81st to 84th Avenues. Crews will also maintain a well-used route to school along NE 82nd Avenue from NE Thompson Street to NE Klickitat Street.
CCC and Portland Solutions logoed truck already half full of removed trash
In addition to CCC, PEMO contracts with Cultivate Initiatives in areas further east of 82nd Avenue. The citywide program focuses on spaces where people walk to school, work, shop, and enjoy neighborhood amenities. Cleaning crews sweep sidewalks, pick up litter, clean biohazards, and pressure wash outdoor surfaces when needed. The staff will also remove graffiti from city-owned street elements, including bike racks, utility meters, and trashcans. In addition to improving conditions on impacted streets, the funds support homeless-to-work employment programs that provide opportunities for people seeking pathways to stability and long-term employment.
CCC crew member Charlie Smelser collecting litter from NE 82nd Ave by Montavilla Park
CCC crew member Charlie Smelser explained that his group parks the truck at a central location within the assigned areas, then the three to four-person crew fans out with rolling trash cans to collect any improperly discarded items from public spaces. He noted that they also check the condition of city-owned trash cans to ensure people have functional options for disposing of trash.
PEMO’s expanded efforts built upon a 2024 collaboration in the Gateway Service District, with the City developing the concept and managing contracts. A three-year partnership between the City of Portland, Multnomah County, and TriMet funds the work in Gateway, with each partner contributing $100,000 a year for its initial duration. Primary funding for the augmented cleanup area, including Montavilla, comes from PEMO’s $1.7 million annual budget allocation by the Portland City Council.
CCC crew member Charlie Smelser crossing NE 82nd Ave at NE Glisan St
Collecting litter is an endless cycle, but without regular cleanings, well-traveled locations show signs of neglect. This city service can help keep visible areas of Portland cleaner and more welcoming, while supporting small businesses that often lack time and funds to clean the public spaces. Funding for this expanded cleanup depends on Portland Solutions’ budget and support. However, its perceived success could encourage the adoption of a sidewalk cleaning program as a permanent City service, much as a Jade district trial program led to the 2020 expansion of public trash cans across Portland. People can expect to see cleanup crews in the City’s business districts performing basic sidewalk cleaning into 2026 as the program continues to develop.
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Sadie Veterinary Urgent Care at 8037 SE Stark Street will expand into the adjacent storefront that most recently hosted Union Rose before it relocated to the Plural Collective in Sellwood. Pending building permit approval, renovation work on the neighboring space will begin in the first half of 2026, with an anticipated completion in the summer. The frequently busy care center for cats and dogs will remain open during renovations, with minor disruptions as staff reorganize the facility to make better use of the significantly larger space.
Front desk and entrance to hallway that will extend into the new space
Sadie Veterinary co-owner Dr. Cindy Galbreath explained that this expansion was needed almost from the time the clinic opened in November 2022. “Honestly, we were busy from day one. We’ve had a consistent caseload over the last three years, serving about 25 to 30 patients per day between two doctors.” The team was already maxed out on reasonable operating hours, with little room to expand them for greater capacity during the times patients needed them most. As an urgent care facility, they do not schedule visits weeks in advance except for follow-up treatments. They are open every day of the week except Wednesday from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., with pet owners calling to schedule a visit for the day or have staff place them on a wait list.
Signature Sadie Veterinary mural by Alex Probain waiting room
With a predictably full wait list, the three owners of Sadie Veterinary Urgent Care jumped at the chance to expand into the neighboring 1,400-square-foot space at 8029 SE Stark Street. They currently work within a 2,400-square-foot space that includes four exam rooms, the reception desk and waiting room, treatment area, onsite lab, x-ray room, short-stay kennel, and other administrative and staff-only spaces. The expansion will focus on adding exam rooms, doubling the available space for patient visits by building five rooms and a second shared hand-washing station. Towards the end of the renovation, they will have a small amount of demolition at the front of the building. “Our lobby is very small. Part of our expansion will be taking out exam room one and expanding our lobby so that we can have more people comfortably up here,” said Galbreath.
Image showing empty Union Rose storefront with adjacent Sadie Veterinary location on SE Stark St
People and animals will continue to use the current corner entrance, even though the expanded footprint includes another sidewalk-accessible doorway. Galbreath explained that a second entrance would require an additional reception desk and disrupt operational flow. “We’re going to snake this hallway around the back of the building, and we’ll have essentially a giant U hallway that will be accessible to clients,” explained Galbreath. “All of our exam rooms will be off that U-shaped hallway.” The central connector will need to curve past one of their two existing restrooms in the back, and the architectural design incorporates adding an existing restroom on the other side of the dividing wall for the expansion, giving them three total. The work will require moving the water heater, along with other significant alterations to the space. However, the renovation design will minimize impact to essential operations and shift the office flow around the now central treatment and surgical rooms. This approach will improve the working environment for the 20 to 25 staff who constantly need to shuffle animals and their owners throughout the facility for treatment.
Treatment room
The new leased space came with one extra vehicle stall in the lot behind the building, and expanded parking capacity for the animal urgent care to six spaces. When completed, they anticipate adding more doctors beyond the six veterinarians already employed to increase their daily capacity. Galbreath, along with her partners Dr. Jenica Wycoff and Dr. Malia Goodell, considered options to expand the business but has remained committed to the historic Montavilla downtown. “We really love being a part of Montavilla. We’re sad to see Union Rose go, but we really like this location and this building,” said Galbreath. “We feel really fortunate to have landed in this space originally.” She noted they could have opened a second location or relocated to a larger space, but felt expansion was the best option. “I think the location works really well for our clients. This is an accessible area, and we serve a lot of people in Montavilla as well. Additionally, we have good relationships with the primary care vets in this area, with a lot of referrals from the local veterinarians,” explained Galbreath.
Short stay kennel space
Construction timelines for the expansion are far from firm, but they anticipate six months for building permit approval and another two or three months for construction. That should put them at the back half of the warmer months, which is a critical time for their work. “Summer is our busiest time. Across the board in veterinary medicine, it tends to be,” said Galbreath. “I think in part because animals are more active, the weather is better, people are out and about with their pets, who are more susceptible to traumatic injuries.” She noted that people are also more observant of their animals during that time. “People are home with their pets more in the summer, and when people are home, looking at their pets, they’re more prone to discover issues.” However, if the building timelines take longer than hoped, Galbreath says they will appreciate its completion at any time. “We have other times of the year that are busy, and we generally tend to just stay pretty consistently busy throughout the year.”
One of the four existing exam rooms
Sadie Veterinary’s owners hope people will bear with them during construction. Galbreath explained they anticipate the improvements will ultimately provide a better care experience. “We’ll all feel better not feeling like we have to rush people out of exam rooms. I feel like we outgrew this space within our first few months of operation.” With more rooms, the care team can minimize juggling patients in and out of rooms, resulting in a lower-stress visit. Additionally, they can serve more pets quickly and say yes to urgent requests. “We all want to be able to say yes to these cases, to these sick animals,” said Galbreath. “Being able to tell people yes instead of putting them on a wait list. I think it’s gonna feel really good for everyone.”
Sadie Veterinary owners’ departed dogs with namesake in the center
Update December 9, 2025: Added muralist name Alex Proba to photo
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Portland transportation officials have begun public outreach and project development for the SE Stark and Washington Street Safety Project, with an expected groundbreaking in 2028. The streetscape improvement work will focus on the SE Stark and Washington one-way couplet, from 92nd to 108th Avenues, adding protected bike lanes with enhanced pedestrian crossing points and updates to transit stops. The Portland Bureau of Transportation (PBOT) also plans to upgrade traffic signal systems at six intersections. Early design ideas consider reducing travel lanes while adding more street trees and improving pedestrian space, building on the work west of this project as part of the Jade and Montavilla Multimodal Improvements Project, which is already underway. An online Open House features detailed information on potential project elements, accompanied by a survey that will remain open through November 2025.
Project area map courtesy PBOT
According to the posted project information, PBOT states that the four lanes of one-way traffic on both SE Stark and Washington currently accommodate approximately 2,800 vehicles per hour. However, traffic volumes during peak times do not exceed 1,700 vehicles per hour, resulting in the wide roadway being at 60% utilization. City traffic engineers consider 90% utilization on a roadway as “major congestion,” meaning these streets have excess capacity even for the Bureau’s projected 5 to 15% increase in area traffic by 2045. PBOT believes that this anticipated excess capacity will enable lane reconfigurations that reduce vehicle capacity without negatively impacting drive times beyond moderate congestion during peak usage periods. The street adjustments make way for adding curbside amenities such as concrete and parking-protected bike lanes, street trees, and shorter crosswalks.
PBOT provided graphic showing the number of serious injury crashes along the corridor from 2015 to 2022
Proposed bus platforms in the project area could receive bike lane updates similar to the ones created for the SE Division FX Bus Rapid Transit system. They may implement the same bike ramp system, which allows cyclists to travel over the extended nose of the rider loading area when not in use. This design enables the platform to extend out to the bus travel lane at a nearly level boarding height, while still allowing bike riders to maintain a relatively straight path unblocked by the transit vehicle shouldered at the stop. The area may also utilize bus-only lanes to keep buses running on time and increase transit reliability.
SE Division St FX Bus Rapid Transit platform with bike over lane (Jacob Loeb)
The project area includes two freeway passovers, and PBOT will need to maintain and add turn lanes required for Interstate 205 access ramps while implementing new safety features. Signal updates would replace several of the remaining cable-hung traffic lights with modern pole- and mast-arm-mounted signals that also support new bike signals. Updated signal control systems would utilize “pedestrian head start” timing to give pedestrians the walk signal several seconds ahead of vehicles, thereby reducing conflicts caused by both street users trying to enter the crosswalk at the same time. New curb extensions that push out into the parking lanes of an intersection will enhance pedestrian visibility while waiting to cross and reduce on-street crossing time. Those updated sidewalk corners will include curb ramps and pedestrian push buttons that comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) standards.
Rendering of possible road configuration at SE Washington St and SE Stark St at 102nd Ave. Courtesy PBOT
PBOT expects the street reconfiguration to add more amenities for transit riders, pedestrians, and cyclists. However, drivers heading to destinations in the area will gain added on-street parking on SE Washington Street and SE Stark Street based on current early designs. Planners estimate that businesses could acquire approximately 47 additional parking spaces along this corridor under a Main Street configuration. Visible curbside parking and an expanded tree canopy will help attract visitors to the area and encourage property owners to reconfigure their street frontages, placing more structures closer to the sidewalk.
Map from the July 2017 Growing Transit Communities Plan
Project funding for this work comes from multiple sources, including $5,332,000 from Metro’s Regional Flexible Fund Allocation (RFFA), $5,030,000 from Fixing Our Streets, and $727,000 from the Portland Clean Energy Community Benefits Fund (PCEF). General Transportation Revenues, primarily sourced from user-based fees, will contribute $511,629 for ADA Ramps and $200,000 from Quick Build funds.
PBOT invites individuals interested in learning more about the Stark and Washington Safety Project to visit the online Open House and then share their perspectives via the survey by the end of November 2025.
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Crews working with the Portland Bureau of Transportation (PBOT) activated the new left-turn signal at SE 82nd Avenue and Washington Street on November 12th, allowing left turns at this high-traffic intersection for the first time in decades. This change is part of work underway on SE 82nd Avenue around the SE Stark Washington couplet, where PBOT added center lane medians with space for street trees and raised concrete turn lane separators.
New SE 82nd Ave left turn lane for southbound drivers wanting to head east on SE Washington St
The newly activated traffic light permits southbound drivers on 82nd Avenue to turn eastbound at a signal-controlled intersection where they previously needed to use an unsignalized intersection further south and navigate back to SE Washington Street. Alternatively, those motorists could head westbound on the one-way SE Stark and loop a block over to the one-way SE Washington Street, which travels eastbound. This change reduced the queue depth for northbound 82nd Avenue drivers turning west to accommodate the opposing traffic’s left turn. This compromise could create a more intuitive driving experience with well-defined left turns, road elements, and minimize the prior confusion some motorists experienced when using the one-way street couplet from 82nd Avenue.
Road crews recently completed raised center lane medians on SE 82nd Avenue north of SE Stark Street and south of SE Washington Street. These new medians provide protection for the new turn lane configuration between them and block the potential wrong-way left turns on the one-way streets. Tree wells, located in the center medians, enable the planting of up to ten new trees or other vegetation along the roadway, thereby increasing the urban tree canopy and reducing summer temperatures in the area. Cement masons finished the median concrete surface between the tree wells with red coloring and a brick pattern, which delivers a cost-effective and decorative aesthetic.
New SE 82nd Ave raised center median north of Stark St with brick pattern treatment
Drivers can already use the new 82nd Avenue left turn signal to drive eastbound on SE Washington Street. PBOT will implement other signal improvements at the intersection, including bike and bus lights, as well as updates to some through traffic signals for safer right turns from eastbound Washington Street, which is part of the Jade and Montavilla Multimodal Improvements Project. Look for continued work in the area, and street users should anticipate minor traffic pattern updates at impacted intersections.
Article and phots by
Jacob Loeb
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On August 25th, crews with Specialized Pavement Marking (SPM) removed lane markings on SE Thorburn, Stark, and Washington Streets as part of the Portland Bureau of Transportation’s (PBOT) reconfiguration of the roads for safer bike and pedestrian use. When road stripers repaint the streets, drivers on SE Thorburn and Washington Streets lose a lane of travel in each direction, and cyclists will gain bike lanes with protection in most places from SE Gilham Avenue to SE 92nd Avenue. PBOT will retain much of the existing street parking on both sides of SE Washington Street for a critical two-block segment. The road striping plan will replace removed curbside parking on SE Washington with bike-lane-adjacent parking from SE 76th to 80th Avenues to create a protected buffer for the five-foot-wide curbside cyclist route. Driving lane reductions on SE Thorburn Street and parts of SE Gilham Avenue will create space for a painted bike lane on the northwest traveling side of the road and a raised concrete traffic separator-protected bike lane on the southeast traveling side, with space for an on-pavement pedestrian track where missing sidewalks have previously challenged pedestrian access.
SE Washington Street with MV News created illustrations showing approximate lane configuration (not to scale)
This work is part of the Jade and Montavilla Multimodal Improvements Project. The SPM crews will add over 20 marked parking spaces on SE Washington Street, replacing the southernmost travel lane. The recrated parking capacity offers slightly fewer stalls than the removed spaces. Still, it is a significant benefit for area businesses and residents living in housing on that street who do not have on-site parking options. Its design also offers cyclists a physical buffer between fast-moving downhill traffic. The project will likewise reconfigure SE Stark Street west of SE 76th Avenue. The existing bike lane will extend west, replacing curbside parking with some adjacent spaces created between the travel lane and the bike path. A new traffic signal planned for a later phase in this project will aid cyclists turning south at SE 76th and Stark, and the southernmost lane of SE Stark Street will transition into a left-turn-only lane at the signal.
SE Washington Street Bike lanes east of SE 80th Avenue will use a mix of concrete traffic separator-protected bike lane cycling infrastructure and shared bus-bike lanes up to SE 92nd Avenue. Striping plans show TriMet bus drivers will have a consistent bus lane from SE 80th Avenue past SE 90th Avenue, with motorists having right-turn-only access to that bus lane at intersections. PBOT recently enhanced the crossings of SE Washington and Stark Streets at SE 84th Avenue for north-south traveling pedestrians. On SE Washington Street, new corners offer Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) compliant curb ramps, curb extensions on the north side have shortened the crossing distance, and new pavement markings underway will add high-visibility crosswalks.
Drivers can anticipate disruptions to travel on SE Thorburn, Stark, and Washington Streets during the project work times of 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. this week. People should anticipate seeing changes to traffic patterns and look for new signage indicating where parking is permitted. Motorists and pedestrians need to observe worker instructions and follow temporary routes when necessary as crews work in the street.
In April, crews began converting an adult entertainment venue into Portland’s first Chick-fil-A restaurant within city limits since the Lloyd Center food court location closed in 2003. This project dates back to May 2022, when the national fast food chain explored development at 9950 SE Stark Street, opting to renovate the original structure to maintain its nonconforming use of the existing site. The 1984-era structure previously hosted Rax Roast Beef, Tony Roma’s, and Hooters restaurants before converting to Mystic Gentlemen’s Club and later Venue Gentlemen’s Club.
9950 SE Stark Street stripped to its studs ahead of renovation (Jacob Loeb)
Complete demolition of the building would have required denser use of the rezoned property and prohibited the use as a single-story restaurant, so workers stripped the building down to its studs and repurposed existing structural elements in the new design. This property is in the Gateway Urban Renewal Area, which city planners hoped would become a second downtown. The Gateway District is predominantly zoned as Central Commercial (CX). City planners expect new developments in this area to maximize density and encourage urban activities. The CX zone allows projects with tall buildings placed close together. Developers working in this zone should create pedestrian-oriented structures that strongly emphasize a safe and attractive streetscape. To avoid the minimum density requirements in the CX zone, the Chick-fil-A on SE Stark Street must reuse the original building. Portland allows noncomplying use within a zone when the building predates the new standards and only expects zone compliance to occur when property owners significantly redevelop the site. The status of nonconforming structures is not affected by changes in ownership or tenants. The project’s initial demolition and drive-thru-oriented redevelopment plan would have needed to adhere to the CX standards. This renovation plan will create a Chick-fil-A that is different from most of the restaurant’s other locations without a drive-through option, but it will retain nonconforming status by maintaining the usage pattern of previous tenants.
April 2025 (Jacob Loeb)
January 2025 (Jacob Loeb)
An early morning fire at the location on January 4th almost hampered redevelopment plans. However, Portland Fire & Rescue’s quick response kept the damage to a minimum and preserved most of the structure. This event was just one of the obstacles this project faced over the years. Chick-fil-A remained committed to buying this property even as its storied history played out in court with a 32-year-old man found guilty this month for a deadly shooting at this location in April 2024.
Firefighters working outside the shuttered Venue Gentlemen’s Club entrance. Photo by Dennis Weis, courtesy PF&R.
Over the next few months, crews will rework the facade and roof to incorporate a new entry vestibule. Sidewalk improvements around the site will join updates to the parking lot and ramp additions to increase accessible entry to the restaurant. Workers will restructure the interior with an all-new layout, including restrooms, a play area, a sit-down dining room, and kitchen space to meet the Chick-fil-A standards. People should anticipate sidewalk and lane closures around the property as workers transform this site. After crews complete the renovation, area residents should expect increased traffic around the property border by SE Stark Street, Washington Street, and 99th Avenue. The chicken-centric fast food company tends to draw many patrons, and its lack of drive-through service may exceed its onsite parking capacity, diverting drivers into other area parking. However, the property will have a designated “Delivery Drivers” area for app-based service providers taking orders directly to customers offsite.
Although the building will mostly retain its original footprint and parking lot, people should soon see a different level of customer interaction at this site, and it has the potential to draw in new visitors from the adjacent Interstate 205 commuter looking for a quick meal. Increased visitors at one location can improve surrounding locations’ sales but may also draw customers from local competitors. Chick-fil-A’s impact on the Gateway District will take years to materialize. Still, people have expressed appreciation for the change in business at that location and will appreciate seeing the site more active.
Update January 1, 2026: Construction is nearly complete and the franchisee anticipates opening the location in early 2026.
By
Jacob Loeb
Correction: The article was updated to acknowledge the Lloyd Center food court location that closed in 2003.
Portland Fire & Rescue responded to an early morning fire inside the shuttered Venue Gentlemen’s Club at 9950 SE Stark Street. The national chain chicken sandwich company, Chick-fil-A Inc., owns the approximately 7,012 square-foot building. Firefighters arrived just before 3 a.m. on January 4th, reportedly observing heavy smoke coming from the structure. Upon entering the building, crews found signs of a ceiling fire and called in a second alarm assignment. Within 20 minutes, crews had the fire under control and found no signs of injury within the building.
Firefighters working outside the shuttered Venue Gentlemen’s Club entrance. Photo by Dennis Weis, courtesy PF&R.
Chick-fil-A Inc. completed the purchase of this property in November 2024, less than a month after the adult entertainment company leasing the space ceased operations on October 26th. This building is located between SE Stark and SE Washington Streets on SE 99th Avenue, just across SE Washington Street from the Mall 205 complex that new investors purchased in January 2022. Several real estate and commercial property interests are investing in properties within this formerly bustling retail center in the Gateway District. Chick-fil-A joins other national chains like Chipotle Mexican Grill, which are continuing efforts to reestablish this area as a commercial corridor for East Portland. Despite the big-name brands moving into some storefronts in this area, the new owners of Plaza 205 are courting a cohort of Asian American owned businesses blocks east of the future Chick-fil-A location, offering more retail diversity to the area’s revival.
North side smoke damage and signs of firefighter efforts to cut power (Jacob Loeb)
Based on visible damage, the fire at 9950 SE Stark Street is unlikely to change plans for the Chick-fil-A project significantly. The building’s overhaul includes substantial renovations while maintaining the general shape of the 1984-era building. Motorists will maintain parking lot access from the two existing SE Washington Street and SE Stark Street driveways. However, guests will need to park their vehicles at this fast food location as the building will not offer a drive-through window. Crews will rework the facade and roof to incorporate a new entry vestibule. Sidewalk improvements around the site will join the parking lot and ramp additions to increase accessible entry to the restaurant. Workers will restructure the interior with all new restrooms, a play area, a sit-down dining room, and kitchen space to meet the Chick-fil-A standards. The existing free-standing sign by each entrance will lose its lower panel letter boards, and contractors will refresh them with Chick-fil-A branding. Illuminated channel letter signs spelling the restaurant’s name will adorn the sides of the building. Permit plans indicate this store will display a “Delivery Drivers” sign directing the app-based service providers to a designated area for pickup, perhaps signaling an anticipated elevated demand for that option.
Venue Gentlemen’s Club post closing October 2024 (Jacob Loeb)
Fire investigators are still working to determine what sparked the blaze. If Portland Permitting & Development approves plans currently under review, crews could begin construction at this property in 2025. However, fire damage could further complicate this project, which has taken years to develop.
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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.
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A – This is a tricky question and one I’ve puzzled over for several years. When you look closely at the 8600 SE Stark Street building, you can see it was built in stages.
I haven’t been able to date all the components, but the earliest one is the two-story building at the corner of Stark and 86th Avenue. If you enter the Marketplace here, you are standing in what was the Dehen Knitting Mills company, a manufacturer of knitted clothing. Just imagine this space filled with busy workers and the clattering of knitting and sewing machines.
Delving into the history of the Dehen company, a fascinating story of a German immigrant and his American family unfolded. The story began with Wilhelm Peter Isenberg (1879-1955), later known as William P. Dehen.
He was born in the beautiful southern German city of Trier, where wool textile production dates back to Roman times. Both his paternal and maternal families were engaged in the manufacturing and sale of knitted wool garments. In 1920, Dehen told a reporter for Olympia’s Washington Standard that, as a youth, he had worked in his father’s knit-goods factory and had studied textile technology at Germany’s prestigious Reutlingen University.
He immigrated to the U.S. in 1903 and—again, according to the Standard—brought the first fully automatic knitting machine to the National Knitting Mills in Milwaukee. By 1905, he had Anglicized his first name to William, but he kept his surname until about 1914. Then, perhaps because of building anti-German sentiment on the eve of World War I, he adopted his mother’s family name, Dehen.
According to Dehen’s grandchildren, Liz Artaiz and Mike Dehen, someone encouraged William to seek his fortune on the West Coast. By 1906, he was working for a knitting mill in San Francisco, but shortly after he arrived, it was destroyed in the 1906 earthquake and fire. In 1907, he and his brother Mathias established their own knitting company in southern California. By 1909, he was back in San Francisco working as a superintendent for the Acme Knitting Company.
William Dehen (foreground) working at a knitting machine at an unknown location. Source: TEDX talk by Benjamin Dehen-Artaiz
In San Francisco, William met Celia A. Schmitt (1885-1970), the daughter of a German immigrant born near Trier. Celia helped run the knitting companies they established in Seattle and Portland between 1915 and 1920. The couple had four children: Henry (b. 1910), Rosemary (b. 1912), Alvira (b. 1914), and William (b. 1922). All except Rosemary, who died tragically in a fire in 1915, would work in the Montavilla factory.
1925 Dehen Knitting Mills building at the corner of Stark and 86th. Photo source: Kelli Vinther, Monticello Antique Marketplace owner
According to Dehen family descendants, William and Celia were destitute when they moved to Portland (probably in 1921), so William had to work as a night watchman at Jantzen Knitting Mills. By 1922, they had opened Dehen Knitting Mills on Stark Street, probably in a preexisting building. In 1925, they commissioned a purpose-built, two-story factory at the corner of Stark and 86th Avenue (which is now the northwest end of the Monticello marketplace). The Oregon Daily Journal of May 9, 1925, reported that the new mill had two floors for production and a basement for storing yarn and other knitting supplies. The five employees produced sports sweaters and bathing suits on German knitting machines.
The Dehen family (Celia, William, and Henry, back; Alvira and Bill) standing in front of the 1925 Dehen building at Stark and SE 86th. Photo courtesy of Dehen 1920
The Dehen mill produced a variety of knitted wool garments––sweaters, bathing suits, underwear, dresses, skirts, and jackets––and sold them to wholesale and retail customers. By 1928, the Dehen company had 15 employees.
In 1927, the company acquired a Jacquard circular knitting machine specifically designed for wool bathing suits.
Dehen ad for a worsted sweater coat. Source: The Sunday Oregonian, February 21, 1926
Woolen bathing suits were popular in the 1920s. Photo source: ad in the Roseburg New Review, July 1, 1926
The Dehen business continued to grow. In 1927, they added a one-story building behind the 1925 mill. (This still exists on the south side of the antique mall.) By this time, the Dehen mill had 26 knitting machines and 24 sewing machines to produce sweaters, bathing suits, underwear, dresses, skirts, athletic suits, and shirts.
1927 addition to the Dehen Knitting Mill. Photo source: The Sunday Oregonian, January 1, 1928
After the stock-market crash of 1929 and the ensuing Depression, the Dehen company fell on challenging times. Customers were unable to pay for products. The bank foreclosed. But the business would continue. According to William’s son Bill, his father and a few friends liberated some knitting machines and yarn. With these supplies, the family continued to produce knit goods in the basement of their new home in Portland’s Goose Hollow neighborhood. They sold them in a storefront at 730 SW 10th Avenue (now the Galleria building). At one point, they even had to sell their goods door-to-door in Gresham, sometimes trading for food.
Despite the lean Depression years, the business survived and ultimately thrived. William and Celia lived to see the company turn around and succeed. Today, Jim Artaiz, husband of Dehen’s granddaughter Liz, runs the Dehen 1920 in Portland, producing high-quality knit goods. For more on the company’s history, you can watch the Portland TEDX talk by Benjamin Dehen-Artaiz, great-grandson of William Dehen, on YouTube. You can also see the current line of knit products on the Dehen 1920 website. Additionally, you can visit their retail store at 1040 NE 44th Avenue to see some of their knit goods and even see the current mill with its knitting and sewing machines.
So, what happened to the Dehen Mill Building? When the Dehens left in 1934, the Coast Printing Company (later the Coast Salesbook Company) moved in. This company was purchased in 1968 by Ennis Business Forms, a national corporation. In 1999, Kelli Vinther purchased the building and transformed it into the Monticello Antique Marketplace. At some point during these decades, the owners built additions to the Dehen Knitting Mill to create the antique mall and Monti’s restaurant complex that is the Montavilla institution of today.
This is part of a new segment at Montavilla News called Montavilla History Questions Answered. If you have questions about Montavilla’s past that you’d like answered, local historian Patricia Sanders will investigate your question. Please email your questions to history@montavilla.net and we may feature it alongside Patricia Sanders’ research in a future post on this page.
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