Great Little Shops

Spots to score modern garb, vintage finds, chic housewars, one-of-a-kind shrines and more! Plus: your 2019 Portland holiday gift guide Also in this issue: Battle of the French bistro brunches; Is Victor Morales Jr.'s Portland's best boxer?; and the curious cult of the Cinnamon Bear.

In this issue:

Arts & Culture

The Essentials

12 Things to See and Do in Portland: December 2019

John Waters hits the Aladdin, Milagro rewrites Dickens, and NW Dance Project fills your winter cup.

11/26/2019 By Conner Reed

Authors

A Local Editor Remembers Oregon Author Brian Doyle

One Long River of Song, Doyle’s posthumous essay collection, comes out December 3.

11/26/2019 By Jessica Murphy Moo

Arts

2019’s Best Oregon-Born Culture, From Potent Whispers to Vivid Dances to Twitter Comedy

Plus, a play that melted our writer’s face off.

11/26/2019 By Conner Reed and Fiona McCann

Books

A New PDX-Grown Book Series Tackles Tough Topics for Kids

Read-alouds on racism, feminism, money and more that you can't buy on Amazon.

11/26/2019 By Fiona McCann

Sculpture

Displaced by a Skate Park, a Treasured Piece of Public Art Finds a New Home

Finding a (new) contemplative place for Contemplative Place

11/26/2019 By Conner Reed

Eat & Drink

Pie High

Gracie’s New Haven–Inspired Pizzeria in St. Johns Is Worth the Drive

Two key things make Gracie’s worth a trip across town: the crunch and the sauce.

11/26/2019 By Benjamin Tepler

Word of Mouth

Food Critic Karen Brooks on 2019's Best Dishes You Never Heard Of

Why you need to know about babka waffles and roti with creamed corn curry...

11/26/2019 Photography by Karen Brooks

Pour

For One Month, Hotel Vintage’s Lobby Transforms into Christmas-Themed Bar Miracle

And unto you, a pop-up bar is born.

11/26/2019 By Kelly Clarke

Guerre de Brunch

The Great French Brunch Smackdown: St. Jack vs. Bistro Agnes

From pain perdu to croque madame, we test two Portland French restaurants’ morning mettle. Who will come out on top?

11/26/2019 By Karen Brooks

Bread Army

The Quiet Cabal of Whole Grain Fanatics Powering Portland’s Bakeries

The baked goods revolution will not be televised

11/26/2019 By Miranda Rake

Home & Real Estate

Hotel Design

Portland Hasn't Seen A Boutique Hotel Quite Like This Before

Icelandic import KEX Portland is full of 'historical detritus.'

11/26/2019 By Marty Patail

News & City Life

Feature

Why Does Portland Still Love the Cinnamon Bear?

Who needs Santa when you have a (slightly creepy) 82-year-old bear roaming Portland for the holidays.

11/26/2019 By Heather Arndt Anderson

History

Portland's Original Boxer, Jack Dempsey

In the 19th century, Dempsey garnered national renown, retiring with a 50–3 record.

11/26/2019 By Eben Pindyck

Feature

Is Victor Morales Jr. the Best Boxer to Ever Come Out of Portland?

In total, he won 118 amateur fights, while losing only 12.

11/26/2019 By Eben Pindyck Photography by Steve Martinez

Theater

This Portland Actor Channels Die Hard's Hans Gruber Every Holiday Season

A Q&A with actor Landy Lamb, who shines as German mastermind Hans Gruber in Funhouse Lounge's Die Hard: The Musical

11/26/2019 By Conner Reed

Protests

When Right-Wingers March in Portland, It’s Really All About the Clips

Screen time for Hitler?

11/26/2019 By Laura Jedeed

Style & Shopping

Cover Story

Great Little Shops 2019

Newbies, unsung heroes, and hidden gems

11/26/2019 Edited by Eden Dawn

PDX Index

Everything Is Fine in the World of Local Retail Real Estate. Kind Of.

Vacancy rates are low, rents are steady, but change looms in 2020

11/26/2019 By Julia Silverman

Great Little Shops 2019

The Ultimate Portland Shopping Cheat Sheet

Where to get the goods in each quadrant of the city

11/26/2019 Edited by Eden Dawn By Portland Monthly Staff

Great Little Shops 2019

A Mother-Daughter Duo Curates a Home Store You’ll Want to Live In

Quirky, opulent Trove features everything from dramatic floral wallpaper and marigold-hued, velvet tufted chairs to beaded Middle Eastern camel jewelry.

11/26/2019 By Shayla Norris-York

Great Little Shops 2019

Beacon Sound Is One of Portland's Great Record Stores

With everything from ambient albums to anarchist streetwear, prepare to spend hours inside this Southeast music store.

11/26/2019 By Conner Reed

Great Little Shops 2019

Monochromatic Aims to Be a Gender-Inclusive, Sustainability-Focused, Community-Minded Boutique

“The fashion industry is such a huge part of pollution, and it’s one of the biggest human rights violators.”

11/26/2019 By Olivia Wolf

Great Little Shops 2019

For 35 Years, This Hidden Portland Shop Has Imported Buddhist Shrines from Japan

Nayakama Butsudans carries on a family tradition from 6,000 miles away.

11/26/2019 By Ellen Freeman

Great Little Shops 2019

Jean Pierre Nugloze’s N’Kossi Boutique Helps Portland "Do Dressy"

The Togo native saw an opportunity to live his truth in Portland—and look great while doing it.

11/26/2019 By Jagger Blaec

Great Little Shops 2019

Shipwreck! Is the Riotously Colorful Neighborhood Shop You Needed

Snag a vintage party dress, locally made earrings, and imported Swedish clogs, all in one fun trip.

11/26/2019 Photography by Eden Dawn

Great Little Shops 2019

Consignment Shop Button Hopes You’ll Shop There, But Not Too Much

“I love slow fashion and that movement of … buying just what you need, a few nice pieces versus a bunch of pieces that you’re not really excited about.”

11/26/2019 By Fiona McCann

Great Little Shops 2019

Workshop Vintage on North Williams Is Piled High with Posh Goods

Come for the vintage, stay to ogle the visual merchandising. (Really).

11/26/2019 By Kiva Hanson

Great Little Shops 2019

This Cute Alberta Shop Is Here to Green Up Your Home

From wily Pilea in shiny pots to a Pinterest-perfect living wall of ferns and tiny watermelon peperomias, EcoVibe Home is a plant-lovers oasis.

11/26/2019 By Eden Dawn

Shopping

Portland Monthly's 2019 Holiday Gift Guide

You’ve got a list. You’ve checked it twice. Buy these local gifts of pour-overs, special-edition Trail Blazers wine, and go-go boots for those who’ve been nice.

11/26/2019 By Eden Dawn Photography by Michael Novak

Editor's Note

What It Was Like to Shop in Portland in 1997

Portland Monthly style editor's love of exploring Portland's shops began a long time ago.

11/26/2019 By Eden Dawn

Travel & Outdoors

Slope Showdown

Mount Hood Meadows’ Expansion Promises Ever Higher Levels of Shredded Gnar

The ski area’s massive expansion is a shot across Timberline’s artisan-crafted bow.

11/26/2019 By Julia Silverman