Fremont Street
Many shops were sprinkled throughout the heart of the neighborhood on NE Union Avenue, and Volga German families often patronized stores owned by their countrymen. There was also a second concentration of retail stores between NE 13th and NE 15th Avenues, at the Southeastern corner of the primary Volga German settlement.
The intersection of NE Fremont and 15th looking west in 1963. Jerry's Flying A service station is shown on the northwest corner. Source: City of Portland Archives.
The North side of Fremont, from NE 13th to NE 14th, was home to a row of Tudor Revival-styled shops with recessed entries, tiled storefronts, and large windows. This style of architecture was popular from the early 1900s through the 1920s. The shops served not only the Volga German neighborhood to the North and West but also the neighborhoods to the South and East. Today, these shops remain a vibrant part of the community.
The block bounded by Fremont on the South, Beech on the North, NE 14th on the West, and NE 15th to the East has changed dramatically over time. Historically, the block was primarily residential, with a gas station on the corner. Today, this block is home to Whole Foods, Starbucks, a UPS Store, and a branch of the Multnomah County Library.
A former resident of the neighborhood, Jerry Schleining, describes this area as he remembers it during the 1950s and 1960s:
The block bounded by Fremont on the South, Beech on the North, NE 14th on the West, and NE 15th to the East has changed dramatically over time. Historically, the block was primarily residential, with a gas station on the corner. Today, this block is home to Whole Foods, Starbucks, a UPS Store, and a branch of the Multnomah County Library.
A former resident of the neighborhood, Jerry Schleining, describes this area as he remembers it during the 1950s and 1960s:
"Looking North across Fremont, from the corner of NE 13th to the corner of NE 14th one would find the Lincoln Park Pharmacy (commonly known as "Tommy's Drug Store" after owner Thomas Rutto), the Blue Room Tavern (owned by Herb "Lloyd" Heilig), the Lincoln Park Beauty Salon, O'Brien's TV and Appliance, Sawtelle's Barber Shop (owned by Lloyd Sawtelle), Harry Feves Shoe Repair Shop, the Spinning Wheel Tavern (known in the neighborhood as "Ernie's" after owner Ernest Conn), the Handy Market (known as "Gillis's after the owner, William Gillis) and the Swelldom Cleaners on the corner of NE 14th and Fremont.
The Spinning Wheel Tavern was the local hang-out for young German-Russian men in those days. At one point there was a strong neighborhood movement to get the owner, Ernie Conn, elected as the Mayor of Portland. Conn actually organized a campaign and managed it from the tavern!
The "Gillis" store took call-in orders for produce and basic food stuffs. The neighborhood folks would settle their payments on "Pay Day". Others shopped on a cash and carry basis only. Me and my cousin switched off making the local area deliveries on a custom built bike (from Phil's Bike Shop) with a huge basket made for that purpose. As I recall, we made a nickel per delivery, good money for grade school kids.
On the Northwest corner of the intersection at NE 15th and Fremont was Jerry's Flying A Gas Station (later Texaco). This guy was the local mechanic and provided all the gas and auto services in the area. He was very much a part of the Volga German neighborhood. As kids, Jerry fixed our bikes, then our cars. All of our folks used his station for gas and services. As kids, Jerry was mentor on how to keep our "beaters" up and running. Jerry's was the most user friendly service station in NE Portland. The rest of that block was originally residential. I came home on military leave from Germany in the mid to late 1960s to find that everything I remembered on this block was gone. Old family's like my Uncle George Derr and several cousins that lived on that block were relocated and the houses were tore down to make room for a Tradewell Store (it's now Whole Foods Market). The Conrad Wiedenkeller's, Steineprice, Yost, Keller, Schlitt, Leichner, Weber's and many other families all moved! Many of these families were in the garbage business.
Across the street, on the Northeast corner, was the A&P Grocery Store which was smaller than a 7-Eleven. East of that was the Fremont Pharmacy which was known as "Izzies Drug Store," owned and operated by the Isidore Forman family. Izzie's was our "Happy Days" hang out. Around the corner to the North was a gift shop which was the only five and dime type store in the neighborhood. Then there was Marvin's Beauty Shop (owned by a mother and son - Gladys and Marvin).
Heading further east on Fremont, the next commercial stores were located on NE 24th... way outside of our zone! To the West on Fremont, the only other store was just northeast of Irving Park. That entire area was occupied by Volga Germans - the Trout's, Helzer's, Weber's, Derr's, and more."
Another former neighborhood resident, Mel Cook, adds his memory of the shops along NE Fremont:
"Located at 1123 N.E. Fremont, there is a red brick front building that use to be Geller's Grocery Store. It was at that store that I delivered groceries, on a bike with a huge basket in the front. The area of delivery was predominately on the south side of Fremont, all the way to 23rd avenue and south to probably Knott Street."
In the 1960s, a McDonald's fast-food restaurant was built at the intersection of NE Fremont and Union Avenue.
Sources
Last updated October 26, 2023