Iridescent's Bad Business Model (And Why It's Exactly What We Need)

Iridescent is a worker-owned art collective and retail space on NE Sandy Blvd, home to 80+ marginalized, low-income, and underrepresented local artists. Our leadership is proudly immigrant and Indigenous-led, and our entire collective is queer, largely disabled, and neurodivergent. We built this space because people exactly like us need it, and we value the different perspectives we offer each other and our community. We're always looking for people like us who need a space like this.

From a capitalist perspective, Iridescent's business model is a terrible one. We're a retail space where our artists keep 100% of their profits, and the only money we make comes from the space we rent out to them. Our individual artist's monthly fees range from $5-50. We offer mutual aid for those who struggle to pay these fees, free resources and materials, a community room for our members, and a huge support circle for those who have none.

We didn't build this to make a CEO rich. We built this because we, and the people we serve, have no other safety net, no family wealth, and no institutions in our corner. Iridescent fills a gap in Portland that many of us are currently in desperate need of.

Because of this business model, however, we barely make enough to keep our doors open. We've done a lot to support our members thus far, but to continue these benefits and offer more to our community in the future, we need to secure funding. We refuse to ask for more money from our artists, some of whom already struggle to pay their monthly fees. We want to fully eliminate the barrier of entry for people who have no other ways to make a living. We believe that we can be a profitable business and redistribute that wealth to the members who need it the most.

So, what are we doing about this, and how can you help?

We've temporarily closed our doors for 1-2 months to fundamentally restructure our business. We're campaigning for funds to give us the breathing room we need to survive this closure and secure our future. We're forming a multi-member LLC, allowing leadership to keep overhead as low as possible. This will keep the store open and ensure every dollar goes back into the space and our members.

While the doors are closed, we're building permanent revenue streams so we don't find ourselves here again:

Expanding our Reach: We're launching an online store to sell products to buyers across the US, hoping to offer more visibility for the collective.

The Thrift Shop: We're opening a size-inclusive clothing thrift store within our location. We also have our in-house tailor, Beau! If you find something you like but doesn't fit quite right, you can take it upstairs to him for very reasonable rates. All profits from our thrift store will go directly into keeping our space stocked with free resources, and eventually funding compassionate, ethical work opportunities for members with disabilities. Flexible jobs that offer real accommodations and time off without fear of retaliation or loss of employment.

Other Ways to Stand With Us

We know not everyone has the capital to donate directly. If you can't give money, there are still ways you can help us survive and rebuild aside from sharing this campaign.

Donate to the Thrift Shop & Community Room

If you have used clothes sitting in bags somewhere, we can take them. We'll sell them, upcycle them, or price them very low for people who need them.

We are also deeply grateful for physical donations to keep our community resources stocked.

We are currently looking for:

You can drop things off at the store or mail them directly to us at:

Iridescent PDX

5258 NE Sandy Blvd, Portland, OR

Become A Member

You don't have to be a vendor to join our community. You can support us with a monthly membership starting at just $5. Memberships include perks like stickers & zines created by our artists, and access to our physical community space, plus the knowledge that your contribution is keeping this place alive. SIGN UP HERE!

Join the Community & Come to Our Events

We'll be hosting a few small fundraising events over the next two months while the store is closed! Follow us on social media for updates and details on where to find us. You can also join our public Discord server here. We would love to have you hop in, see what we're building, and connect with our artists.

Please, help us keep Iridescent alive. There is a lot that needs to be fixed within the store, but we believe our community needs a space like this, especially right now.