Our time here is done, folks.
The love affair with Foster will continue, but the blog can now be stored away into the archives. Soon to be ancient history; a bygone era documented in blog form.
It’s been fun, y’all. And we consider ourselves quite fortunate to have experienced Foster from this vantage point. In our time, we’ve seen Foster change a lot—sometimes more than we prefer, and sometimes not as much as we’d like—all the while maintaining its rough-around-the-edges allure.
We’ll forever remember fondly the original Foster Art Night and the art salon above Bob and Alice’s (Starday Tavern); the sign guy in front of EuroClassic who danced feverishly on Foster years before they took their sign game to an unfortunate display of anti-Foster-improvement protest; Guapo Comics and Coffee; Gemini Lounge; the tweakers who ensured the Foster area wouldn’t become the next Alberta any time soon; Crazy Eddie; Smokey’s Tavern; LRSD breaking out their drums for occasional practice in front of O’Malley’s; when Pieper took over the space formerly known as Yo Mama’s Coffee and Tea; when Foster Plaza became more than just a poker room and head shop; when places like Knuckleheadz and other rough-and-tumble bars dominated the strip; when the last of the rough-and-tumble biker bars finally left Foster; when the Neighborhood Association put into motion changes and safety improvements soon to come to Foster (many, many moons ago with protest, pleading to the city, and townhalls including the likes of Sam Adams); the yearly “Fun on Foster” in Laurelwood Park, even if a sad display of low turnout; affordable housing; when Isaac Hayes’s likeness graced the outside of O’Malley’s in mural (now found inside); when we thought the Bob White Theater would live again with movies and live music; when we first had spam musubi to soak up the booze at Da Hui; when the Portland Mercado opened and proved to be the first domino to fall in Foster’s inevitable change.
No doubt, more change is on the way. And that is why we’re hanging our hat. Mixed-use development is coming; the Foster Streetscape Plan is less than a year from construction; there’s a brewery in the works; and a long-anticipated community market should be opening soon, too. All this is great, but it belongs to a new era and we simply don’t have the time or energy to document it. Instead, we’ll find our intrigue from the sidelines and enjoy the neighborhood as residents, not bloggers.
Before we sign off, we’d like to offer sincere thanks to all of our readers for following along in the journey. It’s been fun. And we get a kick out of the fact that others nerd out to all things Foster like us. Kudos to you.
We’d also like to thank all the local businesses who have been generous in sharing news, events and other happenings that gave us fodder for the blog. You have been instrumental in shaping Foster, and we couldn’t imagine a better core of small businesses to reflect the character of our neighborhood. We look forward to having a beer or coffee with you as neighbors, not the creepy writer always looking for news.
And finally, thanks to all of you keeping the spirit of Foster alive. It’s a funky place with funky people. And as Portland changes around us, I’ll take solace in the fact that Foster may always be just a little bit different. At least for now. In the meantime, I’ll enjoy it for what it is. And I’ll encourage you to stay neighborly, support your local businesses, and keep making the neighborhood as rad as rad can be.
Be cool, y’all. It’s been fun….
* If you’re looking for a fun way to stay connected to goings on in the hood via social media, check out these guys on Twitter: @FuckingFoster. They seem to strike the right balance between informative, snarky, and not taking themselves too seriously.
– First, we couldn’t help but to notice the new signage on the former Raven Ink Tattoo space. The “For Sale” sign has been replaced and the window signage advertising for available commercial space. This would indicate the building has been sold and the new owner will be renting out some of the storefront. There’s currently paper covering the windows, so we’ll assume there are some renovations happening inside. No word yet on who might already be lined up to occupy the building.
– While we’re talking renovations, it should also be noted that the long-vacant, infamously purple-and-yellow and graffiti-covered building at SE Boise/59th/Foster is getting a facelift. Literally. Not only have the windows been scrubbed clean of its graffiti, but the siding is quickly being removed. We’re unsure of what’s prompting the renovations, but it would appear at least one more commercial space on Foster may be added to the corridor. It should also be noted that the owner of the building also happens to own a restaurant downtown. We’re not saying the space is destined for a restaurant, and, for fear of getting too speculative, we won’t say more than that. Sorry to spark the rumor flames….
– In other commercial happenings, SMART Collective is slowly laying claim to their new space as they transition of their old storefront. While they’ll be missed along the quirky commercial strip that includes Pupdo’s Pet Grooming, I Heart Retro, and Futpool Portland, Smart Collective will be moving a few blocks away. Starting sometime in July, they’ll be occupying a space on SE 67th between Foster and Holgate. The space was recently home to BenWill art gallery.
– You all ready to party? The 
From a distance, nothing’s changed at all. An empty parking lot surrounds Paldo Market; the doors are even open. There seems to be little activity, but it isn’t obvious the Korean market has actually closed—just as it was hard to tell if it was actually open when it was in business.
