Blundstone plans to open its first Oregon store on one of Northwest Portland's busiest shopping strips. The Australian bootmaker is set to take over a former Verizon storefront at 524 N.W. 23rd Ave., with the opening targeted for fall 2026.
The Portland shop would be Blundstone's sixth U.S. location. According to OregonLive.com, the company currently operates stores in Brooklyn, Manhattan, Boston and Seattle, along with a Los Angeles flagship. The Northwest Portland location would be the company's first in Oregon.
Blundstone first signaled plans to expand into Portland in October 2025, according to the same OregonLive.com report. The address has since been identified, but the opening date has not. An employee reached by phone told the news organization the store is expected to open this fall, while a separate email seeking a firmer date went unanswered.
What Portland Shoppers Can Expect on the Shelves
The Portland location is expected to carry boots for men, women and children, according to nwexaminer.com, which reported in May that Blundstone was in the early stages of opening its first Oregon store on Northwest 23rd Avenue. The outlet described the company's boots and clogs as weatherproof footwear worn by chefs, musicians and other customers who need durable shoes.
How the Store Fits Portland's Retail Market
Broader vacancy figures show challenging conditions for Portland brick-and-mortar retail, though they do not directly measure the Northwest 23rd corridor. The City of Portland says the vacancy rate for the Central Business District, which includes the downtown core, was 34.7% in the fourth quarter of 2024—a different geography from the Blundstone storefront. Separately, Prosper Portland reported that retail-property vacancy across Portland was 32% in the same quarter, citing CoStar data.
Founded in Hobart, Tasmania, in 1870, Blundstone began as a maker of rugged work boots. The brand is best known today for its Chelsea boots, ankle-length shoes with elastic sides modeled on the original Australian work-boot design, as hereisoregon.com notes. Blundstone introduced that Chelsea silhouette in the 1960s, and it remains the company's signature style.
The Brand's Portland Retail Debut
Portland shoppers may already know Blundstone through the retailers that sell its shoes around the country. The dedicated shop would give local customers a direct place to browse the brand's boots and clogs, including its Chelsea styles and work-oriented footwear.
For now, the timing remains limited to a general fall 2026 target. Blundstone has not announced whether the Northwest 23rd store will open early or late in the season.
