This bakery has been on a roll since 1906

It’s hard to miss the giant loaf of Franz bread spinning atop a building in Northeast Portland’s Kerns neighborhood.

The sign was originally installed in 1956. But the story behind it is far older.

Engelbert Franz was 15 years old when he left his home in Austria + headed to the United States in 1896. His mission? To find a good job.

Engelbert started working at his uncle’s bakery at East 7th Avenue + East Burnside Street in Portland, known at the time as United States Bakery. Engelbert’s two brothers joined him over the next three years.

In 1906, the brothers had enough dough to buy Ann Arbor Bakery in Northwest Portland, where they made their bread deliveries by horse-drawn wagon. They had saved enough money to buy another bakery — their uncle’s — just a year later.

The trio decided to keep the United States Bakery name and their family-owned business continued to rise. Sales expanded into Salem + The Dalles, and in 1912, they built a new bakery at Northeast 11th Avenue + Northeast Flanders Street that still exists today.

Sometime in the 1920s, the family began to transition to a new business name: Franz Bakery.

Other changes were coming, too. Trucks eventually replaced the horse-drawn delivery wagons, bread started to be sold in paper wrappers, and machinery advancements in the late ‘40s led to huge jumps in productivity. During this time, Franz added a 100-ft-long oven that could bake 2,400 loaves of bread every 28 minutes.

Engelbert died in 1954 at the age of 72. His descendants continued to run the family’s baked goods empire.

Today, Franz has 11 bakeries in seven states and produces a wide variety of products, including organic, vegan + gluten free. Staff once made a hot dog bun that stretched 104 feet in length (a Guinness World Record at the time) to celebrate the company’s 100th birthday.

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EVENTS

Today

University of Portland Pilots Women’s Basketball vs. Gonzaga Bulldogs | Thurs., Jan. 6 | 7 p.m. | Chiles Center | $5+ | This game marks the start of West Coast Conference play for the Pilots. 🏀
The Thesis | Thurs., Jan. 6 | 9 p.m. | Kelly’s Olympian, 426 SW Washington St. | $15+ | Catch this hip hop showcase hosted by Verbz.

Friday

Distillery Tour & Tasting | Fridays + Sundays | 3 p.m. | Freeland Spirits, 2671 NW Vaughn St. | $30+ | Learn the story behind Freeland’s gin + whiskey distilling processes. 🥃

Saturday

J.R.R. Tolkien’s Birthday | Sat., Jan. 8 | All day | McMenamins Kennedy School | Free+ | Elves, orcs, hobbits + other Middle Earth residents are invited to celebrate the iconic author’s legacy with food, drinks, live music + screenings of the “Lord of the Rings” trilogy.
Steve-O: The Bucket List Tour | Sat., Jan. 8 | 10 p.m. | Revolution Hall | $40+ | Just when we thought the “Jackass” star couldn’t up the ante on crazy stunts, he went + tried out a bunch of new ones, then made the experience into a multimedia comedy show.

We have a monthly guide filled with events + activities you can plan for in advance. Click the button below to bookmark ideas for upcoming date nights, family outings, and time with friends.

10 MORE WEEKEND EVENTS

Note: COVID-19 protocols are changing rapidly to curb the spread of the Omicron variant in Portland. Please make sure to check event listing pages + venue websites for the most up-to-date information.

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NEWS NOTES

Weather

53º | Early morning rain + afternoon showers | 90% chance of rain

Sunrise + Sunset

Rise: 7:50 a.m.
Set: 4:42 p.m.

Health

The University of Portland announced this week that it will require COVID-19 booster shots for students + staff by Feb. 1. The university’s spring semester begins Mon., Jan. 10, and the first week will take place online. (OPB)
Portland Public Schools has decided to bring back safety measures from last spring for extracurricular activities in response to new state COVID-19 guidelines. Student athletes + performers will have to wear masks at all times, while spectators over the age of 5 must show proof of vaccination or a recent negative test to attend an event.

Outdoors

Oregon lawmakers want public feedback on a draft bill to expand the Mt. Hood National Recreation Area by over 350,000 acres. The legislation seeks to improve sustainable recreation access and address climate change + wildfire risks. You can submit a comment through tomorrow (Fri., Jan. 7). 🌲

Biz

Multnomah County cannabis sales declined in 2021. Recreational + medical sales together amounted to roughly $311 million — a 0.8% loss over 2020 — while statewide sales grew by a slim 6.5%. Experts point to easing lockdown conditions, an end to stimulus checks, and better job opportunities for the slowdown. (Portland Business Journal)

Job

Are you a news junkie? Always ’gramming at local events? Love writing and grammar? Then you should apply for our Editorial Internship Program. Must be detail-oriented, a self-starter + ready for a fun, fast-paced environment with daily deadlines. See position details and apply.

📸 @bridgetownbites

New Year’s Day + Christmas have come and gone, but many people around the world don’t mark the end of the holiday season until the Christian festival known as Epiphany, or Three Kings Day. Epiphany falls 12 days after Dec. 25 on Jan. 6.

In France, the festival is celebrated with a “Galette des Rois,” or “King Cake,” and a small figurine is hidden within the dessert. Latin America has its own pastry version known as Rosca de Reyes. You can order a Galette des Rois from one of the La Provence/Petite Provence locations in Portland. 👑

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THE WRAP

Editor's Pick: Have you ever tried an escape room? I recently attempted one for the first time: a Sherlock Holmes-inspired adventure at Escape Games PDX. As much as it pains me to admit it, my teammate and I didn’t escape + we didn’t recover one of the world’s rarest, missing artifacts — sorry, Watson. But I love a brainy challenge, so I’ll definitely be back. I have my sights set on the “Portlandia” escape room next.

Missed yesterday’s newsletter? Take a look at the developments coming to Portland this year.

Today's Edition by:

Cambrie

PDXtoday Team

Editorial: Cambrie, Benjamin, Trevor, Britt

Sales: Jennifer

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