Recession Buster: The Sixer

There are plenty of young people in Portland who refuse to let their poverty prevent them from being stylish. The mother ship for these types is, of course, the Sellwood Goodwill Bins, where merchandise arranged in what can only be described as troughs is picked through all day every day by the scavenging masses, and bought up for only 69 cents a pound. Those willing to get their hands dirty are often rewarded with perfectly good merchandise, from small electronics to clothing. A whole subsection of this community turns around their discoveries for sale on Ebay, or makes a quick buck with it at places like Buffalo Exchange or Red Light. If you’re really serious about busting the recession blues, you’ll of course go straight to the source, although the Bins has its share of inconveniences (it requires time and diligence to be worth the trek out to its rather isolated location). The next best thing might be The Sixer (3611 SE Division), a store/collective set to open this weekend, on Sunday the 1st. Founded by two self-described “veterans” of the bins with more than a decade of experience, Breanna Adee and Jacob LaValley form the founding core of the venture along with “‘picker’/seamstress/tailor/designer-esque” cohorts on the periphery.

Breanna & Jacob: models of “bin chic”

As per the name, every item at the store is priced at only $6 (a tiny mark-up—you’d be surprised how much you’ve probably paid for bins rescues elsewhere), with 1200 sq ft of merch that includes clothing, shoes, and accessories that are either vintage, current, or reconstructed/altered. They are also in negotiations with the landlord about possibly expanding into an additional 1,000 sq ft, are working on adding to their collection of ’70s pinball machines, and have plans to add a section of vinyl records to the mix. Hit the break for a couple shots of the unopened store’s interior, or better yet drop by on Sunday to paw your way around. As always, click over to MOD for plenty more suggestions on how to spend save locally!