39 years ago, nobody would have called George Flesuras lucky for getting assigned to NE Portland. But that’s exactly how he feels about it.
Affable George Flesuras has operated the State Farm insurance office on Fremont St. since 1975 (look for the neon State Farm Insurance sign where 42nd intersects). Well-known to many in the Beaumont-Wilshire community, every day Mr. Flesuras comes to work wearing his signature outfit: a self-assigned uniform of tie with a button-down shirt and sweater vest, though recently he traded the sweater for Hawaiian shirts in summertime. After insuring many Beaumont-Wilshire homes and cars for 39 years, Mr. Flesuras is retiring on December 31.
Another State Farm agent will replace Mr. Flesuras at the same location but will only take over half of his accounts, because his agency has become too big for one agent alone. A second agent will take over the remaining accounts from another NE office.
As Mr. Flesuras recalls, one of the reasons he ended up in Beaumont Village is because nobody wanted to be assigned there. While other agents were moving to west-side neighborhoods, George Flesuras opened his agency here. Slowly over the next few decades, George watched as the NE experienced a renaissance.
“The neighborhood has had a massive transformation,” said Mr. Flesuras. “Slowly it became known as an affordable neighborhood… then a hip neighborhood…and now it’s one of the top neighborhoods in Portland.” He has also seen his share of changes around the neighborhood. There was once a gas station next door, and he still refers to Beaumont Middle School as “Beaumont Grade School”.
One thing that has stayed consistent is the strong community. “This NE neighborhood is a community within itself, within the city. People like to patronize the businesses. The neighbors are friendly. Beaumont-Wilshire has a small town neighborhood feel.”
Mr. Flesuras used to live in Beaumont-Wilshire but with the birth of three children his family needed a larger home and moved to Beaverton some years ago. “In my neighborhood we’re far apart and we have to drive. Here, people are outside a lot, walking or biking. It’s the tightness that I missed when I moved away, and what I would say is the charm.”
After retiring, Mr. Flesuras says he will come back to visit Beaumont Village for some of the restaurants, and possibly to participate in the Fremont Holiday Fest with his grandchildren. He’s watched the winter holiday event grow from a few businesses to nearly 10 blocks. In early years, he participated by putting out a table with other retailers but, as he joked, “People didn’t want to talk to an insurance guy. They wanted to eat and drink!”
As Mr. Flesuras departs from decades of daily interaction with the Beaumont-Wilshire community, he hopes that the neighborhood will maintain its charm and tight-knit community feel, because he plans on returning, only most likely not in his insurance guy attire.