Weekly Clips for March 3rd

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OG STUDIOS: Stretch, Flex & Be well

Lifetime of positivity channeled into business

SPRINGFIELD – When Brian Kitchen moved to Oregon, he felt out of place. In a new town, in a new state, he struggled to find people who looked like him, or community spaces that felt welcoming — so he decided to build one. 

“Living in Eugene, I didn’t see a lot of people like me,” he said. “But here, I see little Black kids, little Mexican kids, walking to the store every day. And that’s when I realized this is the area that needs me the most.” 

His company, OG Studios, comes from a lifetime of resilience and positivity — a brainchild of the Covid pandemic, the studio hopes to be a wellness space for all, but especially people of color. 

“When I started OG, I was thinking about how to create stability for the Black community in this area,” he said. “And we didn’t have a footprint, we didn’t have a hub. We really didn’t have anything.” 

The studio, off of the corner of 14th and Main, boasts a custom hair-threading salon, a clothing store, a screen-printing studio, yoga and fitness classes, and even a photography studio. It’s a creative community space, a place to grow and heal — an opportunity for anyone and everyone to build something new. 

RYLEIGH NORGOVE – [email protected]

Ryleigh Norgrove is an Oregon-based journalist and photographer. She grew up in the Bay Area before graduating from Willamette University with a degree in English. At The Chronicle, she covers local government, homelessness and breaking news. She’s passionate about starting thoughtful community conversations, solution-oriented reporting and, most importantly, hiking with her dog.

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