Weird Portland Wednesday: All the Whoziwhatsits You Could Want

 

Where can you get a vintage cupboard knob just for a few minutes search? What if you needed a certain lamp shade that Target had never heard of before? And what if you wanted to find an old fashioned toilet with matching soap dishes? Of course, you'd come to Portland.

Hippo Hardware is a unique salvage hardware store. It sits smack in the middle of the East Side of town, right on Burnside where the drunks and homeless used to hang, back in the old days before they all moved to other more comfortable (!) spots along the freeways and parks. 

It is a three-story huge corner building that houses all means of treasures for the home. Lights. Light shades. Knobs. Handles. Toilets. Bathtubs. Door plates. Door bells. Keys--lots and lots of keys that might fit your front door. It's a Hardware Museum that is fun to peruse for an hour or so, even if you have nothing to buy. Betcha you find something you just have to have :)

Their website states, "Hippo Hardware is an eclectic building salvage store specializing in hardware, lighting, architecture and plumbing from 1860-1960.  We also offer assorted collectibles, trinkets, whatnots, and whoziwhatsits depending on what we get in.  The spirit of Hippo Hardware is to rejoice in the individual, the unique, and the original."

It all began in 1976 by founders Steven Miller and Stephen Oppenheim. It has grown into a welcoming and well known place to visit and spend some time playing with things. They stated that they "strongly support community projects, teachers, artists, adventurers, dreamers, and one-man-bands." And they do. They support an eclectic group of nonprofits, from NARAL to Union Gospel Mission to local schools and school programs to Imago Theatre. Plus everything in between.

So climb on up the stairs and see what all the fuss is about! After all, we are here for you and busily keeping Portland weird.

And so it goes
peace~~~