Wednesday, May 8, 2013

A Hippo of a Good Time

In 2009, my wife and I traveled to Portland, Ore. I had been to the area once before, long before she and I were dating, when I went to visit my uncle, who lived in Portland at the time.

One thing I remember from my earlier trip was my visit to Hippo Hardware. Perhaps "hardware" isn't the best word for it, but the store actually was a large collection of old pieces from homes. Old moldings, old register covers, old bath tubs, old light fixtures. A truly amazing collection.

So when Michelle and I went to visit Portland almost four years ago, we made sure to stop in there. The place was as fascinating as it was 15 years earlier. And, no, I didn't buy anything major -- but I did pick up an old skeleton key. It's a wonderful reminder of what perhaps was the best vacation of my life.

Check out their website. It's a great place to get ideas. Like these register covers, below. You just can't find this stuff in your ordinary home improvement store. These covers have character and history. They have a story. And they're able to tell that story in somebody's home.

The register cover selection at Hippo Hardware