Articles by Chad Walsh

April was an unusual month for Portland's business scene. As always, there are plenty of new bars and restaurants, but last month's new business owners are unique because many of them had grand ideas and just went for them, regardless of previous experience. A theater director-actor opened a retail spot dedicated to refurbished and found home decor items. A former software designer with no formal apparel more...

If March was a good month for new business owners—they opened 16 spots, 10 of them restaurants and cafés—it was an even better one for consumers. St. Johns got a bike shop, northwest got a couple of neighborhood pubs, and a new Little Big Burger set up shop in southwest. March also brought with it the opening of several specialty shops, including a wedding boutique where brides-to-be can get fitted more...

February is for baking—at least February 2013 was—as a handful of spots sprung up where you can get fresh-baked bagels, cookies and beignet-style donuts. February also brought with it a downtown spot to get fresh-squeezed juice on the go, as well as a kitchen dedicated to serving cuisine of the Jewish diaspora. We saw a pair of independent yoga instructors find new spaces to teach classes, and two sisters more...

In all likelihood, financial and accounting services are usually best left to the professionals—those that do it for a living. And since finding reliable help in the accounting and financial services sector is crucial to the success of your small business, Neighborhood Notes has scoured the field for a selection of professional, qualified and local bookkeepers, CPAs and financial planners who are eager to work with you. more...

As you might've expected, entrepreneurial Portlanders chose not to take a post-holiday breather in January. Because of their gumption, we now have a few new bars to belly up to, as well as new spaces to get traditional Russian rolls stuffed with all things sweet and savory, small hand pies, sushi and ramen, and bacon-wrapped, deep-fried, late-night hot dogs. You can also make plans to dine on British Isles more...

The popularity of nachos has never been in doubt, but who do we have to thank for this snackable combo of chips and cheese? The Mexicans? The Texans? Mexican Texans? That's not an easy question to answer. Like many beloved dishes, nachos have several creation myths—all of which seem to start with hungry, and often famous, travelers, and end when crafty chefs with empty pantries make do with what they have, more...

Portland has a lot of bars. Our seams are bursting with them. Some are dives. Some are clubs. And some have strippers. But many bars, if not most, are places where we often gather to catch up with friends, separating ourselves from other groups, our tables dotting the room like islands of nation states. This norm is decidedly not the norm when it comes to visiting neighborhood bars, especially the smaller ones. more...

More than 200 independent and locally operated businesses opened in the last year—at least by our count—peaking with 23 new openings a year ago, last January. Among the entrepreneurs were apparel designers, jewelers, mustache waxers, and ninja trainers. It was also a big year for brewers, urban wineries, bottle shops, coffee shops, and candy shops. And, of course, we swam in an endless stream of more...

The season of clouds may be upon us, but that doesn't mean a long winter of discontent has to be on you. Belly up to just about any Portland bar and chances are you’ll find someone who has crafted a cocktail that will cure your winter blues. Neighborhood Notes went out in search of a few hot drinks—hot as in heated up—and what we found were libations amalgamated with cinnamon, honey, cloves, more...

In November, Portland welcomed a baker, a brewer, and a trio of jewelers to its business community. New places to get coffee, tea, tap cocktails, cheeseburgers, and Polish beer also sprung up around town. And if you have friends or relatives coming in for the holidays, you can put them up in a luxury rental property, or invite them to tour the city's newest indoor cycling center, where you can start to shed all more...