SeeingGreen ™

Although I’ve written about some of Portland’s green baby shops before, I only recently found one in my very own neighborhood. Smaller than some closets in the homes they’re building out in the burbs, Zoom Baby Gear is smart to have a focus. Neatly folded and tucked into this tiny space are probably a […]

My days of lusting after old Portland bungalows may be over (I’ve moved on to mid-century ranches), but I recently stopped by a new store that rekindled the flame, at least for a few minutes. Located on SE Division, east of 39th Ave., is an artfully organized outpost for vintage fixtures, lighting, windows and […]

For someone who prefers walking, biking or taking mass transit to driving, I sure like to look at cars. I probably owe this predisposition to genetics, since you can’t walk half a block with my dad before he’ll pause to check out the rear end of a four-wheeled hottie. However, given my inclination […]

Food co-ops are often the epicenters of communities large and small. They are beacons for people who care about what enters their stomachs, where their dollars go and how commerce is conducted. Food co-ops are not only a great place to purchase organic and healthy groceries, but also a resource for connecting to […]

Over the past few years, many of my friends have been making little friends and I often find myself on the lookout for a gift to celebrate the new arrival. I also want the token to be meaningful, useful and of course, easy on the earth. Fortunately, Portland is teaming with baby and environment-friendly […]

Last year I was searching for a replacement gasket for a canning jar I use to store coffee. In earnest, I visited all the various kitchen supply stores in Portland, from the upmarket Sur La Table to the locally owned Kitchen Kaboodle. No luck. Finally, I saw an ad in the […]

If you’ve ever declared your love for tofu (I have on several occasions), there is a store for you. The Herbivore Clothing Company, tucked in the northernmost spot of a low-slung brick building off of NE Killingsworth and 30th Ave, is a cruelty-free addition to this revitalized intersection of local businesses and eateries.

No, Herbivore […]

I recently covered the wonders of the library, but if you are still craving personal book ownership you should head to the second best option, the library’s used book outlet. Title Wave Used Bookstore is the last stop before the recycle bin for books in Multnomah County’s library collection. Run solely by volunteers, […]

UPDATE: This place has moved to St. Johns and is now called Rideout Reclamation.
If you have driven out to the coast recently, you may have noticed that you can see the forest through the trees. This is not due to some unexpected clarity of mind, but because the lumber giants have been […]

Ever thought you could change the world? Well Ryan Christensen, founder of the social and fashion enterprise Sameunderneath, does. The concept behind his blossoming clothing business is relatively simple. No matter the color of your skin, what boxes you select on election day or how you wear your hair, we are all […]

I’ve waxed poetic about the joys of a thrift store, but this resale shop deserves a special write-up. ReRun, a neighborhood consignment store, is a bustling outlet for all things needing a new home. Housed in the made over storefront where the enigmatic “Mrs. C’s Wigs” once lived behind boarded up windows, ReRun […]

For those of you’ve who aren’t living in a cave (although good for storing wine), our fair city is racked with opportunities to purchase a bottle of something red or white. Now, with the opening of “Cork,” a wine shop on the corner of Northeast 29th and Alberta, you can also choose a bottle […]

If you consider yourself a “vegan,” and don’t follow that statement with “but I eat eggs and fish,” then you are in luck. Portland is home to the mothership of vegan outposts, Food Fight, a compact grocery store hidden in the base of a retro office building on the less traveled half of SE […]

On a recent bike ride through St. John’s, there was a glimmer that things are starting to change in one of Portland’s last frontiers. Proper Eats, a vegan/vegetarian inspired market and café has sprouted in a storefront on the corner of N. Alma and Lombard. With a small, but meaningful selection of organic/locally grown […]

There’s something about a locally owned and operated grocery that appeals to the hearts and stomachs of the [Seeing] Green leaning people of Portlandia. Although the history behind New Seasons is worthy of a page or two in a business school textbook (staff jump ship after a corporate buyout of a local nautral food […]

Ah, the strawberry-pink smell of a thrift store. That curiously distinct odor that masks the cumulatively nauseating stench of used items, particularly strong around the shelves of pre-worn shoes. Never mind though, you’ll get used to it, especially if you are looking to save some dough. Portland has a long history […]

Don’t let the words “entombed and salvaged wood furniture” on ecoPDX’s sign at the entrance scare you away. “Entombed” simply means that the wood was once buried underground, in this case by volcanic activity or flooding. Recognizing the value of this hidden treasure, a company called Tropical Salvage (based in Portland) gainfully […]

YOU buy organic produce, choose locally made goods, and take good care of your health and comfort, so why would you do any differently for your pet? That’s exactly the idea behind Green Dog Pet Supply, where you can buy pet food, toys, and products that are easy on the earth and good for […]

At most corner stores, beer, cigarettes, and pornography are what keep the doors open. Not so at Big City Produce, a neighborhood store that puts a different spin on seediness. Even in its modestly sized space, Big City Produce stocks typical grocery items such as eggs and milk, and all the supplies you would […]

Recycled Gardens is what happens when you pair a good cause with a great idea. By selling a huge variety of donated plants, the good folks from the non-profit, Pet Over Population Prevention Advocates, Inc., (POPPA) raise funds to support its spay and neutering assistance program. Run primarily by volunteers, Recycled Gardens is […]