Celebrate Women’s History Month with These Local Women-Owned Businesses

Women’s History Month is a global celebration of the social, economic, cultural, and political achievements of women. It also marks a call to action for accelerating women’s equality. In Portland, the influence of women can be seen all over the City. In fact, Portland was named the eighth best city in the country for women business owners. We encourage you to recognize the accomplishments of the women in your life and to support the women-led businesses and organizations below.

  • Alberta: Get your bike ready to hit the streets at Gladys Bikes, a full-service bicycle repair and sales shop. Gladys (pronounced glad-iss) is the name of a bicycle that was owned and ridden by Frances E. Willard, a turn of the century women’s suffragist and feminist who taught herself how to ride a bike at the age of 53.
  • Beaumont: Get airborne at Aerial Dance PDX, an aerial dance studio offering regular class instruction on a variety of aerial apparatus.  Folly is a well-established women’s clothing boutique that makes 80% of the clothing they sell in-house. 
  • Belmont: With primo herb, accessories, and souvenirs, Mongoose Cannabis stays current on all of the latest industry news and trends to keep their customers informed about cannabis in Oregon.
  • Central Eastside: Good Hand Studio offers sewing classes for children that help develop skills that build confidence, encourage problem solving, and teach patience. Cargo, a Portland institution of international and local artisan goods, has opened the Cargo Emporium which features 12 independent women-owned businesses and one of the most vibrant maker’s scenes in Portland.
  • Cully: Get your caffeine fix at Bison Coffee House, Portland’s only Native-owned coffeehouse. Bison serves a carefully curated roster of Native and local roasters, locally sourced beverages, and a selection of delicious baked goods lovingly created on premises. To experience a truly impressive array of mix of fabrics, notions, books, patterns, and supplies that will bring your imagination to life, check out the Bolt Fabric Boutique.  
  • Foster: Stop in to Wild Mountain Wax for handcrafted vegan, non-toxic, and phthalate-free soy candles inspired by the wild and by life in the Pacific Northwest.
  • Gateway: Outer Rim Bicycles opened in 2007 and stocks a wide selection of commuter, mountain, and BMX bikes. They also offer full-service repair on site.
  • Hawthorne: Browse the selection of plus-sized designer clothing at Savvy Plus. Looking to get some new ink? Try Tattoo 34, a street tattoo shop that specializes in flash and custom drawn pieces.
  • Lents: Enjoy a full selection of baked breads, pastries, made-to-order sandwiches, plus cheeses, pastas and other dry goods at Bella’s Italian Bakery.
  • Lloyd: Find local, handmade, ethical, sustainable, and stylish goods for people and home at Animal Plant Mineral.
  • Midway: Jenni’s Sacred Grounds is Midway’s only independent, sit-down coffee shop and offers women who are reclaiming their lives opportunities to work and get established as they re-enter society.
  • Old Town: The mission of The Women’s Foundation of Oregon is to focus the power of women’s collective resources to improve the lives of women and girls throughout Oregon.
  • St. Johns: For a thoughtfully curated selection of art, slow fashion and wellness products, check out Shop Lyko. Try your hand at pottery at St. Johns Clay Collective, which opened in 2016 and has been steadily becoming a healthy hub of ceramic opportunity in the Portland area. 
  • Williams District: Akemi Hair Salon is BIPOC and LGBTQ+ friendly and provides top quality hair services using tools and products that are healthy for the planet, people, and animals. Discover great gifts at Reclamation, a woman of color-owned boutique that features handmade goods, plants, and terrariums, as well as their own handmade line of goods.

          This list is non-exhaustive. Be sure to support the women-owned businesses in your neighborhood and beyond. Show us how you’re celebrating Women’s History Month on Instagram and Facebook.