PORTLAND, Ore. — A downtown Portland business owner renewed his lease for a quarter-block in the popular West End district.
Men’s apparel store UnderU4men will remain in 5,000 square feet on the corner of Southwest Washington Street and Park Avenue. Founder and CEO Steven Lien has another 2,300 square feet for online distribution.
The West End, a loosely defined area around the Ace Hotel, 11W tower and upcoming Block 216 building, is known for its private security and cleaning services. Other companies, including JGP Wealth Management and Portland Gear, are crowding into the corridor.
Lien, who’s been downtown for nearly 20 years, knows the pros and the cons. He opened an 850-square-foot store in the Morgan Building across the street in 2006.
In 2012, UnderU4men consolidated its other, Bridgeport Village location and company offices into the current space at 800 S.W. Washington St.
It was 7,300 square feet, all told. Lien described it as going from two smaller stores to the volume equivalent of six stores.
Most recently, he considered moving out to Portland's Eastside, the Pearl District and even the Beaverton area. But his customers come from all over: Hillsboro, St. Helens, Salem.
"No matter where I would go, I was no longer at the center of the hub," he said. "I was only out on a spoke."
He realized his company would have a better trajectory, as Portland someday regains its footing, by remaining downtown. This is especially important as Lien, 67, considers handing the company off to his employees in possibly two to three years. He already sold his Seattle store to the workers on Oct. 1.
The Portland Business Journal, a news partner of KGW, has more on UnderU4men’s strategy here.
