One of the best parts about living in Portland, OR is that our fair city happens to be the U.S. Headquarters for some big players in the shoe and apparel industry. Within about 15 miles of downtown Portland, you can find Nike, Adidas, Doc Martens, Columbia Sportswear, and Nau....and I am sure there are some I am forgetting. Towards the end of 2008, a friend from Freightliner gave me a 50% off discount card for the Adidas Employee Store. I scored a new jacket, some shoes and some socks. Before that, a friend from Comcast hooked me up with a pass to the Doc Martens warehouse sale. I was able to include three friends in the adventure and we all scored several pairs of new shoes, all for $30/pair. There is a Columbia Sportswear outlet store in SE Portland (aka the Sellwood neighborhood), which I have yet to find anything that fits or has the right price, but I definitely check it out on occasion.

My best deal so far this year happened just by chance. Yesterday, I was riding the streetcar to NW Portland when I noticed a storefront with "Nau Warehouse Sale" all over it, with the dates/times. Knowing my friend, J, would be interested in this, I immediately left her a message on Facebook. Nau is a fairly new Portland company founded by a former Nike or Adidas exec (I can't remember which). They fell on hard times about a year ago, briefly went under before being resurrected by Horny Toad.

Nau is designed to be environmentally friendly, using sustainable wool, organic cottons, recycled/green fabrics, all while exercising social responsibility. There is a price to pay for this type of clothing and it's usually outside my means to be able to afford their product.

Today, I scored two pairs of pants and a t-shirt for $15. Yes, only $15!!! One pair of pants retails for $148, the other $118 and the t-shirt $55. I might even go back later this weekend and see what's left.

I love Portland.