Update: This article has been updated from its original version in July 2023.

The Hillsboro community discovered the newest Downtown Hillsboro destination — Main Street Commons — in July 2023 during the grand opening of the multilevel food and beverage collective with a rooftop bar and European-style plaza.

The previously vacant building on the corner of 2^nd Avenue and Main Street was transformed into a 24,000-square-foot food hub, home to regional staples like Grand Central Bakery and the site's anchor brewery, Backwoods Brewing Company, which operates the 5,000-square-foot all-season rooftop deck.

Each of the restaurants has indoor seating, as well as dedicated outdoor space for the summer months.

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“Hillsboro has so much vitality,” said Travis Henry of Henry Point Development, developer of the Main Street Commons restaurant-retail space. “Bringing high-quality established food operators to this growing suburban area provides even more reasons to be in Downtown Hillsboro.”

A Robust Mix of Downtown Businesses

Commercial developments — like Main Street Commons — are drawing more interest and activity to Downtown than ever before.

2023 additions to Downtown Hillsboro included:

• A thriving urban wine scene featuring DaNu Wines, Résolu Cellars, and Skywater Fine Wines.
  
  
• Hillsboro's largest food cart plaza — Hillsboro Downtown Station — features both outdoor and indoor seating, a beer garden, and unique food offerings at their 3^rd Avenue and SE Baseline Street location. Visit for yourself at 320 SE Baseline Street.
  
  
• Favi’s Fabulous Cakes where local entrepreneur Fabiola Medina crafts custom cakes at her shop on Main Street.
  
  
• Blue Ox Axe Throwing’s entertainment venue, which offers its unique style of bar and adventure to the community.
  
  

A Destination to Meet, Gather, and Take in Public Art

In addition to supporting entrepreneurs and small businesses, the City's Public Art Program and Cultural Arts District have also invested in artist-designed mural panels for the new space.

Debuting in August, the three new murals helped turn the building's façade into a dynamic outdoor ‘gallery’ — easily enjoyed by patrons and tourists visiting Downtown. 

The panels are on a five-year rotation and will be replaced by work from new artists. The public art project is spearheaded by Tualatin Valley Creates (TVC), and funded by the developers, the City of Hillsboro, and private foundations. 

Community Conversations: Downtown Hillsboro

In June 2024, Mayor Steve Callaway gathered local experts to discuss Downtown Hillsboro's three unique hubs: Main Street and the Avenues, Calle Diez/10th Avenue, and M&M Marketplace! Featuring:

• Nik Whitcomb, Producing Artistic Director of Bag&Baggage
• EJ Payne, Executive Director of the Hillsboro Downtown Partnership
• Jaime Miranda, Owner of M&M Marketplace

Downtown Hillsboro resources:

• Hillsboro Downtown Partnership
• Food & Drinks in Downtown Hillsboro
• Hillsboro Cultural Arts District
• Downtown Hillsboro events
• Shopping in Downtown Hillsboro

Other stories you may be interested in:

• 28 Food Vendors & Counting: Hillsboro’s Largest Food Cart Plaza
• Almost two years after fire, Downtown Hillsboro has become a destination for food, arts, and fun
• New Hillsboro mural celebrates the present and looks to the future
• Oregon Wine Month & Hillsboro Art Walk Join Together In Cultural Arts District
• Artist Selected for New Mural at M&M Marketplace
• KGW-TV Features Artists Creating Public Murals in Downtown
• Futsal in Hillsboro: New Opportunities to Play
• Hillsboro Ranked among 'Best Places to Live’ in America (Again!)
• New Electric Vehicle Charging Station in Downtown Hillsboro