Newsberg puts an S in Newberg
By Ellie Graham
Photographed by Stephanie Doshier
Branden Andersen stands proudly outside the Newsberg headquarters, the face of a digital-first outlet redefining what local journalism can mean in a small Oregon town.
Branden Andersen didn’t start with a newsroom. He started with curiosity and an itch to find his purpose in a new community. Before he ever dared write an article or hit publish on Newsberg, he set out on foot, combing the sidewalks and backroads of Newberg, Oregon. He wandered past the family-owned stores that line First Street and lingered in coffee shops where baristas knew their customers’ orders by heart. In a town known for its rolling vineyards and deep-rooted traditions, he wasn’t just looking for a story – he was trying to understand the beat of his new hometown.
Underneath the small-town charm and nearby vineyards of Newberg, Oregon, a town just 30 minutes southwest of Portland, its Quaker heritage is still reflected. Urban exists among its traditional roots and is echoed by something new.
Newberg and Newsberg: and yes, the two coexist.
A historic landmark in the heart of downtown Newberg, this building reflects the town’s deep roots—just steps away from where Newsberg began to take shape.
Andersen, brainchild behind and founder of the digital-first news outlet Newsberg, dedicates his platform to covering the heart and pulse of the Newberg-Dundee area. Newsberg isn’t the only new thing in Newberg.
Andersen has watched a new wave of Portland transplants begin to shape the local scene. He is one of them.
“At first, there was this idea that we’re bringing Portland down here and then once you get here you realize Portland wouldn’t fit here,” Andersen says. “But we find the puzzle pieces that do fit and we really lean into that. It’s about making something unique, not copying what already exists.”
Andersen walks through downtown Newberg, where he first started his journey into local journalism by wandering and striking up conversations with longtime residents.
One of Andersen’s early approaches to understanding Newberg was simple: walk. Before conceiving Newsberg, he explored every corner of the town on foot, striking up conversations with business owners and longtime residents. It helped him quickly nail down what mattered most to locals and made the town tick – art and being aware of their community.
“You can’t write about a place you don’t know,” he says. “I walked miles and miles of this town, stopping in coffee shops, visiting farmers’ markets, talking to people on their porches.”
He socialized with more locals when he took a gig working in the bar scene at the local Wolves and People Farmhouse Brewery. He harvested new relationships and learned of the town by again – just talking. What started as curiosity quickly became his calling.
Chapters Books and Coffee, a beloved independent bookstore, doubles as a community gathering spot and inspiration for Newsberg’s grassroots storytelling.
He put his journalism skills back into gear and Newsberg took off. A brief hiatus from journalism gave Andersen a toolkit with marketing. He utilizes this for his business model and oversight of the company.
This translated as an opportunity to spotlight local stories with his own local coverage.
Public spaces like Chapters Books and Coffee, a beloved local bookstore, and The Painted Lady, an eatery installed in a historic home, display the town’s fusion of tradition and innovation.
“The best stories come from just listening,” he says.
Back in the office, Andersen wears many hats—writer, editor, publisher. From this humble desk, he produces weekly newsletters and updates that reflect the voice and heartbeat of Newberg.
Andersen covers the business front of the town and he is very much a one man band. His duties stretch as wide as publishing a weekly newsletter, managing social media and navigating the financial aspects of his start-up. His even finds time to slot 7 a.m. Rotary Club meetings in to prove his footprint in the town.
The onslaught of ‘to-do’s’ never end, and neither does his unwavering passion for covering the town as thoroughly as a solo writer, editor and publisher can do.
Andersen’s philosophy oozes loyalty to the unfolding story of Newberg. “This is how towns go, right? You take a general collection of people and represent all of them in their shared interests,” he says. “We’re trying to respect what’s already here while adding what we think is important.”
Newberg Friends Church stands as a symbol of the town’s historical Quaker roots. Andersen, now a familiar face, chats with reporters just outside its entrance—another day of teaching the pulse of his community.
In it’s early municipal history, Newberg was wary of alcohol sales. Now, it is home to some of the finest wineries in the region. “There are places here that rival anything you’d find in Napa,” Andersen says – and he covers this with his reporting.
“I was never a wine guy,” Andersen says. That changed when he moved here. Newberg wasn’t either when you trace back its roots to pumping the brakes on the liquor industry.
Newberg and its neighbor, Dundee, sit at the heart of the Willamette Valley as one of the most renowned Pinot Noir-producing regions in the country.
“There was a time when Newberg wanted nothing to do with alcohol,” Andersen says. “Even though we’re now known for our wine, it took a long time for the industry to be fully accepted here.” The town eventually reconciled tradition with the growing economic opportunities.
A forward-thinking philosophy of his town is sustainability. Many of the upcoming wineries and distilleries emphasize regenerative agriculture, organic practices and fair labor, says Andersen.
Newberg’s transformation into a hub for wine enthusiasts and Portland-esque breweries has brought both prosperity and cultural shifts. Beyond the wine, the town still holds onto its small-town feel. Quirky restaurants, family-run shops and a real sense of community are the ingredients of this humble gem.
A handwritten note of gratitude pinned inside the Newsberg office showcases the growing local support Andersen has built by fostering trust and connection in the community.
As Andersen traverses through downtown, he organically speaks with small business owners, local officials and longtime residents who he passes by – all of whom have been part of the furniture of the town for decades. People respect him and the work he is piloting. His loyal and growing audience comprises people who have witnessed the slow but steady evolution of Newberg – and Newsberg.
“The beauty of local journalism is that it’s rooted in place,” he says. “Newberg’s story is still unfolding, and I want to make sure we’re here to tell it.”