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Third Eye Shoppe

Coordinates: 45°30′42.4″N 122°37′18.6″W / 45.511778°N 122.621833°W / 45.511778; -122.621833
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Adapted from the English Wikipedia article Third Eye Shoppe, available under CC BY-SA 4.0Updated 9 August 202515 sources
Third Eye Shoppe
Company typePrivate
IndustryRetail (head shop)
FoundedJuly 1, 1987; 39 years ago (1987-07-01) in Portland, Oregon, United States
FounderJack Herer
DefunctMarch 31, 2017 (2017-03-31)
FateClosed due to declining sales and market competition; building sold for redevelopment
SuccessorNone
Headquarters
Portland
,
United States
Area served
Portland, Oregon
Key people
Jack Herer (founder), Mark Herer (owner from 2001)
ProductsBongs, literature, bumper stickers, apparel, crystals, Grateful Dead memorabilia, hookahs, incense, posters, rolling papers, tie-dyed clothing, vaporizers
Number of employees
12 (peak)

Overview

Third Eye Shoppe, often referred to simply as The Third Eye, was a prominent head shop situated in Portland, Oregon, within the Hawthorne district and Richmond neighborhood. Established in 1987, the business was originally owned by renowned cannabis advocate and counterculture figure Jack Herer. Ownership transferred to his son, Mark Herer, in 2001. The store ceased operations on March 31, 2017, due to a combination of factors including a downturn in sales, neighborhood redevelopment, rising healthcare expenses, and growing market competition. For close to three decades, the shop played a significant role in Portland’s cannabis culture and was a notable destination for recreational drug tourism. Additionally, it earned recognition multiple times in the annual "Best of Portland" readers’ poll conducted by Willamette Week.

Description

Situated on Southeast Hawthorne Boulevard close to its junction with Southeast Cesar Chavez Boulevard (previously known as Southeast 39th Avenue) in Portland's Richmond district, The Third Eye operated as a head shop. Its inventory featured typical items found in such stores, including bongs, literature, bumper stickers, apparel, crystals, memorabilia related to the Grateful Dead and Jerry Garcia, hookahs, incense, posters, rolling papers, tie-dyed clothing, and various vaporizers. According to The Oregonian, The Third Eye served as a significant connection to Portland’s vibrant and enduring history of marijuana activism. The business was originally owned by the cannabis advocate and counterculture figure Jack Herer (1939–2010). Ownership later passed to Herer’s son, Mark, who characterized the shop as "a hippie, Grateful Dead department store." Cannabis activist Russ Belville likened the venue to a "Prohibition-era speakeasy." Photographs of Garcia and Herer were prominently displayed within the store to symbolically "keep watch over the shop."

History

Photograph of a bearded man; he is wearing glasses and a watch, and holds in his hands a colorful poster depicting the comic character Freewheelin' Franklin
Cannabis advocate Jack Herer (shown in 1989) was the original proprietor of The Third Eye before his son, Mark, assumed ownership in 2001.

During the late 1980s, Jack Herer and his associate "Captain" Ed Adair acquired the distinctive building that became The Third Eye. Previously functioning as a two-story residence, they purchased it for approximately $100,000 (~$Template:Format price in Template:Inflation/year).[1] The store officially began operations on July 1, 1987,[2] quickly gaining attention for its striking exterior appearance.[3][4]

Cannabis activist Madeline Martinez has recounted how she and fellow advocates drafted Oregon Ballot Measure 67—which amended state legislation to permit the cultivation, possession, and use of cannabis with medical approval—in the shop’s upstairs area. She remarked that "much of the movement’s early momentum originated within those walls."[1]

Ownership transitioned to Mark Herer in 2001,[2] under whose management the business flourished throughout the 2000s. At its peak, The Third Eye employed up to twelve staff members, all receiving health insurance coverage. Nonetheless, by 2016, sales had dropped significantly, with Mark Herer estimating a decline of $500,000 compared to the previous year. This downturn was attributed to increased competition from local cannabis retailers, head shops, and online vendors.[1][3]

In March 2017, The Third Eye announced it would cease operations at month’s end (March 31). Herer described the closure as a difficult but unavoidable choice due to sharply reduced revenues in recent years.[1] Besides diminished sales, factors such as ongoing road construction,[3] neighborhood redevelopment, rising healthcare expenses,[5] and evolving preferences among contemporary cannabis consumers were cited as contributing reasons.[1][4][6] Russ Belville characterized the shutdown as "a natural progression" within the cannabis industry, which The Oregonian noted has recently sought to distance itself from countercultural roots to attract mainstream audiences. Belville commented that "[The store] represents an artifact from an era when cannabis users were predominantly outlaws."[1]

To express appreciation for its patrons, The Third Eye held a farewell event during its final days.[1][3][7] Before closing, it was recognized as one of Portland’s longest-standing head shops, having served the community for nearly three decades.[1] Shortly after listing the property for sale, Herer sold the building to a commercial developer for $1 million in cash,[3][6][7] with the transaction completing within two hours.[4] He anticipated that the structure would be demolished and revealed to The Oregonian that he left the enterprise with $60,000 in outstanding debt.[1]

Reception

Photograph of a building's exterior, which is covered in colorful murals and has a sign displaying "The Third Eye Shoppe" in the center
Front exterior, 2017

The Third Eye played a notable role within Portland's cannabis culture and was a recognized destination for recreational drug tourism. It was featured as a stop on Pedal Bike Tours' well-known Pot Tour,[8] an educational and leisure cycling experience highlighting marijuana-friendly locations throughout the city, which began in 2015.[9][10][11] In her article for Merry Jane, Zoe Wilder characterized the store as a "funky counterculture boutique" while listing it among five "stoner-friendly things to do" when visiting Portland.[12] The Third Eye received multiple acknowledgments in Willamette WeekTemplate:'s annual "Best of Portland" readers' poll. In 2005, it secured the title of Best Head Shop.[13] A decade later in 2015, readers honored the shop as Best Head Shop and Best Vape Shop while it was runner-up for Best Smoke Shop,[14] and in the following year earned Best Head Shop again along with second place for Best Smoke Shop.[15]

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 1.7 1.8 Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named Crombie
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named Wolfe
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named Graves
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named June
  5. ↑ Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named OldSchool
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named Cizmar
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named Jardine
  8. ↑ LaMontagne, Lota (October 12, 2015). "Pedal Rolls Out Portland Pot Tour". Pedal Bike Tours. Archived from the original on April 16, 2017. Retrieved April 14, 2017.
  9. ↑ Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named Anderson
  10. ↑ Hide, Will (November 27, 2015). "Port Tour of Portland, Oregon: A Cycling Trip with a Difference". The Independent. London: Independent Print Limited. ISSN 0951-9467. OCLC 185201487. Archived from the original on April 16, 2017. Retrieved April 14, 2017.
  11. ↑ Maurer, Leah (May 25, 2016). "Portland Pot Tour: Sustainability, History, & Cannabis". Dope. Archived from the original on April 19, 2017. Retrieved April 18, 2017.
  12. ↑ Wilder, Zoe (November 4, 2016). "5 Stoner-Friendly Things to Do When Visiting Portland, Oregon". Merry Jane. Archived from the original on April 16, 2017. Retrieved April 14, 2017.
  13. ↑ Shinn, Laura (August 9, 2005). "Reader's Poll – You Voted. We Tallied". Willamette Week. Archived from the original on April 19, 2017. Retrieved April 18, 2017.
  14. ↑ "Best of Portland Readers' Poll". Willamette Week. July 14, 2015. Archived from the original on April 19, 2017. Retrieved April 18, 2017.
  15. ↑ "Best of Portland Reader's Poll 2016: The Complete List of Winners". Willamette Week. July 18, 2016. Archived from the original on April 16, 2017. Retrieved April 14, 2017.

External links


Template:Cannabis in Oregon Template:Richmond, Portland, Oregon Lua error in mw.title.lua at line 359: bad argument #2 to 'title.new' (unrecognized namespace name 'Portal'). 45°30′42.4″N 122°37′18.6″W / 45.511778°N 122.621833°W / 45.511778; -122.621833

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