THE BEE's "want ads" are named "Pamplin Community Classifieds". An important innovation is that classified ads placed in THE BEE may also be available at the special Community Classifieds website, at the HotLink below!
In addition, Community Classifieds now offer the additional service of in-column photographs of vehicles and homes for sale. The photos can not only appear in THE BEE, but on the website as well.
Community Classifieds appear each month in THE BEE, and can also reach up to a half million additional readers by being published in any combination of the 24 other newspapers in the "Community Newspapers" group, including the weekly Clackamas Review, Oregon City News, Lake Oswego Review, and West Linn Tidings; the monthly Sherwood Gazette, and Southwest Community Connection; the twice-weekly Gresham Outlook and Portland Tribune; and the other newspapers in the group.
To get information or place your classified ad by phone, here's the number to call: 503/620-7355!
Now, click on the logo directly below, and read the Pamplin Media "Community Classifieds"!
INNER SOUTHEAST PORTLAND'S
BUSINESS NEWS!
In addition to cleaning up the mess left in the wake of the latest burglary, the family-owned “Red Castle Games” owner faces mounting bills for replacing windows and merchandise. (Photo by David F. Ashton)
Foster Road’s ‘Red Castle Games’ burgled repeatedly over 7 weeks
By DAVID F. ASHTON For THE BEE
All over Portland, the smashing of plate glass windows by vandals and the burglarizing of businesses have unfortunately become so common that such incidents don’t always make it into the evening TV news anymore.
However, repeating burglaries – and in one of those cases, a series of three break-ins all in one night – have bedeviled “Red Castle Games” on S.E. Foster Road, at the corner of 72nd Avenue, in the Mt. Scott-Arleta neighborhood.
The latest incident took place early on Sunday, August 6. “The first call, early that Sunday morning, from the alarm company, was at 1:57 a.m.,” owner Matthew Micetic told THE BEE.
Then, later the same night, hearing a commotion, residents of the 72FOSTER apartment building nearby called in again at 2:30 a.m. – and yet another person reported a third break-in at the store around 6 a.m., Micetic said.
Apparently, at no time that night were Portland Police Bureau officers dispatched to the store by the Bureau of Emergency Services, which operates the 9-1-1 service. A check of its communications log for that 24-hour time period listed six (6) burglary calls dispatched – but none of those was to that store.
“I don’t know where the failure occurred,” Micetic commented. “I realize that the police are understaffed; but at the same time, those who commit crimes are not being held accountable for their actions.”
Security camera footage – with sound – clearly documented people breaking into the store, looting it of merchandise, and exiting out the front of the building, on at least three different occasions on that same early Sunday morning.
“It’s like when people broke in on June 7, when I lost $10,000 in merchandise and building damages,” Micetic said. This was followed by another burglary on July 30, and an abortive break in – through the same boarded-up window, again – on June 31.
At the most recent incident, as was the case previously on June 7, criminals went on to break into the storeroom, and there loaded up a wheeled 40-gallon trash can with such products such as Magic the Game, and Pokemon sets – then, they just wheeled the stash out of the store. “You can hear them talking [on the surveillance tape] while in our stockroom, saying ‘don’t take that, it’s not valuable; take this instead’ as they rummaged around,” Micetic remarked.
At first glance, Micetic and his staff thought that the latest batch of burglars stole about $15,000 of merchandise. “But now, when we completed doing inventory a couple of days later, it’s really closer to $58,000 in lost product and property damage,” he told us on August 9.
So far, Micetic hasn’t made any insurance claims for the losses. “I’m afraid that, if I do, I’ll lose my business insurance, or the rates will skyrocket.
“It is becoming more and more difficult to be a small business owner in Portland, with the constant threat of crime,” Micetic said. “We’ll likely endure this attack on our business, but I really don’t know if we’ll survive another loss of this size.”
If you have information that can help bring these criminals to justice, email it to – crimetips@police.portlandoregon.gov, and add that your information is about Case No. 23-205662.
Now, see the dismaying security video – with sound – recorded at Red Castle Games, as their store was burglarized more than once, in the early morning hours of August 5, 2023. This video, offered here with the store’s express permission, is just part of the entire story you’re only seeing in THE BEE –
Amarie Romero, left, and Abby Dixon are two members of the counter staff at the new Junbi Matcha & Tea Shop – just open at 1280 S.E. Nehalem Street in Sellwood. (Photo by Rita A. Leonard)
New tea shop makes appearance in Sellwood
By RITA A. LEONARD For THE BEE
The Junbi Matcha & Tea Shop opened on Tuesday, August 1st at the corner of S.E. 13th Avenue and Nehalem Street. Owners David Uth and Magali Franco opened the franchise in the 1,000 sq.-ft. space with an eye toward introducing customers to a new type of drink – teas and matcha lattes, as well as a variety of hot or cold coffees.
There are also add-ons such as aloe, chia seeds, lychee, and rice balls. Also offered are soft-serve and blended drinks with dairy alternatives such as oat milk, organic coconut milk, and organic soy milk. The shop has packets of the Matcha mix for sale at the counter.
Uth received his pharmacology degree from Oregon State University, while Franco – who hails from Guatemala – received a degree as Health Care Specialist from Portland State University, but their current interest is making a success of their new Sellwood venture.
Uth explains that matcha contains both caffeine and L.Theanine, an amino acid found naturally in green and black teas, as well as some mushrooms. He tells THE BEE that the amino acid promotes healthy sleep, and a sense of calm and well-being, and may aid in cognition and memory alertness, help fortify immune function, and might even help reduce blood pressure.
The shop provides seating for 15, and the owners hope to provide a catering service in the future. They are open seven days a week from 10 a.m. until 9 p.m. Their phone number is 503/946-8900.
BUSINESS BRIEFS
“Woodstock Gives Back” set for September 10: The Woodstock Community Business Association (WCBA), which also serves Brentwood-Darlington, announces its annual “Woodstock Gives Back” promotion in the Woodstock central district, from about 41st to 60th Avenues on Woodstock Boulevard. During this time – from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Sunday, September 10th – the many participating merchants will be helping raise funds for specific nonprofit organizations, and will be attracting visitors to their stores with games and other attractions, and sales as well in many cases. Fun for all. The Woodstock Farmers Market is participating, as well. The two presenting sponsors are OnPoint Credit Union – and Ann Davis, Woodstock agent for American Family Insurance.
Wallace Books resumes celebrating its anniversary: Inner Southeast’s answer to Powell’s Books, Wallace Books in Westmoreland, is a miniature version of Portland’s world famous downtown bookstore, and like Dr. Who’s Tardis, it’s much larger inside than outside. Built in an old house and garage at 7241 S.E. Milwaukie Avenue, Julie Wallace and her staff also shelve new and used books together, and it is not unheard of to find a rare book for sale there that cannot be found at Powell’s. The store stopped celebrating its September anniversary when the COVID-19 pandemic began, and this month they resume celebrating that anniversary with cake, lemonade, and 25% off all used books. It’s all day Saturday, September 16, during the 7-days-a-week hours of 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Inner Southeast small business wins grant: Foster Trees, LLC, a small tree service situated at 7352 S.E. Henderson Street, just north of Flavel Street off 72nd, has just received a grant of $7,500 from “Jobber”, self-described as “the leading provider of home service operations management software”, in its third year of providing such grants in a competitive application process. 24 other small businesses across the country also received such grants this year. Nicky Dunbar, owner and operator of the Brentwood-Darlington based tree service, told THE BEE, “Jobber gives grants for what they call ‘excellence in home service’, and they have four categories. They selected us in the "Career Builders" category, for providing ‘industry-leading compensation and training’ to our team. We've decided that the grant money will help us bring on board an equipment manager who can more effectively help us care for our fleet of vehicles and equipment.” Dunbar added, “We're working toward certification as a Benefit Corporation, and are striving to be a thoughtful, caring company in this industry.”
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