A ground sign in Downtown Portland advertising the seasonal PDX Pop-Up shops, presented by Downtown Portland Clean & Safe. The Pop-Up shops are scattered throughout Downtown, and host a variety of small businesses, giving them the opportunity to reach a larger audience and even find permanent retail space.
The wind whistles through the leafless branches of trees lining Yamhill St. downtown. Just across from Director Park, Kristen Martin is setting up shop for the day. She is the owner of Bring! Treats for Dogs, an inclusive, allergen-free dog treat food truck.
Although Martin recently relocated her business to the Farmhouse Carts across the river in Southeast Portland, she’s back downtown as part of the seasonal PDX Pop-Up shops for the holiday season. “I was very eager to maintain a presence downtown, and this program made [that] possible,” Martin says, “Our downtown customers have been so happy to see us back!”
The Downtown Portland Clean & Safe Program has brought back its seasonal PDX Pop-Up shops for a 16th year, giving small-business owners the opportunity to utilize new spaces and sell to new customers in Downtown Portland. The holiday Pop-Up shops feature a wide variety of local designers, artists, and businesses. Returning shops include Crafty Wonderland, Amity Artisan Goods, Bentley Fleurs, Bridge & Burn, Sinister Coffee & Creamery, and the Portland Pickles’ ‘The Pickle Jar.’ Others, such as Portland Camera Club, Blue June Outfitters, and Bring! Treats for Dogs are joining the Pop-Up team.
In the spring of this year, the Federal Reserve Banks conducted a survey of organizations serving small businesses in the U.S., and received 143 responses from across the country. Respondents reported that small businesses were most concerned about “tariffs, rising prices, and general economic uncertainty leading to weaker demand,” according to Fed Small Business.
Often, small businesses have a hard time gaining traction within their communities. Tess Burns is the owner of Blue June Outfitters — a small business that offers hand-crafted jewelry and curated witchy bohemian apparel — and a first-time participant in the event. Burns says that the Pop-Ups positively impact participating businesses, including her own. “Your small business will be seen in [local news]papers, on the news, [on] flyers, etc.,” she says. “It’s a great way for small businesses to gain exposure that they wouldn’t otherwise have.”
Additionally, the Pop-Up shops help small businesses connect directly with people in the community, says Anthony Georgis, the founder and creative director of Portland Camera Club. “They make it easy for someone to wander in, get curious, and discover something new.”
Georgis, a passionate photographer, used a grant from the Pop-Up program to launch The Portland Dark Room x Portland Camera Club Pop-Up, and says working in the event has been “fantastic.” He describes a moment where he was able to connect with a kid while working: “[They] had never seen a vintage film camera, [and] told us they were tired of living on their phone and wanted a creative activity to help them slow down and stop doomscrolling.”
According to Georgis, the customer later returned with friends to continue exploring the shop, and hoped to take a photography class with The Portland Dark Room. “Seeing young people get excited about analog culture and realize photography can be accessible and hands-on is exactly why we created this space,” says Georgis.
Another challenge for small businesses is the limited amount of spaces available to rent in Portland, specifically in desirable areas where vacancy rates are low and prices are high, according to Prosper Portland. Martin says Bring! Treats for Dogs is “actively working to sign a lease for a permanent space, and […] if it weren’t for th[e] [PDX P]op-[U]p program, [she is] not sure if [they] would have found this location.” Similarly, Georgis explains that this event “gave [them] the chance to bring this idea to life in a low-barrier and supportive way,” he states. “It offered space, visibility, and a way to introduce Portland Camera Club and our partnership with The Portland Darkroom to the community without feeling exclusive or formal.”
Whether customers are shopping for holiday gifts, a personal splurge, or a treat for their furry friend, the PDX Pop-Up shops are a great way to ring in the holiday spirit Portland-style and support local small businesses.
