The Retail Thread - Page 4

MarkDaMan · #61 Posted **Jul 17, 2007, 3:25 PM**

^Typical bOregonian, they didn't even mention you could avoid the whole mess by getting on the MAX...which is how I will be getting there.

twofiftyfive · #62 Posted **Jul 17, 2007, 3:37 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by MarkDaMan

^Typical bOregonian, they didn't even mention you could avoid the whole mess by getting on the MAX...which is how I will be getting there.

Is the Cascades MAX station open? It doesn't show up on Transit Tracker.

MarkDaMan · #63 Posted **Jul 17, 2007, 3:45 PM**

^I'm not sure, I haven't rode out that way for awhile. I saw that it did have a stop ID 10574, but the transit tracker says there is no arrivals scheduled...I hope they get that stop opened in time, but the next stop isn't that far away.

PeterSmith · #64 Posted **Jul 17, 2007, 5:51 PM**

A bit off topic, but I've read the Portland forumers here and over at SSC discuss the social responsibility of just about every company that has considered opening its doors in or around Portland (a discussion that is entirely unique to the Portland forum), except for Ikea. I remember a few years ago that Ikea was under fire for employing child labor and using sweatshops to manufacture its goods. In fact, Ikea was at one point, in the opinion of quite a few, the most socially irresponsible company in the entire world. Has Ikea cleaned up its image or has Portland fallen asleep on this one?

2oh1 · #65 Posted **Jul 17, 2007, 6:07 PM**

Mark - I'll be riding MAX to Ikea as well. An article I read somewhere on the internets said to expect MAX to be overflowing with people as well, which makes sense.

Damn. And I was planning on lugging home a new couch that way.

Grin.

(just for the record, I actually think Ikea and mass transit pair up beautifully)

2oh1 · #66 Posted **Jul 17, 2007, 6:12 PM**

Any word on what else is going into Cascade Station? Anybody have a list? The only other noteworthy thing I've read so far is Best Buy. When Costco Home pulled out, I was hoping for a Target (yeah, right. I know). I realize the burbs are full of them, but Target on a MAX line would be nice.

brandonpdx · #67 Posted **Jul 17, 2007, 6:22 PM**

I'll be sure to avoid this area like the plague.

pdxtraveler · #68 Posted **Jul 17, 2007, 6:35 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by 2oh1

Any word on what else is going into Cascade Station? Anybody have a list? The only other noteworthy thing I've read so far is Best Buy. When Costco Home pulled out, I was hoping for a Target (yeah, right. I know). I realize the burbs are full of them, but Target on a MAX line would be nice.

Go to www.centercal.com the link for Cascade Station has a pdf with
the whole site plan.

CouvScott · #69 Posted **Jul 17, 2007, 6:50 PM**

Lot's of crap including a cross-dress-for-less

PacificNW · #70 Posted **Jul 17, 2007, 7:13 PM**

Damn! I have to be @ the airport to pickup some family @ 10:20 am on the 25th. I am driving up from the Eugene area...any suggestions how to get to the terminal on time..?

MarkDaMan · #71 Posted **Jul 17, 2007, 8:29 PM**

^the store doesn't open until 10...so try and plan to be at the airport by 9:30 and you should be fine.

Quote:

Originally Posted by PeterSmith

A bit off topic, but I've read the Portland forumers here and over at SSC discuss the social responsibility of just about every company that has considered opening its doors in or around Portland (a discussion that is entirely unique to the Portland forum), except for Ikea. I remember a few years ago that Ikea was under fire for employing child labor and using sweatshops to manufacture its goods. In fact, Ikea was at one point, in the opinion of quite a few, the most socially irresponsible company in the entire world. Has Ikea cleaned up its image or has Portland fallen asleep on this one?

you know, I haven't heard any bad press about the place. I know about cheap goods, from my understanding their retail employees are given better salaries and benefits than the average big box, their meatballs are wonderful, and they aren't WalMart.

If they do have a dark side, they've done a good job at hiding it from the Portland media.

bvpcvm · #72 Posted **Jul 18, 2007, 12:17 AM**

yeah, i've only heard positive things about ikea. i'm sure wal-mart, halliburton and numerous oil companies are far worse.

WonderlandPark · #73 Posted **Jul 18, 2007, 12:27 AM**

Irony: The first thing that visitors to PDX will see--in the city world famous for city planning--is a sprawling mess of Ross, Best Buy and Sports Authority.

tworivers · #74 Posted **Jul 18, 2007, 12:50 AM**

^^^ Uh-huh, and do you think there are enough parking lots? It looks like they virtually straddle the MAX tracks at the SW end. That truly may be the first thing visitors see after the train leaves the airport: a sea of parking, and most likely a swarm of cars. Well, maybe it is an appropriate metaphor for the fraying around the edges of the Portland myth? We're a lot more auto-dependent than a lot of us, myself included, like to admit, and Cascade Station seems like an admission of such, even with the window dressing of its TOD origins.

pdxstreetcar · #75 Posted **Jul 18, 2007, 1:35 AM**

I guess you could look at it another way, that there's a lot of room for infill at Cascade Station. I certainly hope over the years it evolves into a denser project with office buildings, more hotels and structured parking. The pedestrian friendly parkways which appeared to be great place making seem to now be somewhat of a waste considering the sprawling nature of the project.

PacificNW · #76 Posted **Jul 18, 2007, 2:25 AM**

One can hope...

zilfondel · #77 Posted **Jul 18, 2007, 2:27 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by PeterSmith

A bit off topic, but I've read the Portland forumers here and over at SSC discuss the social responsibility of just about every company that has considered opening its doors in or around Portland (a discussion that is entirely unique to the Portland forum), except for Ikea. I remember a few years ago that Ikea was under fire for employing child labor and using sweatshops to manufacture its goods. In fact, Ikea was at one point, in the opinion of quite a few, the most socially irresponsible company in the entire world. Has Ikea cleaned up its image or has Portland fallen asleep on this one?

But everybody loves the Swedes! If they aren't perfect... everyone's screwed!

westsider · #78 Posted **Jul 18, 2007, 8:10 AM**

Who cares if the stuff is made by sweating children if it doesnt come from Wall Mart. Thats real social responsibility, not giving money to the Waltons.

MarkDaMan · #79 Posted **Jul 18, 2007, 3:32 PM**

^if anyone cares to post links about these practices IKEA employs, I'd be more than happy to review that info with an open mind before I spend my dollars at that store. I just haven't found much online other than some upity blogs when I Google 'IKEA sweatshops' and such...unlike, say 'WalMart sweatshops' where the first page of results are respected organizations tracking WalMart abuses.

tworivers · #80 Posted **Jul 18, 2007, 5:57 PM**

http://www.corpwatch.org/article.php?id=14272

http://www.chinalaborwatch.org/20070418Ikia.htm

Those were the first two links I found that seemed credible, the first being a le monde diplomatique article.