From its setting inside the stunningly restored 1909 Crane Plumbing building to the organic cotton and recycled fabrics used by its acclaimed house brand, Santa Barbara–based Toad & Co, Lizard Lounge (1323 NW Irving St, 503-416-7476) walks the walk when it comes to sustainability. Opened in 2007 as Toad & Co’s first retail space, the…
Andes Roots
A Portlander with Peruvian and Quechua family ties has opened a fair-trade, handcrafted-goods shop that aims to make a positive social impact. Some years ago, Cheryl Pape browsed the colorful aisles of a bustling Peruvian market. She ran her fingers over the grainy surface of a spoon made of mango wood—it was just like the…
Frame Up
This shop that helps you display your art carries plenty of it, too. Walk into Frame Central (1238 NW Davis St, 503-546-9087) and you’ll see lots of work for sale by up-and-coming local artists. The employees, who are artists themselves, believe in supporting art. An oil painter might help you choose the perfect thickness for…
Party Favorites
With a mix of new and established event spaces, the Pearl is becoming a hot spot for gatherings and celebrations. Lauren carr, owner of chic Everett West (pictured above), describes the space as a “blank canvas—it’s really important to us that each event can be designed exactly as the client envisions.” It’s perfect for anything…
Strong Medicine
Female bodies are incredible. They can grow eggs, make food, and birth babies. Dr. Richard Rosenfield, Executive Medical Director at Pearl Women’s Center (140 NW 14th Ave, 503-771-1883), will be the first to tell you that with these great abilities comes considerable complexity. Rosenfield works to improve women’s quality of life through minimally invasive gynecological…
Light On Their Feet
Producing fantastic footwear without leaving a big environmental footprint Among the vintage industrial buildings lining NW 13th Avenue, a slew of bright-blue bike racks catches the eyes of passersby. Welcome to the KEEN Garage (505 NW 13th Ave, 971-200-4040) the world headquarters and one of two brick-and-mortar retail stores of this distinctive footwear maker. Arriving…
A Men’s Style Cure-All
Chill out, make friends, and enjoy a primo trim and a shave “I wanted to get back to what the barbershop was originally,” says Shane Fattarino, “a part of the community—and a place for people to feel at home.” Since Fattarino opened Remedy Barbershop & Social Club (1400 NW Marshall St, Suite 102, 503-946-1929) on…
Printing Futures
A unique hands-on job training program provides invaluable tools for youth experiencing housing instability or homelessness. Sarah Weihmann, director of social enterprise at New Avenues for Youth, sees more than catchy slogans when she combs through dfrntpigeon (pronounced “different pigeon”) T-shirts at the New Avenues INK store (1445 NW Lovejoy St, 971-279-5649, newavenuesink.org). It’s no…
School Days
From language classes to artistic inspiration, educational opportunities abound at these terrific places to learn and engage. At the Portland Child Art Studio, you won’t find a material-specific class, like water coloring. Instead, a child explores a theme, like a self-portrait, with myriad mediums and techniques—from painting, printmaking, and drawing to recycled sculpture, papier-mâché, and…
Call of the Wild
Did you know that one of the Pacific Northwest’s best wildlife resources is right in your backyard? Just minutes from the Pearl, you can commune with nature in a setting so tranquil and lush, you’d think you were hundreds of miles from the city.
Straight to the point
How to tame those wild waves “I’m the Hair-Straightening diva of Portland,” says LeResh Tessiore, owner of La LeResh (510 NW 10th Ave, Studio 4, 503-750-2488). After performing more than 6,000 specialized hair-straightening treatments over the past 15 years, it’s a crown she wears proudly. Her specialty techniques range from Brazilian blowouts—a more common and…
Art Start
Each summer, YMA helps kids explore their creative sides and experience a taste of college life. Neal Spinler beams while talking about one of the longest-running youth nonprofits on the West Coast. Founded in 1965 and based in the Pearl District, Young Musicians and Artists (YMA, 220 NW Eighth Ave, 503-946-1056, ymainc.org) has helped three…
Pop-Up Video
Meet Portland’s party projection power couple Looking to create AN Eye-Popping Custom Visual experience for your next event? You’re in luck. Dream big, and Maria and Patrick (PJ) Harvey, co-owners of Really BIG Video (539 NW 10th Ave, 503-446-1000, rbvinc.com), can bring your idea brilliantly to life. Their creative team delivers what they call the…
Cold Comfort
As it celebrates two years in business, popular CryoPDX has unveiled a range of nifty new treatments and therapies. Crofton Diack has good reason to believe in CryoPDX. “I didn’t have to take opiate drugs right after surgery when I broke my shoulder, and I credit cryotherapy,” she says. “It was an instant relief of…