Eden Dawn

view from outside of clothing and shoes in window view from outside of clothing and shoes in window
i
Bridge & Burn has specialized in classic, functional and distinctively Northwest apparel for men and women since 2010. Their flagship store (pictured) is in the Union Way shopping arcade in downtown Portland’s West End.

Downtown and Central City Shopping

Choose from indie boutiques and big-name brands in Portland's city center.

4 min read Downtown

Eden Dawn

Thanks to a trove of design talent, half a dozen local designers have competed on Project Runway (with four of them nabbing the grand prize). This attention has translated into a surplus of places to suit up for day or night. Check out the central city’s top retail hubs for a mix of both name-brand designers and signature indie aesthetics.

West End

Within easy walking distance of central downtown and accessible by both the Portland Streetcar and MAX light rail, Portland’s burgeoning West End district is a true haute hot spot. Wildfang headlines the trendy cluster of shops with its iconic streetstyle apparel, shoes and accessories that transcend gender.

clothing on racks and folded on tables and large display with handwritten words
1 of 4
This tomboy-chic boutique is all about defying gender stereotypes. Founded by two Nike alums, the brand seeks “to liberate menswear one bow tie at a time” with stylish blazers, button-downs, cardigans, tees, wingtips and more.
view from outside of clothing and shoes in window
2 of 4
Bridge & Burn has specialized in classic, functional and distinctively Northwest apparel for men and women since 2010. Their flagship store (pictured) is in the Union Way shopping arcade in downtown Portland's West End.
bird's eye view of sleek, modern store with bottles on shelving
3 of 4
Maak Lab is located right on SW Burnside. They create unique scents that are related to the Pacific Northwest.
street view of people walking icy store fronts with colorful window displays
4 of 4
Locally owned shops on West Burnside Street near its intersection with Southwest 10th Avenue include Maak Lab (center), a source for naturally scented soaps, candles and oils, and Billy Galaxy, purveyor of vintage toys and collectibles.

Woonwinkle, or “living shop” in Dutch, the home and accessories store offers modern and colorful goods with long-lasting appeal. Roam the airy space to find anything from colorful geometric clay earrings to an eye-popping vase ready to display in your living room.

Opened in summer 2013, Union Way occupies an alley between the Ace Hotel and Powell’s Books with a European-style arcade filled with shops and restaurants. The offerings include high-end denim from Self Edge, made-in-Portland Danner Boots and more.

Downtown Shopping

Read on for our highlights of specialty shopping in Downtown Portland.

More Shopping
display of boots next to a storefront window

Union Way Shopping Arcade

Evoking Paris’ intimate passageways and Scandinavian architecture, this shop-filled alley connects downtown Portland’s West End with the Pearl District.

A display of necklaces, earrings and bracelets at Ben Bridge jewelers.

Jewelry Shopping in Downtown Portland

Downtown Portland boasts an impressive batch of established luxury jewelers poised to make any diamond-encrusted fantasy a reality.

John Fluevog footwear displayed in store

Shoe Shopping in Downtown Portland

Has trekking around Portland worn holes in your shoes? Head to these tax-free footwear staples and you’ll be back to exploring in no time!

Big Names

Portland is also home to big-name fashion houses. Nordstrom provides pure couture candy with legendary lines like Chanel and Gucci. Just blocks from the main store, fashion insiders snatch up apparel and accessories at up to 70% off original prices at Nordstrom Rack. Nearby, Pioneer Place spans four city blocks with more than 70 retailers, including Louis Vuitton, Kate Spade, Tiffany & Co., Apple, Zara and H&M.

Central City Shopping Malls

Enjoy one-stop shopping at these top-notch malls in the heart of the city.

More Shopping
external corner of Pioneer Place on a sunny day

Pioneer Place

Downtown Portland's home for big-brand shopping houses the major brands that fashionistas crave, along with an expansive food court and a movie theater.

shoppers explore an indoor three-story shopping mall lined with storefronts and illuminated by natural light from above

Local Businesses Revive Lloyd Center Mall

Lloyd Center mall embodies the off-kilter, counterculture spirit of Portland — learn more about its unique homegrown retailers and only-in-Portland events.

display of boots next to a storefront window

Union Way Shopping Arcade

Evoking Paris’ intimate passageways and Scandinavian architecture, this shop-filled alley connects downtown Portland’s West End with the Pearl District.

Coveted brands can also be found at luxury boutique Mario’s and women’s shop Mercantile. For unmentionables worth talking about, visit underU4men, North America’s largest men’s underwear store. Need new kicks? The flagship Nike Portland caters to runners in a museum-like space.

Pearl District

The Pearl District is one of Portland’s top shopping destinations. The walkable former warehouse district adjacent to downtown houses a wide range of national and international retailers, as well as homegrown favorites — from the world’s largest independent bookstore, Powell’s City of Books, to locally owned boutiques.

Within a block of each other — and of Powell’s — you’ll find both an expansive outpost of Philadelphia-based Anthropologie, which offers boho-chic women’s clothing and home goods, and J. Crew sister brand Madewell.

Highlights

Pearl Shopping

  • Oblation Papers & Press

    Oblation employs antique machinery and old-world processes to press handcrafted, 100 percent recycled cotton paper into charming, modern stationery. The shop offers fine papers, artful cards and ephemera.

  • Garnish Apparel

    Garnish features fashion-forward women’s clothing and accessories designed in-house. Each limited-edition item is hand-produced in Portland.

  • Recycled Chic Boutique

    Recycled Chic offers gently used designer apparel at discounted prices. Find closet staples like jeans, handbags and sweaters from luxury brands like Tory Burch, Kate Spade, Rag & Bone and more.

  • Nau

    Nau (pronounced “now”) designs versatile, sustainable apparel. They strive to make long-lasting, stylish products that are always eco-friendly.

  • Halo Shoes

    Halo Shoes is a locally owned boutique specializing in small, unique designers, primarily from European countries such as Italy and Spain.

The Pearl is packed with outdoor outfitters, including national retailers like Filson and REI. New Zealand-based Icebreaker, which crafts base layers and more from merino wool, has its North American headquarters here.

Stock up on workout wear at two stores located in the same block of Northwest Couch Street. National brand, Athleta, stocks a full range of gear and offers free fitness classes. Just two blocks away, Lululemon Athletica, trades in yoga gear for women and men.

Portland-based shoemaker Keen Footwear has gone international, but you can still peruse their distinctive tough-but-stylish shoes at the flagship garage-themed retail space filled with salvaged metals and recycled bleacher seats that double as shoe-testing surfaces.

a woman and two children walking down the sidewalk in the Pearl
1 of 4
Shopping can be a family affair in the Pearl.
Credit: Jonni Armani via Flickr
display of boots next to a storefront window
2 of 4
Located within downtown Portland's Union Way shopping arcade, iconic Danner Boots has been a Pacific Northwest outdoor gear-staple for more than 80 years.
large room filled with bookshelves and display tables covered with books
3 of 4
Try not to get lost in the stacks at Powell's City of Books.
Credit: Photo by Stuart Mullenberg
women shopping in a boutique stocked with jewelry and clothing
4 of 4
Northwest Portland's Pearl District is full of chic, locally owned boutiques.
Credit: Ashley Anderson

Speaking of international footwear, did you know that Portland is the U.S. headquarters of Dr. Martens? Shop their iconic boots — and 200 more models — across the street from Powell’s.

At Cielo Home, housed in a renovated stable, lush linens, chandeliers and curiosities beckon shoppers to infuse their homes with the charms of yesteryear. West Elm is also nestled in the Brewery Blocks for furnishings and decor. Woman-owned SMG Collective showcases artisan-made rugs, poufs and more for the home.

Northwest/Nob Hill

In the Northwest neighborhood (also known as Nob Hill or the Alphabet District), century-old Victorian and Craftsman-style storefronts housing unique boutiques stand alongside national retailers, interspersed with coffee shops and on-trend restaurants and bars. In short, it’s a shopper’s paradise.

Highlights

Northwest 23rd Avenue Shopping

  • Budd + Finn

    Budd + Finn was born of the concept that the ideal shop should offer unique and well-designed products at affordable prices in an inviting, relaxed atmosphere. They offer art, accessories, stationery, gifts and more.

  • Urban Outfitters

    The international chain of trendy, youthful clothes is right at home amid boutiques and other shops on Portland’s trendy Northwest 23rd Ave. Find the latest men’s and women’s fashions as well as housewares and novelty items.

  • prAna

    This shop offers stylish and sustainably made clothes, swimwear, accessories, yoga mats and more. Check out their large selection of yoga and climbing gear.

  • Ether Shoes

    This locally owned boutique specializes in non-leather shoes and handbags. They also carry a selection of women's apparel, hats, belts and jewelry.

  • Sloan Boutique – NW 23rd

    This locally owned and operated women’s boutique carries apparel, shoes and accessories for women of all ages and styles.

  • Kiehl’s

    Kiehl's was founded in 1851 as an old-world apothecary (called Brunswick Apotheke) in New York's East Village. Since then, the company has grown internationally and is beloved for its wide variety of natural skincare, body and hair products.

  • Lush

    Since it was founded in 1995 in Poole, England, LUSH has been creating natural, handmade soaps and beauty products around the world. Many of their products are made in solid form to reduce packaging waste.

  • Blush Beauty Bar

    This cosmetics boutique offers a full range of products from local and national brands, as well as a menu of services like eyebrow threading. Sample products and get recommendations from makeup experts to cosmetics designed for you.

  • Restoration Hardware

    Restoration Hardware is a luxury brand in the home furnishings marketplace offering furniture, lighting, textiles, bathware, décor, outdoor and garden, as well as baby and child products.

  • Pottery Barn

    From the bedroom to the bath, the kitchen to the home office, the entryway to the backyard, this international home design company has everything you need to create your dream home — and to entertain in it.

At the top of Nob Hill and best known for its lines of Portland bridge-inspired bracelets, Betsy & Iya handcrafts each sought-after piece right on-site. Oregon-based gallery and boutique Twist stocks an impressive array of handcrafted jewelry and art pieces, and Gem Set Love, a go-to spot for estate engagement and wedding rings, is also a great place to treat yourself to a vintage or locally designed bracelet, necklace or pendant. And a pinnacle of Portland’s thriving DIY scene, Tender Loving Empire presents a plethora of gifts, t-shirts, jewelry, local music, housewares, cards and much more.

Make sure Rover looks just as fashionable as his owner by picking up one of Cycle Dog‘s stylish, eco-friendly collars, which are handmade made from the soft rubber of recycled bicycle tire tubes.

Shopping

Shop for Made-In-Portland Goods

These companies churn out consistently cool made-in-Portland products, from fashionable swimwear and accessories to leather goods and lighting.

Find More