St. Johns Neighborhood Guide
St. Johns is located in North Portland. It is bordered by Linnton, Cathedral Park, University Park, Portsmouth and Kenton neighborhoods.
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Features
St. Johns has a charming, small town feel to it. The post office, coffee shops, breakfast places, restaurants, movie theaters, grocery stores, and several parks, are all within walking distance for residents who live close to the downtown strip.
The community has a rich and interesting history. It seems St. Johns was established by James John (a kindly hermit) and the area is named after him. An 1843 pioneer settler of Linnton, James John, moved across the river and started St. Johns in about 1865. St. Johns became part of Portland in 1915, two years before Linnton joined the growing city. There use to be a lot of streetcars here and many interesting old houses & buildings still remain.
It’s not possible to discuss St. Johns without singing the praises of the St. Johns bridge. It has a long, storied, and wildly rumored, history. It has been rumored to be haunted by the ghost of a 15 yr old murder victim. The bridge was NOT designed by the designer of the Golden Gate Bridge (an common misconception). In fact, the builder of the St Johns bridge was John Steinman, was a rival to the builder of the Golden Gate Bridge. Stating a connection between the two bridges is common, but incorrect historically.
The St. John's bridge was meant to be all manner of biggest, widest, and/or tallest bridges West, East, prior to, or in the whole world ever (although it is true that at the time of construction, the bridge had the longest span of any suspension bridge west of Detroit). Rumors aside, the bridge is stunning, really, really stunning -- it’s worth a trip to St. Johns just for the bridge, descriptions like “towering gothic arches” are inadequate. Local residents find the St. Johns bridge to be far more lovely than the Golden Gate Bridge (and we agree).
One virtue of the bridge that is often overlooked by much of Portland, is a 12 minute commute to downtown Portland and15-20minutes to Beaverton or Hillsboro. Highway 30, the road connecting the other side of the bridge to downtown Portland suffers very little traffic during the 8-5 or 9-6 commute hours (although, anecdotally, it’s busier during earlier hours 5-7 am and 2:30 - 4:30). Germantown road to Skyline or Cornelius pass dissimilarly light traffic during banker's hours commute.
Parks
St. John's is home to beautiful Cathedral Park. The aptly named park, directly below the bridge is home not only to the “cathedral-like” arches of the bridge piers, but a boat ramp, a dog off-leash area, and a hiking trail. The park itself was created out of what was essentially wasteland under the bridge in the early 70s by St. Johns honorary mayor Howard Galbraith (per Portland Parks and recreation). There is a water pollution control lab that has a charming natural habitat wetland sanctuary where you may spot nutria and red winged blackbirds. The yearly St.Johns blues jazz festival is also held in Cathedral Park.
Forest Park has a trailhead on the west side of the St. Johns Bridge. You can walk across the bridge and be right in the forest. Forest Park is the largest old-growth urban forest in the United States. This trail area of the park features the most wildlife--you may spot some deer and other animals for aging quietly in the forest.
The Smith & Bybee Lakes wildlife sanctuary is tucked away in St.. Johns, also. It's a protected wetland scenic area that is unique and beautiful--and a bird watchers delight! The Portland Parks website indicates that most visitors to the lakes can find beaver, river otter, black-tailed deer, osprey, bald eagles, and one of the largest remaining populations of Western painted turtles in Oregon. The Columbia Slough has boat ramps where people take canoes and rafts for a relaxing ride. There is public art along the restored trail.
Pier Park is another great park that is like a little forest, and sometimes hosts classical music performances.
More park links:
Community Resources
Join the St. Johns On-line Community - Meet your St. Johns neighbors, add local events to the calendar, share photos, and more.
Local News - Portland Sentinel
Fencing Center Salle Trois Armes
Enjoy this video montage we created featuring photos of the St. Johns Bridge and some local businesses downtown.
Neighborhood Vibe
St. John's is described by locals as "extremely friendly", "A town within a city..." "There seems to be quite an underground of artists and fellow travelers in these parts."
Stats
St. Johns Zip Code 97203
St. Johns Real Estate
St. John's features all styles of Portland architecture, from ranches and cape cods, to the occasional Victorian home. St. Johns is an older Portland community.
If you are looking for information on buying or selling a home in St. John's, including property search, mortgage rates, loan calculators, home appraisers, school report cards, and crime reports, please see the Portland Real Estate page.
St. Johns Restaurants
Originally settled independently of Portland, St. Johns used to be its own city complete with City Hall. Now that building houses the police station, and the two towns are one. Or are they?
Of course legally the two cities are one. And then there's that Kum Ba Yah can’t-we-all-just-get-along way, sure. But walking the streets, it doesn’t take long to get the vibe that, “Toto, we’re not in Portland anymore.”
Somewhere between the architecture that’s frozen at different moments in Main Street Americana and the fiercely, did I mention fiercely, proud neighbors and proprietors, is a sense of community that is different, special, even self-reflective. It's as if the community pastime consists of pinching oneself at the opportunity to live and work in St. Johns.
Of course, some of the St. Johns’ satisfaction has to do with age. No rocket science here. Plain and simple, history equals roots equals pride. And in St. Johns, you can’t throw a rock and not hit something historic. Some of the oldest buildings in all of Portland are in St. Johns and some of the oldest businesses. The bike shop clocks in as the very first, established in 1925 and now in its third generation. The bakery is also in its third generation. The hardware store was the oldest in the land before hard times, but it’s making a comeback. You can chomp on pizza at a gas station that goes back to the‘30s, and the soda fountain was flowing in the ‘50s.
Most of the proprietors live nearby, and their sense of community weighs in far stronger than any feelings of competition. When you talk to shop owners in St. Johns, they can't wait to recommend several other shops on the block. They’ll tell you who owns them, how long they've been around, and the quality work they're up to.
Taking their lead, here’s what we found.
Big Kahuna's Barbeque
So this place isn’t the oldest in the' hood, but Gary Herrera, owner and
Big Kahuna, does it the old fashioned way. He smokes and barbeques all his
own meat right there on the premises. This guy with the huge, welcoming
smile is so serious about barbeque that he holds classes and even barbeque
competitions. The next one will coincide with the St. Johns parade that is
the annual kick off to the Rose Festival season.
Recently Gary’s won best caterer of the year, and the restaurant is listed as one of Portland’s Top100. He’s the champion of several competitions across the States. And with dishes like Kalua Pig Plate and Smoked Beef Plate with some Mango Cole Slaw, the Big Kahuna seems to have found the winning recipe for making a place in St.Johns’ history.
8221 N. Lombard Street
Big Kahunas Barbeque and Catering
Portland, OR 97203
Call in Orders: (503)522-4012
Catering: (503)310-9480
Pattie's Homeplate Café & Fountain
The namesake proprietor grew up in St. Johns and used to spend her typical
1950’s Saturday sitting at the fountain here slurping Orange Julius. Two
doors down, the owner of the fencing center says he’s seen a photograph of
Pattie when she was a kid sitting at the tables and chairs outside – the exact
same tables and chairs that are there today.
All grown up, Pattie bought the place with her husband, Gene, and expanded the deli into a café. They serve exactly what you would expect they would in a place that still holds sock hops every first and third Saturday of the month.
Pattie's Homeplate Café & Fountain
8501 N. Lombard Street
Portland, OR 97203
(503) 289-7285
Signal Station Pizza
The antique gas pumps are still out front. The service bay door into
the garage still rolls up. And inside, what else? Pizza! You
can enjoy the warmer months inside the “garage” or at tables set up just outside.
And word on the street is they’ve got good rep.
Serving pizza by the slice or whole pie, Signal Station also makes sandwiches and salads and scoops up Blue Bunny ice cream.
Signal Station Pizza
Hours: Tues-Thurs 11:30-8:30, Fri-Sat 11:30-9:00, Sun 4:00-8:00
8302 N. Lombard Street
Portland, OR 97203
(503) 286-2257
St. Johns Businesses
Blue Moon Camera and Machine
In the market for that latest digital SLR? Or maybe you're just in the
mood to talk mega pixels? Not in St.. Johns you’re not and certainly not
at Blue Moon. Purists down to their last shutter, each and every Blue Moon
staff member is a photographer first, clerk second, and they do traditional film
the traditional way.
On the equipment sales’ side of the business, they carry the best vintage: ‘60s, ‘70s, and early‘80s. And processing Blue Moon style means high quality optical printing that requires hands-on, one negative at a time attention, focusing optical light through each individual frame.
In addition to keeping tradition, Blue Moon has also made one in these parts. As they see literally every exposure their customers submit, the staff sets aside a few favorites for an annual customer show that has become so popular that this year there's an encore presentation.
Blue Moon Camera and Machine
8417 N. Lombard Street
Portland, OR 97203
(503) 978-0333
Greg's
The name doesn’t give away much, but a simple title would have its hands full trying to nail down this store's contents. Instead of slinging the shopping "E" word – “eclectic” – manager Michael Talley refers to the establishment as an “all inclusive gift shop.” Cards to fountains, the inventory will soon also boast a nursery with garden supplies and garden art.
Greg’s
8218 N. Lombard Street
Portland, OR 97203
(503) 289-7510
The Man's Shop
“Meet us and be well dressed,” was the slogan started 67 years ago by Ben and Jean Leveton. Their sons, Bob and Jerry, have run the operation for many years now, and The Man's Shop remains the place for smart attire, as well as casual, in the neighborhood that made them who they are.
Though the family has always had a St. Johns presence, once upon a time they also owned a second location in Jantzen each. There they won the “Friendliest Store in the Shopping Center” so many years in a row that the trophy was finally retired with their name on it. What bearing does that have on their business today? According to the brothers, they learned what it meant to run a truly friendly shop from St. Johns– and that’s right where they continue to do so.
Suits, shirts, ties, tuxes, and even tee’s and jeans, The Man’s Shop has a tremendous inventory in addition to their share of smiles.
The Man's Shop
8511 N. Lombard Street
Portland, OR 97203
(503) 286-3514
Tulip Pastry Shop
Making St. Johns smell good since 1950, Tulip Pastry Shop still bakes every last morsel like they did 57 years ago –from scratch. In the business for so long, Melodie Presler of its third generation can’t smell any of her family's sweeter concoctions anymore, but it's worth it for cakes that are legendary, custard – also from scratch – that is a conversation piece, and a Marionberry stuffed cookie that will demand your complete attention.
Tulip Pastry Shop
8322 N. Lombard Street
Portland, OR 97203
(503) 286-3444
Vinyl Resting Place
Vintage vinyl + historic St. Johns = no brainer. Owners Toby Tobiason and Pat Smith, Vinyl Magnate and Vinyl Design respectively, specialize in jazz, folk, and blues records but also carry much more. Simply stated, they “buy and sell interesting records.”
They like the old sound, and they like the old way. Pat likens their store to any mom ‘n pop shop you'd find in the 50s. And why shouldn’t she? Doing it the vintage way, her commute consists of walking and waving to the neighbors who frequent the shop so often they have their pictures, like family, hung in a collage on the wall.
Vinyl Resting Place
8332 N. Lombard Street
Portland, OR 97203
(503) 247-9573
Weir's Cyclery
Before biking was Portland chic. Heck, practically before God created the seventh day so that the entire city could go biking – there was Weir’s Cyclery. Saddling bipeds on two wheels since 1925, Weir’s is the oldest in the city. Passed from father to son a couple of times, Weir’s is in its third generation with Steve, who specializes in Specialized and Raleigh, and of course the traditional Red Line for the BMX crowd.
In reality, not a word needs to be written about these folks. They’ve been thriving for 82 years in the crazy obsessed Portland bike culture. ‘Nuff said.
Weir’s Cyclery
5036 N. Lombard Street
Portland, OR 97203
(503) 283-3883
Fencing Center - Salle Trois Armes
A classic sport for a classic neighborhood –it’s a classic fit. Coach Rocky Beach and Maitre d’Armes, Delmar Calvert, who received his first fencing master's degree while serving in the French Foreign Legion, offer traditional as well as Olympic-style sport fencing training for both genders, all ages.
The story goes that Coach Beach used to live in St. Johns in its earlier heyday and believed it would be the right spot to which to return to establish his beloved fencing center. At that time, however, the area had suffered a few setbacks, and his shop lights were the only ones on the street still bright come nighttime. But Rocky believed if he just kept those bulbs burning, other proprietors would eventually come. Suffice to say that Kevin Costner and a cornfield have nothing on Rocky Beach and Portland’s St.Johns neighborhood.
Fencing Center– Salle Trois Armes
8517 N. Lombard Street
Portland, OR 97203
(503) 285-2962
Writers’ Dojo & Ecole de Budo RAJI International
To someone unfamiliar with either form of expression, literary endeavors and martial arts may not seem to share much in common. The truth of the matter is, however, that both are at once the impetus for and the result of a singularity of focus and an ongoing dialogue with the inner human landscape and its systematic excavation –each of which requires sacred space wherein a discipline of practice may be nurtured. And on a neighborhood corner in St. Johns, that is exactly what has been birthed.
Located one block off Lombard on N. Chicago Avenue, brothers Jeffrey and Michael Selin have co-created dojo space – that is, places of practice and training – for each of their passions. Jeffrey is a fulltime fiction writer and owner/proprietor of Writers’ Dojo. And, sharing the same grounds, Michael owns and operates Ecole de Budo RAJI International, an esteemed school of budo, or martial art.
For starters, let’s just say that Writers’ Dojo is, without a doubt, a writer’s dream workspace. A handsome affair absolutely dedicated to fostering inspiration without distraction, the dojo engages the vibe and quiet necessary to encourage the writer’s voice to scream across the page.
Why does the Portland literary community need this, you might ask. Well, as every writer knows, the work gets done on an internal plane– a plane that is, perhaps ironically, murderously difficult to access if the writer isn’t comfortable externally. Home often proves problematic as disturbances mount exponentially, and throne dirty fork in the sink never fails to be the locus of all sentient thought. And though a writer will kiss an opportunity not to work as if the messenger of a stay of execution, we ultimately all know that not so much as a syllable will stumble across the page until we bow our heads and humbly cooperate.
So what has traditionally been our recourse? Sadly, many of us have been forced to hit the streets like derelicts in a pathetic hunt former moments of a warm though evolving ass spot, where we feel at mental and emotional home and motivated by the atmosphere without being sidetracked by it. Jeffrey refers to these artistic nomads as the" Diaspora,” the writing exiled forever destined teak out a page or two amidst the coffee shop interned, sound tracked byte arrhythmic backbeat of the explosive steam function on the latté machine.
That is why Jeffrey has conceived a place where members can come at absolutely anytime of the day or night and work at an office reserved just for them in an atmosphere where quiet, personal, and inspirational space may be worshiped and achieved in a communal setting. It is an environment one hundred percent of, by, and for writers where, in like mind and like need, they can at last be immersed in the culture and surroundings that cradle good work, not confound it.
In addition, practical office support paraphernalia like Wi-Fi, coffee, and printers are all perks of membership as is a community area in the area called “the conversation pit.” A living room-esque section that features comfy couches and chairs, the pit is the perfect place for a relaxed reading break or possible sidebar withal fellow member as well as a tremendous venue for writers' groups to meet and/or hold workshops.
Just a few paces across the courtyard, the school with the French name offering timeless Japanese traditions holds classes in Aikido, Iaido, and Jodo. Aikido is the youngest of the martial arts offered at the school, but it is based on 800-year-old techniques. In Iaido, the emphasis is drawing, cutting, and sheathing the classical Japanese sword known as the katana. And finally, the focus of Jodo is The Way of the Stick or, in other words, the manipulation and mastery of the traditional long stick or jo.
By passing down these traditions, preservation of ancient art forms" without distortion” is the goal at Ecole de Budo RAJI International in a very comprehensive facility that offers an impressive, fully padded class area upstairs. Downstairs, there are showers and an inviting kitchen and seating area designed for collective moments and relaxation.
Taken together and separately, Ecole de Budo RAJI International and Writers’ Dojo comprise hallowed ground for the principle of being true to ones art. Each discipline has its own devoted structure, but they share a common courtyard and garden area, and members enjoy amending of amenities. For example, a writer pulling an all-nighter at the dojo is welcome to walk twenty paces across the yard to enjoy a shower at the school of martial arts. His or her participation in classes is of course also encouraged. Similarly, the school's students may join the dojo for writing workshops and to grab a cup of requisite literary caffeine.
Writers’ Dojo & Ecole de Budo RAJI International
7518 N Chicago Avenue
Portland, OR 97203
Dojo: (503) 706-0509 - www.writersdojo.org
Ecole: (503) 286-3625 - Ecole de Budo RAJI International
More Local Business Listings
Blackbeard Music - 8160 N Jersey St.- (503) 289-3650
It's a Dog’s Life Day/Play Care - 8709 N. Lombard St. -503-286-2668
Kelly's Housekeeping & Cat Sitting Services - Kelly Tadlock, Owner - 10135 N. Mohawk Ave. - (503) 234-6226
Maui Sunset Tanning, Salon and Day Spa - 8448 N Ivanhoe St. -503-283-9535
Ole' Ole' Restaurant & Taqueria - 8620 N Lombard St. -(503) 283-4321
Pathaya Thai - 9440 N Saint Louis Ave - (503) 289-4300
St. Johns Book Sellers - 8622 N Lombard - (503) 283-0032
St. Johns Health Center &
Natural Pharmacy - 8933 N. Lombard St. - (503)286-4400
The St. Johns Pub - 8203 N Ivanhoe - (503) 288-3286
One with Heart - Tulen Center for Martial Arts and Wellness -8641 N. Lombard St.
It’s a Dog's Life (Doggy Day Care) at8709 N. Lombard - Even if you don’t have a dog, it’s like free TV from the outside, and they sell lots of delicious natural treats and cool toys inside.
St. Johns Theater -- Not to be confused with the McMenamin's Theater and Pub. They serve pizza and beer, good coffee,and general movie snacks, for prices you don’t find in movie theaters (they'll tell you if you could get your purchase cheaper and they aren't trying to up sell you).
Thanks to our contributing authors to the St. Johns page, local residents Kelly Tadlock and C. Smith.
If you're a St. John's resident and have more community information you'd like to share, please contact us.