The Business of Portland

Sundance Theater is closed

Arby’s on Hawthorne is closed

Merlin Computers is closed

Blockbuster on Hawthorne is closed

As I drove around Portland I looked for things that were closed. I looked for businesses that I used to go to that are now closed. Most of the businesses I supported are still open. It looks like the current economic downturn is not treating retail Portland that poorly. In San Jose lots of retail businesses have gone down.

On the other side, I was told while I was there that Portland currently has over eight percent unemployment. A lot of people are having a hard time finding jobs. There have been a lot of cuts in the tech sector. It seems like all the new jobs that were created in the late 80s have gone away.

The Tech sector taking a dump is something that would keep me away from Portland. I have the feeling that my skills are best used in the tech sector. If I have to look in another sector, I might be looking at a lessor job. In the 80's the economy in Portland really took a beating. I wonder if it is a city that does not do well during recessions.

These things are important to be because sometimes I think about taking a second crack at Portland. It is still high on the list of places that I would live next. If I think I will not be able to get a job there, it makes it hard for me to want to move there. For some reason I always see myself 'moving cold' to my next city. That means not having a job before I move there. Maybe I have to wait for the tech sector to rebound before I try moving back.