Hawthorne Vintage

Hawthorne Vintage sets itself apart from most of the city’s other vintages shops. While it specializes in items from the 1940s-1980s, it is decidedly focused on home furnishings, lighting, and furniture. Whether you are looking to outfit your first apartment or just spruce up a room in your house, Hawthorne Vintage is a great place to pursue for a relic of decades ago.

The shop is located on the eastern edge of the Hawthorne district. Located a bit outside of the hustle and bustle of Hawthorne, it is well worth the journey. According to their website, they “specialize in mid-century modern furnishings, housewares lighting and audio.” Inside Hawthorne Vintage, it is surprisingly airy, without the musty feeling of many shops. The staff people are helpful and can answer many questions if you are hunting for a hard to find item.

One of the more popular items is their lighting fixtures. Whether it is lamps, lights, or even old shades, you can add a touch of retro to your home or apartment.

A nice element is the fact that the shop is split into vendor areas with each vendor having a space onto their own. When pursuing each section, you will feel as if it is one shop consisting on many little mini-shops.  

For design enthusiasts, Hawthorne Vintage sometimes has many chairs and furniture from well-known makers including Bertoia and Eams. While depending on the chair, the price is usually close to market value.

If you are visiting Portland, Hawthorne Vintage can also arrange shipping if the item is large. The shop’s many small items can be the perfect gift for your family back home. If you get hungry after bargain hunting, there are many restaurants within the block. Apizza Scholls is across the street, one of Portland’s finest pizzerias.

Even if you are not a vintage shopper, Hawthorne Vintage has a little bit of something for everyone. Whether it is large piece of 1960s furniture or a small piece of post-war kitsch, you can find something that harkens back to days gone by.

HelloPortland Tip: If you are looking for an item such as a 1950s Fondue Set, look around. Many of the spaces have similar items at different prices.

- by William Crane, Portland Reporter for HelloMetro  (Click to leave a message)

William Crane

William Crane is an accomplished print and online journalist (http://www.william-crane.com) His work covers a variety of topics including features, local community news, sports, music, and political/social issues. Graduating from Seattle University with a B.A. in Journalism, William's writing has appeared in a variety of different publications including the Stranger, Capitol Hill Times, the Skanner, Backfire Magazine, and the Internationalist.