Bulletin E-Edition:
Newport-area shops form alliance
By Jeff McDonald / The Bulletin
Published: October 24. 2008 4:00AM PSTBusiness owners on Bend’s west side have formed a group to market Newport Avenue as a kind of one-stop shopping area that rivals Portland on cool and outlet malls on convenience.
The group calls the district — which stretches along Newport Avenue from Ninth to 12th streets — Newport Corners. The district includes a few businesses north and south of Newport Avenue, said Eric Leyden, a partner in Kebaba Modern Middle Eastern Restaurant, who helped form the district.
“As far as neighborhoods go, Newport Corners is the closest thing we get to the Portland vibe,” Leyden said.
Another business owner in the district, Jaime Aguirre, co-owner of Ginger’s Kitchenware, said the district has grown more diverse over the past five years to include real estate firms, as well as more shops and restaurants.
The reason for forming the district was twofold: to attract more west-side residents to shop at local businesses and to raise awareness outside the district about the shopping options available, Aguirre said.
The district represents the Bend lifestyle, Aguirre added.
“It’s a place where you can shop, dine and walk,” he said. “We really want to convey that to folks beyond the west side.”
The campaign to keep shoppers local is vital during a time when the economy is down and more national chains are springing up around town, Leyden said.
“I don’t know if it’s the chains themselves, but all of the old malls in town have revamped themselves,” Leyden said. “Because there’s so many of them, we can see how they’ve affected us. We’re an area where you can come and shop, and buy locally. The money stays right here in Bend.”
Businesses that have signed up for the district are: Backporch Coffee Roasters, Bambini of Bend, Cartridge World, Chow, Devore’s Good Food Store, Ginger’s Kitchenware, Kanpai Sushi, Kebaba, Nancy P’s Baking Co. and Westside Ride skate shop, Leyden said.
The group has raised $5,000 to pay for advertising that will appear in local publications. The campaign also could include TV and radio in the future, he said.
The group of business owners successfully lobbied with the city of Bend to paint a new crosswalk at the corner of 11th Street and Newport Avenue, Leyden said. The crosswalk will make businesses more interconnected and Newport Avenue more pedestrian-friendly, he added.
The businesses along the district are working with the city to post a welcome sign to Newport Corners at the eastern roundabout, which is currently marked by a bucking-horse statue, Leyden said.
Strolling through the district for the first time with her niece, Carolyn Minjarez, 32, said she usually shops at outlet malls and buys her groceries at Safeway, Wal-Mart and Albertsons.
“When I need something quick, I go to Newport Market,” she said.
The west-side resident and student at Central Oregon Community College said shopping at local stores can be too expensive.
But another shopper, Marianne Rogers, of Eugene, said she would support local businesses whenever possible.
“I’m a big fan of organic,” said Rogers, 29, as she ate lunch at Devore’s. “I like supporting the locals.”
The Newport Avenue district does not include the street’s most notable retailer: Newport Avenue Market.
The market opted not to participate, at least for the upcoming year, said owner Rudy Dory.
“We support independent businesses, especially in our area, but it’s outside of our budget at this point,” Dory said. “We’ve already established our 2009 budget.”
Jeff McDonald can be reached at 541-383-0323 or at jmcdonald@bendbulletin.com.
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