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Bend, Oregon – The Downtown Bend Business Association (DBBA) is a small nonprofit dedicated to increasing the vitality of Downtown Bend by enhancing the experience, image, and lifestyle of the Downtown Bend Economic Improvement District (EID). This includes everything from the daily sweeping of sidewalks and removal of debris and graffiti to large-scale advocacy and grant writing. Recently the DBBA submitted a grant to Greetings Tour for a large-scale ‘Bend’ mural to be installed in the historic downtown core of the City of Bend. For more information on this grant selection process, click here.
“We are incredibly excited about this partnership,” says Mindy Aisling, Executive Director of the Downtown Bend Business Association, “Tourism is the catalyst that transformed our community when we set aside the historic resource extraction trades, and we rely on it to this day for the well-being of our Bend residents. This mural will directly impact the draw to visit our historic downtown and it will help our small business community thrive for years to come.” Bend City Council recently changed City of Bend code to allow for murals throughout the City of Bend, paving the way for this project. This was made official by a vote of City Councilors on June 5th, 2019. Teafly Peterson said, in her 2019 Source article, “Murals give us a platform to speak to each other and to our visitors, telling the story of the people who live here and their dreams for the future.” The Downtown Bend Business Association is eagerly awaiting the collaboration of this new art piece, and thrilled to be able to connect to our community residents and visitors through art. In Visit Bend’s 2017 report, they noted, “Respondents were asked to indicate which attractions or locations they had visited or planned to visit during their winter visit to Bend. Downtown Bend (74 percent visited), the Old Mill Shopping District (57 percent), and breweries (54 percent) attracted the greatest proportions of visitors, the same top three attractions visited historically. Other notable locations include Mt. Bachelor Ski Resort (31 percent), Sunriver (27 percent), Sisters (18 percent), Bend Factory Outlets (16 percent), Deschutes River Trail (15 percent), High Desert Museum (12 percent), Smith Rock (12 percent), and local Sno-Parks (8 percent).” As the number one tourist destination, his makes Downtown Bend the ideal placement for a Greetings Tour Bend mural. Tourism is a huge industry, and it has been an integral contributor to the growth of many cities, including Bend. One of, if not the biggest benefit, that tourism offers is that it provides a way for the economy to receive an influx of wealth. Money is spent on popular tourist attractions and activities that help to fund local tour operators, small businesses, events, vendors & makers. In turn, this influx of wealth into the community allows for the construction and improvement of a city’s infrastructure. Due to the flow of wealth gained from tourists, local communities can afford to upkeep and build upon their roads, community areas, schools, hospitals, and parks. Additionally, as most tourists want an authentic experience, this means that the locals can showcase and celebrate their traditions and culture. Local history can be celebrated & our community stories can be shared. Tourism is one of the industries that is reasonably reliable and it offers a constant flow of income into the city. There are a handful of industries that make up the backbone of most cities, and when these industries fall short, the entire economy becomes strained. Tourism can, in some cases, even be considered somewhat of a safety net that allows for communities to become increasingly more recession proof.  When it comes to the massive amount of opportunities that tourism offers, the best of them is the opportunity for local businesses. Entrepreneurs get the chance to start up their own new businesses or sell their own unique products to tourists. This is something that comes only with a booming tourism industry, as more often than not, the businesses would not be able to sustain themselves without the flow of tourists. This, of course, also creates a multitude of job opportunities for locals. Job creation is perhaps the most obvious benefit of tourism within every city. As the entrepreneurial hub of the city, and the largest employer in Bend, Downtown Bend celebrates this opportunity.
If you're passionate about the vitality of Downtown Bend and would like to donate to DBBA non-profit 501c3, please visit their website, www.downtownbend.org.
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The Downtown Bend Business Association (DBBA) is a small nonprofit dedicated to increasing the vitality of Downtown Bend by enhancing the experience, image and lifestyle of the Downtown Bend Economic Improvement District (EID). Operating under a very small budget, and taking responsibility for a huge scope of work, the DBBA relies on volunteers and community donations to keep downtown thriving!
For the 2021/2022 winter season, the DBBA is proud to announce that, due to a sponsorship from Lowes Home Improvement and the Doubletree Hotel, they will be hanging new lit wreaths throughout the Downtown EID. This past week, volunteers from the community gathered to prep these new wreaths for hanging in the downtown district and they installed each wreath with solar lights to bring more cheer to downtown during our winter months.
In addition to new wreaths, you might have noticed that the DBBA funded and installed all new lights wrapping each lamppost in our historic downtown. You'll also see new winter ribbon and, thanks to a sponsorship from Brilliance and Branding, new 'Welcome Winter' banners this holiday season. All of these improvements are courtesy of the hard work of the board, staff, and volunteers of the Downtown Bend Business Association, a nonprofit dedicated to the vitality of Downtown Bend.  “Much of the work that our nonprofit does is assumed to be provided by the City of Bend,” says Aisling, the DBBA Executive Director, “However, unlike other downtowns, including our neighboring City of Redmond, the City of Bend does not provide for the cleaning, decorating, landscaping or promotion of the historic Downtown Bend district. This makes the work of our nonprofit extremely important to the health of our community.”
If you are passionate about the vibrancy and future growth & development of Downtown Bend, the DBBA invites you to get involved! Contact them to see how you can make a difference. The 2021 Halloween in Downtown Bend event was a huge success! We'd like to thank our Bend community for coming out and sharing a wonderfully fun day with us. We'd like to thank the Downtown Bend Business Association (DBBA) for providing this event, and all of the free community programing in the downtown district, and we'd like to thank Miguel Edwards Photography for being THE Downtown Bend photographer. 🧡 Barrio is a Latin-inspired restaurant serving lunch, dinner, and happy hour. Barrio is Spanish for “neighborhood” and in this neighborhood, you’ll find bold, flavorful food, craft cocktails, daily specials, and friendly service.
Their downtown restaurant is now available for private holiday parties! Celebrate with your team, family or friends in a safe, lively atmosphere that's all yours for the evening. Ideal for parties from 30 to 80 guests, with room for 60 people seated. All food will be served buffet style, accompanied by a bar menu based on your preferences. The rental fee is $200 with a minimum $1,800 food/beverage purchase. You can rest assured, everyone who works at Barrio is fully vaccinated, and they continue to follow strict health and safety standards. SCALEHOUSE NEW EXHIBITION: Jon Gann: infinity splinters / resttagebücher November 5th – December 31st 2020 November 5th, 2021 (Bend, Oregon) – Scalehouse Gallery is pleased to announce their new exhibition, Jon Gann: infinity splinters / resttagebücher. This exhibition will open Friday November 5th, and will be on view through Friday, December 31st. Scalehouse is located in Franklin Crossing on the Tin Pan Alley Side. Gallery hours are Wednesday through Saturday, 1pm-6pm and by appointment. The exhibition invites viewers into the artist’s ongoing journey through trauma, shame and search for renewal. Through an obsessive layering process, Gann’s mixed media works reveal a personal mythology of battling inner forces and alternate timelines. At once violent and vulnerable, aching and exuberant, the works exist as diaristic residue that shows how humor can sit alongside pain, and that even as darkness persists, there are openings for growth and revelation. “My past troubles me...and I am working to change my relationship to it. I feel the difficulty in truly letting it go, but it needs to become something else...a more beautiful part of me, and much less angry, because I can't grow otherwise.” - Jon Gann In response to Gann's work, which speaks deeply to issues of trauma, identity, and mental illness, Scalehouse is partnering with local organizations to provide mental health resources and promote dialogue around these important issues. By opening up a conversation, the artist and Scalehouse seek to combat shame and isolation, normalize help-seeking, and celebrate creative expression as a tool for healing. ABOUT JON GANN Jon Gann is an artist from Alabama, currently living in Palm Springs, California. His practice has evolved from compulsion and a means of survival, to something therapeutic, to communication and connection. Automatic and provisional, his process-based drawings and paintings shift between states of bodily representation, gestural abstraction and material accumulation. Through this shifting, Gann engages in open-ended questioning of memory, identity and repair. “Memory is tricky. I want to point my practice to my future self. I am making to ask questions, to figure out who I am and how I fit, what to mend and what to let go.” ABOUT SCALEHOUSE Scalehouse is a multidisciplinary contemporary arts center convening diverse thinkers for in-depth discussions, artistic collaborations, exhibitions and events, including Bend Design Week and Scalehouse Gallery. Scalehouse believes our shared future presents complex challenges and opportunities, not just benefiting from creativity but requiring it. We are committed to programming that’s accessible, provocative, extraordinary and inclusive — always with an eye toward a better future. Learn more at scalehouse.org LOCATION Scalehouse Gallery is located in Franklin Crossing on the Tin Pan Alley Side. 550 NW Franklin Avenue, Suite 138
THE WORK OF JON GANN
 HELP WANTED
The Downtown Bend Business Association is looking for a few community-minded individuals to join our staff to make sure that Downtown Bend is looking its best every day! JOB SUMMARY Under the direction of the Downtown Bend Business Association (DBBA) Maintenance and Operations Manager, these positions assist with the day-to-day custodial, grounds, gardening, and maintenance activities in Downtown Bend. Candidates must be dependable and able to work independently. TYPICAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES Year-Around
Pay starts at $15, with the possibility of an increase after training and 90-day review. Shifts can range around the clock, and the right candidate will feel comfortable coming in (at times) as early as 1am. Average 15-20 hours per week. Paid monthly on the 5th of every month. THE RIGHT CANDIDATE WILL
The Downtown Bend Business Association (DBBA) is a small nonprofit dedicated to increasing the vitality of Downtown Bend. October is Domestic Violence Awareness month and this month, aosSkincare and Wellness Spa is donating 50% of the sales of our Saving Grace Night Cream to Saving Grace of Bend! Why do they support this specific nonprofit? Especially in the middle of a pandemic, social distancing, unemployment, and stay at home orders affect all of us, but are devastating for those in abusive relationships. For over 40 years, Saving Grace has provided essential services for those experiencing domestic violence and sexual assault in Central Oregon including confidential emergency shelter and a 24-hour helpline. Additionally, they provide counseling, court and legal advocacy, and a safe and supervised visitation center for parents and children. How can we make a difference today in the lives of our neighbors who are finding themselves in an abusive situation? Please continue to provide life-saving resources by making a donation today directly to your local domestic violence support program. 1 in 4 Women and 1 in 10 Men will experience intimate partner violence in their lifetime. Years ago, aosSkincare and Wellness Spa developed their now best-selling Saving Grace Night Cream as an ongoing way to raise money for this important organization in our community. They regularly donate 10% of the sales of this product, but they're upping it to 50% for the entire month of October!  You stand in the sun looking into my eyes and we walk together into the unknown. And just like that, just by taking my hand, the world makes sense. These are the moments that make a life together. Your love story is the roots of your future life. We are Bella Brides, and we believe in love. We are honored to join you on this journey, to help you experience that perfect moment, standing there in the perfect dress, ready to marry the person you love. Bella Brides, a step above, in downtown Bend.
We just expanded our salon and we are now offering a full service menu. I would love to get the word out! Last October Lemon Drop Salon took over new ownership and made some big cosmetic changes. They also expanded the salon to nearly double the size, they now offer a wide variety of services from hair, to nails and everything in between.
“Lemon Drop Salon was created with a passion for people, beauty and art. We strive to be the best salon in Bend by bringing you great customer care and top of the line services. You can take ease in knowing that our service providers are highly trained and extremely passionate about their craft. We understand that Bend is growing and changing before our eyes, we are committed to growing with you and providing you a full service salon that you can always count on!” -Bailey Du Mond, salon Owner and Hair stylist. Next time your looking for a new service, check out your downtown Lemon Drop Hair Salon & Beauty Boutique!  Today's the day, it's officially the first day of Fall. Summer is behind us, we have a few weeks to enjoy the calm of Fall before the Winter tourist season kicks off. There is so much to enjoy about fall, the beautiful trees that line Downtown turn gold and auburn as winter nears, hot pumpkin coffee makes its return and you can never forget about the pumpkin patch! As we settle into fall, its time to find that winter go spot for coffee, we have a plethora of local coffee shops to choose from in Downtown. If you need a quick pick-me with a great view of the river we recommend Looney Bean, if you are staying in the Oxford, and about to start your day on the town, head right across the street to Thump Coffee. Or maybe you've been cruising around downtown shopping and need a great place to relax and chat swing by Back Porch Coffee Roasters. In Downtown Bend we always have something fun to do, from live music, sales, and special events you can find everything you need to know below, or on our Facebook page and website. Upcoming Events
Discover Downtown Bend Constructed in May 1901, the Pilot Butte Development Company's little plant was the first commercial sawmill in Bend. By 1903 a small community had developed, with Downtown Bend touting a Post Office, Bank, shops and an Inn - and a town was born, our downtown, Downtown Bend. In 1904, a city was incorporated by a general vote of the community's 300 residents. On January 4, 1905, the city held its first official meeting as an incorporated municipality, appointing A. H. Goodwillie as the first mayor. The settlement was originally called "Farewell Bend", which was later shortened to "Bend" by the U.S. Postal Service. A Growing Business | High Desert Law
“I am excited about joining the team at High Desert Law. I greatly admire Dave’s dedication to helping people through tough circumstances, and his work at the local and state level improving access to justice. Dave’s commitment to his clients and community is what drew me to join his team.” ~ Jason Kropf Reserve your Ad Space on a Downtown Directory! Ad spaces are available for every type of business, and we offer extremely competitive advertising rates! You don't have to be a business in the Downtown District to place an ad. Contact us or click here for more information. This is a great opportunity to showcase your business to thousands of people every single day!
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