Merchants Paper Company has been a part of the Portland community for the past 75 years, and when our community is suffering, it is right and just that we do our part to help with the healing. As a family owned and operated business, we believe that healing starts by clearly expressing our commitment to equity, condemning racism, and taking anti-racist action.

What does this look like in practical, day-to-day life?

My father Joe Nicola, and his brother, Ray Nicola ran Merchants Paper, Co. based on their values of family and service. At Merchants, we believe that taking anti-racist action starts at home, and have made a commitment to educating ourselves about race, whiteness, and racial justice so that we may teach our children how to create a more just, loving and racially equitable society. We encourage our customers to look to these resources as a way to start conversations about equity at home. 

A commitment to equity is not only a commitment to introspection and changing one’s beliefs. It is also a commitment to service.  Merchants Paper Company is committed to supporting organizations that are fighting for equal rights in our Black Community, both locally and nationally. At this time, we have made an ongoing financial commitment to the following organization, and invite our customers to join us:

Coalition of Communities of Color

We are proud to serve Portland, proud of our community members’ responses to the horrific deaths of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, and so many others. We are proud to stand with you in support of Black Lives.

Sincerely,
Tony Nicola, President