Portland, where young people go to retire (Hillsboro: real estate, rent)

[Minervah]

Originally Posted by kapetrich

I really don't understand this. As others have pointed out, it isn't. But let me just add:

Why does big brand corporate stores leaving mean that a location is 'bad for businesses?' I just don't get where the logic lies? Seriously, where's the causation.

Most big brand restaurants serve terrible food and Macaroni Grill is no exception - as someone above noted - and Save-A-Lot is a horrible structure that provides terrible products at low prices (ya get what you pay for). It's called competition which last I checked is one of the major pillars of 'capitalism.'

Maybe these big box stores had too much competition via locally owned and operated stores? Why is having big box stores any indication of having a 'business friendly' location? Last I checked, unless you have said big box stores headquarters in your state it really doesn't do ya much good. In fact, it is worse. The bulk of the money made by these stores often leaves your location and gets funneled out of your economy.

My family back east says this type of stereotype to me all the time. My rebuttal: How many small businesses do you have on your block, because I have 7......

Just because there may be a different value system out here doesn't make it any less friendly. It just makes different styles of businesses thrive.
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On topic - wow, totally new statistics. So glad this article was written.

Give me a break. This is known. It can be a bad thing, but can also be a good thing. Jesus. NOTHING IS BLACK AND WHITE. Never forget, 'Artists' are the first to gentrify neighborhoods........

I think all that you say can be true but then again as you say nothing is black and white. For example, I live in my present neighborhood before and after it was gentrified and it most definitely was not gentrified by artists by any stretch of the imagination. Also, the many of the mom and pop businesses were replaced by chain stores. Not big box stores to be sure but small chain stores.

[kapetrich]

Originally Posted by Minervah

I think all that you say can be true but then again as you say nothing is black and white. For example, I live in my present neighborhood before and after it was gentrified and it most definitely was not gentrified by artists by any stretch of the imagination. Also, the many of the mom and pop businesses were replaced by chain stores. Not big box stores to be sure but small chain stores.

That's fair. I should have inserted the word 'often'

What part of Portland?

[SyraBrian]

Originally Posted by Discovery1

Oregon is really a bad state for businesses and this is one of the most important thing young people should look at when decide where to move to.

Big brand grocery stores, restaurants leave Oregon: Portland-area economy roundup | OregonLive.com

Can't blame Oregon for Macaroni Grill. Nationwide, they've been closing restaurants left and right.

[Discovery1]

Originally Posted by kapetrich

I really don't understand this. As others have pointed out, it isn't. But let me just add:

Why does big brand corporate stores leaving mean that a location is 'bad for businesses?' I just don't get where the logic lies? Seriously, where's the causation.

Most big brand restaurants serve terrible food and Macaroni Grill is no exception - as Deezus noted above - and Save-A-Lot is a horrible structure that provides terrible products at low prices (ya get what you pay for). It's called competition which last I checked is one of the major pillars of 'capitalism.'

Maybe these big box stores had too much competition via locally owned and operated stores? Why is having big box stores any indication of having a 'business friendly' location? Last I checked, unless you have said big box stores headquarters in your state it really doesn't do ya much good. In fact, it is worse. The bulk of the money made by these stores often leaves your location and gets funneled out of your economy.

My family back east says this type of stereotype to me all the time. My rebuttal: How many small businesses do you have on your block, because I have 7......

Just because there may be a different value system out here doesn't make it any less friendly. It just makes different styles of businesses thrive.
---

On topic - wow, totally new statistics. So glad this article was written.

Give me a break. This is known. It can be a bad thing, but can also be a good thing. Jesus. NOTHING IS BLACK AND WHITE. Never forget, 'Artists' are the first to gentrify neighborhoods........

You know what ? I have atleast more than 2 dozens of friends as well as family members who are doing small business in and around Portland and most of them felt a great pain not only because of the slow down in the economy but regulations and taxes.
Take those same businesses and go to Texas then you shall understand what i am talking about.

[kapetrich]

Originally Posted by Discovery1

You know what ? I have atleast more than 2 dozens of friends as well as family members who are doing small business in and around Portland and most of them felt a great pain not only because of the slow down in the economy but regulations and taxes.
Take those same businesses and go to Texas then you shall understand what i am talking about.

The slow down in the economy is nothing special to Oregon. Texas has raw energy which helps boost their economy and has shielded them from national economic 'recessions' historically. Go to a state without this type of raw energy that also has very little regulation and taxes: Florida, Nevada, etc. States, statistically, worse off than Oregon in regard to the 'economy.'

My point?: This type of argument holds very little water when context is introduced.....on both sides.

Texas is without much regulation and taxes, but with that comes a different culture which was EXACTLY my point. Different styles of businesses thrive in different environments. Personally, I wouldn't live in Texas if you paid me and I would bet there are many others in Oregon who would agree. Little to no taxes and zero regulation isn't the most important thing to everyone who owns a business. As a small business owner, I think I have at least some leg to stand on when making this statement.

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Edit: I ask again to both you and VTHookie (I went to school down there, too, btw). What is the causation between big brand corporate stores closing their doors and a location being deemed 'bad for businesses?' Competition is good and a fundimental principle of 'free market capitalism,' last I checked. Personally I feel the people of Portland should be commended for not eating at a place that serves bad food and buying groceries/clothes at stores that have bottom line business models and sub-par products. This is to say nothing of their funneling of money out of our State.

[EnricoV]

I find it quite amusing that article is cited as indication of anything having to do with the state of doing business in Portland.

As others have said, they're all a situation of the national chain's financial problems. Add that to the fact that Portlanders aren't much enamored of anything to do with "big box" businesses. So even if it was a matter of just Portland outlets being closed it wouldn't surprise, or even concern, me.

And it's especially funny because earlier, someone had implied that Vancouver was the place to go for business, yet Macaroni's is Vancouver-based. Not Portland. Oh, the irony.

[Deezus]

Originally Posted by EnricoV

And it's especially funny because earlier, someone had implied that Vancouver was the place to go for business, yet Macaroni's is Vancouver-based. Not Portland. Oh, the irony.

Yes, and if Vancouver is the place to go for doing business in the region, how come all the Washington residents seem to clog up I-5 and 205 commuting over the Columbia to Oregon every day?

Can't they all just get jobs in Clark County's robust economy?

High unemployment rate continues to plague Clark County

[kapetrich]

Originally Posted by Deezus

Yes, and if Vancouver is the place to go for doing business in the region, how come all the Washington residents seem to clog up I-5 and 205 commuting over the Columbia to Oregon every day?

Can't they all just get jobs in Clark County's robust economy?

High unemployment rate continues to plague Clark County

Great statistics.

Not to mention Portland's fortune 500 companies that have jumped ship all the way....across a bridge.....for Vancouver to escape Oregon's taxes and regulations.


...and exactly, EnricoV
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Were the same type of people complaining about the young moving to San Francisco in the 60's, too.....How'd that end up turning out?

[Minervah]

Originally Posted by kapetrich

That's fair. I should have inserted the word 'often'

What part of Portland?

Agreed because you are also correct in that many have. I was talking about along Hawthorne Blvd in what's called Buckman and Sunnyside neighborhoods on one side and Hosford Abernathy and Richmond on the other. My side, the Buckman/Sunnyside was gentrifed by young profeesionals and blue collar workers rather than artists but I know that isn't true of many other more recently gentrified neighborhoods.

The young people who have come to retire seem to be the last of the bunch.

[hamellr]

I linked to a couple of different articles regarding Oregon's Tax rates comparative to other states over in this thread:

Oregon business unfriendly? Not according to Forbes