BEST OF PORTLAND VINTAGE: GRAND MARKETPLACE

Man I love this place.

Grand Marketplace. Antiques and Industrial. Salvage. Architectural. Vintage. Modern.

If you live in Portland, you’ve probably driven by it numerous times. It takes up a whole city block on Grand Avenue and SE Yamhill (tip: in this busy neighborhood, you’ll want to take advantage of their spacious parking lot next to their building).

If you see this out front, you know you’re getting close.

As you first walk in, there’s a self-serve coffee bar and cookies for sale.

As soon as you walk in you’ll be delighted by this giant, airy, sun-drenched warehouse filled with separate vendor booths.

Everything is curated carefully and while not inexpensive, it’s worth it for this caliber of goods.

It feels like an indoor flea market of finely curated booths — with no jostling, just lovely and interesting items everywhere.

I loved all the vintage signage I saw there.

And how about this cake box?

I’d love to fill this box with little homemade cookies like these

and then take them to surprise friends at a picnic (imagine the gluttonous gratitude).

Each booth seems to tell a story and has its own particular viewpoint.

This set-up on a front porch sure would make a cheery welcome, don’t you think?

As a huge enamelware and vintage kitchen houseware fanatic, I was in complete heaven.

There was so much eye candy here.

In my mind I brought all these to the counter and had them pack them up to bring home.

Sadly, this was not to be.

Sometimes you have to resist the temptation — even if it feels tortuous to do so.

But here’s a funny thing I noticed.

Both the vintage Cold Drink Cups above and these 1930’s ice cream cups below came from my house!

I recognized them immediately and it was like being reunited with distant friends from the past.

You see, I had an EPIC garage sale a while back and I remember one beautifully dressed woman came along and bought scads and scads of my stuff, including all these (I think I sold the pack of cups for a dollar and those Deco ice cream cups for a quarter each — grrrr! Better they be enjoyed by someone else than collecting space in my attic, though, right?)

I’ve showed you but a fraction of the treasures at Grand Marketplace.

I was really tempted to get these aprons– they’d be the coolest thing ever to bring to a lobster bake.

(hint, hint: if anyone wants to invite me to one, I’m open — and I’ll pick these up if still available.)

As if all these treasures aren’t enough reason to bring you here, here are two more compelling ones.

The owner brings his two Doodles to work.

You’ll see them walk around, greet you and down they both go, in tandem. Snoozeville.

Now that’s what I call happy happy.

http://grandmarketplacepdx.com/