John Helmer Haberdasher

Specialties

We have one of the largest selections of hats and caps in the Pacific Northwest. Our traditional line of clothing includes custom tailoring from Hickey Freeman, Southwick, H. Freeman and Corbin, in addition to custom shirts, hand tailored in USA. We feature sportswear from Gitman and Robert Talbott along with their offerings of neckwear including a wonderful selection of bow ties. Shoes from Alden, made in New England. Our haberdashery assortment is second to none from grooming accessories to cologne and other hard-​to-​find items such as sock garters, braces and other accoutrements for the well dressed gentleman.

History

Established in 1921.

John Helmer Sr began as an apprentice in a clothing store in downtown Stockholm Sweden when he was a young boy. He came to the US in 1910 and began as a servant to the servants in the house of a wealthy gentleman. Over time he gained the trust of his employer and travelled the world with him as his valet, overseeing his clothing, cigars and liqueur. John Sr finally settled in Portland after completing courses in window trimming school. He always wanted his own business and to be his own boss. He founded his store in 1921 on SW Washington St between Broadway and Park. Six years later he moved to the present location at SW Broadway and Salmon. John Jr bought the store in 1954 after bicycling around Europe for 18 months. Instead of expanding to Lloyd Center he opted to expand the current location doubling the space out to the corner. The current owner, John III purchased the store in 1982 and has kept the character of the store much like it was from its inception.

Meet the Business Owner

John III H.

Business Owner

John III has an early history in the store beginning as an infant placed in the display window, in a cardboard box during the remodel of 1956, the year my dad bought the store from his dad, John Sr. Before the days of child labor laws, grade school aged John III could be found working in the basement, breaking upboxes, filling in the shopping bags on the selling floor, or running an errand in the downtown area. At the end of my work day I would be placed on the bus with a note pinned to my coat instructing the driver where to let me off at home. During high school I worked on the floor learning the trade from the professionals around me, occassionally meeting with the hat salesmen as they plied their products and assisting with modifing some of the various designs of headwear. Returning to Portland in the early 1980’s after circling the globe, I resumed working in the store and found that it still brought me satisfaction at the end of the work day. I purchased the business in 1982