SE Hawthorne - A Gem In the City

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Although, I personally love buying designer goods, I am also a super bargain hunter who gets gratification when I hunt down the biggest block that sells the best threads. The Hawthorne District runs about a three mile stretch on SE Hawthorne Boulevard that will lure you with deals that would be hard pressed to turn down. This district is filled with microbreweries and brewpubs, so if you need a drink to contain your excitement, this is the place to be. If you need that jumpstart, coffee shops are everywhere.

There is a wide selection of shops that offer an array of clothing - a mix of vintage and new. If you have an eye for vintage clothing and have time to go through the array of racks, you can definitely find some treasures on this block for good prices. If you're a poster child for second hand clothes, it's like going to Goodwill -except the “good pieces” have already been filtered for you. Some stores on this block are so unique, they even have a live DJ that will spin some pretty sick beats - rock, progressive trance, jungle trance (I appreciate trance very much). For all those who crave life on the wild side, this is also the block to find vinyl knee high boots, go-go dancing boots with all the fish net stockings to accessorize with. Perhaps, this is why I am in love with this block.


If you're tired of reading magazines or staying at Barnes and Noble excessively reading books for free, Powell's bookstore on Hawthorne is definitely a place to frequent. You can buy used books at a fraction of the cost, best of all; you can trade in your old books! Its parent store is located in Downtown Portland (which may I add, is the biggest bookstore in the world). If you're like me and believe in the sake of having some extra green in your wallet, this is the bookstore to be! Sure you loose the "new text book smell", but for the smell of “green”, I say that's a pretty nice tradeoff. And don't worry about purchasing a book with messing pages - margin notes and marks of highlighting misuse are the most common I’ve seen.

There are a lot of notable stores on this block; I could rave on and on. Just remember that the next time you’re looking for new threads, music, and notable stationary or home decor for your crib with unique/alternative goods, SE Hawthorne is the place to be – of course, you’ll have to visit to know, just remember SE Hawthorne is in Portland, Oregon. You won’t miss it.