Quirky, one-of-a-kind shops in Gresham

By Janet Unruh
Wilkes East Neighbor and Board Member

There are at least 28 quirky, one-of-a-kind shops in Gresham, including such things as yesteryear consignment shops, guitar and musical instrument shops, upscale resale women’s clothing, antiques, Mexican and Latin American flea markets; and probably others I haven’t found yet. For this article, I left out a whole category of grocers, but they include Mexican, Middle Eastern, Euro-Russian, Pacific Islander, and a little farther away: Somali, Indian, and Asian. However, I have to make an exception for the PDX Halal Supermarket and Kabul Restaurant. They sell Persian rugs, furniture, wall art, housewares, spices, and packaged foods from the Middle East. It’s right in our neighborhood at 16223 NE Glisan Street. Google reviews: Friendly people from Afghanistan! Great food with big helpings. The bread is always delicious. Great prices. Immaculately clean market. Food is authentic Afghani. Food is probably the best Afghani food that I have had in the Oregon area.
We also have a new Mexican flea market nearby called Oregon Flea Market, at 16321 SE Stark Street. Google reviews: They carry an assortment of things like candy, food, snacks, toys, gifts, shoes, clothes, jewelry, electronics, and so much more. Great place! Great vibes! There's a really awesome second-hand shop on the east end way in back of the covered area, highly recommend. Lots of cool and unusual stuff, always getting new stuff. Hidden gem!
As I was collecting the list of quirky shops, I looked at the photos for each shop in Google Maps. My eye landed on a “Fire King Jade-ite” juicer. See below.

Fire King Jadeite juicer, Click to enlarge

My family has a large collection of this light green, opaque “milky” glassware: dishes and bowls of different sizes, cups and saucers, serving bowls, etc.

However, this juicer is one piece that we don’t have.

Permit me a little diversion. Once upon a time, my family had a cabin in the Colorado mountains, which we visited every summer. We have fond memories of the scent of pine forests, evening cookouts, and the path into town. On the way to town, we’d cross streams and run through the patch of wild roses to avoid a bee sting. It was there that we had these dishes. They were inexpensive in the late 1940s, but now they are collectible.

I couldn’t read the price of the juicer (does it look like $69.99? Ouch!), so I went to look at it in person. It was at a shop called Side Hustle Auction and Thrift at 317 NE Roberts Ave., Gresham, OR 97030. It’s a consignment shop with several rooms full of interesting items.

Side Hustle Auction and Thrift, Click to enlarge

17 Google reviewers gave it five stars. What’s extra quirky about this shop is that the owner, Carrie Hughes, runs a weekly online auction.I asked about the juicer and it had already been sold. But I was amused to find a few pieces of the green uranium glassware under a blacklight, which causes them to glow. This type of glassware is made with a small amount of uranium and is radioactive, but its radioactivity is very low. I browsed the whole place and had a good time. I was tempted to buy a blue guitar in good shape. Google reviews: Amazing hidden gem! So very great deals! My friend had to drag me out because I was about to buy half the store. Awesome place. Lots of cool stuff. Don't think I've ever been in and not come out with something. Love collecting VHS tapes from my childhood.

Here’s my list (so far) of quirky, one-of-a-kind shops:

Amiton Furnture, 202 N Main Ave. Retail home furnishings.
CB’s Tropical Aquarium, 3 NE 181st Ave. Fresh and saltwater fish, and accessories.
Cheap Charlie’s Beer and Wine Superstore, 79 NE Roberts Ave. 1,000-plus brews, plus many wines.
Deep Creek Garden Center, 2330 NE Hogan Dr. Seasonal trees, shrubs, annuals, and perennials.
Discounts Plus, 211 NE Roberts Ave. Closeout and liquidation.
Eagle Bargain Outlet, 867 E Powell Blvd. Eclectic furnishings, household items, clothes, etc.
Eastside Music, 21977 SE Stark St. Musical instruments.
“FLEA” Market, 18340 SE Stark St. Booths with lots of Mexican items, jewelry, electronics, and mini cafes.
Found on Fremont, 560 NW Eastman Pkwy. Consignment.
Foxtrot Vintage, 227 N Main Ave. Upscale antiques, etc.
Gaia’s Workshop, 475 NE Burnside Rd. Drums and sacred art.
Gresham Guitar, 835 N Main Ave. All things guitar, electric and acoustic, repairs, and lessons.
Gresham Music, 620 SE 223rd Ave. Brass, woodwind, and stringed instruments. Orchestra, band; rentals, and lessons.
Island Hope Mart, 17308 NE Halsey St. Pacific Islander clothing, jewelry, packaged foods, and snacks.
JunkYard Deals Thrift Store, 23 NE 10th Dr. Upscale used furnishings and clothes.
Let’s Play Again, 20 NW 2nd St. Toys, dolls, stuffed animals.
La Pulga Fantastica, 19340 SE Stark St. Super-large Mexican flea market with all kinds of Mexican items and mini cafes.
Maggie Mae’s Bookshop, 50 NW 1st St. Books, games, gifts for all ages, especially baby to teens, reading challenge, teas!
Molly's Upscale Resale, 111 N Main Ave. Women’s clothing.
Montavilla Sewing Center, 971 NE Kelly Ave. Sewing supplies.
NW Creations and Collectibles, 364 NW Eastman Pkwy. Crafts. They are looking for another (cheaper) location.
Oregon Flea Market, 16321 SE Stark St. Mexican flea market.
PDX Halal Supermarket with Kabul Restaurant, 16223 NE Glisan St. Middle-east furnishings, grocery, and restaurant.
Schedeen’s Nursery, 845 NE 10th St. Plants, farmer's market, gifts, and preserves; something for every season.
Second Nature Pet Supply, 17 NW 1st St. Food, snacks, toys.
Side Hustle Auctions and Thrift, 317 NE Roberts Ave.
The Gresham Toy Shop, 126 N Main Ave. Toys, collectibles.
The Other Side Nursery, 458 SE 185th Ave., #103, Rockwood Market. Wide variety of indoor plants, plus rocks and crystals.