Thursday, August 19, 2010

Small Business Profile: Personalized Poem Service in Downtown Portland

Nearly two years ago, P&PC remembered the entrepreneurial efforts of minister and poet Carl Wilson—a.k.a. Tramp Star and Curly Shingles—who advertised "Poetry for Sale" on a sign outside his Indiana home in the first half of the twentieth century.

Who would've thought that Wilson's spirit is still alive? And not in southern Indiana, where some folks still like to spell potato with an "e," but at the Saturday Market in Portland, Oregon, where the potatoes are organic and the more "e's" you can fit in the locals' favorite color "greeeen" the better?

It's not just the potatoes—or berries, or fruit, or salmon—that are locally sourced in Stumptown, however. As the fetching, retro-style "Personalized Poems" outfit pictured to the left suggests, even the poems are made locally. Complete with a menu ranging from a $1.00 haiku to a $5.00 slam poem and performance, this mobile, briefcase- sized start-up may not be making any IPO's soon, but it's got our vote for best new business in town.

1 comment:

Nelson said...

Two years ago, P&PC highlighted the entrepreneurial efforts of Carl Wilson, also known as Tramp Star and Curly Shingles, who advertised "Poetry for Sale" outside his Indiana home in the early 20th century. Little did anyone know that Wilson's spirit still lives on today in Portland, Oregon, at the Saturday Market where the locals love to spell "green" with as many "e's" as possible. The market boasts of locally sourced produce and even personalized poems that are made on the spot. This briefcase-sized start-up, which offers a range of poems from a $1.00 haiku to a $5.00 slam poem and performance, may not be making any IPOs soon, but it has quickly gained recognition as one of the best new businesses in town. While traditional career jobs Career Jobs in Pakistan may offer stability and financial security, it's inspiring to see entrepreneurs like Wilson who are passionate about their craft and find unique ways to share it with the world.