North St. Bags owner Curtis Williams models his latest creations.
(Photo: North St. Bags)

As Portland settles into life during a public health crisis, local businesses, organizations, and community leaders continue to step up and adapt.

Here’s a roundup of local coronavirus-related news…

North St. Bags Makes the Switch

Portland-based bag maker North St. Bags has joined the list of local companies making personal protective equipment. The company has suspended production of its popular backpacks and panniers to help protect frontline medical workers.

North St. owner Curtis Williams said, “We wanted to be able to put our expertise to use and help the situation, and we think this is the best way to do that.”

Face shields and surgical masks are already shipping out to hospitals and government agencies. Most are being sold, but North St. also has a donation program where people can “buy” a mask via their online store to help cover their production costs and allow the company to donate some items.[Read more…]

This might make a good lunch tote or pencil and supply bag for someone in need.
(Photo: J. Maus/BikePortland)

If you’re like me you’ve accumulated a mountain of assorted bags and packs after years of cycling: I’ve got different bags for commuting and grocery runs, bikecamping adventures, working remotely, shooting photos, race weekends — and then there’s all the swag I’ve collected from industry events and conferences. The list goes on!

Now there’s something productive I can do with bags I don’t need anymore.

Portland-based North St. Bags has partnered with Schoolhouse Supplies for a donation drive that will benefit low-income students as they prep for the school year. North St. Bags is a Portland business success story and their panniers have become nearly ubiquitous in local bikeways. Schoolhouse Supplies is a nonprofit that supports public school students by giving them free pencils, pens, notebooks, bags, and other things they need to learn.

To help reach more kids, North St. Bags will host bag donation drives on two weekends — July 19th through 21st and August 2nd through 4th — at their headquarters on the corner of Southeast Hawthorne and Poplar (1551 SE Poplar Ave). Just show up and drop off your gently-used (leave the badly stained and strained ones at home) bags, backpacks and panniers and North St. will box them up and take them to Schoolhouse Supplies.

Besides being a prime opportunity to give back to the community, the bag drive is also a great chance to pick up a new bag at a discounted price: Each person who donates a backpack or bag will receive a coupon for 15% off any North St. Bag, valid through the end of August. North St. Bags will also donate 10% of all online and in-store sales between July 19th and August 2nd to Schoolhouse Supplies.

Don’t be too cool for school. Grab a few of your old bags and schlep them over to North St. Bags this weekend (or next). Check out the Facebook event link for more info.

— Jonathan Maus: (503) 706-8804, @jonathan_maus on Twitter and jonathan@bikeportland.org

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“At a certain point, it became clear that we’ve outgrown our Clinton St. shop.”
(Photo: J. Maus/BikePortland)

North St. Bags needs more room. Again.
[Read more…]

North St.’s new “Townie Tote” model. It also comes in dark grey.
(Photos: J. Maus/BikePortland)

In just the latest sign that Portland has gone head-over-heels for bike share, a local company has added a Biketown-specific bag to their product line.[Read more…]

Portland Design Works’ new City Rover and the “Scout” from North St. Bags.

Two of our favorite local companies have just announced new products: Portland Design Works has a new headlight and North St. Bags just went big with a whole new line of duffel bags.
[Read more…]

There’s nothing we like better than seeing a Portland-born and raised company make it big. It seems like yesterday that Curtis Williams showed up at BikeCraft with some great bags and panniers. Since 2009 he’s built North St. Bags into a successful business that just keeps chugging along.

Check out the press release below for his latest exciting news.

PORTLAND, Oregon—MAY 4, 2015—North St. Bags is proud to announce the launch of a new retail concept storefront in Southeast Portland. Nearly tripling its existing showroom area, the North St. Bags SHOP HQ will showcase on-hand inventory from its line of Made-in-Portland convertible pannier bags and other cycling accessories. “Knocking down a couple of walls really opened the place up,” mused North St. Bags Founder, Curtis Williams who recently took over the entire first floor of their building to accommodate the retail expansion.
[Read more…]

North St. Bags owner Curtis Williams hopes to take out a “community sourced to keep his expansion on track.
(Photo by J. Maus/BikePortland)

I’ve been gathering news tidbits about local bike companies for several weeks now and since today is National Manufacturing Day, I decided it was time to put it all together into a roundup.

So get comfortable and read the latest news about Portland’s always-changing bike-related industry…
[Read more…]

Curtis Williams in the window of his new work and retail space on SE 23rd Ave.

[Read more…]