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“We don’t want people just to buy things,” Rob McCallum says. “We want them to feel inspired.” He’s talking about Benchmark (2280 NW Lovejoy St., 503-970-7095, benchmarkpdx.com), which he opened in November with partners Ian Mazie and Ben Boutros (and Cookie the bulldog who greets you at the door).
Benchmark is as much a gallery and a gathering space as a store. The partners showcase inventive brands sourced from around the world. Products range from high-end design journals to handcrafted chess tables, jackets made from old parachutes, and discarded jeans brilliantly refashioned. But, McCallum says, they are just as interested in feeding the spark that exists when creative people come together with the simple agenda of making something cool. The results may be hard to label but have that ineffable you-know-it-when-you-see-it quality. Benchmark is a place where you can find a housewarming gift for your most discerning friend and pick up a little inspiration for thinking that maybe you too can make, do or possess something amazing.
Gallery spaces along two walls will feature work by a changing lineup of artists; the current show explores the idea of kinship. Inventory includes the owners’ brands as well as lines you won’t see anywhere else in town, sourced from places as far-flung as Ghana and Argentina. All three owners bring years of experience in the design and marketing businesses and share a commitment to retail that reflects their value of making the world a better place by benefiting the community, supporting diverse and distinct cultures, and protecting the environment.
See the rest of Willamette Week’s Best of Portland 2024 here!