Trophy Case: Best Local Stuff of April 2016
Image: Bucket PDX
KITCHEN
Bryan Kappa and Rob Story designed the Portland Press as a more durable, sustainable alternative to imported French presses. The lid is hardrock maple carved in Hillsboro; Creekside Fiber Mill felts fleece from Puddleduck Farm’s heritage sheep near Brownsville; Spooltown creates the wool cozies; Tualatin Valley Workshop, a nonprofit serving adults with disabilities, puts it all together. $79, bucketpdx.com
GEAR
Boots in the blood! Bill Crary’s stepfather was Bill Danner of Danner Boots, and Crary grew up in the Danner factory. In 1978, he began his own custom line, Crary Shoes. Now, Crary Boots extends his company’s footwear heritage to the great outdoors. The initial collection includes four designs: the Burnside and the Badlands are showy urban wear, while the Pacific Crest and Mt. Hood (above) are meant to be scuffed up on the trail. Starting at $300, craryboots.com
Image: Crary Boots
PARTY
The Recreation Department sells and rents oversize, backyard-ready games for your next BBQ. Product designer Simon Yuen began making large, dry-erase-board easels for party Pictionary in 2014, but instant demand turned a hobby into a customized arsenal including cornhole, ladder ball, giant Jenga, and giant Connect Four. Rentals starting at $75 a day, rec-dept.com
Image: Recreation Department
GARDEN
After Stahl Firepit founder Chad Hughes and his wife remodeled their backyard, Hughes sought an easy-to-store fire pit. He eventually made his own. Precision-laser-cut from five pieces of metal, Stahl pits comes in three sizes, from the steel big boy to a “camper” edition made from lightweight aluminum. Says Hughes, “They develop a beautiful patina that matures in character.” Starting at $299, stahlfirepit.com
Image: Stahl Firepit
BIG IDEA
When Adidas’s Portland-based president Mark King solicited his own employees last year for the next best product idea, he got 442 submissions. King eventually whittled those down to the staff favorite: Avenue A, a woman-focused subscription gift box that brings new goodies four times a year, from running shoes to apparel to seasonal accessories. $150 per box, adidasavenuea.com
