Oregon Microenterprise Network

Client Spotlight: William Joseph Gallery

Ted Huckins opened William Joseph Gallery next to Pioneer Square in 1993. His gallery attracted walk-in customers who reveled in beautiful prints featuring Oregon’s natural landscape and history. Foot traffic, however, nearly stopped when the Trimet light rail began construction outside the gallery storefront. Ted searched for business strategies that would help him survive the construction period.

Ted turned to the Trimet loan program, a program established by TriMet in partnership with Portland Development Commission and Portland State University, to help his business reposition itself during this time. He received business support services from the Portland State University Business Outreach Program and a low interest loan to help him through the construction hardship. The loan provided Ted with computing power, software, and hope that his business would survive the construction period. He updated his technology, developed a new digital product line, and realized his business had a future after walk-in service.

The Portland State University Business Outreach Program provided students that worked under experienced business advisors to complete a capstone project and support Ted’s business. The team helped Ted assess business competition, industry growth trends, and jump start a new accounting system. Ted speaks highly of the support students gave him. “It helped to have a group of interested students who were giving their all to make this business happen.”

In addition to selling photography from his gallery next to Pioneer Square, Ted markets his products directly to local Portland businesses. He creates HD photography exhibits for the décor of financial, high tech and other professional offices. His products draw from the work of 20 professional photographers and 4 historic archives. Ted believes that contemplative photography has a strong impact on viewers’ daily lives. “Landscape and historic photographs are symbols of our personal experience and common heritage. We can transcend the clutter of daily work in a moments’ gaze at a contemplative image of Oregon’s beauty or of it’s poignant past.”

Visit William Joseph Gallery at 526 SW Yamhill Street in Portland, Oregon, or via http://www.williamjosephgallery.net/.

The TriMet Loan Fund supports 10 businesses impacted by the heaviest phases of construction on the I-205/ Portland Mall MAX Light Rail Project. The Portland State University Business Outreach Program provides technical assistance to the businesses and Oregon Microenterprise Network administers the loan fund.