St. Johns is one of Portland’s most distinctive neighborhoods — independently spirited, locally rooted, and not particularly interested in being turned into something it’s not.
We’re working on a visitor resource for St. Johns. Something locally authored and useful for visitors who actually want to understand the neighborhood, and for the businesses and residents who make it worth visiting.
But before we propose anything specific, we want to listen.
What kind of tourism attention is welcome, and what isn’t? What do residents want to protect? What do business owners actually need?
Only you can answer those questions. Will you take the survey?
About this project
Who is behind this?
Angie and Scott Drake of Not Your Average American, LLC — responsible tourism proponents with more than a decade of experience working with tourism projects across the Americas. We moved to St. Johns in 2019 and we’re still learning about our scrappy and unique neighborhood.
What is Not Your Average American?
NYAA is our responsible tourism practice. We believe tourism works best when it’s built with community input. This project is an extension of that philosophy — applied to our own neighborhood.
Is this affiliated with the St. Johns Boosters or the city of Portland?
No. This project is independent and grassroots.
We’re St Johns Boosters members and have real appreciation for the work they do — we see this effort as complementary to their efforts.
So what’s the difference?
The Boosters advocate for business. We advocate for tourism — and tourism is bigger than business. It includes residents, parks, and rivers. It includes every business in the neighborhood, whether they belong to an association or not. If you have a stake in St. Johns, we want to hear from you.
What happens with the survey results?
Results will be shared back publicly with the St. Johns community before anything gets built.
What kind of website are you actually building?
A responsible tourism resource for St. Johns — one that helps visitors appreciate the neighborhood as it actually exists, not a polished version of it. Beyond that, we’re genuinely not sure yet. Help it take shape by responding to the survey.
Questions? Contact angie@notyouraverageamerican.com