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About Just out. (Portland, OR) 1983-2013 | View Entire Issue (Jan. 5, 2007)
JL JU StpUt JANUARY il ¿OTZ KAREN M. SWEIGERT, MD Obetetrice and (gynecology Ponor In oom ¡nation Phone 503 274-9936 Don't Let Touchstone See the Gravestone k 1040 N.W. 22nd, Suite 330, Portland, OR 97210 Little Store . . . Big on Diversity. •...S. ?■> «i McVittie-Law PC Specializing in Estate Planning, Wills, Trusts, Business Planning, and Domestic Partnerships. Charting your course for wealth preservation... Ph: 503-224-6611 Fax: 503-224-8811 806 SW Broadway. Suite 800 Portland, Oregon 97205 WWW.MCVITTIE-LAW.COM James D. McVittie. Attorney at Law Licensed in Oregon and Washington ’s a you parade. Herzog-Meier D. Fulps/George Kettner e S03-644-9121 »can @ henogmeier.com Drivers wanted, kv/1 xiX f Your #1 choice 24/7/365 503.227.1212 E squire M otors , inc . Siner 19M COMPLETE FOREIGN CAR SERVICE & REPAIR EUROPEAN A ASIAN • Quality Services Guaranteed • Serving Downtown Portland Since 1968 503.226.6269 business cards For eight years, Becky Bilyeu has run Touchstone Coffee House at 7631 N.E. r Glisan St. as a community space. “People have had birthday parties here. One woman held her retirement party from the U.S. Coast Guard. One lesbian couple met at Sacred Grounds and got married at Touchstone, and another couple had their wedding reception at Touchstone. Many life-changing events involving the community have happened at Touchstone,” says Bilyeu. According to Bilyeu, she is being forced to close shop because the landlords are not renewing her lease. “Touchstone was never about making money. 1 did not operate it for financial gain but out of service to the community and to give myself and my employees jobs. Because 1 was not able to sell the business and pass it on, I am left with no livelihood after our lease is up April 30, and I am being left with a considerable amount of debt from the business," she says. Bilyeu has one hope left for keeping Touchstone’s legacy alive. Much the way she was mentored by Holly Mulcahey of It’s My Pleasure, Becky Bilyeu (right) and Tiffany Richardson Bilyeu has mentored Tiffany Richardson, whom she glow from a supportive community that is hopes can find a new space and carry on the Touchstone Coffee House's eight-year legacy. Touchstone torch. “I want to be very clear that I did not choose Follow the Adventure Lawyer to close Touchstone.... 1 would never choose this. Attorney William Knuths is the Clark Kent of I always imagined it would be passed on to some the legal profession. A quick spin in the phone one else and they would just continue to grow it,” booth and he is a contract guide for Alyson Bilyeu says. Adventures, a Florida-based gay-owned tour Richardson has worked at Touchstone for operator that designs trips primarily for the sexual almost two years and, according to Bilyeu, has the minorities community. drive and energy to carry on. Knuths, a native Oregonian, had been a guide “I want to sell it to her as cheaply as possible for student exchange programs for many years, and and pass the name on to her,” says Bilyeu. “If once the travel bug bit him, he said, nothing has Tiffany is not able to secure a location for a new stopped it. “While dating a Parisian, I was taking Touchstone and the ability to purchase my equip biking trips with a GLBTQ company in France. ment and inventory, 1 will need to liquidate the Alyson asked if I’d like to work with them, and entirety of Touchstone as we all know it to pay off now 1 take chunks of time off from my law practice what bills I can.” to do this," said Knuths. Touchstone has participated in numerous fund He is particularly excited about next summer’s raisers for charities such as Sisters of the Road, trip to the Galapagos Islands. “Some trips are Cascade AIDS Project and the Sexual Minority popular year round, but this is more of a trip of a Youth Resource Center and has supported the lifetime. After a year off, we’re bringing Galapagos Portland Lesbian Choir, the Lesbian Community back with a bang by opening it up to gays and watch Local Folks, Local Produce Food Syslen' Project, In Other Words, Metropolitan Community Church of Portland and Bridgeport Community Church. After years of supporting the community, Bilyeu asks for community support in the four months Touchstone remains. “I encourage everyone in the community to come out and support Touchstone during its final months,” Bilyeu says. business Big City Produce «OJ tinier northwest www.esquiremotors.com 1853 SW Jefferson • Portland brochures newsletters q II - ■ IvILwrvic« printing Tel 503.281.8688 • Fax 503.249.1440 • www.impress-usa.com William Knuths (standing) scouts the rapids with his group of rafters during Alyson's July 2006 Splash trip in the Grand Canyon.
