By Elaine Oliver with Nedra Rezinas | Contributing Writers
Last fall, I left my corporate job and decided to start my own
business. I also started as the Ad Sales Rep for Concordia News. Whether recently opened or around for a few years, local businesses have had to adapt to a variety of challenges. I wanted to hear their stories, so I reached out to three local businesses this month.
Autumn Coffee Roasting
First, I spoke with Andrew Hume, the owner of Autumn Coffee Roasting (328 NE Killingsworth St.). Andrew started his business serving coffee from a food cart at farmers markets and events. He took the plunge to open a brick and mortar storefront and chose Concordia because of his familiarity growing up in Parkside. Andrew has never taken any investment money and has built his business “slowly and sustainably,” he says. Autumn Coffee opened up at NE 33rd and NE Killingsworth in November.
Shortly after opening, Andrew had to weather the ice storm and was faced with the challenge of staying open. He also mentioned that parking can be an issue for some customers and that digital advertising is costly and doesn’t necessarily convert into meaningful new customers, which can be frustrating.
To get the word out, Andrew features local artists and hosts classes, sketch hours, and art talks.
ECOVIBE
ECOVIBE (1906 NE Alberta St.) on NE Alberta and NE 19th is a retail store focused on gifts and houseplants. It is family owned and operated, and was started in 2010 by Andrea “Dre” Allen and her husband Leonard “Len” Allen, whose family has lived in the neighborhood for six generations.
“One of our biggest business challenges is seeing retail decline in the last two years as people returned to work [after the COVID pandemic] and were less focused on the beauty of their homes and offices,” says Dre.
The ice storm in January forced them to close for a week and a decrease in consumer spending due to inflation is another pressure they face. “The more that neighbors shop local, the more likely those shops will be able to keep their doors open.” She also encourages sharing positive reviews on Google, Yelp, or social media.
Queer Plants Cafe
Ross and Ernest Koh opened Queer Plants Cafe (5027 NE 42nd Ave.) in November of last year. Queer Plants Cafe is a plant, gift, and coffee cafe with personality and charm. Ross says that one of his challenges is finding people who will love and support them, which takes time. Additionally, new small businesses are often burdened with start-up debt, which makes it difficult to spend a lot on marketing.
At their previous jobs, Ross and Ernest had little control, and they felt like their talent and ideas were untapped. They appreciate the ability to use their creativity to design, build, enhance, and nourish Queer Plants Cafe. Now Ross and Ernest feel like they are flourishing and able to express their creativity while hosting their own community and events.
One easy way to support local businesses, says Ross, is to tell a friend or family member about it. Another way to help is to bring your own cup and skip the take-out packaging to help businesses save money and reduce waste.
If you are a small business in Portland and are looking for support, see the box below for resources that provide support to small businesses.
One of Concordia Neighborhood Association’s goals is to connect Concordia residents and businesses. I can’t think of a better way to help our neighborhood shine; I highly recommend you choose to keep your dollars in our neighborhood when you buy a cup of coffee or shop for yourself or someone else. Our neighbors who own these businesses will thank you.
- Livelihood NW – livelihoodnw.org
- Soul District Business Association – souldistrictbiz.org/membership
- Prosper Portland – prosperportland.us/for-businesses
- Portland Metro Chamber of Commerce – portlandmetrochamber.com
Elaine (she/her) is a former tech trainer turned ADHD coach and Concordia newspaper ad sales rep. She is a passionate auntie, pitbull mom, and soccer player who has called Concordia home for 4 years. You can find her eating good food with friends or walking her lovable pitbull Charlie in the neighborhood.
Nedra Rezinas lives near U of O in Concordia. She does marketing strategy for small businesses, is a mom, drinks tea, is a birder, and is passionate to build community.