Our Town: Montavilla

The Academy Theater is a mainstay of Montavilla nightlife.

Michael Clapp / OPB

One of the last buildable lots on the east face of Mt. Tabor is staked out for construction. Beautiful views of Mt. Hood make homes in this area highly prized.

Michael Clapp / OPB

Safeway’s Montavilla location will be closing at the end of March. It’s unclear what kind of store could replace it.

Michael Clapp / OPB

Safeway’s Montavilla location will be closing at the end of March. It’s unclear what kind of store could replace it.

Michael Clapp / OPB

Ng returns the bottles she collects to the Montavilla Safeway. She explained in her limited English that when the store closes, she’ll quit collecting bottles because it’s too far to walk to the next available bottle return facility.

Michael Clapp / OPB

Safeway’s Montavilla location will be closing at the end of March. It’s unclear what kind of store could replace it.

Michael Clapp / OPB

Don Bourassa and his wife Hilary moved to Montavilla in 2006. He says they were attracted by the affordable home prices as well as the character of this up-and-coming neighborhood. Don says things have improved even more than he expected since then. “I almost don’t want to give it away, how good it is now, because more people will come and the parking will be even worse,” he says with a smile.

Michael Clapp / OPB

Peter Emerson opened the Bipartisan Cafe eight years ago. “We’re about inclusion,” he explains. “That’s what bipartisan truly means.” He says he likes Montavilla because the neighborhood feels like a small town.

Michael Clapp / OPB

The Bipartisan Cafe specializes in coffee and pie.

Michael Clapp / OPB

Michael Clapp / OPB

The back alley entrance to Johnny’s Barber Shop.

Michael Clapp / OPB

The Montavilla Farmer’s Market opened in 2007, with 20 vendors selling seasonal, locally grown produce. Now that number has grown to at least 38 different vendors.

Michael Clapp / OPB

Custom Sheet Metal Heating & Cooling

Michael Clapp / OPB

The Montavilla Farmer’s Market runs weekends from June to October with a few stockup days in the winter months.

Michael Clapp / OPB

The tennis courts at Mt. Tabor Park overlook Montavilla.

Michael Clapp / OPB

Stark Street’s east-west run is broken up by Mt. Tabor. The busy thoroughfare becomes a quiet, hilly neighborhood street and, in some places, a dead end.

Michael Clapp / OPB

Many residents of Montavilla’s western neighborhoods say its proximity to Mt. Tabor Park for a walk or a jog make it a special place to live.

Michael Clapp / OPB

Michael Clapp / OPB

Crossing guards at Jim Bridger Elementary School stop traffic for students on their way home

Michael Clapp / OPB

The Slavic Church Emmanuel is located in the former Eastgate Theater.

Michael Clapp / OPB

Sara Hunt talked briefly with Heather Fitzsimmons as she walked past Hunt’s apartment January 29. Fitzsimmons died moments later after being hit by a car as she tried to cross Glisan.

Michael Clapp / OPB

A makeshift memorial has gone up at the crosswalk where 30-year-old Heather Fitzsimmons was hit and killed by a car while crossing the street on her way home. Someone has also put out flags for pedestrians to use to attract attention of drivers on the busy street.

Michael Clapp / OPB

Priscilla Nguyen and Kim Nguyen work side-by-side in the kitchen. The family have run a restaurant off and on at this location since moving to Montavilla 25 years ago. It was originally a Chinese restaurant because that’s what the public wanted Kim said. When they reopened three years ago they went with a Vietnamese menu.

Michael Clapp / OPB

Sesame balls are made fresh each morning by Priscilla Nguyen’s grandmother Toan Tran at the Hanoi Kitchen.

Michael Clapp / OPB

Limes, greens, sprouts and empty plates in the kitchen of the Hanoi Kitchen.

Michael Clapp / OPB

A petite guard dog protects a pickup while its owner gets a jump at Jackson’s Shell station on Glisan.

Michael Clapp / OPB