The Arbor Lodge coffee house is, by design, much more than your run-of-the-mill coffee house. It’s a place for the residents of Arbor Lodge and its surrounding commuter communities. It’s designed to be a place that draws people together so that all can experience the benefits of being part of a community in a cozy, welcoming space. Read more about what makes The Arbor Lodge a great place to connect with other people in your neighborhood (and to get coffee, as well).
How it Got Started
Scott Davidson was living in Arbor Lodge when he realized that there just weren’t many places where he could go to interact with the other residents of the community. Davidson was working as a successful REALTOR®, but he wasn’t finding much satisfaction in that line of work. So he and Jolynn Davidson decided to open The Arbor Lodge: a Coffee and Community Space in September of 2011.
The Arbor Lodge coffee house is located in a great area for people to either walk to or bike to (the intersection of N Interstate Avenue and N Rosa Parks Way), and these are the people the coffee house is looking to serve. Davidson wants to facilitate opportunities for people to interact with each other, and it’s important that they be able to walk there. He mentioned, “We’re starting to get a lot of regulars for whom this is a special space. Coffee is a medium for people to connect. It’s an excuse for people to sit down across from each other and talk.”
The Goods
To this end, Davidson didn’t want to serve just any old coffee. He noted, “From my perspective, coffee is about community. And better coffee does it better. I’m not talking about snobbery. If you invite your friend to your house, you will make the best possible dinner to honor them. . . . I try to serve the best possible coffees because my end goal is showing beautiful hospitality.”
So just what is this delicious coffee? Tanager Coffee, a small coffee roaster based in Portland, provides coffees for The Arbor Lodge. But Davidson wanted to add his own blend to the mix, as well. The Arbor Lodge serves Sasquatch: An Elusive Northwest Blend, featuring notes of molasses, orange spice, and baked apples.
And everything else The Arbor Lodge serves is quality, too. Coffee is served with organic milk or almond milk. And if coffee’s not your thing, order up a chai tea. Or order kombucha, a fermented tea that’s both sweet and tart. And don’t forget to select a delicious pastry to go with your drink (there are gluten-free varieties to choose from, as well).
Special Events
The Arbor Lodge coffee house hosts a yearly art show called Wild & Woolly: A Sasquatch-Themed Art Show. All entries are family friendly. The show is open to anyone living in Portland, and all mediums are welcome. Cash prizes are awarded at the show’s closing reception. The Arbor Lodge also showcases other artists’ work throughout the year.
The Arbor Lodge hosts other public events for the community, like a bi-weekly writing club, a book club, and special music events. On Saturday, December 5, the Arbor Lodge will hold its annual holiday bazaar, which is a perfect time to pick up presents and also support local artists (stop by between 5:00 and 9:00 p.m.).
And if you need a space for parties or neighborhood events, The Arbor Lodge coffee house is happy to help you out. Contact them at events@thearborlodge.com.
More Information
The Arbor Lodge always has interesting and unique things going on. For more information and to stay up with new events, go to thearborlodge.com, check out their Facebook page, or check them out on Twitter (@TheArborLodge).