‘Little bandwidth': Portland's small businesses outline economic struggles in new survey
PORTLAND, Ore. () — A new survey indicates that Portland's small business owners have noticed a slight decline in vandalism, while other hurdles like rising costs and a lack of foot traffic have persisted.
The , the Portland-based advocacy group for small companies, shows that 57% of participating businesses had experienced at least one incident of vandalism or a break-in throughout 2024.
Killer whale pod makes rare appearance in Depoe Bay during Whale Watch Week
About 60% of respondents had the same answer the prior. And in said they had experienced vandalism at least once — with 62% of those businesses saying they had been hit on more than one occasion.
Although the threat of vandalism appears to be slowly dropping for the participating entrepreneurs, Bricks Need Mortar Founder Sarah Shaoul noted that the latest report garnered a total of 96 responses.
The group has more than 800 small businesses in its directory, and typically collects 'well over 100' responses for its surveys.
'We attribute the lower response rate to the fact that our small businesses have little bandwidth due to economic factors,' Shaoul wrote in an email. 'Small business owners are lowering their payrolls and wearing more hats in their businesses than ever before.'
When entrepreneurs were asked what would be their 'biggest challenge' of 2025, many named rising costs, the 'uncertain political climate' and weather — which was a major hurdle for local small businesses following the January 2024 winter storm.
Oregon bill would let hotel guests sue over photos, videos taken in private spaces
Downtown Portland respondents also cited their location as a challenge. Although the area saw a from 2023 to 2024, its businesses they were still struggling financially.
According to Bricks Need Mortar's report, small companies are looking to cut expenses to help boost profit. Some have done this by reducing payroll, prioritizing their busiest locations and hoping 'that nothing else breaks.'
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Business Upturn
4 minutes ago
- Business Upturn
SEPC secures Rs 650 crore solar EPC contract from Parmeshi Urja
By Aman Shukla Published on June 12, 2025, 15:55 IST SEPC Limited (NSE: SEPC | BSE: 532945), a leading player in the Engineering, Procurement, and Construction (EPC) space, has been awarded a prestigious contract worth ₹650 crore by Parmeshi Urja Ltd, a Kolkata-based subsidiary of India Power Corporation Limited. The project entails the full EPC scope — including Design, Engineering, Supply, Installation, Testing, and Commissioning — of a 133 MW Solar Power Project. The solar infrastructure will be spread across four key districts in Maharashtra: Sambhaji Nagar, Dhule, Solapur, and Nanded. This green energy initiative falls under the Government of India's PM-KUSUM Yojana, which aims to boost solar adoption for agricultural and rural development. With an estimated execution timeline of 12 to 18 months, the project is a strategic leap for SEPC, marking its return to the renewable energy sector. The company, known for its past projects in Wind, Biomass, and Thermal power, is poised to deliver high-quality, large-scale infrastructure solutions. This major order almost doubles SEPC's domestic order book and strengthens its portfolio across the renewable energy domain. It also reinforces SEPC's commitment to supporting India's clean energy mission and showcases its expertise in executing technically complex infrastructure projects across multiple regions. Aman Shukla is a post-graduate in mass communication . A media enthusiast who has a strong hold on communication ,content writing and copy writing. Aman is currently working as journalist at
San Francisco Chronicle
12 minutes ago
- San Francisco Chronicle
A major wine company is exiting California. Here's what it means
Alcohol distribution does not sound like an exciting topic, but it's suddenly the hot gossip within California wine circles. Republic National Distributing Co., the nation's second-largest alcohol wholesaler, announced last week that it will no longer do business in California after Sept. 2. It's sent more than 2,500 beverage brands scrambling to find a new distributor in the state. This reshuffling has generated so much attention largely because it looks like a dire warning for an industry already known to be in peril. If a wholesale behemoth is simply opting out of the largest wine market in the U.S. — if it would rather leave than try to compete — that seems like confirmation that the alcohol industry's downturn has not reached its bottom. While the Grand Prairie, Texas-based Republic National has not suggested that politics played a role in the decision, the news also may be resonating so widely in part because of the narrative it presents: A Texas company wants nothing to do with California. CEO Bob Hendrickson cited 'rising operational costs, industry head winds, and supplier changes' as reasons for the move. The latter is what everyone in the wine industry seems to be discussing. Some of Republic National's most important brands have defected lately to other distributors, especially to the beer-focused Reyes Beverage Group. Since the beginning of the year, the company has lost the right to sell top-selling spirits including Tito's, High Noon, Cutwater Spirits and Jack Daniel's, among many others. The loss of those brands had to be a major financial blow to Republic National. Why they all left, and all at once, is unclear. VinePair's Dave Infante posited that it was the result of Reyes' quest to increase its spirits portfolio after a change in California law made it easier for beer wholesalers to sell liquor. 'It left everybody in the lurch,' said John Buehler, owner of Napa Valley's Buehler Vineyards, where wholesale purchases drive 80% of the business. 'It was really such short notice.' Although Republic National continues to sell his wines in a few other states, he'll need to find a new California distributor. Many wineries and distilleries will now try to jump onto the lists of the other two big dogs, Southern Glazer's Wine and Spirits or Breakthru Beverage Group. The Napa-based importer Wilson Daniels has already announced it's bringing its book of prestigious wines like Burgundy's Domaine de la Romanee-Conti and Piedmont's Gaja to Breakthru, while Treasury Americas president Ben Dollard said he's still 'evaluating alternative arrangements' for wineries including Beaulieu, Frank Family and Daou. Other producers will look to smaller distributors, like Chambers & Chambers or Skurnik Wines & Spirits, for their California sales. But in a contracting wine market, there may not be room for everybody on those lifeboats. 'It's going to be a thinning of the herd,' Buehler said. 'The ankle biters that were in that portfolio, the little guys — there's going to be a lot of collateral damage.' Republic National had only recently increased its presence in the Golden State when it completed the purchase of major California distributor Young's Market Co. in 2022. The industry analyst Impact Databank estimated the company's sales that year at $2.8 billion in California alone. Despite that considerable power, however, Buehler — who had been with Young's since 1992 and moved to Republic National as a result of that acquisition — said that Republic National consistently 'underperformed' for him in terms of sales. He now regrets waiting so long to find a new distributor. 'I think I should have seen the writing on the wall. You lose these suppliers, and you're not attracting any new suppliers,' he said. Still, 'I had no idea that they were going to close up shop.' At least Republic National appears to still be selling his wine ahead of the September shutdown date. 'I keep getting purchase orders,' Buehler said, 'so I guess it's business as usual.'
Associated Press
14 minutes ago
- Associated Press
Summit Spine Continues Expansion into North Carolina, Partners with Dr. Louis Torres
'We are thrilled to welcome Dr. Louis Torres to our team as we continue to enhance access to advanced pain care for the Fayetteville community.'— Dr. Amit Patel, CEO and Founder of Summit Spine & Joint Centers FAYETTEVILLE, NC, UNITED STATES, June 12, 2025 / / -- Summit Spine & Joint Centers, a leading multi-location provider of minimally invasive spine care, proudly announces the appointment of Dr. Louis Torres as the newest physician leader. Dr. Torres will support Summit's growing North Carolina operations – which operate under the Integrated Pain Solutions brand. Dr. Torres' arrival represents a strategic milestone in the organization's continued commitment to delivering best-in-class musculoskeletal (MSK) solutions to the Fayetteville region. With an established presence spanning 30 locations in Georgia, 11 in North Carolina, one in Tennessee, and two in South Carolina, Summit Spine & Joint Centers has earned widespread recognition for its excellence in pain management and compassionate patient care. The addition of Dr. Torres strengthens the Company's dedication to expanding access to high-quality, patient-focused care for individuals suffering from chronic pain across the Southeast. Specializing in the diagnosis and treatment of complex conditions—including neck and back pain, sciatica, herniated discs, headaches, pelvic and musculoskeletal pain, and neuropathic disorders—Summit Spine leverages state-of-the-art technologies to deliver precision-based care tailored to each patient's needs. 'We are thrilled to welcome Dr. Louis Torres to our team as we continue to enhance access to advanced pain care for the Fayetteville community,' said Dr. Amit Patel, CEO and Founder of Summit Spine & Joint Centers. 'Our team of highly skilled physicians, nurses, and support staff are united by a shared mission: to improve lives by relieving pain and restoring function through innovative, minimally invasive treatments.' Dr. Torres, a Fayetteville-based physician with strong ties to the region, shared his enthusiasm for the partnership: 'I'm honored to expand access to advanced pain care in a community that means so much to me. Summit's focus on cutting-edge technology and its collaborative, patient-centered approach ensures that each patient receives the highest level of comprehensive and compassionate care.' Summit Spine & Joint Centers operates 17 ASCs and 44 clinics across four (4) states, with Georgia locations in Athens, Augusta, Braselton, Buford, Canton, Carrollton, Cartersville, Columbus, Commerce, Conyers, Covington, Cumming, Dalton, Decatur, East Cobb, Gainesville, Jasper, Johns Creek/Norcross, Lawrenceville, Lithia Springs, Newnan, Ringgold/Ft. Oglethorpe, Rome, Roswell, Savannah, Snellville, Stockbridge, Stonecrest/Lithonia, Winder, and Woodstock; North Carolina clinics in Asheboro, Beaufort, Fayetteville, Jacksonville, Laurinburg (2), Rockingham, Southern Pines, Wadesboro, Whiteville, and Wilmington; clinics South Carolina locations in Greenville and Spartanburg; and a clinic in Chattanooga, Tennessee. For more information call (864) 383-0669 or visit Samantha Montague Summit Spine & Joint Centers +1 404-784-5318 email us here Visit us on social media: LinkedIn Instagram Facebook Legal Disclaimer: EIN Presswire provides this news content 'as is' without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the author above.
