About Hollywood Boosters
Since its beginning in 1934, the Hollywood Boosters Association has been connecting members of the Hollywood community with one another. The mission of the Boosters is to bring together all merchants, business, and professional people of the Hollywood District in order to develop economically and socially, to create community consciousness which is necessary for the greatest possible growth, encouraging cooperation and coordination. This mission remains essentially unchanged for the last 70 years.
Thanks largely in part to the activities of the Hollywood Boosters, the 1950s could justifiably be called the "heyday of Hollywood." The Boosters launched numerous sales promotions, including the Smile Campaign, which helped to build the reputation of Hollywood employees as the friendliest in Portland. The Hollywood Bonanza Days, the Christmas Festival and the Spring opening not only added to the good names of the businesses in the district, but were also fun for residents and helped to strengthen the neighborhood as a whole. Many of these same activities were continued into the 1960s; the Boosters expanded and improved upon their successes of the 1950s and gave residents even more reason to shop and live in the district.
Since the founding of their organization, the Hollywood Boosters have contributed time, energy, and funds towards building a close-knit and functional community. In their various activities, from bringing Santa Claus and Ed Sullivan into the neighborhood, to awarding prizes for the most cheerful workers, to campaigning for a freeway off-ramp, the Hollywood Boosters have helped to define the identity of Hollywood.
Today, the Boosters continue their support of the Hollywood community by bringing people together and sponsoring events such as the annual Veteran's Day Parade, Third Thursday, Casino Night, and Taste of Hollywood. In addition the Boosters have enlisted assistance from the City of Portland in obtaining grants for light pole banners, local event signage, street banners, and marketing for local businesses.
Membership in the Hollywood Boosters is open to owners and managers of businesses operating in the Hollywood district, property owners, and other individuals or organizations having an interest in Hollywood. Currently, there are over one hundred active members.
For more information about the Hollywood Boosters and membership, visit www.hollywoodboosters.org.
