OREGON'S LGBTO NEWSMAGAZINE
business
MAY 20, 2011
Put a Little Love in Your Cart
“I literally just took a risk," she says. “No
investment, no business plan. I just brought
things from my home, yard sales and estate
sales, and created the interior.”
The interior is a very personal, natural space,
which Baker changes seasonally, and which
houses both her work and that of emerging
artisans from all over the world. The shop also
doubles as Baker’s work studio.
“I think people get really excited to see
people at work and making their craft,” ex-
plains Baker, who also plays percussion in the
band Lavender M irror with partner Kerby
Ferris, also of the band Lovers. “My vision
for the store has always been to create a space
that has simple, beautiful, functional art ob-
jects that are resident of the natural world
and also created with intention.”
Baker’s background in landscape horticul-
ture influenced her concept for Sword + Fern,
Her newer apothecary section houses alterna-
five wellness products, and she also makes her
own lip balm and salves from regional herbs.
Despite receiving support and notoriety
regionally as well as beyond, Baker’s hope is,
as she puts it, to follow the path that’s been
laid for her.
“I think it’s really important to keep design
really simple and as sustainable as possible,”
Baker reiterates. “That’s one thing I don’t ever
want to change—and that I want to always
be improving on.”
811 E. Burnside 4114; noon-5 p.m. Tues.-
Sat.; 503-683-FERN or swordandfern.com.
Sticking out in Portland’s ocean o f food
carts is a challenge for conspiring street res
taurateurs. But for Dumps— a pierogi cart
located in the new pod between 34th and
35th Avenue on SE Belmont—originality
hasn’t been much of a problem.
Co-owned by Jessica Redden and Ryan
Soukkala, Dumps first opened downtown,
serving traditional pierogies with a decid
edly American m elting-pot twist. In
M arch, the pair relocated to the bustling
Belmont district.
“We thought it could be a hit here, because
we’ve never seen it anywhere else,” Redden
says ot Dumps’confections.“Some people are
alienated by the name, for sure, but they seem
to like the food.”
Featuring a rotating menu o f meat, veggie
and vegan pierogies, Dumps’ quality street
fare without pretension has built a formidable
following. The cart’s aesthetic alone is cause
for attention, with purple paint, zebra-striped
accents, Pac-Man video gaming while you
wait and pink flamingo yard art. Redden de
scribes the look as a “throwback to growing
up in the Redneck Riviera in Florida.”
“We serve simple food,” she says. “We want
it to be unique and delicious, inexpensive and
accessible.” Soukkala adds, “Something a little
less serious, with people who have a sense of
humor, who want to make good food but are
into the kitschiness of [the cart scene].”
Staples include the samosa—a Polish-In-
dian fusion dumpling stuffed with curry po-
tato, onion and peas, served with either yo-
gurt sauce or mango-pear chutney— and the
U-D a-H o!—a cheddar-garlic mashed potato
dumpling served with sour cream, cilantro
and curry powder.
Patrons can also watch VHS movies while
they wait, and those who bring in a tape to
add to Redden and Soukkala’s collection re-
ceive $1 off their order. After all, life inside a
food cart begs for entertainment sometimes,
“We spend way too much time in that little
box,” Soukkala says.
Located between 34th and 35th on SE Bel-
mont; noon-10p.m. Tues.-lhurs., noon-2:30a.m.
Fri.-Sat., 1-9 p.m. Sun.; dumpspdx.com. Call
ahead, 503-875-4512, for order pickup. vW
...about Investment Properties!
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