Historic Downtown Oregon City

The non-profit Main Street Oregon City presented two awards to downtown businesses today as historic Downtown Oregon City prepares for Trick or Treat on Main Street on Friday, October 30^th.

Trick or Treat on Main Street is an annual event in downtown Oregon City where visitors are invited to spend the evening trick or treating from storefront to storefront. This year the event is being held Friday October 30^th the day before Halloween because that is when the majority of businesses and offices downtown are open. (More candy for the kids.)

The first award, presented to the business owner with the best overall Halloween and seasonal decorations in their storefront, was the Golden Pumpkin Award. More than 16 downtown business owners decorated their windows with seasonal or Halloween themed decorations this year.  The Golden Pumpkin Award was given to Madco Draperies and Floor Covering at 818 Main Street.  Jeannette Helley and Sharon Brownson decorated their storefront windows with Halloween illustrations and created a graveyard inside their store. “We love Halloween, we’re big on Halloween,” said Sharon Brownson. “We’ve been decorating homes throughout Portland for 30 years. It’s nice to have fun with our own storefront too.”

Other storefronts also impressed the panel of volunteer judges. The curbside graveyard and costumes of staff at Dutch Brothers Coffee on the corner of Main Street and 10^th Street received special recognition. Muno’s Bakery at 616 Main Street received recognition for showcasing baked goods decorated as creepy spiders and Halloween themed imagery.  Busch Furniture Store at 804 Main Street received recognition for the high quality of craftsmanship and detail that went into their Halloween decorations.“It’s exciting to see business owners get into the spirit of things and do something really creative with their storefront windows,” said Lloyd Purdy, Downtown Manager for Oregon City.

Also, a special award was given to Angel Ink Tattoo Studio at 508 Main Street.  Owner, Shawna Holder and her students received the first ever Tattooed Pumpkin Award for their storefront display and their tattooed pumpkins. Angel Ink Tattoo Studio’s students, Erin Geiger and Jesse Olmsted, took on the challenge of tattooing a pumpkin as a project that helps prepare them on working with people. They designed their own graphic, transferred the graphic to the skin of the pumpkin, inked an outline and shaded the artwork just as if they were working on skin.  Each pumpkin took about four hours of work.

Angel Ink Tattoo Studio and School is a licensed Department of Education Tattoo school in downtown Oregon City.  Shawna Holder has been in business for almost 9 years. Angel Ink Tattoo Studio has been at its Main Street location almost two years and has offered training to aspiring tattoo artists for just over 16 months.

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Peeling Back Time in Downtown Oregon City

Historic Downtown Oregon City continues to evolve as a modern marketplace while embracing 160 years of Oregon heritage. Visitors to downtown Oregon City have seen noticeable changes to several downtown buildings this year.

The most recent downtown storefront to undergo a façade renovation is located at 716 Main Street. The property was recently acquired by T5 Equities which has restored four other properties in downtown Oregon City.

“We weren’t sure what we’d find when we removed the siding,” said Robb Crocker, a partner in T5 Equities. “We’re pleased with the underlying structure and were even surprised by some nice architectural details.”

This year the City of Oregon City has committed $100,000 to storefront improvements as incentives to building owners through an Urban Renewal District program. The majority of that incentive funding has been targeted at façade improvements in downtown Oregon City. These funds are matched against an equal or greater investment by participating property owners.

“It’s encouraging to see property owners make these investments in their buildings,” said Downtown Manager Lloyd Purdy. “It’s certainly easier to fill a good looking building with a quality tenant.”

716 Main Street is the 10th building downtown to receive a façade update or extensive remodel this year. The total cost of the façade improvement at this location is expected to exceed $60,000.

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Those who enter the Hand Crafted for You shop at 616-A Main Street will be overcome with a bounty of antique dressers, ornate vanity mirrors, eclectic coo-coo clocks, and vintage wardrobes… all that can fit into the palm of their hand. Hand Crafted for You is a specialty store featuring doll-house miniatures. People come far and wide for, owner, Sheri O’Brien’s collector items, and she is confident that Downtown Oregon City is always easy for her customers to find.

O’Brien’s shop may specialize in tiny doll-house accessories, but that doesn’t mean that her love for Oregon City is small. She has had her business on Main Street Oregon City for 6 years. She has been in her current building since April 1, 2006, and she says she “adores downtown.” She shares, “I originally picked Downtown Oregon City for the affordable price, but I stay because I love the community!”

O’Brien’s building owner, George Diamond, has recently finished a small renovation to her shop. She has a brand new wall that has allowed her to display her products in a more aesthetic and accessible manner. Diamond has also added a fresh new paint color to the exterior of O’Brien’s shop and the neighboring Muno’s Bakery. O’Brien is excited about these changes, and feels like her shop has a new visual appeal. Stop by Hand Crafted for You to see O’Brien’s new remodel, and grab a sweet treat next door at Muno’s Bakery while you’re at it! See photos of the shop construction at O’Brien’s website here.

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