Once a month, Portlanders can attend themed events at Cloud City Flea, where dozens of businesses sell handmade and secondhand products. Myah Millner, a University of Oregon alum, is responsible for this creative haven.
At just 24-years-old, Millner owns and operates her own brand and flea market in Portland, with the mission of creating a space for young people of color who are creatives and artists, according to her website.
Millner’s journey began at UO during her undergraduate years, when she launched Stellar Studio Co., a crochet-based fashion business. The interest in the brand grew over time, with Millner amassing over 12,000 followers online.
“Since not everyone has the opportunity to go to college to reach a broader audience, I wanted to have a place for young creatives like me,” Millner said. “I wanted to provide a space to uplift small businesses and local artists by giving them the opportunity to maybe turn their hobby into a business.”
Millner continued to explain she had been visiting vintage markets since her move to Portland in 2019, and the young crowd was what inspired her to pursue her own space.
“Once I moved to Portland, I started vending at a lot of vintage markets and met some fellow handmakers through vending,” Millner said. “I loved the crowd like my age group from 18-24, and I thought what if it was like the vintage market but flipped to be a space for handmakers.”
Having studied journalism at UO, Millner understood the need for an online presence to promote her business. She began creating reels at her events, spotlighting outfits and vendors, eventually having one of the reels take off in March 2025.
“Last March, we hosted a nothing over $35 event, and one of the clips went viral,” Millner said. “It got 14k likes, and I was so shocked (…) Ever since then, the market blew up, and people started becoming interested to vend or attending the next event. ”
From there, Millner was able to continue to push her mission statement, creating a safe space for those marginalized communities she had always wanted to uplift.
“When I was studying journalism for my stories, I always chose to highlight BIPOC people, and I am translating that to my current business as it’s important to showcase businesses that often go unseen or overlooked,” Millner said.
Milner continued by explaining that Cloud City Flea has become a space for everyone, adding that even during the current political turmoil, she hopes to provide a joyful event for others.
“We recognize that our voices hold power, and we want to continue to uplift BIPOC voices,” Millner said. “With our events, we want to provide a community that brings people together through creativity, connections, and shared experiences.”
