Lewis & Clerk

[November 23rd, 2005] Canoe sits on this town's gayest retail strip—Southwest Alder Street between 11th and 12th avenues—next to a wig shop that caters to drag queens and the Pretty in Pink nail salon. That might make it easy to dismiss this ever-so-elegant shop as just another kitsch-filled homo depot. Especially considering Canoe's space was once home to a store that sold nothing but queer-pride paraphernalia.

But Canoe, which opened last month, is so much more than just a great spot to find a present for a homo on your holiday list. Or as Sean Igo, Canoe's 37-year-old, out owner states, "The simplest way to look at this place is that it's a design shop and that can stand for a lot of things."

And "things" is what Canoe is all about.

Spending most of his adult life behind the scenes of retail behemoths like Sharper Image and Restoration Hardware, Igo knew that when he had a chance to put a shingle out on a business of his own, he'd make sure his shop would be different. Not only in what products he displayed but also in how they interacted with customers.

That's why Canoe's shelves are stocked with only the items Igo would be willing to have in his own home, from vintage radios to Australian birdhouses. And that's also why next to every one of the hand-selected objects in Canoe's well-edited inventory you'll find an index card explaining the history of the product, from ceramic takes on New York City's finest paper coffee cups to Swedish soaps shaped like wee gnomes.

One of the most intriguing "design shops" to open in Portland in recent memory, Canoe seems to cater to those people who want well-designed items in their life, but don't necessarily want to spend all their life hunting them down.

But, one question has to be asked: Who really needs a $175 Danish tape dispenser or stapler (only 75 bucks!) other than, say, America's Armed Forces? "Good design makes life more enjoyable," says Igo, picking up one of his Folle office tools/mini-investments. "Besides, it's the last stapler you'll ever buy."

Despite Canoe's "buy less, but buy nice" feel, most of the items in Igo's shop (except for a few pieces of tried and true iconic designs, such as Iittala glassware, and those spendy office products) are relatively inexpensive.

Besides finding unique gifts from far-off ports like Japan, Germany, Scandinavia and Australia, Igo carries items more familiar to these waters. "I believe in local design," says Igo, who stocks Pendleton blankets, a few nifty Leatherman tools and glassware from Sellwood artist Lynn Read, too.

And although his store may be gay-owned, he prefers to look at his items as genderless. "Everything in here is unisex," says Igo. "Well, except for the condom dispensers."

Maybe Canoe is as gay as we thought.