Portland Buy Local

What a dismal scene to imagine: a stretch of city where all you see is soulless chains, a cookie-cutter strip you could find in any town. Part of what keeps Portland so special, part of what keeps it such a fresh and appealing place to live, is the oddness, the one-of-a-kindness. Portland Buy Local is in part to thank for that. Taking categories for both non-profit and cause, it's a community of people committed to celebrating and strengthening the local and independent businesses. It began with twenty Portland business owners in 2006. In the past five years, they teamed up with the Portland Independent Business and Community Alliance, and now over 350 businesses have joined the campaign. | portlandbuylocal.org