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Located in southeast Portland, Loyly is the local destination for those needing a steam, sauna, or massage. Unlike many chain spas, Loyly exudes its “Portlandness.” It allows both residents and visitors to immerse themselves in an atmosphere that is relaxing and rejuvenating.

Loyly is focused on “blending the accessibility and warmth of a traditional sauna with the qualities of a modern day spa.” Loyly is the Finnish word for the steam and heat associated with the sauna. 

Whether it is the end of a long day at work or just looking for further relaxation on your vacation, Loyly is very accessible with after-work hours. At the end of your visit, you feel like the stress of everyday life has been released. When first stepping into the surroundings, you will notice the unfussy, modern design of Loyly.

In many Scandanvian nations, saunas are part of the cultural fabric. This is also what Loyly offers its c

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In Portland, everything is local. For a city and region which prides itself on local food, produce, and wine, the Portland Nursery is a one-stop shop for everything you may need for your garden. Whether it is a large community/neighborhood garden or a small herb garden for your condo or apartment, their supplies and know-how are top notch.

The Portland Nursery is situated conveniently in East Portland on Stark Street, which makes it a straight shot from downtown. With ample parking, you will be able to find everything you are looking for. Expect weekends to be very busy, especially during the spring months. Weekdays are less busy and a better time to want to leisurely browse.

Do not be shy about talking with the staff. They are very knowledgeable and can answer almost every question.  If you are looking for a certain herb or garden vegetable, they will find the perfect one for your garden. They are also helpful when it comes to finding the right plants for your

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Books are a integral part of everyone’s life. Powell’s definitely epitomizes this feeling with the largest selection in town. With multiple local locations, including a great space at the Portland Airport, Powell’s is convenient while still remaining local. Combining their exceptional selection with reasonable prices, a fun adventure is assured at this Portland landmark.

Finding the right book should be a journey at a place like Powell’s. Chances are you will find not just one book, but a whole stack of new reading material.

Their flagship store is located downtown on the edge of the Pearl District. With multiple levels, you can find yourself lost quickly. A good idea is to bring a list of what you might want to buy. If it is a spur of the moment trip, you can also find computers throughout the store to find exactly what you need. Their friendly staff are also helpful, whether you are looking for the latest modern novel or a home improvement b

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Hawthorne Vintage sets itself apart from most of the city’s other vintages shops. While it specializes in items from the 1940s-1980s, it is decidedly focused on home furnishings, lighting, and furniture. Whether you are looking to outfit your first apartment or just spruce up a room in your house, Hawthorne Vintage is a great place to pursue for a relic of decades ago.

The shop is located on the eastern edge of the Hawthorne district. Located a bit outside of the hustle and bustle of Hawthorne, it is well worth the journey. According to their website, they “specialize in mid-century modern furnishings, housewares lighting and audio.” Inside Hawthorne Vintage, it is surprisingly airy, without the musty feeling of many shops. The staff people are helpful and can answer many questions if you are hunting for a hard to find item.

One of the more popular items is their lighting fixtures. Whether it is lamps, lights, or even old shades, you can add a touch

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Village Merchants can be a wonderful excursion if you are looking for furniture, knick-knacks, or just want to hunt around for a bargain. With great prices and a convenient location, Village Merchants is the spot for a fun and creative thrift shopping experience.

While many vintage shops offer antiques and older artifacts at high prices, Village Merchants specializes in low priced finds. Inside it feels like a mix between a stylish thrift store and a small town flea market. Flea markets, however, require a lot of searching for quality items, and Village Merchants gives the impression that there is a hidden gem around every corner.

If you are furnishing a new house or apartment and do not want to spend a lot of money, Village Merchants can make it happen. It has everything you can think and is still affordable.

Located on Division Street in the Richmond neighborhood, Village Merchants is hard to miss. One of the nice aspects about the business is that a lot of

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Noun is a beautifully understated shop in southeast Portland.  Sharing its space with the delicious Saint Cupcake, it is also a sweet stop if you need a gift to amaze. With an innovative blend of antiques, local art and curiosities of all shapes and sizes, you can find that perfect something for that special somebody.

Noun, located in the Belmont neighborhood, is a great destination for both locals and Portland visitors. The shop’s motto is “a person’s place for things.” With many “things” to choose from, you can spend a long time pouring over the items and enjoy every minute of your visit.

The shop has a host of amazing gifts and antiques which are perfect for birthday presents or to bring back to friends and family members after a vacation. They also have a large selection of locally-produced greeting cards if you are looking for something more than just another Hallmark card.

With both practical and whimsical gifts,

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The Gargoyle Statuary, marked with its distinctive and spooky carved sign that simply states "Gargoyles," has quietly been fulfilling all of Seattle's, uh, gargoyle needs for years.

Inside the store is all the proof you need that Goth is not dead. The shop is dark, draped with velvet and tapestries, the perfect mood-setter for its watchful stock.

Fat gargoyles, skinny gargoyles, pocket-sized gargoyles, cute gargoyles, angry gargoyles, cat gargoyles, gargoyles with wings, hats, glasses, bow ties—the sheer variety of small plaster or concrete grotesqueries available for “adoption” is staggering. Even if you aren’t customarily a gargoyle fan, it’s a difficult task to not find some small beast figurine that you don’t fall in love with—at least a little.

If a free-standing tchotchke isn’t in the cards (and there’s a wide selection of those, too, both greeting and tarot), there's a collection of g

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Seattle and coffee. Every cliché is absolutely true. On any given city block, you can find at least one coffee shop, if not multiple—chains, local chains, tiny mom-and-pop establishments—all competing for your caffeine dollar.

It’s no different on University Avenue. The main drag that runs parallel to the University of Washington has at least 3 coffee shops per block. With all that competition, though, tiny, hard-to-miss SureShot holds its own.

It can’t be for the atmosphere. SureShot doesn’t attract students looking for a quiet place to study or groups of UW staff between classes looking for conversation. Even if the music is low, which it hardly ever is, the blood-red walls and bleeping of vintage pinball machines and video games don’t create an atmosphere conducive to relaxation. In fact, the only reason I can think to linger inside (unless you are a vintage game fanatic) is during one of the few very hot summer days the

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Jackpot Records proves that a music store is not an antiquated way of purchasing the latest hit single. With its sheer quantity of music, ranging from obscure limited-edition vinyl records to the most popular group of the moment, you will find what you are looking for and more.

Their original location is on Hawthorne Street in southeast Portland, with a second location in downtown Portland that opened in 2001. Unlike many record stores who are focused purely on making sales, Jackpot Records has a mission of “getting music into the hands and ears of the people who love it.” They specialize in both new and used CD, vinyl records and assorted magazines.

Both locations are spacious and have their walls adorned with prized records and posters. The staff is very knowledgeable and can help you with almost any music query. If they do not have item in stock, they can also special order your favorite record as well.

Whether you are looking for that first re

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Pastaworks is the local destination for slow food. Find the right food, wine, and supplies for a romantic meal or a large family meal. This specialty store is focused on Italian goods and boasts a large wine and cheese selection. You will find what you are looking for and much more. With a few locations spread about Portland, it seems there is always a Pastaworks close by.

Opened in 1983, Pastaworks does its best to offer the top quality meats, cheeses, wine, and other goods that you will not find at your regular chain grocery. Their business strives to stock the “best available products from the Mediterranean world (and sometimes beyond) based on the premise that eating and drinking should be pleasure as well as necessity.” They also strive to be part of the slow food movement, which focuses on using local and small farm produced products.

The Hawthorne location is located in the middle of this busy district, next door to Powell’s Books and the Bag

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If you have any love for cheese (and aside from the vegan abstainer and the lactose intolerant, who doesn't?), than Beecher's Handmade Cheese is a dairy wonderland. It's Willy Wonka's chocolate factory, in miniature, only with cheese instead of chocolate, and smiling cheese-mongers replacing the oompa-loompas. All cheese, all the time. And it's delicious.

Cheese lover Kurt Beecher Dammeier had a vision: to combine his love of fermented, curded dairy with his firm personal commitment to artisan, slow foods and opened Beecher's in 2003. Since then, the small shop with glass-enclosed cheese-making "lab" has been dishing up decadent mac-and-cheese lunch specials as well as hawking their own variety of handmade cheeses (including extremely addictive fresh cheese curds--mild, slightly salty nuggets that squeak delightfully between your teeth).

There's a zillio

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The newest business on a busy block, Alder & Co. is quickly establishing itself as a wonderful location for gifts and shopping in downtown Portland. Located in the heart of downtown Portland's West End, it is a convenient and lovely place to find something special.

Alder & Co. joins nearby Canoe, The English Department, and Gruner to form a block with truly inspired local businesses. The shop is named for the street it sits by and creates its own niche by offering “thoughtfully selected items that are suitable for everyday use as well as the grand occasion.”

The shop carries a variety of items for your wardrobe, kitchen, bedroom and bathroom, and kids, as well as items that are beautiful and practical. Upon walking into the store, you will notice a clean and modern aesthetic. The lighting is a nice touch too, adding a warm and rustic glow.

Alder & Co. is a wonderful place to stop in and explore. From Japanese linens and papers to

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Westlake Mall seems like it must be bereft of surprise. It’s a pretty typical mall—slightly smaller in stature than traditional malls, and centered right in the heart of downtown. And at first glance, those seem to be its main distinguishing features. It has gift shops and shoes stores—even a food court.

Westlake Mall is hiding something, though. Deep in the basement, right by the entrance to the underground transit tunnel, Seattle’s Daiso location could be easily missed. A shame. Daiso is a savvy shopper’s dream.
Now, by savvy shopper I don’t mean one with a discerning eye for quality, per se. Daiso is a classic Japanese “100 yen” store—the eastern equivalent to our dollar store. Everything in Daiso is Asian in origin and 95% of it is $1.50. While some items go for a little more ($10 seems to be the upper limit), nearly everything in the store can be had for less than a deuce.

And by everything, I mean eve

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At Movie Madness, you not only get a choice of great movies, but can also take a look at vintage artifacts from decades of the silver screen. The store has a homey feel with a large local following. Movie Madness shows why when other chain stores are going out of business, it continues to be busy.

Located off of Belmont St. in southeast Portland, Movie Madness is a must-stop for Portland residents. Their large selection offers an array of choices. From the latest blockbusters to obscure foreign language films, chances are they have what you are looking for.

Movie Madness can be quite busy on weekends and weekday nights with the checkout line snaking down the aisle. However, this large store never makes you feel cramped. If you want to avoid the long check-out line, try to come during off-peak hours.

First opened in 1991, Movie Madness now boasts over 70,000 titles and you can get lost trying to find the perfect choice. Be aware that their movie filing system

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It's easy to nearly walk right by Velouria. It's an unassuming, robin egg blue storefront,, recessed a bit into the turn of the century Ballard building it occupies. But for anyone interested in the indie artisan movement, double back up Market Street if you miss it the first time; Velouria is filled with treasures.

Inspired by the growing interest in handmade, as evidenced by local craft fairs such as I Heart Rummage and Urban Craft Uprising, the success of internet marketplaces such as Etsy and Artfire, and magazines such as MAKE, Velouria's founder, Tes de Luna, has been hand curating the wares sold in her shop for over six years.

Her eye is good—most of the artists and wares de Luna stocks at Velouria are well ahead of the trend curve. It's not surprising to see styles you saw at Velouria months previously make their way, slowly but surely, into the mainstream months later. The

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