Brian Alton is a Portland native, but he misses the beach.
“The coast is more laid back,” said Brian, who used to work at his family’s restaurant at the coast. “People aren’t rushing to go anywhere.”
Brian was a line cook who worked at the family restaurant with his brother and father. Brian’s father owned two restaurants in his lifetime, the one at the coast and another in North Portland. Brian specialized in steak.
“I was good at what I did, and I’m proud of it,” he said. “There was a couple who would drive down to the restaurant every weekend for my prime rib!”
What he especially misses about those days is his time with his dog, Buddy, an Australian Cattle Dalmatian mix, who died about two years ago. Buddy would run on the beach almost every day, Brian said, even though he hated the water.
“Sometimes I would give him a look, and he just knew what I meant.” Brian laughed. “After 19 years of conversation, he better have understood me. … If it wasn’t for him, I really wouldn’t be around.”
Brian suffered a serious injury while jumping over a fence to help a friend retrieve her house keys. The accident left him with a shattered ankle. He had to have two additional surgeries, receive biweekly X-rays, and remain on crutches for nearly a year. Even after all of his medical care, his ankle still didn’t heal fully.
After the injury, Brian could no longer stand and work a 12- to 16-hour day like he used to. After a nearly 30-year career, he decided it was best for him not to return to the restaurant.
“My body was just exhausted, and I wasn’t sure if it was for me anymore,” he said.
When asked if he missed cooking, Brian said, “I really just miss cooking for other people. People used to love my barbecue.”
Although he misses his customers at the restaurant, Brian is happy selling the paper.
Brian said he learned about Street Roots in the summer of 2017, when he told a friend he was looking for work. His friend sold the newspaper and told Brian he should try it, too.
“I get to manage my own schedule,” which is really important, Brian said about selling Street Roots.
He likes to think of himself as a customer relations guy. His customers at his newspaper post have always had his back. He looks forward to seeing them every week.
Brian has been camping in a neighborhood where he sells the paper. He likes it there. It’s quiet, and he gets along with the neighbors, he said.
“A few of these people have helped me through some of the toughest situations in my life,” Brian said. One of the neighbors even came to his tent on Thanksgiving with a parfait-style dinner, he said.
Behind Brian’s tough exterior, he is incredibly kind and cheerful. When a moment calls for a joke, he’s the first one to crack it. He cares deeply for his friends and family and for the well-being of animals. He enjoys sunny days, alone time and visiting various landmarks in the city when he can. He looks forward to the day when he can cook barbecue for his friends again.
You can visit him from 2 to 7 p.m. Wednesdays at his Street Roots post at The People’s farmers market.