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Still searching for the perfect gift? Try one of these 25 local stores

Amanda Arden

PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) – There are less than two weeks until Christmas and Hanukkah are already underway. For anyone still shopping for gifts, there are plenty of local stores ready to help find the perfect item for anyone’s wish list. 

Whether shopping for something small like jewelry or a book, something big like furniture, or something obscure like a taxidermied jackalope, Portland-area businesses have it all. 

To help holiday shoppers check off items on their lists, Yelp in Portland compiled a list of 25 great places to shop for gifts this time of year. 

Many of the stores are in Portland, but a couple are outside the big city. 

To create its list, Yelp identified businesses in the “shopping” category that had a large concentration of reviews that mentioned gifts, holidays and Christmas. The company then ranked those businesses using several different factors, including the total volume and ratings of reviews. 

Below is the complete list and a brief description of what you can expect to find at each business. 

  1. Powell’s City of Books – Many people may know about Powell’s City of Books’ massive downtown Portland store, but the independent bookseller also has locations on Southeast Hawthorne Boulevard and at Cedar Hills Crossing. The store sells new and used books, gifts and board games. 
  1. Presents of Mind – Presents of Mind not only has a variety of gifts, but also a wide selection of gift wraps. The shop sells everything from kids toys to kitchenware and T-shirts. It also has rows of greeting cards to choose from. 
  1. Portland Saturday Market – Do your holiday shopping outside at the Portland Saturday Market. This open-air market is held under the Burnside Bridge and the surrounding blocks.It’s been nationally recognized as the largest, continuously operating, open-air arts and crafts market in the country. 
  1. Tender Loving Empire – If art, music or home decor are on your shopping list, try checking out one of Tender Loving Empire’s five shops. There’s even a store in the Portland International Airport! The store carries a curated collection of goods from hundreds of independent makers. It’s also a local record label and arts collective.
  1. Paxton Gate – If you have a loved one who’s into skulls, bugs or crystals, Paxton Gate is the place to shop. This Portland store is filled with oddities. It has fossils, insects frozen in acrylic, taxidermied jackalopes and kids’ science kits. It also sells bath and body goods and apparel.
  1. Hammer + Vine – This store doesn’t specialize in selling hammers, but it does have plenty of vines. Hammer + Vine is a plant shop located on West Burnside Street in Portland. In addition to plants, it sells gifts and offers drop-in classes. 
  1. Crafty Wonderland – Crafty Wonderland hosts massive makers markets in Portland every year, but its stores in the Alberta Arts District and in downtown Portland remain open year-round. The stores sell lots of locally made goods including art and prints, housewares, jewelry, stickers and tote bags. 
  1. Citizen Ruth – For the feminist in your life, you might find the perfect gift at Citizen Ruth. The company combines art and media with social responsibility and activism. It supports more than 250 female, queer and marginalized artists and makers from all over the world. At the store, you’ll find stickers, greeting cards, mugs, magnets and more. 
  1. BUDD+FINN – If there’s someone you’re shopping for who loves adventure, you might find something for them at BUDD+FINN. This store is packed with camping- and outdoorsy-themed items. They have everything from a paint-by-number kit of Crater Lake to T-shirts with Smokey the Bear on them. 
  1. The Meadow – The Meadow has salt for every occasion, and that includes the holidays. This Portland business started in 2006 and has continued to provide a wide variety of salts ever since. So, if you’re shopping for the chef in your life, salt from The Meadow might be their next secret ingredient. 
  1. Sock Dreams – “Extraordinary socks, inclusive sizing for all!” Sock Dreams boasts on its website. What better gift to stuff a stocking with than more stockings? From rainbow knee-highs, to tights, to toe socks, Sock Dreams really does have every type of sock you could dream of. 
  1. Betsy & Iya – For a unique gift that symbolizes Portland, check out the bridge cuff bracelets made by Betsy & Iya. These bracelets have been beloved throughout the city for years. The company also makes and sells earrings, necklaces, rings, decor, clothes, bags and more. 
  1. Redux – Cards, jewelry, wallets, artwork and ceramics are just a few things found at Redux. The store carries a unique collection of goods, including those made out of recycled items. 
  1. TWIST – This small, Portland jewelry story has everything you’d find at a large, chain jewelry store. It carries gemstone rings, hoop earrings and chain necklaces. Some jewelry features colorful stones and other pieces are simply made of metal. 
  1. New Renaissance Bookshop –This bookshop specializes in metaphysical books, crystals, candles, jewelry, oils and more. It also features some best-selling books. The business offers gift cards, which could be used for psychic readings in the shop. 
  1. Oblation Papers & Press – It’s not too late to get holiday cards in the mail. If you’re still shopping for them, Oblation Papers has you covered. This stationary and letterpress shop creates custom goods and also sells gift boxes, pens and ink and gift certificates. 
  1. Flutter – For someone who enjoys tarot cards and apothecary items, consider getting them a gift from Flutter. The store offers a variety of gifts, including several items made in Oregon. It also sells jewelry, candles and fragrances.  
  1. White Rabbit Gifts – This independent bookstore in Oregon City offers a curated selection of books with an emphasis on local artists and creators. The store also sells puzzles, games, soaps, housewares and jewelry. For anyone who can’t make it to Oregon City, the store offers a flat $5 shipping fee. 
  1. Roosevelt’s Terrariums – Plant lovers will love items from Roosevelt’s Terrariums. The store offers DIY terrarium kits and all the supplies a person might need to make improvements to a terrarium they already own. The store also sells gift cards, for anyone who might enjoy attending a terrarium building class. 
  1. Celebrate Me Home – As the name implies, Celebrate Me Home in Troutdale is all about home goods. The store sells furniture and decor, lighting, mirrors and more. It also offers design services. 
  1. Birds & Bees Nursery – Another plant store filled with supplies for the gardener is Birds & Bees Nursery in Southeast Portland. The store sells bird feeders, trowels, birdhouses, and indoor and outdoor plants. It also has cards, pottery, stickers and baskets. 
  1. CANOE – Aprons, whistles, tools and notebooks are just a few of the items found inside Canoe’s Portland store. Established in 2005, CANOE aims to sell functional objects that can be used and enjoyed every day. The business sells products with lasting aesthetics that it hopes will outlast short-lived trends. 
  1. MadeHere PDX – Portland is filled with makers, and what better way to showcase them than in a store dedicated to goods made in Portland? MadeHere PDX sells goods exclusively made within Portland and the Pacific Northwest. The store sells soap, seal salt, jewelry, apparel and more.
  1. Porch Light – Jewelry, plants, pots and tools are some of the gift items found at Porch Light. The store considers itself a mix of old and new. It features rustic furniture and new goods as well. The store was started by two women who grew up going to garage sales and estate sales in the Midwest. They now share their love of repurposed items at their Portland store.  
  1. Gold Door – Gold Door features one-of-a-kind jewelry from around the world, including items made by Portland artists. The owners bring back goods and folk art from every country they can travel to. According to reviews on Yelp, the store is a great place to shop for rocks.