news in Downtown, Southwest (SW) Portland...

Summer’s here and a block party is a great excuse to get to know those neighbors who you only see traveling to and from work or taking out the trash. There are a few bureaucratic hoops to jump through with the city, but if you follow our advice, throwing your own block party should be a cinch. Think of a block party as a potluck or barbecue-style event intended to attract only local residents who live on your more...

Q. What’s the difference between a bookkeeper, accountant and CPA, and which one is right for my business? more...

This month in Portland business news, a long-standing northwest brewpub reopens in refurbished digs; a shuttered vintage shop with a bar goes full bar; a pub that funnels all of its profits to local nonprofits debuts; a sandwich shop that delivers breads, meats and cheeses till 2:30 a.m. springs up in Portland's inner southeast; and Pok Pok's Andy Ricker claims yet another corner of SE Division Street. Plus, more...

It’s the time of year when the sun should be shining in the Rose City, and whether or not that’s a fact, Portlanders take to the streets and parks to enjoy live music, parades, street fairs and more. If you need ideas for where to find summer fun outside, Neighborhood Notes has some suggestions to get you started. Now, get out there and join your neighbors for an outdoor movie on the big screen or a bike more...

If you’re interested in building a more consistent social media presence, you should consider using Buffer. Essentially, Buffer allows you to share great content you find on the Internet as well as original content you create with the click of a button, and it “automagically” sends that content to your social media accounts, sharing it throughout the day based on a schedule you create. After you more...

You've likely invested time and money to generate an identity for your brand and to trademark it, but the reality is, no one is going to protect it for you. You are required to police the use of your trademark and that means being proactive and on the lookout for rip-offs of your logo online. This might sound like an impossible task so we’re going to provide you with a few tips to help you protect your brand in a digital world. more...

Hang on to your mobile phones, Portland retailers, because thieves may be casing your shop with an eye on your iPhone. Several shop owners have reported that either their iPhones or employees' iPhones have been stolen in the last couple of weeks. The thefts have occurred primarily along commercial drags like North Mississippi and North Williams Avenues, SE Hawthorne Boulevard, NEAlberta Street, and in business more...

Greenest city, best coffee, hottest indie music scene. In the eyes of others (read: national media outlets), Portland is constantly competing for top listicle honors. In 2012, Travel + Leisure liberally bestowed upon Portland "the best" titles for environmental friendliness, street food and food trucks, public transportation and pedestrian friendliness, pet-friendly vacation, and microbrewed beer (as well more...

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...

Record collectors rejoice! Your national (and fast-becoming international) holiday is upon us again: It’s Record Store Day—the day when thousands of independent music retailers across the U.S. offer an incredible selection—literally hundreds—of exclusive limited edition releases that are only available at indie record stores. The focus skews heavily towards vinyl including special more...