Retail Adventure - Really Good Stuff, Portland

A slew of beater bikes on the sidewalk is all it took my boss and I to draw us up the street from Lounge Lizard to our next destination on Portland's Hawthorne Ave.
Hmm, looks a bit like a hybrid antique/thrift/resale shop...
Named "Really Good Stuff", inside was a slew of cast-off electronics, toys, furniture, photographic equipment and the like.
Most items without prices - just inquire with the salty guy behind the counter. And to give you an idea of what it looked like behind the counter, see below:
When we were in the shop, another customer asked the attendant if it was fun working there. His response? Delivered monotone "I hate it, I can't wait until I'm dead." Perfect.
Need kitchen weapons?
Old radios and other electronic apparatuses?

Beer signs for brews I've never heard of?Some decent electric fans - things I used to collect:
Toys...
...pinball...
...and musical instruments:
Skeleton keys...
...records...
...vintage, uh, "gentleman's reading material"...
...and a box of skeleton keys:
I could have easily spent hours here, digging through boxes of junk in search of unknown treasures that I never knew I needed.
Yep, this stretch of Hawthorne is pretty cool.

*fin*

Retail Adventure - Lounge Lizard, Portland

The second day we were in Portland, we made a point of visiting any cool-looking non-bike shop that we came across in our travels. And since both my boss and I really appreciate mid-century modern stuff - from the kitschy to the kool, we had to stop at Lounge Lizard after seeing it while driving down Hawthorne Ave.
As soon as I popped my head in, I knew that I'd be here for a while.
Loads of great furniture on the floor and fantastic lighting overhead.

really, who *can't* use a grape light?

or, even better, an oil fountain light with an olde tyme mill/water wheel?

Walls filled with bad velvet paintings, shadowboxes...
...sad kitties...
...clocks...
...and whatever you call these 2D wall hangings:
Nicely-stocked tiki section being given the once-over by a one-time tiki collector:
Didn't every baby boomer and gen-xer grow up in a home with these straw tumblers?
Best of all, the prices were reasonable, probably half of what they'd sell for in SoCal - or a third of what they'd sell for in Palm Springs. For instance, this couch was about $250.
And most of the table lamps were about $50.
The two things I most wanted to take home were this color wheel lamp:
And this very Heywood-Wakefield-esque table (only $350).
Even framed/lighted Jesus thinks Lounge Lizard is pretty cool.

Retail Adventure - Portland Outdoor Store

Last week's trip to Portland wasn't all about hitting the city's righteous bike shops, my boss and I also hit some other retail establishments for inspiration. Right off the bat we found ourselves at the iconic Portland Outdoor Store (no website to link to).
Bringing a rural Oregon feel to downtown Portland for decades, the classic brick and stone building houses the largest selection of wool and waxed canvas apparel that I have ever seen.
It definitely skews towards "ranch wear", but with inclement weather a way of life in the Northwest, their Filson jacket selection was second-to-none.
Each of these beautiful made-in-Seattle jackets retailed for over $250. But like a fine timepiece, they're also a long-term investment that will develop a fine patina with age. "Might as well have the best." Natural, warm and long-lasting wool is also popular in Portland, and the Outdoor Store's Woolrich selection was outstanding.
Too bad there's no reason for me to need wool in southern California. Cool accessories are also to be had, from bandanas to blankets to bags...
...and vests and hats.
Inexplicably I failed to take a photo of their jeans or cowboy boot offerings. But if you need a whip, toy horse or fire starters, they have 'em.
I'll definitely visit again the next time I'm up there.