08/09/2026
I guess I'm feeling a little bit of nostalgia for my time at Lloyd Center as Portland Celebrates the last day of this historic shopping center.
Some of you may remember my very early days popping up with Animal.Plant.Mineral. on the 2nd floor across from H & M.
We were invited as part of a program to try to revive and bring new life into the shopping center. It was a very odd but exhilarating experience.
It felt pretty cool to bring the vintage vibes to a place like a mall, and a lot of people were pleasantly surprised box stores and dying mall culture. I would say most people were pleasantly surprised. And we were often told that our space felt like an oasis in the sea of box stores and empty spaces.
Nowadays, you probably wouldn't be surprised at all this see vintage in the mall. You might even find a vintage section at the H&M.
But then it was quite the novelty and I'm grateful to have been part of that .
As far as the Lloyd Center itself, I can't really say I'm that sad to see it go. I know I know... some of you are losing a part of your childhood.
But let's be real, when js the last time you Patronized the Mall? Sad to say, That place has become an energetic, dead zone at worst, a liminal space at best ( Back Rooms) It's unfortunate and always sad to have to see the destruction of historical architecture but sometimes a place, despite its best intentions and best efforts can no longer exist in the form that it's in.
and sometimes it is just plain haunted...
I hope it gets transformed into something beautiful and creative and end ends up being a lively community gathering hub once again. 🤞🏽
One can only Hope.
Good Bye Lloyd Center and Good Luck in your next incarnation!
