Shopping districts in Portland
September 25, 2017 6:07 PM Subscribe
Yes, I've got yet another Portland, OR question! What neighborhood should my girlfriends and I go to on our trip this year to browse and shop?
Two of my girlfriends and I go to Portland, Oregon, every year for a long weekend of books and gardens and shopping and taking pictures. Last year, sort of serendipitously, we wound up in in the section of Hawthorne where the Powell's Books/Powell's Home and Garden are. We had a great time walking up and down several blocks of Hawthorne ducking into little stores and coffee shops. Where should we go this year?
Things we like: books new and used, comics, games/rpgs, tarot/witchy things, tea and tea tasting/sampling, clothing in sort of steampunk/goth styles, silly/fancy stationary/office supplies/paper products, art/prints.
We won't have a car but we're getting pretty good at Portland's public transit system, and can use Uber/Lyft as needed. We're staying in an AirBnb near the south end of Albina/Mississippi but it looks like that area might be mostly restaurants/bars (though I'll happily take recommendations for those, too). Thanks!
Two of my girlfriends and I go to Portland, Oregon, every year for a long weekend of books and gardens and shopping and taking pictures. Last year, sort of serendipitously, we wound up in in the section of Hawthorne where the Powell's Books/Powell's Home and Garden are. We had a great time walking up and down several blocks of Hawthorne ducking into little stores and coffee shops. Where should we go this year?
Things we like: books new and used, comics, games/rpgs, tarot/witchy things, tea and tea tasting/sampling, clothing in sort of steampunk/goth styles, silly/fancy stationary/office supplies/paper products, art/prints.
We won't have a car but we're getting pretty good at Portland's public transit system, and can use Uber/Lyft as needed. We're staying in an AirBnb near the south end of Albina/Mississippi but it looks like that area might be mostly restaurants/bars (though I'll happily take recommendations for those, too). Thanks!
Best answer: also, Tao of Tea on Belmont and has nice shopping around it too
posted by Dr. Twist at 6:29 PM on September 25, 2017
posted by Dr. Twist at 6:29 PM on September 25, 2017
Best answer: 2nding Mississippi Avenue, where you will also find The Meadow (a shop that carries cocktail bitters, flavored salts, and chocolates), Mr. Green Beans (a coffee roasting supply store), and She Bop (a wonderful inclusive sex toy shop), as well as various little arty shops and nurseries (the plant kind).
NW 23rd is great, too. There's another branch of The Meadow, a wonderful kitchen supply shop called Kitchen Caboodle, more neat little arty papercraft and clothing and plant shops, and chain stores like Lush, MAC, and Kiehl's. Also good food (Boxer Ramen) and sweets (Blue Star Donuts, Salt & Straw).
SE Division is also wonderful. Dense with tasty food (Ava Gene's, Pok Pok, Whiskey Soda Lounge, OP Wurst) and sweets (Roman Candle Bakery, Salt & Straw), plus good coffee at Dapper & Wise, another She Bop location, and more arty/bikey/papercrafty shops.
If any of you are hard-to-fit when it comes to bras and don't have a shop you love where you live, I highly recommend checking out The Pencil Test on NE Alberta.
If you like socks and tights etc., get to Sellwood and go to Sock Dreams, and wander down to Either/Or for great coffee.
posted by rhiannonstone at 6:49 PM on September 25, 2017 [3 favorites]
NW 23rd is great, too. There's another branch of The Meadow, a wonderful kitchen supply shop called Kitchen Caboodle, more neat little arty papercraft and clothing and plant shops, and chain stores like Lush, MAC, and Kiehl's. Also good food (Boxer Ramen) and sweets (Blue Star Donuts, Salt & Straw).
SE Division is also wonderful. Dense with tasty food (Ava Gene's, Pok Pok, Whiskey Soda Lounge, OP Wurst) and sweets (Roman Candle Bakery, Salt & Straw), plus good coffee at Dapper & Wise, another She Bop location, and more arty/bikey/papercrafty shops.
If any of you are hard-to-fit when it comes to bras and don't have a shop you love where you live, I highly recommend checking out The Pencil Test on NE Alberta.
If you like socks and tights etc., get to Sellwood and go to Sock Dreams, and wander down to Either/Or for great coffee.
posted by rhiannonstone at 6:49 PM on September 25, 2017 [3 favorites]
Best answer: NW 23rd. You can just start on Burnside and walk until the shops and restaurants stop.
I'd also recommend the Pearl District for some cute spots, especially around 13th Avenue, which isn't far from Powell's City of Books. It's a little more yuppie than hipster but if you're hitting up Powell's anyway, you'll be there.
posted by AspirinPill at 7:24 PM on September 25, 2017 [1 favorite]
I'd also recommend the Pearl District for some cute spots, especially around 13th Avenue, which isn't far from Powell's City of Books. It's a little more yuppie than hipster but if you're hitting up Powell's anyway, you'll be there.
posted by AspirinPill at 7:24 PM on September 25, 2017 [1 favorite]
Best answer: Not to worry, there are plenty of shops on Mississippi to keep you busy too. Here's some more info for you.
Yes, if you haven't made it to Nob Hill/Alphabet District/NW 23rd, that area can keep you busy for many, many visits. Take a cab to about 23rd & Pettygrove, and head toward Burnside. You'll hit quite a few great shops.
posted by hydra77 at 7:53 PM on September 25, 2017
Yes, if you haven't made it to Nob Hill/Alphabet District/NW 23rd, that area can keep you busy for many, many visits. Take a cab to about 23rd & Pettygrove, and head toward Burnside. You'll hit quite a few great shops.
posted by hydra77 at 7:53 PM on September 25, 2017
Best answer: Just two blocks east of NW 23rd is NW 21st which has some really good restaurants and an assortment of bars.
Nearby is the Freakybuttrue Peculiarium which you might find interesting.
The Portland Rose Garden is just on the other side of W Burnside and is definitely worth the short walk.
posted by bendy at 8:20 PM on September 25, 2017
Nearby is the Freakybuttrue Peculiarium which you might find interesting.
The Portland Rose Garden is just on the other side of W Burnside and is definitely worth the short walk.
posted by bendy at 8:20 PM on September 25, 2017
Best answer: We went to Portland in May, and I really enjoyed shopping on NE Alberta, N Mississippi, and N Williams. IIRC, N Mississippi and N Williams are pretty close to each other.
If you like craft supplies, there's a great shop called Collage on Alberta. There's a neat shop on Mississippi called The Meadow that sells bitters, salts, and fancy chocolate (of course).
Also, my fave bag maker, QueenBee Creations is on N Williams, and their shop is awesome!
We didn't spend a ton of time in the Pearl District, but I do remember a really fun shop called Budd + Finn.
posted by radioamy at 9:36 PM on September 25, 2017
If you like craft supplies, there's a great shop called Collage on Alberta. There's a neat shop on Mississippi called The Meadow that sells bitters, salts, and fancy chocolate (of course).
Also, my fave bag maker, QueenBee Creations is on N Williams, and their shop is awesome!
We didn't spend a ton of time in the Pearl District, but I do remember a really fun shop called Budd + Finn.
posted by radioamy at 9:36 PM on September 25, 2017
Best answer: If you want a funky, old Portland feel with some unique shopping interspersed that you won't find in any guide book, try walking up and down SE Foster Road from about 56th to 72nd. You'll hit stretches with condemned buildings and auto repair shops, but there's a huge board game shop at 64th, a Russian furniture store I've never seen anyone in at 66th (window shop there), a fortune cookie wholesaler where you can buy an enormous bag of broken cookies for next to nothing at 63rd, a few little art galleries and a yarn/book shop between 59th and 60th, and some fun cafes, bars, and restaurants and other weird shops along the way. Have lunch or dinner at the Portland Mercado at 72nd.
Near there, SE Woodstock has a few cool things on it as well between 39th and 52nd, and you can head west from there to see the gorgeous Reed College campus and the neighborhoods around it.
Mind, none of this is anywhere near where you're staying, but it will give you a little taste of what the rest of Portland was sort of like 20 years ago.
posted by outfielder at 9:20 AM on September 26, 2017
Near there, SE Woodstock has a few cool things on it as well between 39th and 52nd, and you can head west from there to see the gorgeous Reed College campus and the neighborhoods around it.
Mind, none of this is anywhere near where you're staying, but it will give you a little taste of what the rest of Portland was sort of like 20 years ago.
posted by outfielder at 9:20 AM on September 26, 2017
Response by poster: Thanks, all! I am excited by how much stuff there is within walking distance of where we’re staying!
posted by skycrashesdown at 3:44 PM on October 3, 2017
posted by skycrashesdown at 3:44 PM on October 3, 2017
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The Sellwood area is accessible via bus and has shopping and food, but it's kind of out of the way.
posted by Dr. Twist at 6:25 PM on September 25, 2017