A vintage staple for more than 20 years, Magpie's downtown location was always known to offer an extensive selection spanning from the 1890s through the 1990s. From streetwear to formalwear, the shop’s inventory specializes in unusual finds. 

The move to the east side was prompted by a blessing-in-disguise—also known as an eviction notice–says Magpie’s owner, Todd Wooley. The building housing the old downtown location on SW 9th will soon be demolished to make room for a new hotel.

“I looked around downtown and didn’t find anything that was suitable or that I could afford," says Wooley. "So I started looking out on the east side and I noticed this building at 20^th and Hawthorne that I had always admired and loved,” says Wooley. The triangular, art-deco-esque space was previously Wells Wigs. Though a bit rundown and in need of some TLC, he knew it was the one.

Even though he has several hundred extra feet of retail space, Wooley wasn’t shy about trimming his inventory's fat. 

“I’m pleased with how it turned out," he says. "We’ve had a very good response from people who have come in. We have a really nice selection right now because we got rid of anything that was marginal [in the move], so I feel that our product now is better than before."

So: what's on trend for the old that is new again? According to Wooley, the ‘70s are coming back...again. "You may not see it so much in Portland right now, but you will pretty soon. It’s in all of the fashion magazines,” he says. “It wasn’t just a specific group of people that wore wild and loud clothing. It was pretty much everybody during that time, so you can find a lot of good stuff that is very distinctive.”

Magpie Vintage
1960 SE Hawthorne Blvd