Staff Pick
Whether you're a local looking to confirm what you've always suspected about your hometown (that it's awesome) or an outsider looking to understand (and perhaps emulate) Portland's unique artisan economy, Brew to Bikes is a delightful and inspirational ode to all that Portland has to offer. Recommended By Tove H., Powells.com
Synopses & Reviews
Dissatisfied with passive consumption, many residents of Portland, OR take matters into their own hands. Associate Professor of Urban Studies Charles Heying noticed these local artisans prospering all over the city and set out to study their thriving economy. Profiling hundreds of local businesses, and with an eye on Portland's unique penchant for sustainability and urban development, Brew to Bikes is about everything from bike manufacturers to microbreweries, from do-it-yourself to traditional crafts. A treatise to local, ethical business practices, Brew to Bikes positions Portland as a hub of artisan ingenuity worthy of admiration.
Synopsis
From transportation to restoration, zines to greens, and yes, microbreweries to custom-made bikes, Portland's local industries form a strong artisan economy. Brew to Bikes takes an insightful and intellectual look at these urban businesses.
About the Author
Charles Heying is Associate Professor of Urban Studies and Planning at Portland State University in Portland, OR. His research interests include the interrelationship of private, nonprofit, and public sectors in market economies; institutional netword analysis; and elites, power, and social transformation. Heying's interests led him to develop a new project on Portland's artisan economy, depicting the "creative class" and cultural economy of a rising city.
Table of Contents
SECTION I – BREW TO BIKES: PORTLAND’S ARTISAN ECONOMY
Chapter 1 Introduction
Chapter 2 Genesis of the Concept
Chapter 3 Characteristics of an Artisan Economy
SECTION II – PORTLAND’S SIGNATURE SECTORS
Chapter 4 Brew
Chapter 5 Bounty
Chapter 6 Fashion
Chapter 7 Bikes
SECTION III – ARTISANS ABOUND
Chapter 8 Signs, Sounds, and Scenes
Chapter 9 Books, Publishing, Media and Film
Chapter 10 Healing Herbs and Practices
Chapter 11 Green Scene
Chapter 12 Software, Hardware
Chapter 13 DIY Scene
Chapter 14 Traditional Crafts
Chapter 15 House and Garden
SECTION IV – BACK TO THE FUTURE
Chapter 16 Retrofitting the Artisan City
Chapter 17 Artisan production and economic development Chapter 18 Conclusion