Downtown Bend Business Association rebranding
The Downtown Bend Business Association is rebranding by creating a new logo and hopefully a new image for the downtown area.
The group decided to take a look at the history of the downtown area to learn more about how and why the city center came to be.
Mindy Aisling, executive director of the Downtown Bend Business Association, said the organization hopes to shape the area to embrace culture, arts, and business of the Central Oregon community.
“Downtown Bend was established in 1903, and the city incorporated in 1905,” Aisling said. “And so you really see how because of those entrepreneurs were leaders in this creation of where we all live and love now.”
Aisling added that because of the area’s rich history, they wanted to create a logo that represents that.
They decided to reach out to the Deschutes Historical Museum for help.
The Bend logo was first created by William Cheney, and he created the Bend Emblem Club to promote the city.
Kelly Cannon-Miller, executive director of the Deschutes Historical Museum, said its important that the downtown area learn from its past to create a viable future.
“I always think that Mr. Cheney would be really happy to know that his logo has carried on,” Cannon-Miller said. “Even though his little club didn’t make it past the ’20s, and he went bankrupt, unfortunately, bankrolling the Emblem Club, while everyone else in the group went on to make lots of money.”
The new logo incorporates the classic Bend logo with a modern twist.
The Downtown Bend Business Association is also working to keep the downtown sidewalks clean.
According to Aisling, the group has someone out cleaning the sidewalks seven days a week, sweeping and picking up trash.
“When our visitors come to Bend, we want them to sort of be raptured,” Aisling said. “To have this feeling where they are like, ‘Oh my gosh, this place is so clean and quaint and wonderful!’ And to come back and bring their friends back, and cleanliness is a big part of that.”
The organization is going to be deep-cleaning the sidewalks in the downtown area in the coming weeks, as well as during the night, to make sure the downtown area is clean.
The group was hosting a silent auction Thursday evening to help raise funds to continue their programs.
