Instead of ‘Milwaukie who?’ You might soon say ‘Milwaukie is cool!’

PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — As the first First Friday event of the year kicks off in Milwaukie, businesses and community members are hoping to put the small city outside of Portland “on the map.”

They’re doing that through several new developments in the downtown area in hopes of luring more people to visit and move there.

In a recent social media post, the city’s planning department worked with Pietro’s to place a historic sign as a fixture at the Milwaukie Marketplace. It’s a chance to pay tribute to the past while looking toward the future.

During the premiere First Friday event, Milwaukie native Rob Campbell was screen-printing T-shirts that show his love for the city.

“One of the reasons I started making these shirts about Milwaukie is ’cause we didn’t have much of an identity, we kind of get overlooked. Kind of like the little baby brother of Portland. It’s right there, literally down the street. People are like ‘Milwaukie who?'” said Campbell, who owns the business Made in Milwaukie.

Made in Milwaukie supports more than 100 artists, an illustration of the growing culture and community that residents say they’re thrilled about.

“We moved here during COVID, but it seems like they’ve really been putting a lot of work into making the buildings look nicer, there are some new businesses coming in,” said Brenna Wallace, who lives in Milwaukie with her husband Derek. “I love that Milwaukie has a great downtown area that isn’t completely packed with traffic. They’ve got a lot going on and it’s very walkable.”

Campbell is hoping that kind of enthusiasm among residents and visitors alike can translate to momentum for his business.

“Let’s get on the map, people will start — instead of saying ‘Milwaukie who?’ They’ll be like, ‘Milwaukie, that’s pretty cool,'” Campbell said.

First Fridays in Milwaukie continue through October. In addition, there is also a farmers market on Sundays. Porchfest also kicks off in July, bringing free performances throughout the city.