Who Run the World

In our corner it’s Kiauna Floyd, third generation owner of Amalfi’s Restaurant and Mercato. The face behind the marquee is a woman of color, a mother and a dedicated community supporter. She strives to keep Amalfi's, a local institution for 60 years, at the forefront of the ever-changing restaurant industry -- and she's doing a damn good job. Check out this recent article by Travel Portland highlighting this amazing Beaumont businesswoman.

Slice As Nice

Portland Mercury Pizza Week is coming April 15-20. This year Amalfi's has lined up the "Bey-L-T" mini pizza: red sauce, mozzarella, crispy bacon topped with iceberg lettuce, tomato and a drizzle of their house Thousand Island dressing. Limit two, $2 mini pizzas per person. We are crazy in love! Also in Beaumont, bite into the "Brookie" at Pizza Jerk: white pie with applewood-smoked bacon, pickled jalapeños and hot honey. For $2 bucks you can have it all: hot, sour, salty and sweet.

Fieriously

Anchor End owners Jessica Rachon and Amanda Lewis will be competing on Guy's Grocery Games on the Food Network this Wednesday, April 10. This is the second time the twins will appear with spiked-hair host Guy Fieri. Maybe he will show up and pay homage to their new Euro Cafe and Bakery. Don't miss the fun.

Secret Garden

While Truly Juicery navigates the permitting process for their space next to Prince Coffee, owner Destiny Sternod is hunting for a nearby garden space in which to implement her Garden Volunteer Program. The goal: for volunteers in the garden to grow foods for local food banks and receive discounts and free drinks in the shop! This is just a small part of Destiny's master plan to source direct and local. Stay tuned for updates.

Wyld at Heart

Curaleaf Dispensary on Fremont has joined the roster of the BBA and signed up to sponsor our summer flower baskets. We caught up Tammy Lee, general manager, for a quick, speed dating Q&A. Her go-to edible is Wyld Gummies. Her favorite name for a product is Hans Solo Burger. We checked, the website says it's a deep, sumptuous strain that leaves the consumer feeling satisfied, like a cheeseburger after a hard day’s work! We like the sound of that. And her go-to coffee order: Iced White Mocha.

Story Thyme

We lobbed a few questions at James Wilson, owner of Garden Stories Landscape Design, and he was diggin' it. Get it? His go-to plant for NE Portland is Manzanita, which he said is useful, versatile and low-maintainence. The proverbial red Dwarf Japanese Maple, a front yard staple since 1964, makes him roll his eyes. (We didn't mention we had one.) And, for shop owners, James suggests trying a rustic steel container with carefully selected plants to make a bold statement. Love it! Coffee shop order: Tea.

Justin Case

Justin Howe, The Howe Law Firm, is a small business lawyer specializing in tax solutions and estate planning. He admitted his favorite TV show about lawyers was Trial and Error (we were hoping for Better Call Saul.) Justin's free legal advice for small business owners: Be sure to keep personal and business assets separate. The line can easily be blurred but, it is crucial to keep assets separate. The most common request he gets from business owners: "How can I pay less in taxes?" Or, "Which business structure should I choose for my company?" Talk to Justin early to set yourself up for success. He keeps his coffee shop order simple: "Black coffee for me."

LL Cool Day

Grab your BFF and head over to The Arrangement on Saturday, April 13 from 10 am to 6 pm for Girlfriends Day. Check out the oh-so-awesome new inventory while enjoying discounts, refreshments and giveways. Good times.

See Spot Run - or Not

Green Dog Pet Supply was founded on sustainabililty. In otherwords, Earth Day is their Christmas. Come to the Big Sale on Saturday, April 27th and enjoy 15% off most items (except pet food). Bring in gently used pet toys to donate to rescues and bump that to 20% off. Also join Green Dog Sunday, April 28th for their 3rd Annual Earth Day Run. This 5K event starts at 10 am at Beaumont Foot Traffic. Run with or without your pooch. Every $10 voluntary donation benefits BARK, a nonprofit that protects Mt. Hood National Forest, and gets you 6 free raffle tickets to win prizes from local Beaumont businesses.

Store Design Workshop

Thursday, April 11 from 12 to 1:30 pm
Creating Captivating Customer Experiences Through Store Design
Join Venture Portland for their Store Design training to better understand the psychology of shopper flow, shopper behavior and space allocation to keep customers coming back. Cost $5 for BBA members, includes lunch. More info/registration here.

Mark your calendars for Dash to Doughnuts -- Sunday, June 2. Ready to get your run on, participate in obstacle challenges at local businesses, and reap the rewards of Pip's Doughnuts? We hope so. More info soon.