If this is the first you’re hearing of this, I’m sorry to have to share this news with you. The Portland Mercado — a hub for Latine food entrepreneurs and a thriving food cart pod — was destroyed by fire in the early morning hours of Wednesday, January 3, 2024. And now, the community is scrambling to support those affected by tragedy, directly or otherwise.
In the short term, two fundraising efforts are underway:
Portland Mercado Fire Relief Fund
The community of small businesses at Hacienda CDC’s Portland Mercado have been severely impacted by the fire that tore through our main building on January 3rd.
As we take next steps towards recovery, our number one priority is clear: to support our community of businesses during this hard time. Due to fire damage and a lack of on-site power, all businesses will be closed until further notice. These small businesses and their employees need your help.
To support our community, Hacienda CDC has established a Portland Mercado Fire Relief Fund that will benefit affected small businesses as they work to reopen. This fund is specifically for on-site small businesses affected by the fire.
To donate, please visit the Portland Mercado Fire Relief Fund.
Barrio Bar Gofundme
Barrio has been part of the SE community for over a decade, and its owner, Chris Shimamoto, is one of the kindest and most generous humans on Earth. Through the Barrio, Chris has supported local businesses, artists, musicians, writers, chefs, non-profits, and more. His love of animals is legendary, and the Barrio was home to our pets who were as welcome as any paying patron. For all of us, Chris created a family atmosphere at the bar. The Barrio was a place everyone felt at home, and his many loyal regulars can attest to the hospitality they have enjoyed here for so many years.
As many of you will know, Chris dedicated his life to the Barrio and to the community he supported through the bar. Please support him by donating what you can to help Chris get back on his feet and move forward. Portland needs him–we need whatever he will do for this city when his heart mends enough to think about what that might be.
To donate, please visit the Barrio Bar Gofundme.
And as we all know, the most effective way of supporting early stage entrepreneurs is buying their products and helping them generate revenue. If it’s within your means, please consider supporting the businesses that called the Portland Mercado home — some of whom have CPG products or other locations.
Again, this is a huge blow to the Latine food community. My deepest condolences go to all of those affected by this tragedy. And I sincerely hope that we, as a community, can reflect how much the Portland Mercado has meant to us over the years.
For more information, please visit the Portland Mercado.
