Portland C-store Owner Fights Redevelopment Plan

PORTLAND, Ore. — Peterson’s Convenience Store isn’t going down without a fight.

The 32-year mainstay in the city of Portland faces closing after Prosper Portland (formerly Portland Development Commission) approved a plan to clear the 725 Southwest 10th parking structure of all five current business tenants — including Peterson’s — to renovate the retail level store areas.

The move will cost more than $25 million without fixing major seismic issues of the nearly 40-year-old building. The plan vacates the building for one year, although the parking and Metropolitan Area Express (MAX) stops will remain open to the public.

The move also means that Peterson’s will lose a location it’s had for more than 32 years, which employs much of the operator’s 28 staff members. The c-store serves more than 900 customers daily, and will be one of the first MAX stop locations to offer the upgraded HOP FastPass card when TriMet ends cash ticket buying.

"Don't let the name fool you; Prosper Portland is out to gentrify Portland with taxpayer dollars. They have many new, better locations for the new Downtown business plan, but have attacked my store first. Please contact the Mayor as soon as possible to ask to save Peterson's. I may survive, but my staff will be gravely damaged. This is not the way to build Portland,” pled Doug Peterson, owner of Peterson’s.

Although the city claims to have a fair tenanting plan, Resolution 7240 adopted on June 14 by Prosper Portland has criteria designed to exclude Peterson’s store location. The c-store retailer could stay open during and after construction, but the current plan was designed for a permanent eviction on Jan. 14, 2018.

Peterson and his employees testified before Portland City Council on June 21, protesting Prosper Portland. The c-store operator has also launched a website, www.savepetersons.com, where customers are encouraged to voice their concerns on the store’s closing to Mayor Ted Wheeler’s office.