Oregon Business – Thriving in a New Business World
Businesses are beginning to feel a post-pandemic positivity, in part because the changes they made during the shutdown worked and they are now well-positioned for whatever might come next. In April 2021, the Central Eastside Industrial Council (CEIC) partnered with Comcast Business and Northwest architecture firm Mackenzie to provide additional support to retailers, restaurants, and venues as they emerged from the restrictions on gatherings. Pre-pandemic, these three Portland businesses — global marketplace Cargo, vegan goods shop Herbivore, and pantry provisioner Wellspent Market — focused primarily on walk-in customers and in-person events. Now, they are reaching a national customer base thanks to the support they received from this initiative, website improvements, and greater online reach.
The Herbivore Clothing Company
“It’s a huge story of resilience.”
Michelle Schwegmann co-founded Herbivore 15 years ago, and over that time her block became a world-renowned vegan destination, thanks to other vegan-oriented shops nearby. She started