My Review of a full weekend in Portland

[EnricoV]

Originally Posted by VTHokieFan

First, it should be noted that taxes are only a portion of overall business decision making so I can't answer that. That said, who says they don't locate on the other side of the Columbia River? Oregon has 2 Fortune 500 companies, Washington has 8. But to answer you question from the perspective of a small or medium sized business, if I had to guess, I'd say they locate on the Oregon side because that's where the 600,000 person city of Portland is located.

Anyway, it's no shirt off my back because I'm not trying to start a business.

But those Washington companies are in Seattle. I believe that the point was that they could be located in the Portland metropolitan area, but if Oregon is so unfriendly business-wise, locating across the river in Vancouver would avoid that. But that doesn't really happen.

[JBPisgah]

Originally Posted by VTHokieFan

I just spent my first weekend in Portland prior to moving. Here are my thoughts.

PROS

1. Friendliness: This is quite literally the friendliest place I have ever visited. In the South where I grew up, people are polite, in Portland, people are your friends until you prove them otherwise. You are given the benefit of the doubt and are accepted until you prove otherwise. Portland, thanks for teaching me the difference between common politeness and actual friendliness. Whoever is complaining that Portlanders are rude to outsiders, I have to say you are clearly doing something wrong and don't belong in this city.

I'll go out on a limb and guess that you haven't lived in the West before. Friendliness varies in style and substance across the US. I've never experienced "rude" in Portland, but plenty of distance. Live in Portland a while and you may just see where the complainers are coming from.

[Minervah]

Whoever is complaining that Portlanders are rude to outsiders, I have to say you are clearly doing something wrong and don't belong in this city.

Originally Posted by JB Pisgah

I'll go out on a limb and guess that you haven't lived in the West before. Friendliness varies in style and substance across the US. I've never experienced "rude" in Portland, but plenty of distance. Live in Portland a while and you may just see where the complainers are coming from.

Yes, it is a bit arrogant for someone who has only made a one-weekend observation to tell people who have actually have experience with this type of behavior living here that they "don't belong in this city."

As has been pointed out many times before when statements like this are made, the difference is between those who relocate and those who just visit. Visitors are normally treated with great courtesy. But when people first move here, they fine they are not always welcomed with open arms and depending upon where those people are relocation from, it can amount to rudeness no matter how friendly the relocating person can be. Just ask many a Californian. It doesn't always happen but it does happen and it unfortunately has happened all to often to be so dismissive as to say it's just that the person doesn't belong in this city.

But having said all that, if this kind of thing does happen, once the transplantee is here long enough and makes his or her life in Portland, things do come out okay and the longer they are here, the more they become accepted and feel at home.

[VTHokieFan]

Originally Posted by Minervah

Yes, it is a bit arrogant for someone who has only made a one-weekend observation to tell people who have actually have experience with this type of behavior living here that they "don't belong in this city."

As has been pointed out many times before when statements like this are made, the difference is between those who relocate and those who just visit. Visitors are normally treated with great courtesy. But when people first move here, they fine they are not always welcomed with open arms and depending upon where those people are relocation from, it can amount to rudeness no matter how friendly the relocating person can be. Just ask many a Californian. It doesn't always happen but it does happen and it unfortunately has happened all to often to be so dismissive as to say it's just that the person doesn't belong in this city.

But having said all that, if this kind of thing does happen, once the transplantee is here long enough and makes his or her life in Portland, things do come out okay and the longer they are here, the more they become accepted and feel at home.

It's not really arrogant because I was insinuating that locked thread below not people in general. But I have a tough time believing that rhe blame goes to Portlanders for people finding them unfriendly. I believe in good first impressions and PDX made a good one on me.

[Leisesturm]

If Portland really, really, really, really was such a bad place to start or do business... I imagine their wouldn't be any. Nada. None. Zip. But there are businesses in PDX. Lots of them, large and small. Some do well, some get by and some fail. Like so many other places in the country. I'll leave it at that.

H

[Minervah]

Originally Posted by VTHokieFan

It's not really arrogant because I was insinuating that locked thread below not people in general. But I have a tough time believing that rhe blame goes to Portlanders for people finding them unfriendly. I believe in good first impressions and PDX made a good one on me.

Well I didn't say I was anticipating how your experience will pan out living here. I was refering to how others had stated their experiences had worked out from the time they first moved until after they had been here for awhile.

It's good Portlanders made a good impression on you on your first visit and I hope they continue to make you feel you belong when you move here.