Portland Made Retail: MadeHere PDX

Monday, September 14, 2015

Kelley Roy, GoLocalPDX Contributor

My mantra of late is "Consumers are the biggest and best investors for Portland's Maker Movement." Everyday we all make choices about what to buy. Do we simply buy the cheapest item or do we buy something that is locally made and a little more expensive in hopes that it will last longer? If you have to buy 10 of the same thing in your lifetime because it is poorly made and breaks, is it really cheaper? What if you spend a little bit more money up front and buy something that is handmade by a local artisan that will last forever? It's better for our economy, our community and for good ol' mother earth. A great movie on this subject is Manufactured Landscapes by Edward Burtynsky. The next time you buy something, think about how many times you have had to buy it before, where it is made, who makes it and what goes into making it. Not everything can be locally made, but it is interesting to ask the questions and find out the answers. Being informed allows you to make smarter decisions.

Remember those Mr Rogers videos about how things are made? I want more of this! And factory tours! So many amazing products are Portland Made and many of them are made right here in the Central Eastside. If the City has their way, they will convert all of our warehouses to creative office space for tech companies.

Want to stand up for Portland Makers? Join us at City Hall on July 8th to say "No F*$#ing Way!" to the employment overlay and to advocate for an industrial land bank that keeps workspace affordable for makers of all stripes!

Portland Made contributing writer Peggy Acott sat down with MadeHere PDX co-owner John Connor to find out more about why they opened this amazing store filled with Portland Made products.

Studies have explored the economic benefits of local manufacturing, retail and restaurants on their communities. But in terms of retail, the inventory is from all over the map. MadeHere PDX is literally a first of its kind, a retail outlet that only sells goods made right here in Portland.

“This is another level that no one has studied,” says John Connor, founder and majority owner. “MadeHere PDX is truly local for local.” The name is simple, straightforward, and tells exactly what the store is all about. Open since November 2014, it is strategically located in The Pearl District – a neighborhood with high walking traffic and tourist attraction – and directly across the street from the nationally renowned Powell’s Books.

When you walk in, you are immediately embraced in a large, open and inviting space. The array of items for sale is varied and of fine quality. There is a rotating group of six individuals that decide what will be included in the store’s inventory; all of them coming to the decision-making process with different strengths and aesthetic tastes, but aligned in the desire to find a range of items that not only offer good craftsmanship but which are also “refined” (well thought out) in both design and packaging/presentation. The vendors they choose feature items that are “more than the sum of their parts,” says Connor, and generally are not in the very beginning stages of their business, but producing in a volume that can consistently supply a consignment retail space. Connor stresses that MadeHere PDX “wants to be a retail partner” with their vendors, to help them succeed. For some makers, this is their first foray into being in a retail location; Connor sees this as being like a Beta Testing experience – they are able to give the vendor specific feedback on their product(s) based on what they hear directly and indirectly from customers. This can be extremely valuable to makers who have not had access to this kind of marketing/sales feedback before.

When MadeHere PDX first opened they had approximately 40 vendors. By spring of 2015 that number had doubled, and doesn’t show signs of stopping anytime soon. Plans are in the works to expand the retail space, rearranging and grouping like-items for easier shopping. Connor and his team have a large amount of retail skill, experience and talent between them, part of what has helped make this venture such a success; but retail comes with the challenge of trying to anticipate what is going to sell, what is going to work, in a foreseeable future. And it’s not just the

Portland shoppers’ taste they are trying to discern – Connor says that sales are about fifty percent local and fifty percent visitors from out of town. MadeHere PDX also operates an online shop, which has proven to be a successful pairing, especially for follow-up purchases when travelers are back home.

They recently expanded the store’s showroom and added locally made beer, wine and spirits. They are also partnering with ADX and Portland Made to do quarterly Maker Meetups for Portland Made members and MadeHere PDX vendors, product launch parties, product feedback events and special monthly workshops specifically for makers.

Want to be part of Portland's Maker Movement? Get involved with ADX and Portland Made. Be a mentor. Take a class. Buy locally made products. Donate to our scholarship fund through The Equity Foundation.

Kelley Roy is the founder of ADX, a 14,000 square foot Makerspace where artists and designers work along side each other to prototype and launch new product lines. ADX is also open to the general public and teaches people of all ages how to make. And if you don't want to do it yourself, you can hire ADX to make it for you. For more information check out adxportland.com.

Portland Made is a digital storytelling platform and advocacy center for Portland's Maker Movement. We do 2 features a month on Portland Makers; connect makers with more local, national and international markets; connect makers with local professional and manufacturing resources; advocate for makers with politicians at all levels of government; work with PSU on an annual survey that captures the economic power of the Maker Movement; help makers find real estate; and promote Portland makers with local and national media.