Perry Prettyman was one of the first settlers around Mt Tabor—his property, a full square mile, stretched from SE Stark to SE Division, and from SE 39th to SE 60th, and he originally built a log cabin on it. He practiced as a doctor and has two claims to fame: he is credited with introducing the dandelion to Oregon (much to the contempt of tidy lawn lovers ever since) and he cleared a path from his home down to the Willamette that was to become Hawthorne Blvd.
What’s the history lesson for? Well, there’s a newish bar and market named after this Portland pioneer called Prettyman’s General. Situated next to Coava Coffee on SE Hawthorne, they’ve done a good job of working reclaimed wood and vintage touches (though presumably it’s not as rustic as in Mr. Prettyman’s day). They specialize in beer (eight rotating taps) and wines at decent price points, while the food revolves around sandwiches, pasties, meats from Olympic Provisions and Chop, and artisanal cheese (they’ve also been posting pictures of a good-looking Sunday brunch). The market goods are along similar lines, with the addition of sauces, jams and sparkling drinks. There is also beer, cider and wine to go, but if you can’t be bothered to cart it home there’s no corkage fee. The staff are welcoming and it’s already established itself as a place for nomadic workers and their laptops to hang out. (Though working all day in a bar? How do you get anything done?) In fact, the vibe is more coffee shop than boozer, and the casual sitting-room layout is probably less conducive to one-on-one intense chats than it is to making new friends. Prettyman’s General, 2637 SE Hawthorne, daily 11 am–11 pm