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The holiday season is about to kick into high gear, and brings with it a whole series of questions: What to buy? What to wear? Where to celebrate? Though you may be sorely tempted to visit a big box store or a mall for the convenience factor, we implore you to keep your dollars and holiday spirit local.
Portland's proud DIY culture has sprouted a wealth of creative retail endeavors—from clothing to art to food to accessories to home furnishings and much, much more. Whatever you seek, locally inspired, locally crafted treasures (and necessities!) can be found in neighborhood shops in all six quadrants.
It makes sense to buy local on so many levels. This sensibility promotes sustainable spending practices creating a positive ripple effect. We vote with our dollar, so when we support our local artisans and the locally owned neighborhood shops that choose to carry them, we are supporting our local industries and suppliers—which in turn boosts our local economy and adds better options, varied choices, more possibilities. When we think and act (hyper)locally, we all truly thrive.
You should know that buying homegrown does not mean resigning yourself to gifting misshapen crochet pot holders to all of your friends and loved ones. Portland's talent is exceptional, as are the shop owners who curate their local inventory based on craftsmanship and quality.
To assist you on your quest to shop local, Neighborhood Notes has created a series of holiday gift lists that exclusively features locally made goods available at locally owned retailers. We call them Localists.
Everything you're looking for is right here, neighbors.
LOCALIST: GIFTS FOR FRIENDS AND FAMILY
There are certainly friends and family on your list of gift recipients this year. Treat them to locally made, handcrafted art, local services, and practical gifts.
CURIOUS DOODLES 2010 DESK CALENDAR
Stock up on 2010 desk calendars by Curious Doodles—lovingly crafted by local artist Laura Trimmel. Each month has two colors that are hand silk screened at The Pull, an independent silk screen shop in Portland owned by Donathon Crew (aka Diskgrunt). Stop by Tribute Gallery (Old Town-Chinatown, 328 NW Broadway #117) for the Diskgrunt and Curious Doodles Handmade Holiday Pop-Up Show on November 27, 28 & 29.
WOODEN KITCHEN UTENSILS BY BENJAMIN A. WOODS DESIGNS
Got a cook in the family? Benjamin A Wood Designs offers a creative line of wood kitchen utensils. Each item is hand crafted from reclaimed hard wood and finished with a non-toxic blend of bees wax and mineral oil. Available online.
STRESS RELIEF AT JANA MOORE ACUPUNCTURE
Does someone you know need an afternoon vacation? A gift certificate to Jana Moore Acupuncture will certainly please those needing a release from stress. Jana is delightful, and loves to poke some fun into life (Pearl District, 1306 NW Hoyt, #304).
PORTLAND WALLS: A POSTCARD BOOK OF MURALS
This season's must have item is Robin Dunitz's postcard book of 24 Portland murals. Portland Walls is available at local businesses. Try Onda Gallery (Concordia, 2215 NE Alberta), Guardino Gallery (Concordia, 2939 NE Alberta) or Portland Art Museum's gift store (Downtown, 1219 SW Park).
RECYCLED SWEATER HATS BY WOOLIE ORIGINALS AT MABEL AND ZORA
Mabel and Zora comes through again with locally made Woolie Originals one-of-a-kind recycled sweater hats. These soft, cozy, adorable caps come in adult and child sizes in an assortment of styles and colors—there's a perfect woolie for everyone on your holiday list (Pearl District, 748 NW 11th Avenue).
SPRAY PAINT ART
Local artist Beth Myrick specializes in adorable spray paint art on various objects, but her signature pieces feature graffiti animals of all persuasions splashed across old LPs. Bold colors and urban sensibilities combine into sweet graphic designs. Perfect for any lonely wall in the house. On display, and for purchase now at Lombard Animal Hospital (Woodlawn, 607 NE Lombard St) and Northeast Family Cooperative (Concordia, 4932 NE 30th Ave)
ONE-OF-A-KIND WALL PRINTS BY STUDIO OLIVINE
Hand illustrated wall prints make a lovely addition to any room in the house. Studio Olivine creates them one at a time on an antique letterpress with 100% recycled handmade paper and then mounts the art on sustainable bamboo panels. For only $34, these one-of-a kind prints are a lovely gift for your holiday hosts. Available at Studio Olivine (Pearl District, 1614 NW 15th Ave). Visit Designer Julie Dutton at the Sunday Best Holiday Sale at the Ace Hotel on November 28 and 29 (Downtown, 403 SW 10th).
WHIMSICAL SCULPTURE BY BUNNY WITH A TOOLBELT
Portland's own Bunny with a ToolBelt offers whimsical animal designs as affordable, fun sculpture, geared to amuse. Try a Rad Rhino or Hungry Gator for the family mantle or shelf. Find these and other goods from artist Hilary Pfeifer at Guardino Gallery (Concordia, 2939 NE Alberta) and Museum of Contemporary Craft (Pearl District, 724 NW Davis St)
SAHAGUN CHOCOLATES
Everyone on your list will love local Sahagun Chocolates. Try the Oregon Kiss!—organic Oregon Hazelnuts and Valrhona Milk Chocolate with a smidgen of fleur de sel piped into a bittersweet cup. $20 per eight pack. Mmmmm (Northwest District, 10 NW 16th Ave).
PORTLAND NOIR
Curious about Portland's scruffier scene? Grab a copy of this literary collection from your neighborhood bookseller. Portland Noir offers sixteen stories that "explore the dark, rainy underbelly of one of America's most beautiful but enigmatic cities" and reinforce our anthem to Keep Portland Weird. Ask for it at your neighborhood bookstore!
COFFEE
Since you live in Stumptown, you certainly know the drill on micro-roasters already. But your people who are afar may not. Why not visit some local roasters, taste their goods, and send a batch to the family for the holidays? They'll be glad you did! Beans to try: Blue Kangaroo Coffee Roasters (Sellwood-Moreland, 901 SE 13th Ave), Coava Coffee Roasters (Piedmont, 6604 N. Mississippi Avenue), Extracto Coffee Roasters (Concordia, 2921 NE Killingsworth) and Spella Cafe (Downtown, Corner of SW 9th and Alder).
I am really enjoying these local gift blogs, but it would be helpful if each item included a price or price range.
Thanks, Janet. We included prices where we could, but due to the number of retailers, suggested retail/mark ups and potential holiday sales, we didn't want to present a price point that could differ. I recommend giving the retailer/artist a jingle and asking for the price. Shop owners are here to help, after all. :-)