Year in reflection: Ritz-Carlton's impact on local businesses
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Photo: Courtesy of the Ritz-Carlton Residences, Portland
The $600 million Ritz-Carlton opened its doors in downtown Portland this fall — to the cheers of some, and the chagrin of others.
Catch up fast: City officials, business leaders and developers have all voiced their hope that the ultra-luxe hotel's opening will lure not only tourists but Portlanders, too, back to the city's center.
- Whether the Ritz can do all that remains to be seen in the greater context of the downtown's recovery story.
- Its highly-anticipated food hall featuring local purveyors — Flock — still hasn't opened but hopes to "rebuild" on the legacy of the 60-plus food carts that were displaced by the hotel.
What's happening: We asked a small business owner across the street from the Ritz-Carlton how she views the development's impact on day-to-day foot traffic, sales and more.
- Kristin Van Buskirk is the owner of Woonwinkel, a home decor and gift shop that opened on SW Washington Street in 2011.
- This interview has been edited for length and clarity.
🤔 When the Ritz-Carlton announced it would be opening in Portland, what were your initial thoughts?
- "I was initially concerned about the impact of three-plus years of construction right across the street but then the pandemic hit and that concern felt relatively unimportant."
🛎️ Since its opening in November, how has the Ritz-Carlton impacted your business?
- "I didn't realize until it opened that it would have such a positive impact on my sense of safety and well-being."
- "Looking out my shop window at night and seeing Ritz employees on the sidewalk, guests coming in and out, and seeing a lit-up lobby where there was once a black hole feels wonderful."
📈 Many hope the Ritz-Carlton will aid the Central City's recovery. As a small business in downtown, what do you make of that?
- "To keep the momentum of this neighborhood's recovery, I want to see the out-of-town developers who own vacant buildings nearby do their part."
- "The Ritz is part of a block that once had a thriving density of small, local businesses that were displaced by building renovations that have now stalled out."
- "We hear it again and again from customers: they come to shop in Portland because of the thriving, creative small businesses, but lately we've been hearing those same people ask, 'Where did all those great little shops go?'"