The Retail Thread

[babs]

Originally Posted by downtownpdx

It must have been a pretty small section of the current bank space, I thought BR only went as far as the pizza space - the bank extends all the way to the corner of Park/Yamhill which BR didn’t do. But it’s been 20+ years since the original version of BR so maybe I’m forgetting.

BR had a home goods section in that space. When they got out of that category, they cut the space off. It wasn't around very long.

[PlantDad]

I think BR peaked around 2005? I never was much of a fan and my more recent experience found the quality, style and fit to be meh. But I'm very happy with Uniqlo coming in. I will definitely shop there. If only Mango for men came here too or some other European fashion brand like C&A. One can dream...

[maccoinnich]

As the sun sets on Lloyd Center, key tenants are moving to Pioneer Place. Could it become Portland’s next ‘indie’ mall?



In 2022, Jason Leivian took a gamble.

The Floating World Comics owner had spent 16 years operating a brick and mortar in Old Town Portland before opting to relocate his business across the river. Two years into the COVID-19 pandemic, foot traffic downtown was still dismally low. Leivian knew it was time to move on.

He chose Lloyd Center — at the time, somewhat of a “ghost mall,” newly devoid of any and all traditional anchor stores — to be the comic shop’s new home.

Initially, Leivian was following his friend Musique Plastique owner Tony Remple into the mall’s largely vacant, brightly lit aisles. But he quickly saw potential amid the empty storefronts and soon began ushering in the first wave of local stores, art galleries and nonprofits to come.

“It was a super risky move,” Leivian told The Oregonian/OregonLive in July. “People thought I was crazy, but I was like, ‘No, trust me. This is going to be really cool.’”

He was right.

...continues at the Oregonian.

[downtownpdx]

^ So great to see this happening. The downturn in downtown real estate is showing its upside with independents moving in, like the vintage mall opening on Broadway. This will all make downtown a more interesting place and align it a little more with Portland’s inner neighborhood districts which people flock to for their local vibe and indie businesses.