Don’t get us wrong. We love this city.

But we also miss this city.

Every year marks the disappearance of another legendary landmark, another quirky Portland standby, another favorite haunt. Some fall victim to technology, some to property prices, some to demographics, fashion, fire, the changing economy, and some—well, some of them just get tired.

For many years, we would hear of the demise of a reliable favorite and sigh. Then it dawned on us that we could celebrate Portland’s old-school heritage before it vanished. And we realized that the very act of celebration might redirect the energy flow of the universe just enough that some of these institutions need not vanish—that they might actually grow stronger.

This is not meant to be an exercise in nostalgia. We have lived here long enough to know how much progress Portland has made in so many ways. Politically more open. Culturally more diverse. Musically more sophisticated. The food. The beer. The style. You’ve come a long way, baby. (OK, April still sucks.)

But we have also been around long enough to see how our collective obsession with the cool and trendy sometimes eclipses the tried and true. We have watched designer cupcakes swallow bait-and-tackle shops. We have witnessed organic arugula strangle upholstery repairmen. We have shed bitter tears as designer condos pushed out mom-and-pop Ethiopian restaurants.

So we came up with Portland Original. Our mission is simple: to celebrate the people, places, and institutions that shaped Portland before it was cool. People who made this town what it is today. Businesses that have survived because they care about what they do—not whether they’re on the cutting edge, whatever that means (except for the knifemakers— you guys can stay cutting-edge.)

We have no hard-and-fast rule rule for what constitutes a Portland Original, but here are some rough guidelines: any establishment that’s been around for at least 20 years, has long strong local ties, and is in some way woven into the fabric of this community. We welcome your feedback, suggestions, rants, and raves.