Meier & Frank

It is very strange to walk by this sign. When we first moved to Portland, Meier & Frank was the premier department store in town. We registered there for our wedding gifts. People who grew up in Portland and the surrounding area talk about coming into town to buy their school clothes there or doing their Christmas shopping. There was a great restaurant up on the top floor where you could dine in style with all the blue haired old ladies of Portland. In short M&F was an institution. But institutions die. Meier & Frank slowly slid into decline and at the end was pretty dingy. It has been bought out by Macy's and the higher floors of the building have been turned into a deluxe hotel. I also heard the restaurant on the top floor has been redone and is better than ever. That said, it is still sad to see this little reminder of Portland at what used to be a M&F storage building over in the Pearl District. I am sure this building will soon be turned into apartments or nice lofts and the last vestiges of Meier & Frank will be gone.