Leasing a (plumbing) knife shop in the city.

Brian Ayres

Brian Ayres

Joined
Feb 4, 2011
Messages
1,429
I've been a plumber for 17 years and have owned my own plumbing business for just over two years now.

I have a box truck that holds 80% of what I need for my job, but the 20% I can't fit in the truck doesn't fit in my garage and the side of my garage very well.
So I've been looking for a space in Portland to put my shop. I also am going to rent a smaller place in the same area of my shop.

This will allow me to hire another plumber. It will also reduce travel time for jobs, and give me space to store some of the equipment I haul around making it easier to move about my truck.

I agreed to terms Friday to rent half this space now and the entire space in 1-2 years when the current tenant who has a small printshop retires. There is a large mezzanine on one end and the space has another 10-12' at the end not pictured.

The block it is in also houses 4 art galleries. My knife shop will take up as much space as I want. In fact having enough space for my knife shop is the reason I work so hard as a plumber. Two of the galleries do Thursday night shows so I'll be able to open my door and fire up the forge.

3 phase power, lots of 120v and 240v outlets just in time to bring my new forging press in. And I might have to seriously consider a power hammer now.

I'm pretty excited and once my deal is signed and I start moving in, in October I will be ecstatic.







 
It's a cool old building. I am hoping a less cramped and organized space will help me be more productive.

I used to prefer having a home shop because I could pop out for 5 minutes or 5 hours. But lately it seems I've got two modes. Go and stop. So having a work space that doesn't have the distractions of a 17 year old son and house work etc will help.

Plus I can set up my shop in a much more productive arrangement. If anything I'll struggle to leave space for the plumbing equipment and such.
 
Pretty much Mark. 19th and Upshur. It's the industrial area at the very edge. Zoned industrial/mixed so I can make noise 24/7. On the North side of the 405 off ramp to Highway 30.
 
Nice!!! Make sure that the landlord will allow "welding"and other such activities on the property. That is what made ding my little hobby space a challenge back in 2007. I pay $315 a month (up from $290) and that includes electricity (had to run some new wires from the box and put in my own panel) and water from the hose bib outside my door unless I get silly. I couldn't find another place close by that would let me do my forging thing for under $900 a month.
 
Congrats!
A small place to be able to work and make some noise 24/7 is what i'm looking for. It's a vanishing breed where I live. I'm restricted on hours where I am now.
 
Welding including running the forge is allowed. The owners are long time customers of mine. Between all their buildings I probably bill them more than my rent annually for their plumbing repairs.

I also have permission to subdivide to other metal artists if the right person comes along. The only major restriction is not a problem for me. No growing marijuana.

Additionally I just found out that the entire space is about 4.5-5' of concrete fill....Power hammer here I come!
 
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