Our Clients

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Sinister Coffee & Creamery, LLC - Client Profile

Sinister Coffee & Creamery, LLC is an online business with a spooky theme selling coffee beans and ice cream. Kelly and Michelle Kaliher began their business in 2018, making “paranormal-themed coffees [that] are small batch roasted to ensure your experience delivers spooky good flavors with every brew.” While Sinister Coffee & Creamery is mostly conducted online, you can find them at the PSU Saturday Farmers’ Market. They were able to secure a booth at the farmers’ market after only a year of operations, which is a remarkable feat since many businesses are only accepted at the market after 5 years of operation.
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Professional Auto Body & Paint Inc. - Client Profile

Founded in 1997 by Hoa and Linda Lam, the family-owned Professional Auto Body & Paint Inc. has been in operation for over 20 years. When Hoa and Linda retired in 2018, they passed down their business to their son, Anthony Lam, and his partner, Nancy Le. Starting a new chapter for an inherited business is no small feat, especially when faced with the challenges and uncertainty of the Covid-19 pandemic.
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Genius Digital LLC - Client Profile

Genius Digital LLC, is Juan Acevedo’s new photography business. However, he is not new to the industry. He has been taking pictures professionally in Oregon for almost ten years. The pandemic required him to think of new ways to work as a photographer. 
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Multi-Tasking Services LLC - Client Profile

Multi-Tasking Services LLC, owned and operated by Darwin Bello, offers cleaning and janitorial services to commercial establishments in the Portland metro area. It is a relatively new business that has been running since September 01, 2019. “We are here to serve” is Darwin’s business slogan and mission. Darwin’s vision for this business is to create consciousness about cleaning spaces and sanitation and bring those services to our communities, especially now during the pandemic.
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Waves Caribbean - SBLC Client Profile

Waves Caribbean, owned by Patrick Prince, is an up-and-coming Caribbean sauce company dedicated to bringing unique, ready-made sauces into everyone’s homes. Starting from his family’s recipes, Patrick spent years preparing the sauces for commercial use while simultaneously maintaining their integrity. A true family-supported business, he jokes that he sometimes wondered if either he or his mom would make it out of the kitchen alive. Each sauce contains a unique combination of flavors that highlight Patrick’s blended cultural past with tastes from Trinidad and Jamaica
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Oregon Coast Glassworks - SBLC Client Profile

“We sell experiences”, says Robin Murphy, owner of Oregon Coast Glassworks. Robin, an accountant by trade, and her husband William, both Native American, started the business from scratch about 10 years ago in Newport. 

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Meals 4 Heels - SBLC Client Profile

Meals 4 Heels, owned by Nikeisah Newton, originally started as a late night healthy eating option for exotic dancers and sex workers. As Portland is both known for its eclectic food and high number of strip clubs per capita, Nikeisah sought to combine these two themes into a niche industry that could supply healthy eating options for late night workers. Beginning in January of 2019, news of Meals for Heels traveled via word of mouth and she took orders directly from Instagram direct messages, texts, calls, etc. Additionally, by being able to directly message Meals for Heals, Nikeisah was able to remove the “creepy guy factor” that comes with ordering from a food delivery app and having a complete stranger deliver food to a club.

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Baby Wit, LLC - Client Profile

There are many paths to growing a small business and Rosalee Rester, owner of Baby Wit, LLC has explored quite a few. Baby Wit “creates quirky, eclectic T-shirts that show the world your baby has serious style” (https://www.babywit.com/about/)
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Family Essentials, LLC - Client Profile

Family Essentials, LLC, owned by Louise Williams, helps low-income families by offering transitional housing to clients who are referred by a social service agency. The business offers a hands-on program and Louise operates like a social worker/landlord hybrid. While tenants are enrolled in the program, they have stability, a place to call home, a chance to build rental history, and an opportunity to receive instruction focused on learning how to be a good tenant. Families are usually in the space for 3-8 months and pay rent at about 60-80% market rate. The Small Business Legal Clinic has enjoyed working on both simple and complex legal issues for Family Essentials, LLC.
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RLF Ceramic Design Center, LLC - Client Profile

When Ruth Flores of RLF Ceramic Design Center LLC discusses her small business, she tells a compelling story full of grit, hard work, and surprises. Ruth’s business makes aquarium décor from ceramic materials. To grow her business over the past 28 years, Ruth underwent a remarkable journey. She built a national company from scratch, made an incredible discovery, was ousted from her own company after a legal dispute, and eventually was able to regain much of what she lost through federal trademark registration and hard work.

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Desired Nails and Massage - Client Profile

LaShawnda Johnson, the owner of Desired Nails and Massage began down the path towards owning her own small business after renting space in a nail salon. She had dreamed of becoming a massage therapist, and after practicing her craft for several years, she not only learned a lot about massage therapy & nails, but came to discover that she loved the work and wanted to start her own business.
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Pyro Pizza - Client Profile

The Cartopia food cart pod on SE Hawthorne and 12th boasts a host of amazing food, including Pyro Pizza, owned by John Eads. John moved to Portland about ten years ago and spent several years working as a business advisor for Hacienda CDC and the Portland Mercado. In 2010, he started Pyro Pizza. The large food cart with its elegant wood siding houses a huge oven to make wood fired pizza.
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The Big Elephant Kitchen- Client Profile

We’re excited to highlight The Big Elephant Kitchen, a Fijian Indian restaurant that opened in May of 2017. Owned by Saleshni, Deon, and Deepak Sundar, the business is a family undertaking. The owners decided to go into business for themselves after gaining experience managing other food businesses. They wanted to bring their unique and delicious cuisine to Portland. During the process of opening the business, they convinced their mother and father to join them.  Rajni, their mother, is working magic in the kitchen while Shailendra, their father, can likely be found searching for breadfruit or some other unique ingredient.

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Summit Wood Creations - Client Profile

Summit Wood Creations is a local small business specializing in hand-crafted custom wood furniture. The owner, Reyna Badillo, started building custom furniture largely because of her childhood experiences seated at a handmade dresser. Gifted to her by her grandmother, the dresser holds a lot of sentimental value and has been in her family for four generations. When Reyna realized that she can create the furniture through which clients’ own special memories might be made, she discovered her passion. She turned this passion into a business back in 2001. While the business previously focused on residential custom furniture, they have expanded into custom furniture in the commercial arena.

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NW Ferments - Client Profile

NW Ferments is a new up-and-coming Portland-area business. Sue and Wendy have fermented foods for many years as a hobby. When the fermenting company that they worked for decided to move to another state, they decided to open their own company that would bring fermenting to every type of person. They came to the Small Business Legal Clinic in early 2016 to start their own businesses and negotiate the end of their work with the previous business.

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Epif Restaurant - a bit of Chile in Portland!

Epif, the first vegetarian restaurant inspired by the Andes Region of South America  will be opening October 30th! Nicolle and Jose brought their expertise from their restaurant in Valparaiaso Chile to Portland. After two years of designing, planning and building, the restaurant has come together. The beautiful location, which was built in their garden, mixes South America with Portland craftsmanship, creating a unique ambiance.
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LunaSol - Client Profile

Lindsey Alonzo is the creative force behind Luna Sol, the home of beautiful, handcrafted jewelry. Luna Sol, her solo venture, began just over a year ago. Lindsey has been designing jewelry since 2002, however. She originally received a degree in textile design, but discovered her love for designing and crafting jewelry while working in a local boutique. After learning more about the ins and outs of business, she decided it was time to begin her own business.

Lindsey creates original designs, drawing inspiration from the ethnically diverse cultures she meets as she travels.  She especially enjoys the creative aspects of her business, such as crafting the first pieces of her collection. She has placed her collections in local stores such as Haunt, Altar and Flora. Her designs can also be seen online at http://lunasoldesigns.net/.

Lindsey first came to the Small Business Legal Clinic, Pro Bono Project in the summer of 2014 for advice on properly forming and registering her businesses. She returned this summer to learn about the process of copyrighting her designs. 

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Head’s Up Hair

Head’s Up Hair is a salon in east Portland that has been in business since 1959. Many of the stylists have been there 15-20 years. Their mission is to help clients feel great about themselves.  The salon offers haircuts, color, perms, extensions, highlights, lowlights, nail services and waxing.  Maria Ramirez purchased Head’s Up Hair in March of 2013.  In the last year, she has transformed the basic hair cutting salon/barber-shop into a day spa atmosphere with positive results and feedback from customers.  She is currently working on replacing the furniture, adding more stations and hopes to add a private area for waxing in the fall of 2014.

Part of developing the business meant making big changes. Maria came through the SBLC Pro Bono Project in April of 2014 and met with Attorney Audrey Tam.  After the initial meeting, Audrey helped Head’s Up Hair by reviewing their lease and participating in lease negotiations.   She also assisted with the restructuring of Head’s Up Hair with the state and drafting an independent contractors’ agreement
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Artico Lite

Artico Lite Inc. is a family-owned, full service sign company owned by Peter Cao and Jennah Lee.  Since 2000, they have manufactured, installed, and maintained indoor and outdoor lighted and non-lighted signs in Portland.  Jennah handles the administrative, design and planning work and Peter builds and constructs the signs.  Peter began learning about the craft of glass work many years ago. In 1980, just months after moving to America, Peter took a temporary job in New York doing industrial glass work at $3.25 an hour.  His boss was so impressed with Peter’s work that he quickly gave him a 25¢ raise.  Over the course of many years he worked to improve both with speed and skill to become a master craftsman. Eventually he started his own business, bringing his skill in neon to the Portland area.  In June 2014, Artico Lite came through the SBLC’s Intern Program and worked with Intern Silvia Tanner and Professor Susan Felstiner.  Silvia researched the tax consequences of converting from a corporation to an LLC, and drafted the conversion documents and an operating agreement for the LLC.

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Conscious Coils LLC

Conscious Coils LLC is a natural hair salon which provides hair stylist and also has a line of natural hair products. Their mission is to renew the collective consciousness of the people by nurturing a healthy self-image and celebrating authentic, natural beauty. In the Fall of 2012 Conscious Coils LLC owner, Amber Starks, came to the SBLC and received help trademarking her product name, drafting a sublease agreement and client waiver form.
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Tin Cantina LLC

Tin Cantina LLC is a 1965 Airstream trailer available for private parties as a traveling vintage bar, bridal suites for brides (and grooms) getting married in remote places, and as a traveling sampling venue for food and beverage distributors. In the Summer of 2013 Tin Cantina LLC owner, Deanna Wohlgemuth, came to the SBLC and received help drafting a client contract and rental agreement.
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Mixteca Catering LLC

Mixteca Catering LLC is a family operated catering business which specializes in authentic Oaxacan cuisine. Mixteca Catering LLC offers catering services for any size group. You can also find Mixteca Catering LLC at local farmer’s market. In the Spring of 2013 Mixteca Catering came to the SBLC and received help forming their LLC.
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The Glaziery LLC

After extensive careers working as stained glass artists across the United States Christopher Lizon and Jakub Jerzy Kuckarcyzk met in Portland while they were both working at Savoy Studios, where renowned large-scale art glass is produced for commercial investors primarily within the hospitality and entertainment industry. In 2010 they branched out and started their own company The Glaziery LLC. The Glaziery LLC combines both metal work and a variety of glass arts’ processes: stained glass, kiln-forming, glassblowing, etching, mirroring and cold-working. In Spring 2012 Mr. Lizon and Mr. Jerzy Kucharczyk worked with the SBLC to draft an Operating Agreement and a service contact.
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Precycle LLC

After many years in the brewery business, Nicholas Munson-Phelps realized there was a need for a good bottle cleaning service. Mr. Munson-Phelps collects dirty glass beer bottles from local retail outlets, washes and sanitizes the bottles, and then sells them to local breweries. He came to the SBLC in Spring 2012 to form an LLC.
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Bee Local, LLC

Bee Local, LLC makes local artisan honey. Honey batches are named based on geographical locations of hives. Honey lines include: Brooklyn, Laurelhurst, Mt. Tabor, Powellhurst, and many more. Bee Local LLC owner, Damian Magista, came to the SBLC in Summer 2012 and worked with an attorney who helped trademark his business name and logo.
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Tierra Educational Center LLC

Tierra Educational Center LLC is a locally owned, independent language school located in NE Portland, Oregon. They offer small group and private Spanish classes of the highest quality for adults and children of all levels. Their experienced and enthusiastic instructors implement Tierra’s well-structured, original curriculum utilizing dynamic and conversational activities for the most effective learning experience. By providing an open and friendly classroom environment and hosting holiday celebrations and conversation nights open to the public, they build community through the sharing of language, culture, and love of learning. Tierra first came to the SBLC in Summer 2011 to draft a liability waiver used for their international education trips and returned in Spring 2012 to revise their Operating Agreement.
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Portland Pedal Power LLC

In their thirst for the perfect job, four people from different backgrounds came together to form Portland Pedal Power LLC, a member-managed company based on consensus decision making. This professional, licensed and insured bicycle delivery service helps accelerate the sales of small, sustainably-minded local business through deliveries and promotional services. Portland Pedal Power LLC has been working with the SBLC since Spring 2011. The SBLC has revised their Operating Agreement, drafted a bicycle lease agreement and helped trademark their name and logo.
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Mari’s Muffins, LLC

The story of Mari’s Muffins, LLC begins with a Lake Oswego mother and her admitted sweet tooth. Yet as a registered dietitian she understood the physiological drawbacks caused by eating too many empty calories—often leading kids and parents alike to reach for additional sweet treats. This was not what her family needed, especially for their morning meal. So she put her nutrition know-how and baking skills to the test. After several years of experimentation Mari developed a protein packed, high fiber meal, all in a single muffin. Mari first came to the SBLC in Fall 2011 to form her LLC. She returned the following term to trademark her slogan “Meal in a Muffin.”

 

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