Indie Lane
East Burnside’s 811 mall is a hotbed of designer talent.
By Eden Dawn
HAUNT
Part shop, part showroom, Haunt came into being last summer with the merging of jewelry designer Rachael Donaldson, knitwear specialist Laura Irwin, and Holly Stalder (above), whose first boutique, Seaplane, helped draw national attention to Portland’s independent fashion scene. Haunt, where customers can buy straight off the (small) racks or order custom dresses and bridal wear, promises to be equally influential.
GOLDEN RULE
What you see is not all you can get at this unique vintage store. Owner Wynde Dyer typically displays less than 10 percent of her massive vintage collection at any given time. (She picks items that visually complement the store’s revolving décor themes.) Buyers looking to dig deeper should request a private appointment in the catacombs.
REDUX
In its spot for six years, Redux is 811’s oldest tenant, and possibly the most locally loyal, carrying hundreds of Northwest designers. You’d be hard-pressed to find a larger selection of Portland-made crafts, jewelry, and accessories anywhere in the city: bags by Queen Bee Creations and jewelry by Locket 2 You and Pretty Candy, to name a few.
NATIONALE
Added to 811 just last year, Nationale is an art gallery and specialty shop run by May Juliette Barruel, who hails from the French Alpine city of Grenoble. Barruel uses her old-country connections to stock the store with a trove of treasures for the Francophile: authentic Marseille soaps, Klorane dry shampoos, and French-made espadrilles that whisper c’est bon!
FIRST CAME the underground-rock-lovin’ Doug Fir Lounge. Then midcentury-mod haven Rontoms. Now the spread of the skinny jean down E Burnside Street continues with 811, an indie boutique “mall” that’s far more chic than Cinnabon.
Brought to you by Jon Kellogg and Thad Fisco—the masterminds behind N Williams Avenue’s foodie/bike destination, the Hub—this outdoor shopping mall hip-checks convention by eschewing chains like American Apparel and Gap in favor of more local, eclectic flavors. Fashion designers like Holly Stalder, design firms such as Incubate, and vintage connoisseurs such as Bombshell and Golden Rule make up the bulk of 811’s residents.
The building’s 23 spaces are small—most under 400 square feet—which helps keep rents down, and they’re each carefully curated by Kellogg.
“I wanted this to be a creative design center,” says Kellogg, who’s turned down potential tenants who wouldn’t harmonize with the scene. And the way to do that? “Have a great space, lease to the right people, and get out of the way.”
The philosophy seems to be working. Nylon magazine, labeler of all things swell, recently aimed its spotlight on 811, further ensuring the well-booted tourists staying at neighboring Jupiter Hotel will flock to the freewheeling conglomerate. Beat them to the best showpieces of indie street cred at these four pillars of 811.
Published: July 2011
Great feature! I love the mall..(!!) it’s always been an awesome little secret gem… guess the secret’s out. It IS kinda strange that you’d feature a shop (Golden Rule) that is going out of business and currently in it’s last month at the 811, though. Jus sayin.
Magazines work a few months ahead. At the time we went to press Golden Rule was still kicking and owner Wynde Dyer hoped to be around for a long time. But, things happen…. The mall is still the place to be!
-Eden Dawn