Avalon Antiques & Vintage Clothes

A great collection of real vintage (pre 60s) clothing. Prices were great for the quality and the guy who worked there was lovely.

Vintage clothing is not my thing… at all.
But, I’ve got a 70’s party to attend in a couple of days and I wanted to go to a store that had a reputation for being organized and having great customer service.
Hats off to Wendy and her beautifully organized and merchandised store. I was the only customer but received excellent service from Wendy; I really felt like she cared about finding the right solution for me.
I left with a leisure suit and two shirts and couldn’t be happier. I highly recommend this establishment.

This is a shop full of awesome, historical and vintage pieces – with a broad variety and friendly service. My fosthermother and I came in window-​shopping for something for 2 wear un2 Mythicworlds, a faery convention up in SeaTac, WA. and we found some amazing stuff!

Avalon had a lot of vintage Norma Kamali suits when I was there, which was fun and unusual. They had some great hats, avant garde pieces from the 80s and the men’s selection looked decent. However, the clothes are not priced to sell. I did leave with a silk and lace teddy from the 30s. Great condition other than a spot right on the front but the owner tried to tell me it was worth $ 100 without the stain. I kept my eyes from rolling in their sockets and he let me take it for $ 40 (which was still about 10 bucks too high). The service was… awkward, but really I just felt like this guy did not know his price points.

Got a nice 1940’s mink cape at a reasonable price. Great service once you get them warmed up and very good selection. Cool guys who know their stuff.

Had a similar experience with the long haired gentlemen after my daughter sneezed (and covered her mouth) and was told she couldn’t touch their already dirty clothes. Only difference was I was the one to lose my patience after a short back and forth. This guy does not belong in the sales biz. He should work in a hobbit hole with a bunch of gremlins. I recommend any who needs to sneeze just spray the place and forget everything your mother taught you.

I recently bought some gifts for friends here. The owners know the background behind nearly every piece in this shop — right down to the tiny suit pins in the jewelry cases. They seem to take great care of there clothes, as some of the more delicate items were stored in the dark and hung from the ceiling to prevent them from being damaged. They took the time to help us figure out what sizes we needed and were flexible about the prices. When we were leaving they thanked us for shopping locally, which always gives you a warm feeling.

This is the place to go if you want exceptional vintage garments — and the best part? It includes menswear. And some of the most spectacular vintage menswear I’ve seen. All of their garments are of top grade quality and organized very nicely.
Their inventory rages from the turn-​of-​the-​century to the 1980s, with a good majority of it from the 1950s. Their range of jewelry and mens accessories is astonishing as well and also of high quality.
This place is not for the thrifter or «casual» vintage-​wearer, but more for the hard-​core enthusiast, or collector. What does that mean? It’s all very nice, but it’s also very pricey. The shop is proud of their stock, but that is okay, because all of the items are well-​selected and of superior quality.
Shop is of decent size, but could do with a bit more lighting. Staff is extremely knowledgeable and I have found them very helpful when I have been interested in difficult to reach or case items.

Perfect.
They carry an excellent selection of CLEAN vintage clothing. The men’s selection of formal wear is impressive.
The best part? They have helped me several times to put together an outfit/​suit for a formal event. The bald guy gives excellent advice.

My rating goes down since they asked the tailor to leave. She was awesome.

I’ve shopped at Avalon for the past few decades. Over the years Avalon has always held a special place in my little vintage-​shopping addict’s heart.
Avalon has changed its geographical location at least once over the years but some things have remained constant and comforting for as long as I can remember, and that is the awesomely fabulous ensembles for women and men, jewelry, accessories like purses, scarves and ties. Then there is Paul, who like Dick Clark, doesn’t seem to age. Paul looks the same today as he did in the 1980’s.
Most recently, I needed a plaid tie for an upcoming event and it had to match with a special jacket. Simon at Avalon knew just the tie to complement my complicated jacket.
As always, Avalon, my «old reliable», the «godfather of Portland vintage» had what I needed to complete my ensemble.

The owner and Ray’s Ragtime must be brothers… poor customer service and over priced clothing… some of the clothes I looked at even had dust on it… yuck…really?
I went in with a new friend from LA… she saw a designer purse… it had scratches on it… and they were asking $ 250…come on? …she asked for a lesser price, she had cash and asked it for $ 200…the owner said NO… my wife handles all that… REALLY…you have a customer with $ 200 in your store and he told my friend she would have to come back… REALLY …we shopped around downtown at other way less expensive and friendlier stores and came back… the wife said… OH sure… REALLY…poor poor customer service… This store and Ray’s Ragtime should merge into one store and call it EFF YOU we dont want YOU.

I love Avalon for accessories and men’s clothing. The service is sassy but helpful. I’d give it a 5 if they carried more 40’s-60’s women’s clothing.

Picked up some killer duds here. A vintage bowling shirt and a black cowboy shirt with embroidered red roses, an homage to the Rose City if you will. Most of the selection here is dressier attire — suits, dresses, top hats, etc. — but they did have a well-​curated rack of casual wear. Bingo.

It’s been a while since I have first went into the Avalon. Three decades have come and gone. Over the years, I have found many things that I will always dig the hell out of, and when I’m in the mood, they help me look pretty sharp.
In the 80’s, Avalon pretty much defined what a really cool vintage clothing shop was to me. Back in the cookie cutter Reagan years, there was a pretty big damned difference between them and what you’d find at the mall. Mind you, this had to be a good decade before the off-​the-​rack punk rock places like «HOT TOPIC» were anywhere near this town (I suppose, in retrospect that was for the better). The shop was «lit» up with jug band jazz and one was free to peruse decades of interesting choices of what could be worn, styin’ suits, pants, ties and all sorts of one of a kind stuff.
Over the years, not that much has changed at Avalon.
There are few shops in Portland that I can actually remember pieces that I actually regret NOT buying. That perfect porkpie hat that fit perfectly despite my damn near impossible to fit dome-​radius, or the cockail jacket that was made of black lace laid over midnight blue with shiny black silk lapels and cuffs that Billy Idol would have casually torn the sleeves off and posed for an album with his, signature snarl.
Some of the pieces that I have purchased over the years I would NEVER sell back as I have often owned them longer a lot of Portland scene-​types have been alive. They are memories that I refuse to part with. It would be pieces like these that would be tangible proof, that I’ve got a few threads that are just as nice as anyone else around. It’s nice to to know I beat ‘em to the punch – I came right here to do it, but that’s nothing new either.
There’s been one helluva lot of vintage stores the have come and gone in Portland, Oregon, but this one’s TRULY in it for the long haul and I will always enjoy coming by. If you never have, I sincerely think you will as well. Some days, you may miss that elusive and perfect thing, and then on your next visit, you’ll wonder why what you found wasn’t made for you sooner.
Despite my personal exuberance, the folks at Avalon don’t need to brag or show off, all of this is just something that they’ve been calmly doing, day after day, decade after decade. I think, if you make it a point to pop by a few times, you might see exactly what I mean by a Portland institution. I’d venture to say that Avalon Antiques is about as authentic Portland, Oregon as you’re going to find.
Thank you Simon, Mary Alice, Aurthur and company for so many fond memories!

On a recent trip to Portland from the East Coast, I had only a few must-​dos, including an afternoon of vintage shopping.
Never before have I had such an awful experience shopping. The vintage and antique accessories selection was mediocre and overpriced, but what ruined the experience was the employee working. When I entered the store, the employee, a young man with long dark hair, was on the phone. He did not acknowledge me when I walked in, and shortly after, he ended his call and started fidgeting with items behind the counter. Given that he was no longer on the phone, I felt comfortable asking him about a fedora. I said, «Excuse me.» He did not look up. I repeated myself, «Excuse me.» Nothing. I was baffled. I was the only one in the store, and he was ignoring me. I left.
Honestly, if the store is not interested in customers, they should just lock the door. And now, having read the reviews of Katie T. and John D., I’m happy I left when I did, before the situation became heated and confrontational. The whole experience left a horribly sour taste in my mouth. There are plenty of other vintage and antique stores in Portland that are worth visiting — this is not one of them. I strongly advise readers not to go.

I went to Avalon on Sunday afternoon with some girlfriends, since I am recently engaged, love vintage fashion, and was looking for vintage wedding gown ideas. After all, there was a wedding gown in the window. Sadly, I was unable to do so as we were verbally assaulted by the staff and extremely frightened.
We did one circle to check out the selection in the store, during which we were ignored completely. The staff member was on his cell phone the entire time and did not greet us. Odd, but not unique in poor service.
The frightening part was when one of my girlfriends was showing my other friend a hat, leading to mild laughter. All of a sudden, the staff member stormed up to us, aggressively gesturing, and screaming: «GET OUT! GET OUT OF THE STORE! DONT **** AROUND IN MY STORE! HOW DO YOU THINK YOU CAN ACT LIKE THIS IN SOMEONE ELSE’S STORE? GET OUT!»
We immediately left and were frightened by the violent intensity of his anger. We really couldn’t believe it and were very shaken by the experience for the rest of the day.
The products are not worth getting verbally attacked and literally chased from a store.

I found this place after I got home from my second tour in Iraq. I came home with a new found interest in mens fashion, particularly vintage clothing and styles. I have been gong in and just looking at their merchandise for months without making a purchase and never felt the urge to purchase anything. I know from limited experience that the items on display are all quality articles. Whether it is the incredible jewelry or time pieces, the amazing ties or the fantastic sport coats the merchandise is legit.
I knew from the moment I found the store I was a fan. I finally purchased a real Navy pea coat that is likely from WWII. Simon, the proprietor, spent 20 minutes teaching me about how to identify a quality coat from the era. He only had one pea coat on the rack, but he ran to the back and grabbed a fresh article that had not yet even been cleaned. We compared the coats and the one from the back room fit better and was more of the quality that I had been seeking. He cut me a deal on the coat so that I could get it dry cleaned and gave me alterations advice. His caveat for the discount was that I bring it back so he could take a look and make sure I was satisfied. How can you not agree to that?
I will be returning to the store to pick up the odd purchase now and again. Also, I will be referring friends with similar strange tastes. The prices are a bit high, but the merchandise is always of high quality. Just talking with Simon is fun as the man is extremely knowledgeable. Head in and look around, it won’t disappoint.

Dear Portland Young Gentlemen,
Please go to Avalon. I love your worn in flannels and security-​blanket jeans as much as you do. No, really, you look cute. But, you’re not 17 anymore. So, it’s time to go shopping. Don’t be shy, everyone does it. To help you I have compiled a list of some of the things I would love to see you wear:
1. A vintage suit that is cut just right and puts a spring in your step.
2. A real hat that doesn’t look like you stole it from a kindergardener.
3. A pair of leather shoes or boots. You’ll be able to walk through puddles without getting your sneakers wet!
4. A watch, either wrist or pocket. (Yes, I know that your cell phone has a clock.)
5. A sweater that is an actual sweater and does not have a hood.
I think that you will be able to find all of these things at Avalon. They are worth investing in. I hope that you do, that you wear them often and feel as handsome as you will surely look.
Sincerely,
My eyes

This is very organized Vintage store and had a wonderful selection of clothing that you normally don’t get to see. I also really liked the fact that were was a little more information on the tags then just how much the item costs.
My friend ended up getting a very sweet blue 50’s dress there which I think she is going to use the pattern for a wedding dress.
I would recommended this to all those Vintage shoppers in Portland!