Spotlight: Legion Sabers
Legion Sabers is a Portland-based company that crafts battle-ready lightsabers made for dueling, display and immersive experiences. Docking Bay 45 serves as its retail outpost and community hub. It is a 3000-square-foot in-universe experience for Star Wars fans.
“I created Docking Bay 45 to serve the Star Wars community because they didn’t have a place to connect outside of conventions. I wanted it to be a space where the community could gather and flourish.” said Matt Morrison, owner of Legion Sabers. When you walk into the store, you’ll be greeted by C-3PO built by The Outer Rim. Passionate fans have also built in-universe props such as a Millennium Falcon corridor. Visit them and experience it for yourself at the Lloyd Center.
How do you feel Portland shapes or influences your business?
Matt: Portland’s identity as a creative and passionate city is at the heart of Legion Sabers. We spent less than $2,000 creating Docking Bay 45 because Portlanders came together to build it for the community. Portland’s artisan balance of resourcefulness and rebellion aligns perfectly with our story.
If you could go back to the beginning, what would you have done differently?
Matt: There are so many things that I would have done differently although the path brought us to where we are now. I underestimated the importance of having a physical space. I lost a lot of money chasing comic conventions around the U.S. trying to build community everywhere except Portland. We did create a great team, and many of them are from here. If we had opened this space earlier, we would be another year or two ahead of where we are now. We are such a community-forward space. The community really is the message.
What is your favorite part about owning a small business?
Matt: I like creating a world that people want to step into. People come from all over. We’ve had visitors travel from Vancouver, Canada, and San Francisco. This is the place they choose to meet.
We get to shape the culture of Portland. Small businesses are what Portland is known for — for example, Voodoo Doughnut or Portland Gear. Business is a great way to contribute to the city’s culture. People come to celebrate important moments, whether you are a coffee shop or a 3000-square-foot in-universe experience for Star Wars fans.
What has been your biggest success to date?
Matt: Opening Docking Bay 45 has been my biggest success because it gave us a home and a place to serve the community. Our after-hours events — Lightsabers on Ice — have been another great success. They create community and bring others into the story.
What has been your biggest challenge?
Matt: For me, it’s been learning how to do everything and then finding someone I can pass it off to who can do it better than I can, but who also matches the DNA of the company. Finding people you truly trust, who are incredible at what they do, has been the hardest part.
It is difficult for entrepreneurs because, in my mind, you should never be doing the same things two days in a row. You should be identifying problems, working on creative solutions, and then moving on to the next challenge or opportunity.
This place looks very different from what I originally envisioned, but it’s also better than something I could have built alone. The answers are seldom linear or found in a manual. But I really do like challenges.
What's your best advice for someone who wants to start their own small business?
Matt: Think about scale first. Is this something that can scale or is it something that you’ll have to put 60 hours a week into with no end in sight? You should have an idea. Think about who you are going to serve, what their needs are, and whether that will bring you joy.
Still, if it doesn’t make money for five or ten years, will you be happy working on it during that time? If so, sign up and don’t hold back.
