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About Just out. (Portland, OR) 1983-2013 | View Entire Issue (March 7, 2003)
match 7.2003 » J— t L'm ; i i ; ivi 4i m e w s Elise Campbell, gri . abr Real Estate Broker, Million Dollar Club M any I rons in the F ire Service is the Key.. ^ Mike Pina promotes positive space for queer youth Sim ple! by M ichael B u rd ick 503 - 307-1353 Call Today! E lectronic music throbs in the background while young peo ple come and go. Some read or peck at computers; others just hang out. In Heaven, an Internet cafe at 421 S.W. 10th Ave., the stark white walls, bare concrete tables and raw steel light fixtures about the room evoke an industrial feeling. This is no accident, as owner Mike Pina is dedicated to urban space and shaping it to cater to the needs of residents. He has spent his 2 1/2 years as a Port lander busily effecting positive changes here. As a member of the Burnside Tri angle Advisory Group, he is working to maintain the character of the Stark Street neighborhood through the inevitable changes progress will bring. According to Pina, many profit-mind ed landowners in the area already are abandoning mom-and-pop queer business es in favor of corporate shops & la the Pearl District. He is distressed by this trend, which has hindered some of his plans and so far frustrated his attempts to create a community center for queer youth. “I don’t think people realize how important BTAG is to the future of this ncighhorhtxxl,” he says. He warns that major changes are already in the works and that the group is one of the few ttxsls queer Portlanders can use to influ ence the process. Pina’s first visit to the Rose City five years ago was accidental— he had missed Mike Pina has moved Heaven and earth to establish a a connecting flight and needed to kill strong presence in the Burnside Triangle some time. He quickly became fond of Portland for its East Coast feel and unique char Street. He later moved to a space on Northeast Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard before settling acter and moved here a couple of years later. He in for good in the Stark Street neighborhood. always had loved music and dancing into the After a bit of wrangling, Pina managed to wee hours, and though he appreciated the music snatch the space two dcxirs down from Heaven, scene here, he found it lacking in a few key ways. which became its lounge. That hangout area “I believed the creativity in presenting music in the scene was lacking. 1 have traveled all over soon will be replaced by the Urban Attic and the world and have had the fortunate experi Art Gallery, which will feature cool furniture both for sale and for lounging on, art and danc ence of seeing scenes where the gay music base ing on Thursday and Friday nights. was full of raw talent and it was prevalent in Heaven itself already doubles as a gallery straight and gay clubs.” where the work of Portland artists is always on So Pina started communicating with disc jockeys and venues. He coordinated and pro display and has been a regular host to First moted several successful events, including a spe Thursday exhibits. And if Pina gets his way, the audio equipment store between Heaven and the cial dance night at the House of Grooves (now Urban Attic one day will be annexed so the the “ 13th Floor” ) in the fall of 2000. There he whole space can be interconnected. operated a popular cart selling orange juice and Pina’s diverse background includes stints as a coffee to thirsty revelers, and the seeds of Heav project manager and computer consultant in en were sown. addition to his success as a small-businessman Pina stopped providing orange juice when he learned it was especially popular for those trying and event promoter. Before that he was a gym to maximize the effects of psychedelic drugs. “1 nast and a men’s gymnastics coach at Arizona have never done a drug in my life, so I truly State University in Tempe, his alma mater. He even coached U.S. Olympic gymnasts. don’t understand the attraction,” he says. Though he has been out to friends and His feelings about drugs stem from his child attending gay bars since his early 20s, Pifta fully hood in Phoenix. “A staunch conservative came out late in life because of pressure he felt belief was instilled growing up in the projects as an athlete and coach. “Being a coach for 20 and wanting to steer away from any examples years and feeling the need to hide my gayness that remind me of scenes of my past.” caused me, once exiting the sport, to have a pas Pina wants to set an example of how life can sion to help youth learn to make good decisions be enriched without drugs, though he does have as opposed to bad and to help them understand many acquaintances who partake. “ I do not judge my friends’ use, as 1 feel the first and fore the power of choice, especially in regards to being gay.” J D most right of a human is free choice." After coordinating and promoting more suc M ic h a e l B u r d ic k is a recent graduate o f Reed cessful events he opened Heaven in March 2001 College. H e can be reached at mike@rubbhcwus.com. at Southeast Eighth Avenue and Morrison V Thanks Elise...“/ was thoroughly pleased with Email: Elise@Realtor.com the services 1 received from Elise. Her knowledge and expertise gave me the trust and confidence / needed in order to make such big and important decisions. I felt supported and knowledgeable during this process in what would normally have felt like an overwhelming experience. ” - J u d y Web: www.EliseCampbell.com Office: 503-233-4363 Fax: 503-233-4413 b O n d C f.. ^ r-rj properties L0 e Phone 5 0 3 274-9936 KAREN M. 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