This past spring, METBA mailed a survey to households in and around Montavilla. A primary goal for the
survey was to better understand what goods and services neighbors would benefit from having within
Montavilla’s business district.
There were 245 responses to the question: What good and services are missing in Montavilla?
It may come as no surprise that “grocery store” was the overwhelming choice, mentioned in 27% of all
responses. Montavilla has been without a full-service grocery store since 2013 when Safeway closed its location at 82 nd and Burnside. While several local specialty grocers are thriving, such as La Bouffe
International Gourmet, neighbors must still travel outside of the ‘hood for their general shopping needs.
Many respondents mentioned a need for a particular service (e.g., hair/nails), a particular type of
restaurant (e.g., taqueria), or a specific type of retail (i.e., more clothes!), but specific responses varied
considerably. However, several themes arose:
- “Grab and go,” inexpensive food options are lacking
- Kid-friendly options are being requested
- Some Montavilla residents yearn for a bookstore
- Glisan street needs more shops, restaurants, and services
If you have a business in mind that you’d like to see in Montavilla, recruit them! Download our 4-page guide to locating a business in Montavilla.
A final note of interest is that many respondents were requesting goods and services that actually
already exist in Montavilla! Did you know that Montavilla already has the following types of businesses?
- Dry cleaning (Sunshine on Glisan)
- Hardware (Mr. Plywood)
- Fitness (Cascade Athletic Club and Mt. Tabor Crossfit)
Are there other businesses in Montavilla that you could be taking advantage? Visit Montavilla.Biz to
view webpages for a wide variety of member businesses!
