FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
For more information, contact:
Megan Doern, 503-552-6754 or mdoern@portlandalliance.com
Christine Claringbold, 503-775-7993 or christine@trilliumartisans.org
Stephanie Selk, 503-827-6564 or stephanie@watershedcom.com
PORTLAND, Ore. – During the 2011 holiday season, the PDX Pop-Up Shop program brought significant opportunity and revenue to local artists and designers. This year, four pop-up shops collectively earned more than $225,000 in sales, a 53 percent increase over last year. This success enabled one of the shops to continue their lease downtown. Trillium Artisans, a long-standing nonprofit with a mission to help low-income artists develop sustainable small businesses, will soon be re-opening at the 318 SW Taylor Street location that the store temporarily occupied during the pop-up shop program, which occurred from November 9 through December 31.
“Downtown Portland has such a wide variety of local and national retailers and the addition of Trillium demonstrates how the downtown shopper is looking for a bit of everything,” said Cori Jacobs, the Downtown Retail Advocate. “Downtown has weathered the economic storm better than many other regions and now we are really seeing an up tick in activity, which is great for the retailers, residents, workers and visitors.
“Commercial retail brokers downtown are telling us that vacancy rates are currently at 5.5 percent and more than 10 retailers have signed leases in the Pioneer District in the past year, with more to be announced soon. Trillium will be a great addition to the diverse mix of local and national retailers shoppers currently enjoy downtown.”
The PDX Pop-Up Shop program’s success is due to public-private partnerships and the Downtown Retail Strategy, an initiative launched by Mayor Sam Adams in 2008 to enhance the signature retail district downtown. The pop-up shops are designed to showcase local independent design talent, encouraging shoppers to seek out unique gift offerings downtown during the holiday season. In addition to supporting local talent and emerging retail entrepreneurs, the shops create new jobs, temporarily activate vacant storefronts, improving the pedestrian environment downtown and allowing property owners to showcase vacant space for future, permanent tenants.
“We were thrilled with the overwhelmingly positive response from both our artisans and the community and are really excited to move forward with the shop on a permanent basis," said Amanda McCloskey, Executive Director of Trillium Artisans. "Stop in to see the eco-friendly, handmade gift ideas from the local artist entrepreneurs we support, including jewelry, handbags, home décor, garden art, children's clothes and much more. All items are made from at least 50% recycled or reclaimed materials.”
Trillium Artisans has operated a store on Southeast Foster Road since 1999. Thanks to the success of the pop-up program, Trillium is closing its Foster Road store in order to provide a more central location that will enable easier transportation, greater product visibility and increased sales opportunities for the artists. The new Trillium location will reopen on Wednesday February 8, in time for Valentine's Day shopping, and will be open Tuesday through Saturday, five days a week.
Pop-up shop partners include downtown’s Clean & Safe District, Portland Business Alliance, Portland Development Commission, Downtown Retail Advocate, Downtown Marketing Initiative, City of Portland, Vizwerks, Bill Naito Company, and Stevens Ness Properties.
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Downtown Clean & Safe District
Downtown’s Clean & Safe District was created more than 20 years ago to support additional cleaning and security in the central city. The district, funded by downtown property owners, includes 213 blocks in the central city, and also supports market research and retail recruitment and retention efforts. The district is managed by the Portland Business Alliance under the direction of the district’s board of directors.
Downtown Marketing Initiative
The Downtown Marketing Initiative is a public-private partnership created and funded by the City of Portland and its partners that is dedicated to promoting the long-term vitality of downtown Portland. Since its inception in 2006, the Downtown Marketing Initiative has successfully supported downtown during a period of intense redevelopment and has become a critical economic stimulus tool in the current financial climate. For more information please visit www.downtownportland.org.
Trillium Artisans
Trillium Artisans is a nonprofit microenterprise support and community economic development program that empowers artisans and actively connects them to markets. Trillium's primary goal is to help low-income artisans increase their craft business income and build sustainable microenterprises. Learn more at www.trilliumartisans.org.
