Southeast Portland’s Richmond neighborhood is arguably the most ‘Portland’ of the city’s neighborhoods. It’s a walkable, bikable place with all the amenities you could want — including good people-watching:
“I can walk to everything,” says City Cast Portland Neighbor Greg Raisman, who's lived in Richmond for over 20 years. “We actually didn't even own a car for six years. Within 15 minutes, we can grocery shop, be entertained, go to the library, eat food, drink beer, smoke weed — like, everything in our neighborhood.”
Raisman, who also works for PBOT, helped get our recent celebration of 503 Day off the ground. (Thank you, Greg!) He agreed to give us the inside scoop on his neighborhood:
The boundaries of Richmond are technically from about Southeast 29th Avenue to 52nd Avenue, and between Hawthorne and Powell. (But there are a few spots on the north side of Hawthorne that Raisman claims for his neighborhood.)
Shopping and Entertainment
If you’re looking for your next book, the perfect read, or a night out at the movies, this neighborhood has it all:
You can tell Southeast Hawthorne is a classic Portland main street by some of its best-known businesses, including Portland’s biggest local bookstore chain: Powell’s. Bonus: It’s one more reason eastsiders see no need to cross the river. (There’s also Steeplejack Union on Hawthorne and Gigantic Hawthorne Pub.)
It’s “a theater that was built in the twenties by Universal Studios as an opulent place to debut major motion pictures,” says Raisman. “It's just gorgeous with two bars — one for people watching and one for being in a three-story room with giant tapestries and chandeliers and shuffleboard and all that.”
It’s a nonprofit, community-owned theater — and one of the oldest continuously operating movie theaters in the country. It also has the longest-running “Rocky Horror Picture Show” on the West Coast.
It’s got the right gift for just about every occasion. Their collection runs the gamut from quirky to cute. Tip: Check out their wrapping paper selection (even if you’ve located the perfect gift somewhere else).
Stop by for some classic arcade games, pinball, or a smash burger. Tip: On Wednesdays, you can play most of their games for just 25 cents.
Dining and Drinking
You’re likely to find your next favorite bar and favorite meal in the neighborhood too. Raisman gives it his heartiest endorsement: “The food scene — as somebody with a budget that's too small and a belly that's too big — is a real problem.”
This Italian gelato is made from fresh ingredients. They also have some nondairy options — keep that in mind for strawberry season.
It’s “phenomenal,” says Raisman. It’s got a World Beer Cup award to prove it.
The $1 oysters during their happy hour can’t get enough mentions from us. But it’s also one of Portland’s best restaurants without that extraordinary deal.
The local chain of Norwegian restaurants has made a name for itself with its brunches.
This neighborhood hangout can feel like a visit back to the ’90s. (They’ve even got newspapers for customers to read.)
