Banking Local
January 6, 2010 5:09 pm by Mike Burnett
Archive for the 'business' category
Street of Dreams 2009
August 28, 2009 1:07 am by Lauren Hudgins
It doesn’t seem to matter how bad the housing market is, someone is always building or redesigning fancy condos. How do they find buyers? Some condos are cheaper than houses, but not all of them. How does one attract attention to bite-sized luxury when small and expensive is not what people are in the mood for?
Street of Dreams is “America’s longest running luxury home show.” Jeff Mitchell of PORT defended his descion to attend, describing a typical Portland Street of Dreams as “a decidedly middlebrow McMansion gawkfest (I’m for taste vs size). But this year it’s in the Pearl District, making it an urban density showcase in Portland’s chief arts district.” I, too, decided to go this year, with photographer Brigid Marz. I have never seen the inside of a Pearl District condo. As much as I love my self-righteous, modest-means lifestyle, I have been very curious. I was there to gawk at the potential lifestyles of Portland’s rich (maybe not so much famous).
Lamps in the lobby of 937
We had time to view two of the four buildings offered. The Street of Dreams headquarters was at the 937, so we started there. The front desk staff were friendly, but I did wonder if I were their intended audience when I saw the sign “Please ask for high heel protection.” Condos in the 937 start at the $340s, but the two main penthouses for show were the 2br/2ba Maison ($2,249,950) and the 3br/3ba Bedford ($2,449,950). The Maison had a tiled shower in the master suite so enormous that one man viewer said, “Did you see the racquetball court? Oh, it’s a shower.” Below, on the 9th floor, there were condos set up with themes to showcase furniture and decor. The most amusing was the baby themed condo with high-end baby care products and miniature furniture.
The nearest building to the 937 was the Block 90 Condominiums. Although still out almost anyone’s range, these penthouses seemed in many ways to be a bargain version of the 937. The priciest of the available homes in Block 90 was the 2br/2ba Manhattan at $1,450,00. Block 90 was remodeled from a 1923 warehouse. The exterior was corrugated tin, or something looking like it, to compliment the previously industrial neighborhood. I did appreciate the extremely long decks intended for grilling or outdoor parties overlooking the activity in the streets below.
In general, I was unimpressed with the art and interior design in both 937 and Block 90. Same with PORT’s Jeff Mitchell.
Now critically speaking, none of the art at Street of Dreams is edgy (much of it is tripe) but it is interesting to see some of the good work away of the more antiseptic gallery and museum walls in a home environment. Sadly, most never see collectors homes and these tours are designer choices so they don’t have the same idiosyncratic variety of a real collection.
The decoration in many of the rooms were items of Asian or African appearance. I’m sure the intention was to suggest a life-long traveler who has picked up souvenirs on his or her worldwide journeys. It’s a marketable lifestyle that might come along with a lavish condominium in downtown. It’s also really patronizing.
Who’s dreams are manifested in the “Street of Dreams?” Tickets are $15 during “peak” times and there isn’t any food or schwag. That’s an unjustified expense to most people I know. That’s paying for people to try to sell things to you. Surely the people who can afford to buy those condominiums aren’t mobbing in mass tours from building to building; I’m sure they have private appointments. Possibly it’s meant for people who might be able to fork over for some of the furniture, although the condo will have to come later in life. But what causes someone to prefer the 2 bedroom highrise home over a large house and yard anywhere other than downtown? From watching people around me, I couldn’t determine income levels and create categories. Attendees of Street of Dreams were fairly well dressed. But I don’t know if they had the clothes of people who are at ease with dry cleaning, or if they were merely done up in their Sunday best. Maybe we were all gawkers pretending to shop for tiny luxury apartments that would never be practical, even if we had the money.
Not that we would mind living there magically.
Street of Dreams- Through August 30th
* Wednesday – Friday: Noon – 8 p.m.
* Saturday: 10 a.m. – 8 p.m.
* Sunday: 10 a.m. – 6 p.m.
$15 Peak Ticket
valid all show hours
$13 Non-Peak Ticket
Tours valid Wednesday – Friday, Noon – 4 p.m.
*Peak passes required after 4 pm
$10 Child Ticket
12 and under – valid all show hours
6 and under free
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Bicycle Inflation
August 21, 2009 7:43 pm by Lauren Hudgins
Bike inflation. I fully believe it’s real. Buying a functional and respectable bike in Portland is an investment. And I do want to place emphasis on respectable. Used bikes are often more expensive than new mass produced ones.
I don’t doubt that the Schwinn Midtown is a far inferior bike, from the point of view of a bike connoisseur, to whatever is being sold used in Portland. But you’ve got to love a city whose citizens put a set of moral/aesthetic principles — whether it’s riding a bike with proper disc brakes or refusing to support the Big Box stores — this far above their own financial well-being. And although every city has its bike aficionados, I think that in Portland, most people just buy rebuilt bikes locally because it feels right to do so, not because all these everyday bike riders can really tell the difference between Shimano TX-30 derailleurs and M-970 XTR’s.
The Freakonomics blog has an article on bicycle inflation. In cities where bikes are a serious form of transportation the value of bikes skyrockets while the value of cars falls off. According to the informal study done by the author, Robin Goldstein, Portland is matched with San Francisco for the most expensive bikes and least expensive cars. Seattle has even more expensive bikes and cheaper cars.
The author concludes that even though we have more bike shops in Portland than elsewhere, there still aren’t enough bikes to go around. But it’s not that simple. I think he was closer to the issue when he was talking about the types of bikes people were purchasing and their personal preferences for doing so. I don’t have any data or experience of the buying and selling of new bikes, but it seems to me that there are enough new bikes for everyone who wants one.
His study focused exclusively on (used) bikes on Craigslist. Despite the inflated price of used bikes, new (respectable) bikes in Portland are still slightly more expensive than used bikes, which gives the used bike market an advantage. Since the cost of living is otherwise comparatively cheap in Portland, and our citizens of limited income, consumers need to take cost benefit analysis very seriously (the costs being mostly monetary, but the benefits also involving personal and cultural touchy-feelies). Right now the new bike suppliers and the new bike consumers are keeping each other fairly satisfied while we are probably in a supply-and-demand swirling vortex of suckage* in the used bike market.
The two markets usually can run fairly independently of each other. People who prefer and can afford new bikes buy new bikes. Many new bikes will inevitably becomes used bikes. Some buyers will choose used bikes mostly based on price, but also on preference for the used objects. The demand for the two types of bikes doesn’t overlap until the price of used bikes becomes inexcusably high compared to the price of new bikes.
I haven’t written about economics since high school (sorry Mr. Roberts), so the next paragraphs are convoluted and not concise. I am also unpracticed at making flow charts.
Consumers, especially in a bad economy like Portland’s, will buy used bikes because they are cheaper. This could but doesn’t limit the demand and price of new bikes. As fuel prices increase, and the green theme is taking over, cars become less desirable, exercise becomes important. More people are buying more bikes in total and fewer are releasing their old bikes. The demand for new and used bikes has increased, so the price of new bikes has not decreased. Assuming that there is a preference is for used bikes (as opposed to the more expensive new bikes), the demand for used bikes has increased more than the demand for new bikes. Remember that while the supply of new bikes can increase at any time necessary, the supply of used bikes cannot increase without the supply of new bikes (plus that new supply of used bikes will be delayed until consumers release their old bikes to the market).** Since the demand for new bikes has not increased as much the demand for used bikes, the supply of new bikes will not increase as much as the used bike market needs. The price of used bikes will continue to rise as the supply of used bikes severely depletes.
A market spill-over could increase the demand for new bikes, but this may also increase the price of new bikes, making the inflated used bikes favorable again. The new bike supply and price will change in small bumps and dips (if there are really any dips at all) in order to satisfy its fairly independent market. In contrast, the used bike demand and price will continue to rise until it becomes ridiculous to choose a used bike over a new one and everybody buys new for a while. And yet, these assumptions barely factor in Portland’s DIY culture and affinity for reused and vintage items, which will always drive used bike demand.
It’s possible that cultural values will change to focus on cars once again. The looming development of the CRC Bridge, despite all protest, suggests that spendy, environmentally destructive interests still have a lot of sway in Portland. That is the worst way to fix bike inflation. I hope Goldstein is right about his prediction and a sudden injection of new (and possibly used) bikes into Portland will eventually fix the used bike problem.
So, it looks like even though there are tons of bikes and bike shops in Portland, there still aren’t enough sellers in town to satisfy the strong demand in this bikers’ paradise. Perhaps in the long run, when enough arbitrageurs start shuffling bikes around the country (and enough arbitrageurs start underpricing each other to drive down their margins), more cheap used bikes will become available in the bike-friendly cities.
I hope so. I greedily would like to double my number of bikes from one to two. And yes, I do have a personal preference for used bikes.
Just remember, no matter how comparatively cheap they are, do not buy a bike from The Bike Exchange.
*I stole this term from my friend Joy Meulenberg when she was describing population bottleneck.
** You cannot have used things without new things to become used things, unless the used things are brought in from elsewhere. A fact the Scavengers’ Manifesto is happy to flog like a dead horse. Maybe everyone outside of the city should charitably donate a used bike to Portland and fuck up my pretty diagram.
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A Minimum Wage For Portland Musicians – Fair Pay To Play
May 17, 2009 3:48 pm by Mike Burnett
Last month my band was contacted via Myspace by Ross Lampert, an organizer at Portland’s Musicians Union Local 99. The union has started reaching out to Portland musicians about a new campaign to establish a minimum wage for performing musicians in Portland. Portland is the flagship city for the campaign, which they’ve dubbed Fair Pay To Play. Lampert wanted to meet in person, which surprised me. After looking at the list of endorsements including dozens of local groups like Minmae and Loch Lomond and local figures like Ethos’ Charles Lewis I agreed to meet Lampert for some coffee near the union headquarters near Sandy and NE 20th.
[I should mention that before meeting Lampert, I agreed to add my band's name to the list of supporters. One of the reasons for this was that I'm a big believer of and volunteer at Ethos, and so seeing Charles Lewis' name on the list helped convince me to take the campaign seriously.]
One of the first things I asked Lampert about was what the union was looking for from local musicians in order to advance the campaign and achieve the minimum wage. One of the biggest things musicians can do, of course, is to join the union. The campaign needs money to get the word out. But this brings me to one of the Catch-22′s I’ve considered while mulling over this article. How do musicians justify something like union dues when they’re often playing for drink tickets and if they’re lucky a cut of the door? Perhaps if membership guaranteed a minimum wage.
It would cost a band of four $636 dollars per year to be members of the Local 99, and that’s if they all pay together for the whole year in January, which waves the initiation fees ($85 per member) and gives a slight discount on the quarterly dues. Membership includes perks like a free practice space (shared with other union members) and instrument repair, however it doesn’t guarantee a minimum wage, let alone job security or health insurance.
Let’s look at the pay scale the union is currently suggesting:
Just looking at that first rate for 1-star venues of $30/hr, which is per performing member, we can see this means that the smallest of music venues would have to agree to pay a band of four $120 to play for one hour. If two bands of four played for 1 hour each, that would mean the venue would pay out $240. This is in my opinion unrealistic, but it’s where the conversation starts.
Lampert believes that we can get closer to such a reality by adopting new models where fewer musicians play per night for longer periods of time. He suggested one band could play for 3-4 hours instead of several bands playing short sets and venues could become more discerning in who they choose to book. He believes changes like this would induce a “culture of quality”. More so than an interesting possibility, this shows the canyon between where the Portland Musicians Union wants to take us and where we currently are. It makes the Fair Pay To Play campaign sound meritocratic, and like the current suggested pay scale, it’s also unrealistic. Bands play sets together to pool fans, and this cross-pollination is culturally fundamental.
If the Portland Musicians Union wants to make a real difference in how local musicians are paid, then it needs to work with small bands, new and small venues, and to concentrate on much smaller transaction amounts. These bands, venues, and transactions will grow. Another change the union should make to its strategy is to start reaching out to venues now and getting them involved in the conversation — accelerating toward a realistic perspective and making some allies in the process. Finally, the star system is concise but it begs the question of whether bands should be rated by a star system as well. That’s something that will need to be addressed eventually.
Despite how far the Portland Musicians Union has to go with the Fair Pay To Play campaign, all local musicians should be grateful to them for starting this conversation. According to Lampert, joining the union isn’t the only way to help; musicians can also volunteer and be part of the campaign steering committee. And the second most effective thing to supporting the cause financially is making sure all musicians in Portland know that the campaign exists.
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TechShop Opens In Portland
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Why Powell’s Is Hotter Than Amazon
April 12, 2009 4:48 pm by Lauren Hudgins
In case you needed another reason to love Powell’s (or your other friendly independent neighborhood bookstore), here it is. Amazon.com is stripping the sales rankings from a lot of gay/lesbian/trans media so that they don’t come up in search results so readily. In fact, if you search “homosexuality” on the site, most of the first search results are anti-gay. Amazon is justifying this selective marketing by labeling homosexual topics as “adult,” even textbooks.
This sounds like a big old bowl of BS, does it not? Especially when you consider the fact that Amazon has vibrators, clitoral stimulators and anal plugs available in their search system with sales ranks attached. One wonders why these items are allowed to remain in the system with sales ranks while books including gay and lesbian content, themes, and even, as a commenter points out, autobiographies of gay and lesbian authors such as Stephen Fry, are deemed too “adult” for such things.
From hortense on Jezebel
Powell’s doesn’t pull shit like this. In fact, Powell’s is thinking about launching a GLBT sale in response. So you can’t buy absolutely everything from them. Buy your cds from the record store down the street and your vibrators and butt plugs from your neighborhood sex shop. You should be shopping local, anyway.
If you’re really craving the convenience of door to door delivery, remember that Powell’s does that too. You can order from their website and have it in the mail pronto! If you have a Chinook Book, there’s a coupon for free delivery. Make your mail carrier walk through the rain for you!
photo by Scott Huber
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Depression About the Recession
March 9, 2009 9:46 pm by Lauren Hudgins
On Saturday, I strolled down a bustling Hawthorne Boulevard. It was almost enough to make me forget about this recession. There were so many people in cafes and in stores, on the street about to go into a café or a store. The Oasis Café was crowded. I felt assured enough to consider a pricey purse purchase at Missing Link, but they didn’t have they style I wanted in stock.
But my consumer confidence cowed when I saw a liquidation sale. The Cat’s Meow, the sickeningly cute store of all things feline related, is going out of business after 23 years. It’s disheartening. What kind of world is this when there’s no longer an economic niche for the crazy cat lady?
Photo by Kenn Wilson
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Taxes : (
February 27, 2009 1:54 pm by Lauren Hudgins
I did my taxes suckas! I’m done. I’m even getting money back. Most of it got deposited in my account today. I’m gonna gloat!
But most of you haven’t done your taxes yet. Some of you might not know a 1099 from your ass. To be honest, I don’t either. You need tax help.
Photo by Cayusa
I used Tax Slayer, an online tax filing service listed on the Oregon Department of Revenue website. I really liked Tax Slayer because it guided me through all my possible deductions. For the first time, I realized I could use all those silly prescription receipts I had in a box and I could even deduct health insurance payments. Woot! I got to use Tax Slayer for free because I am 25 years of age or younger.
If you want face to face help, there are free tax preparation services out there. Because I know some of the people involved, I’m recommending this one. It’s aimed at the elderly (maybe not so many reading this blog) but also low income tax payers (maybe everyone reading this blog).
AARP Tax-Aide
40 Years: Volunteers Serving Taxpayers
FREE Tax Preparation!
Location: Clark K-8@Binnsmead School
2225 SE 87th Ave (cross streets 87th and Division)
Tax preparation offered on these days:
Friday 2/27 from 2pm-6pm.
Tuesday 3/3, 3/10, 3/17, 3/31, 4/7, & 4/14 from 10am-2pm.
Please bring the following items with you:
•Current year’s tax forms and preparation booklet;
•Copy of last year’s income tax return(s);
•W-2 forms from each employer;
•Unemployment compensation statement;
•SSA-1099 from if you were paid Social Security benefits;
•All 1099 forms (1099-INT, 1099-DIV, 1099-B, etc.) showing interest and/or dividends and documentation showing original purchase price of sold assets;
•1099-misc. showing any miscellaneous income;
•1099-R form if you received a pension or annuity;
•All forms indicating federal income tax paid;
•Dependant care provider information (name, employer, ID, Social Security number);
•All receipts or canceled checks if itemizing deductions;
•Social Security cards or other official documentation for yourself and all dependents.
What is AARP Tax-Aide?
AARP Tax-Aide is the nation’s largest free, volunteer-run tax assistance and preparation service available to taxpayers with low-and middle-income, with special attention to those age 60 and older. Over 32,000 AARP Tax-Aide volunteers, trained in cooperation with the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), now help over 2 million taxpayers file their federal, state, and local tax returns each year at nearly 7,000 AARP Tax-Aide sites nationwide.
***AARP Tax-Aide helps low-and middle-income taxpayers file their personal income tax returns. Volunteers are trained to assist in fling the 1040 tax form and basic schedules. Taxpayers with complex tax returns are advised to seek paid tax assistance.
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Weiden+Kennedy Lands Levi’s
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