This photo shared by Hacienda CDC shows the aftermath from Wednesday's fire at the Portland Mercado.
courtesy of Hacienda CDC
A fire ripped through the Portland Mercado food court early Wednesday morning. Vendors there are currently closed so that the damage can be fully assessed. The location has previously been a hub for Latino communities and highlighted food from Latin America including Mexico, Argentina and Colombia.
Ernesto Fonseca is the CEO of the Hacienda Community Development Corporation, which owns the space. He says the response following the incident has been positive.
“Oh my God, it has been extremely overwhelming. So far, we have received about 1,000 contributions to Hacienda CDC for the Portland Mercado,” he said. “Every single penny that we’re collecting will be invested in each one of our food vendors at the Portland Mercado, so we can stabilize them.”
Fonseca called the fire a catastrophic event, though he hopes that the food carts at the space can be up and running again in a few weeks. But it could take at least a year for all of the businesses at Mercado to be fully operational again.
The Portland Mercado was established in 2015. Years before, Oregonians would sell tamales at the Hacienda offices, and the organization saw a need to boost entrepreneurship opportunities.
Related: Postcards From The Pandemic: Latino Businesses Maintain Community At Portland Mercado
Hacienda created the Mercado as an extension of its Empresarios program which has helped hundreds of local small business owners over the years.
“One of the biggest issues that we find within many communities of color, but in particular, our community, which is pretty large in the United States, is a lack of opportunity to find ways to do business in an organized and structured way,” Fonseca said. “Just because you have a brick-and-mortar place doesn’t mean that you’re going to succeed. You need to be organized and have the tools and make sure that you have the administrative knowledge for you to make this happen.”
He added that businesses that start at the Mercado eventually go on to open second locations elsewhere in the city. The Mercado’s building also included a commissary kitchen that was open to vendors in the early stages of a food business.
FILE - A mural representing Latino culture adorns the exterior wall above the main entrance to the Portland Mercado in Southeast Portland, Ore., on Wednesday, May 20, 2020.
Bryan M. Vance / OPB
While the Mercado is currently closed, Fonseca hopes that some parts of the location can reopen soon.
“None of the businesses, including the ones outside, have water or electric right now,” he said. “We are going to do everything that we can.”
Ernesto Fonseca spoke to “Think Out Loud” host Dave Miller about the Portland Mercado. Listen to the full conversation:
Portland Fire & Rescue responded to a fire at the Portland Mercado on Wednesday. The location is currently closed while the damage is assessed.
Portland Fire & Rescue