PORTLAND TRADING CO

Go down a flight of stairs and enter what the owner, Kazeem Lawal, describes as a ‘general store which sells a little bit of everything’. For Lawal, that means men’s and women’s clothing from independent designers, home goods, beauty products, shoes, vintage books and even cookware. But these are not your ordinary-looking items - everything has flair, and it is easy to see why Lawal has a large and loyal following that includes both locals and customers who live elsewhere in the United States and abroad. From US$5. 157 Middle Street.