A year in the making, the first two (of four) pop-up shops dedicated to showcasing the work of Portland’s designers and independent boutiques open their doors tonight. Open through December by way of donated leases in vacant retail spaces, they are part of the City’s plan to revitalize downtown along SW Yamhill and Morrison and were made possible through negotiations with private and public entities (like the Portland Development Commission, the Portland Business Alliance, the Downtown Marketing Initiative, Portland Fashion Synergy, and Portland Fashion Week). If it’s successful in luring mall-bound shoppers (and potential retail renters) into their oasis of locavoric shopping, this could become a regular thing. Read more about the new stores, Workroom719 and Flurry, over on MOD and in the next issue of the Merc.

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Underdog: The view of Nordstrom from inside an in-progress Workroom719

Marjorie Skinner is the Portland Mercury's Managing Editor, author of the weekly Sold Out column chronicling the area's independent fashion and retail industry, and a frequent contributor to the film and...

2 replies on “Shopping Local for the Holidays Just Got Easier, with City-Supported Pop-Up Shops”

  2. Yeah I went out the other day looking for shoes, and the prices were double what I could find online. And thus ended my experiment in shopping downtown.

    Much of Morrison is empty. Apparently the city thinks putting in mini Christmas trees with solar panels will bring back the shoppers?

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