"something's seriously wrong."

the economy? Jewelery and art are luxuries in this economy, for most.

They're doing fine; even at their downtown store, sales have been up. They're just done with downtown.

Seriously. Wrong.

Downtown is too hostile to cars. It's a real chore to park anywhere down there--and, on a semi-related note, I think many retailers have now raised the minimum purchase required to validate. I bought $40 worth of clothes at GAP not too long ago, and they told me they don't validate parking for less than $50. Meanwhile I can go buy a pair of socks for $1 and get free parking at Bridgeport VIllage or Wash. Square.

Jack, its not all doom and gloom. Apple expanding? Nike moving NikeTown in there? Other businesses will follow those two places. Chicos is a dying retailer and Twist is very specialized as well. H&M isn't doing Chicos any favor (nor any other clothing retailer)I never thought that Pioneer Square really fit Twists model anyways and the NW 23rd location made more sense.

Now on the downside, I did an event with my business yesterday outside of Big Pink at the corner of 6th and Oak. Haven't spent a lot of time downtown in a while and I have to admit I was shocked at the number of homeless and mentally ill people around. Fully 50% of everyone down there fit in that category.

Sad and worrisome at the same time. I can understand why a lot of people avoid the downtown area.

But hey! Light rail on the transit mall! Zillion dollar makeover! Bike lanes!

Totally Blumenauered.

Downtown, Pearl, and all way to NW 23d is a nightmare anyway you try to get there. I avoid these areas as much as possible. Guess it's a matter of taste but Portland proper has become too crowded with high rise condos and too oriented towards the pedistrian and bicyclist. On the other hand, a city like Salem is too car oriented. I think the right balance for me is some place like Tigard where the car is still king but you can fairly easily get around by bike and walking. Nothing as good as Washington Square and Bridgeport Villa in Portland proper.

"Light rail on the transit mall!"

Everyone who was here when the original transit mall went in and isn't a sap knew the light rail makeover was a boneheaded move by our lunatics.

Last summer when Metro said the Green Line was built in the wrong place I thought admitting the Mall failure would be coming soon.

Perhaps right after the MLR project starts it will be surfacing.

totally "Bluemanured"

Everyone who was here when the original transit mall went in and isn't a sap knew the light rail makeover was a boneheaded move by our lunatics.

The addition of LRT actually reduced the capacity of the mall because the trains need so much more headway than buses and only seat about 2-2.5x the passengers of a bus. I don't think Tri-Met runs any shorter than 10 min. headways on any of the MAX lines; buses can safely be run at sub-minute headways. And the trains also frequently get in the way of the buses while displaying NOT IN SERVICE most of the time.

But hey, it sure looks pretty cool.

I've bought a lot of stuff from Twist over the years. It did always feel sort of weird that they had a Pioneer Place store, along side, say, Sharper Image, etc.

There's no place for a Twist downtown any more. Indeed, it's hard to say who downtown does work for any more, other than panhandling losers and bucket drummers.

Jack, its not all doom and gloom. Apple expanding? Nike moving NikeTown in there?

Apple is moving out of Pioneer Place and into a storefront outside. Niketown was planning on moving from its old location to a newer location. Both of them are downtown MOVES, not ADDS.

I don't think Tri-Met runs any shorter than 10 min. headways on any of the MAX lines; buses can safely be run at sub-minute headways. And the trains also frequently get in the way of the buses while displaying NOT IN SERVICE most of the time.

Between the Rose Quarter and Gateway TC, the Red/Blue/Green Lines run at approximately 5 minute headways.

Across the Steel Bridge, adding in the Yellow Line results in trains every couple of minutes. But the Red/Blue Line heads south on 1st Avenue (with 7-8 minute headways) while the Green/Yellow Line heads west on Glisan to 3rd, to Hoyt to 5th.

I agree, though, it is a failure on TriMet's part, especially at the south end of the Mall, to allow an out-of-service MAX train to pre-empt a waiting bus at either Harrison or Hall Streets, just so it can park at the turnaround. Buses at that point should clearly have right-of-way over trains. Then again, TriMet also failed by neglecting to install a bus stop at 6th and Hall (to replace the former 6th and Montgomery stop), thus the 12 and 44 buses still have to stay on 4th Avenue to make a P.S.U. stop, then cut over to 6th Avenue; while other buses all but bypass P.S.U. before making a stop at the far end of campus (never mind that P.S.U. is TriMet's largest transit generator...why would you bypass it???)

"But hey! Light rail on the transit mall! Zillion dollar makeover! Bike lanes!"

Just wait 'til you see the next 20-year plans 5 and 10 years from now! Who knows we may even agree on what a CRC should look like by then.

When are these saps going to get it and stop playing SIM City?

They're not going to ever "get it" because one of the hallmarks of arrogance is to never take responsibility for one's mistakes.
When the failure becomes more than they can blame on someone or something else, they'll simply depart and set up shop in the next host somewhere else.

Getting rid of Fairless Square was the last nail in the coffin, AFAIC. Sad.

Maybe we can get Eminem to do a video promoting downtown Portland (Detroit west)
like he did Detroit for the Super Bowl.

The Apple Store definitely needs to grow. The last time I went there they were admitting customers by reservation only!

The Apple Store definitely needs to grow. The last time I went there they were admitting customers by reservation only!

I once read a story that Apple actually hired people just to stand around and hang out in the stores, just so that they'd be busy.

And I've read another story in which people intentionally hang out at the Apple store because of the free wireless internet available to "customers".

Both of those stories do not surprise me one bit when I can walk by either the Pioneer Place or Washington Square stores to find the Apple store is strangely crowded, with no other store is, and when there is no special event or product sale, or any other rational reason why the Apple Store should be any busier. It's not as though the Apple Store is the only place to buy Apple products, either - every Best Buy has an Apple department; iPhones and iPods can be bought pretty much anywhere - even at WalMart (!!!), Target and Freddy's. Stores like The Mac Store in Beaverton don't have the crowds like the Apple Store does, but probably has better service and more product available...

Very hard to deal with the vibe downtown. It's a cancer everywhere, though. I was in Eugene at a dance festival a few weeks ago and ran into a Portlander.

Our conversation went something like this..

hey, did u check out Eugene?

yeah, I walked around, kinda surprising how many homeless there are..

that struck me too; it looks pretty bad,I hope a lot of them are just hippie throwback students...

nah, I doubt it, I mean, the size of their packs, just too big for books...

Oh, you're right, I didn't think of that...

Erik H., my wife works for Apple Corporate in the retail group. Trust me they do not pay people to stand around. If you believe that you probably believe in Black Helicopter conspiracies as well. I think you might be 12 years old.

If you believe that you probably believe in Black Helicopter conspiracies as well. I think you might be 12 years old.

Posted by canuckne | February 9, 2011 5:27 PM

Maybe, but at least he can spell his screen name the same way twice in a row.

Downtown is too hostile to cars. It's a real chore to park anywhere down there

. . . meanwhile, there's . . .

free parking at Bridgeport Village

There is only "free parking" at Bridgeport Village to the extent you can find it. I have tried to shop at Bridgeport many, many times, and it is a complete disaster. There is never parking except in the garage, which takes 10 minutes to get all the way back to, and is at least three city blocks from most of the stores -- five if you're going to Crate and Barrel.

Parking downtown, particularly if you're going to Pioneer Place mall, is exceptionally easy. You pull into the smart park, you take the elevator to the basement, and you walk into the food court. I will gladly pay for that convenience -- and not having to deal with the types who hang out at Bridgeport.

"The Apple Store definitely needs to grow."

Out of curiosity (since I am not an Apple guy - hate iTunes), do they actually sell anything there (I mean do people walk out with computers)? I haven't seen it.

Parking downtown, particularly if you're going to Pioneer Place mall, is exceptionally easy. You pull into the smart park, you take the elevator to the basement, and you walk into the food court.

And why is that?

Because Downtown sucks to get around in.

I only go down there for appointments. It could only be that bad by design.

It is intentionally being made a nightmare to further pipe dreams and wishful thinking by a loud minority with a massive superiority complex and government corporate welfare.

I'd much rather be able to easily get in and out than fight with the panhandlers and fixie fanatics. But enough about the city council.

If you believe that you probably believe in Black Helicopter conspiracies as well. I think you might be 12 years old.

Think Differently all you want.

Parking downtown can be easier than Bridgeport and Washington Square even on a busy day. I've had nightmares trying to park at those places. Just hop in a smart park.

The issue is the panhandling population destroying a perfectly good downtown.

I saw a person give one of "them" some money the other day and it made me angrier than someone asking me to spare some change.

Wake up and stop giving them money, people. Donate to a homeless shelter where the money is managed better if you wish to give money away.