Biz Beat

• Velvet Edge Boutique, an upscale women’s clothing store at 187 Broadway, is planning to move to Fifth Street Public Market in August, according to owners Marjorie Taylor and her daughter Amber Taylor. Marjorie Taylor has a three-decade academic career in the field of psychology and Amber Taylor has a background in drama. “We will really miss our downtown neighbors,” Marjorie Taylor says, “and it will be sad to leave, but we could not pass up the opportunity.” Owners of the Due Donne Boutique at Market are moving to Washington, which opened shop space near Pendleton Woolen Mills and Freudian Slip and just off the lobby of Inn at the 5th. Taylor says the Broadway location has been fine for the past three years, but she anticipates more foot traffic and better parking at 5th Street. No word on what business might take over the soon-to-be-vacant Broadway location between Footwise and Out on a Limb Gallery. The property manager is Scott Gibbs of the G Group, with offices at 388 Pearl.

• Back in April we wrote that the Ocean Sky restaurant property at 1601 Chambers appeared to be on the market for $1.1 million. The family-style Chinese eatery has been in business for 25 years, and former employees tell us the building is about to be completely remodeled and turned into a very different kind of restaurant and bar, possibly retaining some Chinese menu items. The reported new owner has not returned a phone call, but we hear he also owns Trackstirs Sports Bar & Grill and Gateway Tap House, both in Springfield.

• Meili Construction will begin renovations in July to convert the old Cascade Presbyterian Church at Willamette and 33rd Avenue into housing for homeless teenage girls. The architect is Bergsund Delaney. St. Vincent de Paul is overseeing the Youth House Project that got off the ground with a $625,000 federal grant. Additional fundraising is going toward the project’s total budget of $1.85 million. The home for unemancipated girls age 16-17 is scheduled to open in December, says Paul Neville of St. Vinnies. The need is great, he says, for girls who have not been in foster care or in the state system, but find themselves homeless and vulnerable on the streets. The girls will need to stay in school to get the free rent, meals, counseling and other services that will be provided by multiple agencies and community groups. Housing for teen boys will be next. Find out more at svdp.us/homeless-youth or call Neville at 541-743-7121.

• A new laundry detergent called Active Wash has been developed by University of Oregon scientists and will be marketed by Defunkify, a small and relatively new Eugene company. The “super detergent” will be on the shelves of Market of Choice in July, says Trevor Steele of Defunkify’s communications team. The detergent is enviro-friendly and “has been thoroughly tested by the big guys. It performs better on stains than anything else we’ve tried.” Steele says the product uses enzymes, minerals and sustainable, plant-based materials. “We simply use better science, from better scientists,” he says.

A Note From the Publisher

Dear Readers,

The last two years have been some of the hardest in Eugene Weekly’s 43 years. There were moments when keeping the paper alive felt uncertain. And yet, here we are — still publishing, still investigating, still showing up every week.

That’s because of you!

Not just because of financial support (though that matters enormously), but because of the emails, notes, conversations, encouragement and ideas you shared along the way. You reminded us why this paper exists and who it’s for.

Listening to readers has always been at the heart of Eugene Weekly. This year, that meant launching our popular weekly Activist Alert column, after many of you told us there was no single, reliable place to find information about rallies, meetings and ways to get involved. You asked. We responded.

We’ve also continued to deepen the coverage that sets Eugene Weekly apart, including our in-depth reporting on local real estate development through Bricks & Mortar — digging into what’s being built, who’s behind it and how those decisions shape our community.

And, of course, we’ve continued to bring you the stories and features many of you depend on: investigations and local government reporting, arts and culture coverage, sudoku and crossword puzzles, Savage Love, and our extensive community events calendar. We feature award-winning stories by University of Oregon student reporters getting real world journalism experience. All free. In print and online.

None of this happens by accident. It happens because readers step up and say: this matters.

As we head into a new year, please consider supporting Eugene Weekly if you’re able. Every dollar helps keep us digging, questioning, celebrating — and yes, occasionally annoying exactly the right people. We consider that a public service.

Thank you for standing with us!