Creative Hub for BIPOC Community Coming to Old Town, Portland

Cyrus Coleman and Adewale Agboola (pronounced “WAH-Lay”) will be repurposing the historic Enterprise Building in Old Town, Portland into a creative hub for the BIPOC (Black and Indigenous People of Color) community. As the first business of its kind in Portland, Creative Homies will be a special place for the BIPOC community to feel empowered to share their vision, perspective, and point of view in a meaningful and authentic space.

Adewale and Cyrus want this Building to fill critical gaps in the market for the growing BIPOC community in Portland. 30% of Portland’s population now identifies as something other than white, but these communities tend to leave Portland within three years. Studies show the root cause of these mass departures is that marginalized communities cannot ﬁnd where their community lives, works, and gathers.

There will be four different spaces throughout the building. A music bar and lounge will occupy the basement; an art gallery, cafe, and retail space will be on the first floor; a makerspace on the second floor; and a production studio, green room, and Creative Homies office will be on the third floor.

With family roots in the music business, The Soul King Music Lounge & Speakeasy will host a mix of DJs and live music curated by Cyrus’s father, Tony Coleman, former drummer for BB King. The lounge’s full service bar will be created in collaboration with Dan Lenzen, who has managed bars across the country for over 35 years. As general manager of the lounge, Lenzen is crafting a unique Asian/Soul Food fusion menu.

The first floor will house an art gallery, cafe, and retail space, allowing visitors an opportunity to stay longer and build community, as well as peruse a selection of curated products and artist merchandise. This spacious gallery will exclusively feature BIPOC artists, presented with warmth and graceful precision for all to enjoy.

A makerspace will be located on the second floor, where creators can work and connect. The 4,000 square foot space will be available to rent, and will accommodate up to 44 creatives at a time. Shared amenities of the space include large-format printers, wet/dry room, 3D printers, and a silkscreen station. A soundproof recording studio and three private art studios will also be available to rent.

Finally, the third floor will house a production studio and green room, which will offer equipment rentals to photographers and creatives, giving them everything they need to create in one spot. The green room will also serve as a lounge/break room. Cyrus and Adewale will have their Creative Homies headquarters on this floor, which will include a private meeting room and kitchen.

Creative Homies will be the first of its kind in Portland. Transforming the historic Enterprise Building into a creative hub dedicated to the BIPOC community will begin to fill critical gaps in the Portland market and inspire a greater community of creative culture in Portland by empowering and providing a platform for marginalized voices.