Frank Wade: Entrepreneur, musician
by Harris Levon McRae
Prank Wade Jr. is an entrepren
eur in the classic sense of the word.
He currently owns two businesses
including Wade’s Tire Center and
North West High Orades.
" I dove into the tire business four
years ago knowing nothing about it.
I didn’t iike the service that other
tire places were providing. You
would go in and spend your money
and the people would act like they
didn’t really want your business
like they could take it our leave it.”
A few months ago, Wade opened
North West High Grades, a non-fer
rous metal cleaning and sorting
operation on North Cecelia Street.
" W e separate all kinds o f metals
— alum inum , stainless steel, brass.
Recycling m arketab le m aterials
semms lik e it w ill be a prom ising
business. It is a good business to be
involved in fo r enviro n m en tal as
well as economic reasons.”
A b o u t 15 men and women are
em ployed at N o rth West H ig h
Grades, and five more are employed
at Wade’s Tire Center.
"There is a lot o f unemployment
in the St. Johns area and we are at
tem pting to do som ething about
that. Some o f the money we make
should be returned to the com mu-
Portland Observer, April 15,1962 Page 7
ndy. We want to get more minor
ities involved—give people a
chance. Another 20 to 30 employees
will be added at North West High
Grades if the operation continues
successfully,” Wade said.
Prank Wade’s business partner is
his wife Mary, whom he calls "The
Boss.”
"1 mostly work on keeping Frank
out o f tro u b le ,” M a ry said. " M y
jo b is p ap erw o rk, paperw ork and
more paperwork. M ost o f the peo
ple that come here leave satisfied.
We would rather lose money and see
people satisfied.”
Frank W ade was recently desig
nated state chairman o f the Nation
al Business League, and this new po
sition along with his two businesses
would lead one to think that busi
ness is Frank Wade J r .’ s true love.
Not so.
"1 was a country-western singer
for a while. I f I had a choice I think
that I would rather be on stage. Any
time I put on a tape or the radio I
miss it. I always think that I can sing
a song better or at least as good as
the person singing it. Then I got in
volved in business. Some things are
just m eant fo r you. I ’ m still in
volved in music but to a lesser de
gree.”
Treat A Kid
To Popeye's Famous Fried Chicken
Wo honor all chickon-coupons
Hit My name is Orianda. I'm smiling because
my Mom is bringing home some Popeye's
Chicken. I love Popeye's Chicken. Popeye's
has everything I like—com dogs, pop, french
fries and chicken tacos.
Put A Smile
On Your Kid's Fa cel
3 Locations To Serve You:
5949 N.E. Union Ave.
3120 N.E. Unibn Ave.
283-9542
281-2628
2320 S.E. 82nd Ave.
774-9661
FR A N K W A D E , JR .
Front calls march, boycott
The Black United Front has called
for a boycott o f the Portland Public-
Schools on M onday, A p ril 19th in
protest o f the School B oard’s lack
o f response to the black community.
Parents are asked to keep their
children home from school for one
day to emphasize the following de
mands: 1) curriculum changes; 2)
tnorc black staff; 3) teacher training
for education o f black children; 4)
equ ity in discipline; 3) access to
E a rly C h ild h o o d E d u catio n C en
ters; 6) Tubman siting at Eliot.
A ctivities for teen-age students
are scheduled for St. Andrews Com
m unity Center, 806 N .E . A lb erta,
from 9:00 am un til 3:00 pm. Ron
Herndon, co-chairman o f the BUF,
will address the students at 9:00 am.
School Board member Herb C aw
thornc will make historical presenta
tions from 9:30 to 11:00 and from
2:00 to 3:00 pm.
The Sojourner Truth Readers will
perform at 11:00 pm and films on
the Black M ovem ent at 12:00. A t
1:00 pm M ath From a Black Per
spective will be presented.
Films for elementary-age children
will be shown from 9:00 am to 3:00
pm at M o u n t O live t C h urch , 116
N .E . Schuyler, and M ara n ath a
Church, 1222 N .E . Skidmore. These
films are for children who can su
pervise themselves. Although adults
will be present, there is no child-care
service available.
For information call 249-8501.
The boycott will be preceded by a
March Against Racism on Saturday,
A pril 17,h. The march will begin at
A lberta Park, 21st and A lberta, at
noon and proceed to King N eigh
borhood Facility for a rally.
The public is urged to participate
in the march.
School Board
seeks seclusion
(Continued fro m page I col. 6)
Bruce Broussard. form er pub
lisher of the Observer. Is a candi
date fo r the Republican Party's
nomination for Governor of Ore
gon. B roussard, c u rre n tly c o
publisher of Oregon Voter Digest,
is th e firs t Black to file fo r the
gubernatorial position.
■•■•■•■•■Ml
what the community wants and go
to E lio ,."
Joe Rieke said he would not re
consider his vote. “ There is no edu
cational reason to reconsider. I was
boxed in to the Boise decision. I
wanted J e ffe rs o n .’ ’ Rieke con
sidered Jefferson to be the ideal site
for Tubman, with the best facilities.
H e had proposed that the high
school be moved to the Adams
b u ild in g . Saying he came on the
Board to provide the best possible
education for children, he said his
decision to use Boise rather than
Eliot was based on educational cri
teria, not social or p o litical. " I ’ m
not into the p o litical issues o f the*
c o m m u n ity — I c an ’ t change my
agenda to fit the Black U n ited
Front.”
Asked what the B U F would con
sider as a compromise solution, co-
chairm an R onnie H ern d o n said,
" E lio t.”
»■•■
ì Vacuum Cleaner"!
Headquarters
’
Sales - Service - Supplies
For All Makes and Models
(One Block North of Broadway on Union)
EUREKA ELECTRIC CO.
——
1804 N.E. Union
287 9430
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