NE Alberta is an evolving shopping destination and has been for some years now. With shops opening up as often as new restaurants and gathering places, from its early days when Tumbleweed and Frock were outlyers, the street is filling in with a range of great shopping, from the handmade to hard-to-find. NE Alberta is known for its Last Thursday art walk where the shops stay open late and much of the art spills into the streets with spontaneous performance in a Burning Man vein in warmer months. One challenge to note, there are clusters of shops then wide open blocks between. Pays to be strategic when shopping. You likely won’t be able to stroll end-to-end of this 30-block stretch in a day.
At Donna & Toots (1631 NE Alberta) Suzanne Kraft designs and sews her modern line (also called Donna & Toots) of primarily print-happy separates and accessories, retro-flavor with a modern twist.
Ella’s (2529 NE Alberta) Pamela Chipman searches high and low to offer her customers unique creations including apparel, handbags, jewelry and accessories.
Heidi Carlson’s modern Foundation Garments (2712 NE Alberta) consistently vies for best on the row with a well-curated selection of very modern, statement-making pieces from emerging lines in Portland (Leanimal) and elsewhere. Kitchen Orange apparel and Portland-based Leanimal are standouts here.
Angie Coffin and Ali Wykhuis were pioneers on NE Alberta, opening Frock (1439 NE Alberta) well up the row some years back. Now at the west end of the street, the shop is an exuberant, surprise-filled mix of vintage, modified vintage, and locally-made apparel and jewelry with a crafts vibe.
Garnish (1524 NE Alberta) is the home of Erica Lurie’s line of modern apparel by the same name. Here you can meet Erica and she’ll not only help you find what you’re looking for, she’ll customize pieces just for you.
If you’re shopping for someone shorter and way cuter than you, kids boutique Grasshopper (1816 NE Alberta) offers clothes, See Kai Run shoes, books and toys like Hapa games and Gitta dolls. Owned by Tumbleweed, it’s right next door. One for you…one for me.
Modi Soondarotok launched her new boutique, Idom (1600 NE Alberta), at the same time that she launched her great modern clothing line of the same name after years working with major designers. Her shop reflects her great eye and carries bags by Jenny Yuen and clothing by Plastic Island, IRO, and Dolce Vita.
Imp (1422 NE Alberta) Christine Karhi’s mix is eclectic from homewares (bedding from Pine Cone Hill) and craft goods to vintage clothing, Lily Lambert, glassware from Roost and Morocco and work by Tord Boontje!
Tiffanee and Corey Bean have hit the mark with Mabel & Zora (1468 NE Alberta), a sunny yellow boutique full of accessibly priced and on-trend pieces that are both feminine and fresh. Find labels like French Connection, Veronica M, Mixie, Kersh, Tulle, Hazel, Sweet Pea, Joe’s Jeans, and Catherine Manuell Designs. Extra good: they carry some bright and funky luggage.
At OFFICE PDX (2204 NE Alberta), Kelly Coller and Tony Secolo have stocked this best-of-Portland shop with the best modern office products from killer portfolios to things that will make your desktop 48% more organized than it is now and make it crisp and modern while you’re at it. They have great lines like Blu Dot and incredible imports from Japan.
Ped X Shoes (2230 NE Alberta) has that idiosyncratic vibe that Portland ladies love (not unlike Imelda’s) with shoes by labels like Camper, Tsubo, Miz Mooz, Medium, Gentle Souls, Giraudon, Kenneth Cole, Frye and Cydwoq that tend to be not glam but cool in out-of-the-mainstream shapes, and comfortable styles. No foot-binding or stilettos here. These shoes, more often than not, are made for walkin’.
Poppy and Ivy (1703 NE Alberta) enjoys a fun dual personality with sweet vintage objects for the home, apparel, and jewelry as well as wacky novelties, crafted wonders, some of which are made by owner Amy Hollands (cards +).
Nearly everything sold in Redbird Studio (2927 NE Alberta) is designed and created by owners Paul Evans and Melissa Rau. Melissa does the illustrations and Paul prints on papergoods as textiles like silkscreened shirts. The shop is rounded out by a number of handmade goods from hats to cell-phone holders.
Kara Larson’s Tumbleweed (1812 NE Alberta) was one of the first boutiques on the row. And it’s the most sophisticated having expanded beyond Larson’s Kara-line collections to include others with the same polished but easy vibe like Beautiful People, Burning Torch, Park Vogel, Pete & Gretta, Velvet, and Stewart + Brown.
