PDX Pop-Up Shops: A Proven Pipeline For Small Business Growth And Downtown Economic Vitality - 02/25/26

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 

February 25, 2026 

Press Contact: 

Monice Wong 

mwong@portlandalliance.com 

PDX Pop-Up Shops: A Proven Pipeline for Small Business Growth and Downtown Economic Vitality 

Multiple PDX Pop-Up Shops Launch Permanent Storefronts from Pop-Ups Success in Downtown Portland. 

PORTLAND, Oregon—February 25, 2026—The 16th annual Holiday PDX Pop-Up Shops, hosted by Downtown Portland Clean & Safe, has once again delivered meaningful economic and community impact by supporting local entrepreneurs, transforming vacant storefronts, and strengthening Portland’s innovative small business ecosystem.

Over the past 16 years, the PDX Pop-Up Shops program has established itself not as a one-off seasonal activation, but as a proven retail pathway for emerging entrepreneurs. Alumni ventures like Crafty Wonderland, Bridge & Burn, Amity Artisan Goods, The Pickle Jar, Sinister Coffee, and Bentley Fleurs have all become enduring downtown fixtures, validating this program’s role in long-term business success.

This year’s class of makers and retailers continued that legacy by transitioning their Pop-Up Shops into permanent storefronts:

• Bring! Treats for Dogs is a gourmet dog treats bakery which lovingly makes treats with human-grade, organic, gluten-free, and low allergen ingredients. The team, who opened Oregon’s first-ever food cart for dogs in Southeast Portland, has built a following with whimsical creations such as pupcakes, puptarts, and empawnadas.  
• Madam Cooper’s Parlor has transformed a vacant Old Town space at Ankeny Alley to offer a particularly unique experience—a glittering boutique with a miniature Music Box Theatre offering six-minute burlesque performances, often accompanied by a live piano player and a menu of Spanish Coffees and hot popcorn. The Parlor channels the history of Old Town’s Entertainment District, which housed vaudeville houses, saloons, cabarets, and offbeat nightlife.  
• Retorica is a bespoke fine jeweler that intertwines artistry and symbolism through custom jewelry crafted from repurposed precious metals. Created by Mexican artist Diana, now based in Portland, each piece embodies romance, strength, and storytelling. 

Small Businesses: The Backbone of Portland’s Economy 

Portland’s economy is deeply rooted in small business activity*: 

• Nearly 95% of all establishments in the Multnomah County region are small businesses. 
• Small businesses in Multnomah County employ over one-third (35%) of the local workforce. 
• In the state of Oregon as a whole, nearly 99.4% of all firms are small businesses, employing well over half of the workforce.

​These figures underscore not just the scale of small business in the region, but the outsized role of local entrepreneurs in driving job creation, cultural vitality, and neighborhood commerce. 

Many of the entrepreneurs have overcome meaningful barriers in their journeys, navigating the challenges of scaling home-based businesses, reviving historical art forms for modern audiences, or taking bold steps to grow into brick-and-mortar storefronts and the central city for the first time. Their experiences reflect the momentum of Portland’s downtown recovery and small business climate. 

What’s Next: From Pop-Ups to a Year-Round Retail Pipeline

Looking ahead, Downtown Portland Clean & Safe is building on the success of the PDX Pop-Up program by piloting new models that create more frequent, flexible on-ramps for small businesses to test, grow, and transition into permanent spaces. The next evolution of the program will include the PDX Retail Lab, with a goal of launching a 12-month rotating retail and pop-up program that supports entrepreneurs year-round and continues activating underused storefronts in Downtown Portland. 

“We’re excited to build on the success of PDX Pop-Ups through the PDX Retail Lab and explore a year-round rotating pop-up model. Retailers need opportunities to experiment in a rapidly changing retail landscape, and shoppers love discovering unique, local experiences. When we bring those two things together, it's a powerful combination and it’s exactly how we continue building a more lively, welcoming downtown,” said Sydney Mead, Senior Director of Downtown Programs at Downtown Portland Clean & Safe. 

The PDX Pop-Up Shops program proves that strategic placemaking and creative support of small businesses can do more than create buzz, they build permanent businesses. By lowering barriers to entry, activating underutilized space, and connecting entrepreneurs to customers and media exposure, the program fosters measurable economic growth. 

Media interested in arranging interviews, capturing on-site activity, or speaking directly with the business owners are encouraged to reach out for coordination. 

*Sources: