Street roots
6
Sept. 14, 2012
EVERYBODY'S
BIKE
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VINTAGE+CLASSY+AFFORDABLE
A man on
the move
BY KARA DIMITRUK
C O N T R IB U T IN G W R IT E R
ven though you may not recognize
him, Kenny Chow isn’t exactly a new
vendor. He gave Street Roots and
Portland a try a few years ago. But it was in
Seattle where he really earned his vending
chops, working with Street Roots’ sister
paper Real Change. He commuted between
Salem and Seattle on weekends to be with
his family.
His roots in Seattle are strong. There,
Kenny built a rapport with his customers at
Kirkland PCC, a natural foods grocery store,
E
NE P O R T L A N D , O R
5 0 3 .8 9 3 .4 5 1 9
WWW.PDXBIKERENTALS.COM
Kenny Chow
CENTRAL CITY
Celebrating the
40th Anniversary of
Hooper Detox & Sobering
Monday, Sept 10th
4:30 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.
Left Bank Annex
101 N. Weidler
Commemorative coins to
the first 400 people!
w w w . centrcdcity concer n . or g
503-294-1681
and he developed a camaraderie with the
fellow vendors, enough to receive the
honors of Vendor of the Week and then
Vendor of the Year. “I had a good spot at
Kirkland PCC. People know me. I walked
into the store and was the man.”
Now he has decided to give Portland and
Street Roots another shot, and his time here
has been sprinkled with more new
beginnings and change. He has brought his
own mantra, which he learned from his
uncle and his own experiences prior to Real
Change: be polite, work hard and be a good
representation of yourself and others.
He first became a vendor at Real Change
for the “leg up” to help make ends meet
during a difficult time. But he’s continued to
work as a vendor here at Street Roots even
though he has a job and goes to school.
“I do it because it really helps with my
money situation,” he says. “I also like
getting out and talking to people. I’ve always
done this type of work, whether it was
selling candy or candles.”
It is also why he loves it here: “I make a
few dollars for myself but also represent
Street Roots. It’s about getting the word out
and representing as best I can. I give Street
P H O T O B Y C O LE M E R K E L
Roots a good name and people get to know
who we are — it definitely works. It helps
people get on their feet, whether it’s a part-
time or a full-time job.”
The clothes support the man. He sports
baby blue and white Nike Jordan’s that
match his polo. He listens to Christian hip-
hop artists who encourage to “stay positive
and stay focused. It all helps me to keep my
eyes on the prize.”
Kenny’s attitude has been fruitful: He has
found a location that shows promise - the
New Seasons on Southeast Hawthorne.
“This spot is good. People are nice.”
In Portland and at Street Roots, he’s
faced the challenges we all experience when
moving somewhere new: putting our roots
down and developing relationships in a new
place.
“I am the new guy on the block but I
really feel Portland, Street Roots, and this
spot are a blessing.” He emphasizes the
importance of the vendors: “Everyone that
sells papers is vendor of the year or week.”
He is also starting a new school year,
registering for classes to finish his two-year
degree, and starting a new job at the Nike
store. “It’s a dream come true working for
Nike. I worked and finally bought a pair of
red and white ’89 Jordan’s that came out
when I was in fourth grade.”
His roots extend in Portland, but he
maintains his network in Seattle, visiting as
often as possible to stop in at Real Change,
say “hi” to the store at his old turf, but
mostly to see his family and 9-year-old
daughter, another source of inspiration.
“They keep me focused.”
It’s all this that motivates him to keep his
eyes on the prize.
VENDOR WORK ADS
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Dependable, mature person interested
in assisting ethical and safe person(s)
with house sitting, pet care, plant care,
yard work, laundry, organizational
projects, etc. Please call 503-228-5657
and leave your contact information,
preferably a name and email address.
References available upon request.
do housework, mowing lawns,
laundry, babysitting or house sitting.
Contact Laura through Street Roots
503-228-5657
The headline for the Interview with
Nichole Maher Incorrectly listed her title.
Maher Is the new president of Northwest
Health Foundation.
Please report any errors to our managing
editor, Joanne Zuhl, at 503-228-5657, or
write to joanne@streetroots.org
c a fe
3 0 3 5 S .E . D iv isio n • P o r tla n d , O R 9 7 2 0 2
5 0 3 .2 3 4 .7 4 9 9
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