Thinking of moving to Portland

[Book Lover]

I currently live just south of San Francisco, and for several reasons am thinking of moving up to the Portland area. Any advice? I am an artist and print publishing professional, though I'll take any kind of work I can get that supports me and two others. Thanks!

[ClearPresentDanger]

1. Really high unemployment

Only publishers I know of are Dark Horse Comics and Wizards of the Coast (are they even still around?). Stan Vinton studios did the movie "Coraline".

State aid has got to be better than CA by now, but you have to be a resident for a year.

Try craigslist portland or wweek.com.

[Book Lover]

2. Thanks for your reply

I checked craigslist before I posted here - I was looking for some context to put that info into. wweek.com is great - thanks for the link!

[ClearPresentDanger]

3. just noticed your nick was 'book lover'

Powells is supposedly the largest independent bookstore in the country (It's a city block). Very trendy bohemian twentysomething atmosphere.

http://powells.com/

[Book Lover]

8. Yes, I do need to go there someday anyway

No matter what, I am hoping to make a fact-finding trip in the spring, and Powell's is definitely on the itinerary.

[Quantess]

4. I understand the attraction.

However, right now might not be a good time to move to anywhere in Oregon, because the unemployment is super high. The only jobs available are low paid ones, and people are fighting over those.

Washington might be a better choice, because their job outlook is better.

[Book Lover]

6. Thanks for the info

My first thoughts have been to Portland because of the arts scene - I have had work shown there, and whenever I post to the craigslist artist section with a blog update, Portland is consistently the palce where I get most hits from...

[Trajan]

5. I shouldn't be surprised when I see NWers discourage movement to the NW

I see/hear it all the time ... Yet I came anyways, and I love it here ....

FYI: I did have a job here before I moved here ...

Good Luck ....

[Book Lover]

7. Thanks

And to be honest, I discourage people from moving here to the SF Bay Area - lol. Nobody wats anyone else culttering up the place, eh?

I would have to have a job before moving anyway, just my personal situation...

[Jeramy]

9. Portland Rocks

I love Portland and plan to move back there when I get out of the Navy. As far as the unemployment goes, I think it is a symptom of a phenomenom Chuck Palahnuik talked about in his book Fugatives and Refugees a guide book to Portland Oregon (If you plan on moving to Portland you should check it out) "Everyone looking to make a new life migrates west, across america to the pacific ocean. Once there the cheapest city where they can live is portland. This gives us the most cracked of the crackpots. the misfits among misfits."

Pretty much describes Portland perfectly.

[Book Lover]

10. I sure did

I left New York City to come to San Francisco before the dotcon happened. I guess the only place left to go (if I don't go overseas to teach English) is north!

[Arugula Latte]

11. I grew up in the Bay Area (East Bay) and live in Portland now.

I lived in Walnut Creek, Berkeley and San Francisco.

We came to Portland in '95 (although we moved from Wash. DC, not Bay Area). They were practically giving away houses then ;). We love it. The people are great. It's very eco-oriented, artsy, great food scene, wonderful old houses, close to nature.

Yes it often rains and is gray, but every place has some down side, in my experience.

I wonder if you can get some work that's not necessarily based in Portland if you have a hard time finding work here. I work a New York-based company, for example. Technology and e-mail and cyberspace are wonderful things!

[Book Lover]

14. Well, if you know the Bay Area...

I live in Pacifica, so cloudy and chilly days are no surprise to me! I've had a few pieces in small art shows in Portland, and the good folks who peruse the artists section of Portland craigslist click through my ads to my blog frequently, so I feel like I've got a (small and not job related) in in the culture there.

[OregonBlue]

12. Economy is not good here but then again, it costs much less to live in Portland than San Francisco.

I returned to Oregon but decided to live in rural Oregon and start my own import company. If you get out of the city it can be really, really cheap to live here.

[Book Lover]

13. I keep looking at 5 acre parcels

I'm a book and paper artist and I'm sure I can make papermaking, selling my artwork (I sell linocuts and other stuff by subscription), and hosting artist retreats work financially, as long as the cost of living is low. First, I have to pay off my current debt, though. My credit score is low and so I can't imagine I could swing a loan, even a small one for acreage only, solo at this time.

What advice would you have for someone wanting to do what you;ve done?

[lastone]

15. oregon vs sf

I've lived in sf (San Carlos) and while there is much to do it doesn't compare to PDX as far as livability. PDX is a very "user-friendly" city and although long time locals complain about the traffic it is such an old town that there are alt routes everywhere. Best advise would be to have some form of income before making the move, as already advised craigslist and wweek are good starters then plan a trip up and check it out before taking the plunge - i think amtrack has a reasonable fare between sfo and pdx.
good luck

[BadGimp]

16. LUV me some Portland

Moved up myself in late 07, just bought my first house (closing tomorrow)

One of the most liveable cities in the nation

The economy is no where near as robust as N Cal however

Good Luck!