Business District

7 Things To Do in Montavilla this Spring

April 26, 2019 by Tina Leave a Comment

Shop at the Montavilla Farmers Market

Starting May 5th, the market is open every Sunday through October from 10 am to 2 pm. Buy local fresh produce and farm-based products. The market is located in the parking lot across from Mr. Plywood on Stark Street.

Stop by the METBA Spring Block Party May 18th

This annual event is an afternoon of music, art, food, wine, and family-friendly activities. The fun begins at 3 pm and goes till 9 pm on 81st Ave between Stark St. and Oak St. Check out our Montavilla.biz events page for more details.

Join a Neighborhood Clean Up

Participate in an existing event or even organize a clean up for your area. The city of Portland has neighborhood resources like SE Uplift to help you get started. Love Mt.Tabor? The nonprofit Friends of Mt.Tabor offers volunteer opportunities throughout the year.

Behold a Mt. Tabor Sunrise or Sunset

Bring your camera and take in spectacular views of the Portland cityscape or Mt.Hood. Be on the look out for the beautiful mid-May rhododendrons blooms. The park gates open at 5 am and close at 10 pm. Note the park is closed to motor vehicles on Wednesdays.

Participate in the Local Arts Scene

Attend an art walk, hear local music, or attend some live theater. Here are a few ideas:

Mt. Tabor Art Walk, May 18th & 19th
Portland Metro Arts, The Firebird, May 4th , Les Ruses d’Amour ballet starting May 4th

Remember Your Mom

Score major Mom points with these gift ideas for Mother’s Day:

Paint some pottery at Pottery Fun
Frame some art for her at KB Custom Frames
Gift a massage from our local businesses: Cocoon Massage, Genuine Movement, Serenity Therapeutic Massage

Hop on your bike

A bike ride is a great way to find some of our neighborhood gems:

Find a Little Free Library near you. Use LittleFreeLibrary.org’s map locator to plan your route.
Treat yourself with Cold as Ice ice cream at Heartbreaker Neighborhood Kitchen
Stand in an extinct volcano at the caldera on Mt.Tabor
Find the Stone Obelisk Mile Markers/ Baseline Mile markers on Stark St. (was once called Baseline) that date back to 1854.

Get out and enjoy springtime in Montavilla!

7 Things to do in Montavilla This Winter

November 26, 2018 by Kimberly Gracianette Leave a Comment

1. Frosty Fest

The Montavilla East Tabor Business Association (METBA) is sponsoring holiday inspired
events to help you get in the holiday spirit:

Merry Montavilla Soiree:
Thursday, December 6th from 5pm to close
Join the Montavilla Business Association in Downtown Montavilla for discounts and specials on drinking, shopping, tasting, and holiday merriment! In the spirit of the season, please bring a canned food to donate to the Sunshine Division.
Santa and Hanukkah Harry Saturday – Saturday, December 8th from 11am to 2pm at Vino Veritas
Santa Claus and Hanukkah Harry will visit Montavilla! Stop by Vino Veritas (7835 SE Stark) on December 8th to create crafts, drink hot cocoa, sip mimosa, and take photos (bring your camera). Please bring a canned food to donate to the Sunshine Division.
Vote for your favorite METBA business Holiday Window Display between November 30 and December 16
Free Movie Screening – A Christmas Story December 16th at 2 pm at the Academy Theater

2. Shop Local

Take advantage of METBA’s unique business community and shop local. While you are out, pick up the METBA 2018 District Map that lists the diverse businesses in your community. Please everyone on your list with gifts of services, memberships, gift certificates, and many other unique options. When you need to replenish your shopping stamina, pop into our many cafes for caffeinated coffee, tea, and sweets: Bipartisan Cafe, Fillmore Coffee, Hungry Heart PDX, and Townshend’s Teahouse Montavilla.

3. Prepare for the weather

The Portland winter weather is upon us. METBA businesses such as Mr. Plywood can help you with weather-proofing your home. Should home projects go awry, you don’t have to go far to find exceptional physical therapists, such as New Heights Physical Therapy and Therapeutic Associates East Portland Physical Therapy.

4. See a Holiday movie at the Academy Theater

Our local theater offers a series of holiday inspired movies each November and December. Favorites such as The Wiz, West Side Story, Willy Wonka and The Chocolate Factory, It’s A Wonderful Life, and My Neighbor Totoro offer something for everyone. Check out the Academy Theater website for a detailed list. Be sure to see the FREE screening of A Christmas Story December 16th at 2 pm. First come, first served, so arrive early!

5. Donate or volunteer

There are many local nonprofits that welcome your gifts of time or resources. The Montavilla United Methodist Church sponsors the Open Hearts Food Pantry every third weekend of the month. METBA’s Frosty Fest provides events in which you can drop off canned food for the Sunshine Division, making it easy for you to share some holiday good will. The Montavilla Farmers Market is offering the Everybody Eats Program once again for their December 23rd market day.

6. Get Your Art On!

You don’t have to go far to find great live music and theater in Montavilla:

Portland Metro Arts – theater and dance for the whole family
Vino Veritas – live music every Friday at 7 pm and Jazz Happy Hour every Sunday at
5 pm
Beanstalk – Micah and Me Music Show Monday December 3rd, 10-11 am. FREE
Montavilla Guitar Studio – The MGS Student Showcase is December 16th, 5:30-7:30 pm at Montavilla United Methodist Church, or Make your own music with guitar and Ukulele lessons for all ages.

7. Tuck in for a Sip

Need a break from the season? Montavilla can offer many satisfying beverage options to
put that cheer back in your day: Beer Bunker, Blank Slate, East Glisan Pizza Lounge,
Montavilla Brew Works, Redwood, Roscoe’s, Thatchers Restaurant and Lounge, The
Observatory, and Vino Veritas.

Fall News

October 3, 2018 by Michael Irikawa Leave a Comment

Greetings, members and friends! Fall is upon us and there is a lot happening in Montavilla.

Next week, METBA is holding its annual member meeting on October 8^th at Vino Veritas from 6:30 to 8:30 PM. Head on out to learn more about what we do, meet your fellow neighborhood business owners, and let us know what’s on your mind.

METBA is also hosting its quarterly mixer event in November. Stop by Blank Slate on Monday the 12^th from 6:30 to 8:00 for complimentary drinks, snacks, and conversation with all of our amazing METBA members. This is a great opportunity to get to know your community.

Also in October: Come and celebrate with us on Glisan St. at our annual Harvest Festival! On October 27^th, from 12:00 to 4:00 PM, our friends at Therapeutic Associates will be hosting this event with an array of fun autumnal activities for kids and families. There will be a carnival, crafts, live music, and a prize for the best costume.

With the change of season comes a change in schedule for the Montavilla Farmers Market. Their regular season comes to a close on October 28^th, but there will be a Thanksgiving Market on November 18^th, and winter stock-up markets in December, January, and February.

In new business news: if you haven’t yet had the chance, be sure to check out the full-fledged food cart pod on Stark and 76^th. Options include Hawaiian/Korean fare from Namu, Mexican from Azul Tequila, Jamaican from Jamrock, Thai from Thai Carnation, and coffee from Nectar. We are always excited to see more options for eating local!

Also, the good folks at Threshold Brewing have been working hard all summer long to get ready for opening day and they are almost there! Stay tuned to social media for the announcement of their grand opening, which should be happening sometime around mid to late October.

We hope to see all of you members and neighbors out and about and let’s all remember to eat, drink, and shop local this fall!

Montavilla’s Business District Is Taking Shape

March 8, 2018 by Julie Koroch Leave a Comment

The physical aspects of the district have been shaped by property sales and new tenancies over the last four years, changes that will likely continue in the near future. The Association currently tracks 366 businesses within the district. Of these businesses, 111 are member businesses. In 2014-16, membership numbers grew from 24, to 50, to 84, respectively. 2017 marked the year of the Association’s largest member expansion, a 32% increase over the previous year. Business types include retail (18%), restaurants and bars (15%), services (42%), health and wellness (19%), and nonprofit organizations (6%). Approximately 12% of METBA members are home-based.

At the start of every new year, Association members are asked to renew their annual memberships. The goal this year is to bring membership up to 150 businesses. With a strong base of membership support and participation, the district can realize financial sustainability for its operations and for special events, especially the annual summer street fair.

Neighbors Want to Know: When Will a Full-Service Grocer Arrive in Montavilla?

November 25, 2017 by Tina 1 Comment

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!

Go Local Montavilla!

July 12, 2017 by steve_rice Leave a Comment

Montavilla has a long history and identity. Montavilla (pronounced like Godzilla) was a popular place to live at the end of the 19^th century. A streetcar line that traveled up East Glisan with a trolley stop on Stark brought growth and development along the streetcar line. It was a town within a city – with a post office, bank, blacksmith, and businesses selling groceries and other goods.

The business district, which now includes four sectors – East Glisan, 82^nd Avenue, Stark Street East, and Historic Downtown – has undergone revitalization in the last 15 years. The 300+ businesses that make up the district are overwhelmingly locally owned and operated. Many business owners and their employees live in and around Montavilla. This makes for strong community.

Montavilla businesses give regularly to local events and causes. They donate goods and money to school and church fundraisers and financially support the Street Fair, Jazz Fest, and Montavilla Farmers Market among others.

You can reaffirm this value in strong communities by giving support to our local businesses. Supporting local business is one of the best ways to grow and sustain a thriving neighborhood economy and to ensure that Montavilla’s future is as vibrant as its history.

What can you do? Go Local Montavilla!

Expand your awareness. Ramble around and check out businesses you’ve never been to. Start by visiting Biz to get information on local food and drink, health and wellness, retail and other services.
Reflect on your current shopping habits. Are there things you are buying outside the neighborhood that are available right here?
Participate in business district events. The business district is a community hub. Visit the calendar of events at Biz and come out with your friends and family.
Buy local goods and services. When you do, 70% of every dollar stays in the local economy.

When local residents and local businesses invest in each other, it enriches and strengthens the community. Businesses with membership in the business association are listed below. We hope you’ll visit them soon.