shopping...

Resolved to get fit in 2012? Consider indie alternatives to the fitness giants and keep the local economy healthy, too. more...

Our friends at Silicon Florist shared this lovely mashup of Portland craft and tech gadgetry. We couldn't resist sharing it. Support this prenatal business on Kickstarter and make this Portland dream a reality. According to the website, "Pledges of $20 and up are essentially pre-orders of custom veneers at a special Kickstarter-only price (saving you at least $5 off the retail price)." Learn more: www.toastmade.com more...

The only thing more varied than how we choose to celebrate the holiday season is what we choose to wear when we make merry. We asked Portland's indie boutiques to offer up their fave party dresses made locally or in the U.S., and they supplied over 40 festive frocks that will fit the bill at holiday parties of all kinds. We'd love to know which dress makes your holiday wishlist and where you intend to wear it. The Cairo more...

It’s every kid’s dream to be locked in a Toys“R”Us warehouse; it should be every parent’s nightmare. Containing just about every toy under the sun, there are currently 873 Toys“R”Us stores in the U.S. and Puerto Rico. Internationally, the tally exceeds 600. The flagship store in New York City’s Times Square (complete with an indoor 60-foot Ferris wheel, a life-size Barbie dollhouse and a more...

Next up in our Local Alternatives series is Crate & Barrel, known for reasonably priced yet modern and attractive home furnishings ranging from fun little kitchen gadgets to complete living room furniture sets. The company was founded in Chicago in 1962 by a young couple who despaired of ever finding in the Windy City the affordable yet smart contemporary furnishings that were available just about anywhere they went on their more...

Next up in our Local Alternatives series is Victoria’s Secret, the underwear and lingerie brand that has grown from selling only bras and panties to offering a full body care and fragrance collection, swimwear, and even a make-up line. In the world of pop culture, Victoria’s Secret is best known for having ridiculously good-looking spokeswomen (Heidi Klum, Gisele Bündchen, and Adrianna Lima, to name a few), its annual more...

Next up in our ongoing series, Local Alternatives, is Anthropologie, a store oh-so-charmingly poised in the Pearl District, the perfect location to lure the modern career women that make up the brand’s target market. A part of Urban Inc., Anthropologie was founded in 1992 and has built a reputation as Urban Outfitters’ older, more sophisticated sister (with a better paying job) by offering polished, vintage-inspired options more...

It’s that time of year in the retail world when you walk into your favorite store, perhaps seeking air conditioning instead of an actual item, and the mannequins are decked out in long sleeves and sweaters. Wait, did it not just become summer? Of course it did, and of course stores are already stocking up on fall items, because fashion is always forward-thinking, always ready for the next season, the next It Bag, the next Big more...