Huffington Magazine Issue 74 | Page 59

SILICON FOREST HUFFINGTON 11.10.13 COURTESY OF CLUTCHPLAY “Being four people working from home, it was like we were just in the ether. Having a space where we’re interacting with people as a company and just being chosen for this is a validation of our business plan.” cal element. It would use its inaugural contest to accelerate the transformation of Produce Row, a key new area in the city’s relentless refashioning. Hugging the east bank of the Willamette and threaded by railroad tracks, the area took shape (along with its name) as an offloading point for fruits and vegetables hauled in from inland farm country. In later decades, Produce Row evolved into a hub of warehouses holding tiles, rubber, plumbing supplies and glass. Today, the warehouses remain, though their function tilts increasingly toward Portland’s modern-day incarnation as an icon of the culinary pleasures. Microbreweries have established themselves here, alongside restaurant equipment merchants and a processor of high-end meat products. Stumptown Coffee, a local brand with a major following, is headquartered in Produce Row. Clutchplay LLC employees (from left to right): Bernie Rissmiller, John C. Worsley, Jon Guest and Amy Dallas.