Glaze is a relatively new neighborhood gift shop. They primarily carry ceramics from a couple local…read moremakers, as well as small goodies such as chocolate, jewelry, knits, etc. I stopped in while wandering down Montavilla's main strip. Staff was incredibly friendly and welcoming without being pushy. The main ceramic artist is JaMPDX and their pottery is super cute and often involve little critters, fruit baskets, swirly designs, pastel colors. A few of the other artists who use the shop are more edgy or masculine. I believe they all make the ceramics in the back of this very store. It is all worth looking at and admiring and considering buying for yourself or as a gift! Support living artists!

From the owner: Glaze is a neighborhood gift shop carrying JaMpdx ceramics, which we make in our on-site studio, as…read morewell as gifts by other local makers and artists. Come in and find your new favorite mug and pick out a candle, jewelry, chocolate or crafty kit!

This is SUCH a wonderful place! Quirky, cute and fun. You walk in and are transported into a whole…read morenew world. Strawberries EVERYWHERE. It's a mini strawberry museum (actual title, not just my words). There are strawberry decorations, strawberry pins, stickers, bags and clothes, strawberry ice cream, strawberry art to buy, and plenty of non-strawberry goods as well. They even have a take-one leave-one installation for PDX Sidewalk Joy. (Checkout the link for more installations: https://www.pdxsidewalkjoy.com/) The owner is very kind, patient and appreciative of your support. This shop has a very community oriented vibe. We bought our goods and decided to hangout to eat our ice cream. There are a few tables, so it has limited capacity, but I also like that it's small and not crazy busy. Very chill. It was a fun little experience, and we all agreed to go back again.

I love this place! They have so many fun trinkets, delicious ice cream, drinks and more. I am a big…read morestrawberry lover so I was so excited I stumbled upon this whimsical paradise. They also had vegan options for soft serve which I loved. They let us try a few flavors and we went with the strawberry basil vegan option, so delicious!

Who doesn't love home decor and CLEAN burning candles that are made locally. In this case the…read morecandles are made right in house by Heather, the owner and curator of this beautiful space! I have long been a fan of the candles for their gorgeous scents that are always just right on par. The scents are so well thought out, all of the combinations, that you never have one scent that's over powering another. They just work well together and help your space to feel more welcoming. So as far as candies go, you can't go wrong with these. They are by far my favorite and I'm a "super smeller," so that means a lot for me to say. The rest of the store is curated with local merchants goods. Jewelry, blankets, coffee cups and water bottles, wool hats, caramels, chocolates...you name it, you can find a lovely gift there! I did quite a bit of Christmas shopping there since I'd rather infuse my locally earned money into our local economy and support local businesses. I'm so excited to gift these unique and special items. And of course I got myself a "High Desert," "Festive Forest," and "Cypress & Spruce" candle to bring home for my house. I love everything about this store at it feels like walking into a cozy home that's been appointed with everything you need to be cozy and happy. Don't waste your time, just go and do your holiday shopping there! And spoil yourself some too!!!

This quaint little shop was a fun treat. The candles are so amazing and even made in house. The…read moreshop featured Black artist and makers. We purchased a Rise Up candle and 100% of the profits of this candle go to The Black Resilience Fund; a non-profit that is dedicated to fostering healing and resilience by providing immediate and direct financial assistance to Black Portlanders.

Well, they had "more appropriate Religious Crucifixes" and so forth…read more A lot of true religious items are being "messed with", where Sacred Jesus does NOT LOOK LIKE HIMSELF. And so forth. Those who are TRUE CATHOLICS who read this review will know what I am referring to here. "Gifts" had some religious items "closer to the truth", but still not quite there. Something is happening in our world, and the 'evil one ' clearly has had a hand in it. Still . . . the locations isn't great, but they do have some items. One shouldn't have to search around Portland to find "the truth" in terms of "true religious items". Too much (again) is being messed with.

Great place for Catholic paraphernalia! Natalie, the owner, is very helpful and friendly! Her…read morewell-behaved kids are often there too, and I enjoy chatting with them. This store has rosaries of all levels of fanciness, as well as parts for making your own (crucifixes, Mary pendants, beads), saint medals, other chaplets, holy water bottles, and plenty of holy/prayer cards. They have a great selection of books, both those for a popular audience (might I recommend Cardinal Sarah's The Power of Silence), and more liturgical books: missals, all 4 books of the Divine Office, etc. Got my fingers crossed to see a Graduale Romanum next time! There're good kids' and teens' sections as well. I got a comic book Bible, which with my attention span, is the easiest way to get myself to actually spend time reading it :) They have cards for all sacraments, and other occasions. There are plenty of First Communion gift sets - seriously, come here if you know somebody who's having their first communion. I also come here for all my Christmas cards. Check out Gifts of the Spirit sometime! It's worth the trip for any Portland Catholic. Open Tues - Sat.

This shop opened up just in time for the holidays! I stopped in to look for some last minute…read morestocking stuffers and ended up with something for myself too! Heidi welcomed me as I walked in and we chatted about the space and she told me about the bag project she was currently working on. It was fun to see an item in process right there! I highly recommend checking out the shop & supporting a local business. I'll be back! Thank you!

From the owner: I'm extremely happy to be part of the Foster-Powell neighborhood and I strive to offer goods that…read morehelp people make connections through thoughtful gift-giving. My shop features bags, textiles and other goods designed and screen printed by me. I'm also happy to offer handmade goods made by other artists, many of whom are local. This includes cards, ceramics, art prints, pillows, jewelry and one-of-a-kind wood pieces.

​I've long had my eye on a vacant Glisan storefront in the North Montavilla neighborhood, wishing…read moresome cool new business would fill the space. I was thrilled to find out local ceramic artists Mary Carroll and Alexandria Cummings have joined forces to open Fine Things, a ceramics studio and home decor retail space. Their website mentions the retail space will eventually offer their own ceramics, as well as some of their favorite home goods. I can't wait to see this business bloom into a bustling hub for ceramic enthusiasts and artisans - it's just what the neighborhood needs! The studio offers a membership-based workspace for less than $250 a month, providing ceramicists with 24/7 access to a spacious and well-lighted environment equipped with shared tools and resources. The owners are hoping to create a collaborative community where artists can hone their craft and potentially build a following of their own. I haven't had an opportunity to speak with anyone who is using the space, but I am definitely intrigued. At this price... who knows? I might try my hand at becoming a ceramicist. I am such a huge fan of both Mary Carrol and Alexandria Cummings' work, and I can't wait to have a spot to purchase their work right in my neighborhood! Keep an eye out for their retail space, and contact the Fine Things if you are interested in renting production space. I believe they still have spots available.

Sweet shop! I bought finger puppets for grandkids and a beautiful coffee cup. Lovely owners - I…read morehighly recommend checking this store out!

Where to start?! I have known Kris and Pete, co-owners of Arte Soleil, for several years. Both of…read morethem bring their passion and experience as artists to the table - Pete as a song writer, musician, and painter, and Kris as an art therapist and an assistant professor of art therapy. Together they are making their dream of bringing art into underserved communities a reality. I began my involvement with Arte Soleil about 6 months after their launch, due to a promise I made to myself - to MAKE time to create. I soon found that I had more talents than I had first thought, and I am encouraged by Kris and peers alike. That is one of the things that I truly appreciate about the community at Arte Soleil... they build each other up. No matter what you are needing: - A gift made by a local artist? - Creative-inspired encouragement? - A supportive studio environment that is laid back in which to create? - An open mic opportunity among friendly people? - Wanting to take a class? - Or do you just want to get involved in something fun? Come check them out! Arte Soleil is located in outer SE Portland and is open in the afternoons, Friday through Sunday.

This is a wonderful place to pick up a gift made locally, grab a cup of pour over coffee, or take a…read moreclass. They are also hosting there first open mic night soon! I'm so excited that something like this has come to outer SE!