November/December 2023

PDX Pop-Up Shops Open Downtown

The PDX Pop-Up Shops officially opened for the holiday season on November 8! This program connects local small businesses and entrepreneurs with brick-and-mortar storefronts for their products or services. Bring your holiday shopping lists and explore our nine featured local businesses: Akepele Apparel, Black Santa PDX, Blush Beauty Bar, Bring! Treats for Dogs, Ceramics NW, Energy Iz Everything, PDX Urban Wineries, Sinister Coffee and Wee Sock Shop. Most of the businesses are open 11 a.m to 6 p.m. and will run through the new year. Stop by all the shops for some amazing holiday gifts, exciting giveaways, and an opportunity to support local businesses this holiday season!

Plus, unwrap the ultimate gift of global exploration with Alaska Airlines. Purchase at any Pop-Up Shop for a chance to win two Alaska Airlines tickets. Make a purchase at each location to boost your chances.

The Portland Winter Ice Rink is coming to the west side of the Morrison bridge in downtown Portland. Just in time for the holidays, the rink will feature six daily skating sessions, a cozy lounge, and the Woodsy Winter Village with rotating food carts and holiday shops. Starting December 16, the rink will be open every day except Christmas from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. and will run through January 28. Modified January hours will be announced soon. Bring your family and friends to enjoy this exciting new downtown delight! 

Plus, receive $5 off your skate ticket when you spend $20 or more at a Central City retail business on the day you skate.

Free Holiday Parking Downtown

Parking will be free on Saturdays and Sundays in select SmartPark locations downtown from November 24 to December 31. This is limited to the SmartPark garages on Southwest 4th Avenue and Yamhill St. and Southwest 10th Avenue and Yamhill. Take advantage of this limited time offer to explore downtown Portland’s numerous events and support local businesses this holiday season! 

Each year, Downtown Portland Clean & Safe invites businesses and organizations in the Clean & Safe district to participate in a business vitality survey. If you own a business in the enhanced service district, we want to hear from you. Today, it is even more important to collect your information so we can better understand the economic impact 2023 has had on your business and others throughout the city’s downtown core. We’ve made it easy for you to participate by putting the survey online and, as always, individual responses to this survey are confidential.



Please respond by December 31, 2023.

The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Opens in Downtown Portland

Congratulations to The Ritz-Carlton Hotel on their grand opening in Portland on October 31! The Ritz-Carlton stands as a symbol of heightened elegance, luxury, and a commitment to the highest standards of hospitality, redefining the very essence of upscale accommodation in our city. We are delighted to welcome them to the downtown community and the Portland skyline. 

Portland Gear Receives Third Downtown Retail Grant

Downtown Portland Clean & Safe is thrilled to announce that Marcus Harvey, the founder of Portland Gear, is the third recipient of a Downtown Retail Grant. For nine years, Portland Gear has outfitted Portlanders with apparel and accessories designed specifically for the City of Roses. They’ve established a strong retail presence across the city and recently opened their flagship store downtown on the corner of 10th Ave. and Harvey Milk St. This Portland-centric business is dedicated to the downtown community, and we are delighted to support their growth.

One grant of up to $20,000 is still available for an eligible retailer who commits to at least a one-year lease in the Downtown Portland Clean & Safe District. Apply now!

Energy Iz Everything Takes Over Director Park Glass Kiosk

Meet the Glass Kiosk’s new tenant in Director Park, Energy Iz Everything! A participant in the Downtown Portland Clean & Safe's PDX Pop-Up Shops program and this is their second location in downtown Portland. This brand brings together an inspiring collection of apparel and accessories, with each item bearing messages of encouragement, kindness, and resilience. Energy Iz Everything serves as a reminder that the simplest acts of positivity can have a profound impact. More than just a clothing store; it is a beacon of hope and a testament to the belief that a positive attitude can change and uplift. Come downtown to experience the positive vibes and support this inspiring brand. 

2023 Shop Small Win Big Event

This holiday season, buying local is about to pay back with Bricks Need Mortar’s Holiday “Shop Small Win Big” event. From November 16 to December 10, patrons can enter to win exciting giveaways and promotions just for shopping locally. This year’s event features more than 100 prizes, including roundtrip airfare for two, vacation stays, Blazer’s tickets, Thorns tickets, performing arts tickets and more! Download the app to explore amazing local businesses and learn how to enter for these fantastic prizes.

True Vibez Concert at Director Park

Reggae artist True Vibez will be coming to Director Park on Saturday, December 16 from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. for a special holiday community celebration. In collaboration with Energy Iz Everything, this free concert is open to all with a goal of bringing the community together and sharing positive vibes as we end the year. Come celebrate the holidays with your friends, family, and neighbors and spread joy for the new year.  

We’re excited about these new businesses opening in downtown Portland. Make sure to support our local community by visiting the businesses below: 

• The Ritz-Carlton Hotel - 900 SW Washington St
• Cadejo Coffee - 804 NW Couch St
• 4th Avenue Market - 140 NW 4th Ave
• Fuller's Burger Shack - Pioneer Place Mall
• Bellpine - The Ritz-Carlton Hotel, 20th Floor
• Meadowrue - The Ritz-Carlton Hotel, Ground Floor

If you have opened in 2023 or plan on opening a retail business downtown this year, please reach out to our Downtown Retail Advocate, Chase McPherson.

If you are a business or property owner located within the

Clean & Safe District, please call 503-388-3888.

Our SAFETY coordinators,

can help with:

• Disorderly behavior
• Public drinking
• Individuals sleeping in doorways or blocking access
• Advice on a security issue

Our CLEANING crew,

can help with:

• Cleaning the sidewalk
• Removing graffiti on the building walls facing the street, no higher than 8'
• Picking up needles or other biohazards

Hours of operation:

Cleaning: 7 a.m. - 6 p.m.

Security: 24/7

For an emergency, you should call 9-1-1 immediately. Call Clean & Safe AFTER you have confirmed a police officer is on the way to your location.

For non-emergencies, call the Portland Police at 503-823-3333.

The Downtown Retail Council (DRC) is the voice for Downtown Portland’s consumer business. Meetings are open to retailers, restaurateurs and hoteliers within the Downtown Portland and Old Town areas.

The DRC meets on the second Tuesday of each month (January - November) from 8:30 - 9:30 a.m.

We will see you in January!

For more information, email Sydney Mead.

Downtown Portland is our city’s heartbeat. It’s the urban center that brings together locals and visitors to eat, shop, explore and gather. From our city’s thriving retail district to its renowned restaurants, Downtown Portland offers countless reasons to come together.

This month we’re excited to feature:

Our team wants to support your business!

If you would like to be featured in an upcoming write-up, please email Sydney at [email protected].

Want to know more?

Discover more in Travel Portland's ultimate guide to Downtown Portland, featuring unique shops, unforgettable restaurants, iconic coffee roasters, and one-of-a-kind activities.

Portland is a hotbed of innovation and economic growth. A center of culture and creativity. A gathering place for Portlanders and visitors. It’s also the center of national attention for issues related to houselessness, safety, and tourism. Here’s what’s new:

• Pressure to expand Portland’s untested downtown tax credit, Dec. 1
• Portland's mayor calls for downtown employers to bring back more workers by 2024, Nov. 30
• Company moves headquarters into downtown Portland tower, Nov. 30
• Nike appears to seek two floors at downtown Portland mall, Nov. 30
• Despite a flood of ideas, insiders say Portland task force plan faces challenges on trash cleanup, Nov. 29
• Portland artisan food mainstay, looking for more spacious HQ, sticks with the Rose City, Nov. 29
• City charter explained for biz types, Nov. 28
• Once the Cutting Edge of Cool, Portland Is Now Taking Lessons From Milwaukee, Nov. 23
• The classic downtown Portland retailer Marios gets a new look (Photos), Nov. 20
• Portland Metro Chamber’s Andrew Hoan on bringing back Portland, Nov. 19
• Lower crime rates belie Portland's actual picture, Nov. 17
• Holiday pop-up shops are open in downtown, Nov. 17
• Portland to open downtown ice skating rink, holiday marketplace, Nov. 16
• Downtown Portland welcomes holiday season, Nov. 8

Learn the Latest from our Affiliates

Downtown Portland Clean & Safe is a private, nonprofit organization that contracts with the Portland Business Alliance to provide enhanced cleaning and security services, marketing and economic development programs to downtown property owners.

The Downtown Portland Clean & Safe District provides extraordinary essential services to the people, places and businesses within a core 213-block area of our unique city. Operating since 1988, the district is one of the oldest, largest and most successful enhanced service districts in the nation.

Hours of operation:

Cleaning: 7 a.m. - 6 p.m.

Security: 24/7 

Download District Map (pdf)

For service, call 503-388-3888.