What It Means

A mill town in transition. For 160 years Oregon City has been a place that reflects Oregon’s roll up your sleeves work ethic. Call it what you want — throughput, results, tenacity, persistence and an unwillingness to surrender no matter how great the pressures are Oregon City exemplifies it.

The name, Blue Collar Creative, really fits this initiative. This effort reaches out to the spectrum of creative professionals who pursue their labor with passion, perseverance and unflinching dedication to their craft. Architects, artists, photographers, advertising and marketing pro’s, film makers, graphic designers and engineers.

Our goal is to reach out and embrace creative businesses. This idea was sparked when several creative businesses moved into the area and recognized the community that was developing. A top-flight video production company, an advertising agency, a photographer and then another photographer, a painter and more like-minded businesses found Downtown Oregon City and embraced the movement that’s been gaining momentum for the past two years.

“I’ve worked in and around the Portland-area my entire professional life. In 30 years, this is the first time a city has welcomed me with open arms. They want me here and it shows. It’s also the first time I’ve enjoyed the depth of relationships I’ve forged with other businesses in the area. Moving into downtown Oregon City was the best business move I’ve made in my career.”
Trey Carskadon, Vice President, BDC Advertising, Inc.

Blue Collar Creative acknowledges Oregon City’s past as we look ahead to a new and exciting vision of Downtown. Blue Collar Creative is one of several initiatives underway right now that are transforming this historic city and making it a place-to-be for businesses, commerce, tourism and an opportunity to be part of something vital and productive.

What’s In It For Me?

Ideally, any business move should be made because it’s good business. Downtown Oregon City means business with per square foot rates that are a fraction of what you’ll find in the cities north of Oregon City. Parking is cheap. Downtown Portland is a quick 20 minute run down McLoughlin most times of the day. Access to I-205 is immediate. I-5 is about 12 minutes away. There are dozens of restaurants that are an 8 minute drive or closer and ten that are within walking distance.

The setting is “urban historic” which makes for a wonderful daily backdrop. The river is a two minute walk from most offices and new walking paths are just being finished that connect Downtown Oregon City to the river and Clackamette Park.

Downtown Oregon City is on the move.

This rich and warm business environment is further complemented by incentives that will be extended to a select few creative businesses. Main Street Oregon City in cooperation with various property managers and local businesses has launched a limited leasing campaign aimed at attracting a dozen new creative businesses into downtown Oregon City.