(Photos © J. Maus)
In case you haven’t noticed, Portland is in the midst of a bike-powered business renaissance. We have bike-based businesses organizing, new ones springing up all the time, and existing ones expanding and maturing.
This morning, a group of bike-based business owners had their second meeting to strategize about how they can work together to improve their businesses and lobby for their interests. On my way into work this morning, I met Jennifer Dederich on her way to that meeting.
Jennifer is one of six rider-member-owners of Portland Pedal Power, a bike-based business cooperative. Portland Pedal Power was started by Ken Wetherell back in the fall of 2007. Since then his concept has developed nicely. He has refined his business model, hired new rider-owners, and he’s an active voice at the table for the fledgling bike-based business group.
Jennifer was riding the latest prototype built by Mr. Wetherell to make deliveries and advertise for their clients (similar to what B-Line PDX is doing) . The smoothly finished plywood box was mounted on the rear rack of a Yuba Mundo longtail cargo bike (which I reviewed last summer).
Portland Pedal Power currently delivers for Savor Soup House and they’re in negotiations with several other local businesses and organizations. Back in August of 2007, they worked with People’s Food Co-op on a pilot project to deliver customer’s groceries by bike.
It’s exciting to see so many Portlanders building bike-based businesses and to watch them evolve and grow. Our City is certainly much healthier — economically, physically, and environmentally — because of it.
— Check out PortlandPedalPower.com for more info.