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The owner of downtown Portland men’s underwear store underU4men is retiring after nearly 20 years in the tighty-whities business, but the brand hasn’t given up on Portland just yet.
Steven Lien opened underU4men in 2006 as a boutique selling designer underwear appealing predominantly to gay men. The brand at one time had locations in Bridgeport Village and Seattle, but has had a presence in downtown Portland and its gay community since its inception.
Lien said in a statement that he has sold the Portland and Seattle businesses to their respective managers.
The longtime location at the corner of Southwest Park Avenue and Washington Street will close when the new store opens, which Lien anticipates happening as soon as October. On Tuesday, Aug. 26, a farewell sale and party take place featuring underwear models and steep discounts.
Never fear: Portland’s new underU4men will open in a new location near Southwest 10th Avenue and Morrison Street’s Galleria area. The new location will open later this fall.
“From underwear models, fashion parties, and Pride events, to hosting the Travel Gay Portland Visitors Center for over a decade, and supporting countless LGBTQ+ nonprofits—it’s been an unforgettable ride,” Lien said in a statement. “We survived a recession, COVID, months of unrest—and we thrived, coming back stronger each time. With downtown’s challenges fading, we love it more than ever. We believe it’s still the best place to start a business—and we’re recommitting to it, giving you a fresh reason to rediscover downtown.”
Correction: A previous version of this story stated that underU4men is closing on Aug. 26. The store’s closing timeline has been updated. WW regrets the error.
SEE IT: UnderU4men, 800 SW Washington St., 503-274-2555, shop.underu4men.com. 6 pm Tuesday, Aug. 26.
