Our story
Storied Objects (s.o.) is a shop and gallery rooted in the essential and enduring objects we surround ourselves with in everyday life. Based in a small storefront in Portland, s.o. centers on slow, handmade processes, and one-of-a-kind pieces shaped by time, memory, and tradition. Whether they are woven, carved, thrown, dyed, hammered, moulded, or bent—each piece is alive with the spirit of its making and the stories of its use.
Established in 2024 by Alexandra Hughes, s.o. grew from a passion for the handmade and the people involved in making them. Seeking a path that was slower and more meaningful, this project took shape gradually, through many seasons of reflecting, dreaming, and iterating, and continues to evolve over time.
At its heart, s.o. is a conversation between the hands of the maker and the hands of the appreciator. The objects and artists we represent—each carrying their own story—are chosen through intuition and response, allowing the organic relationships we make to guide the curation.
Within this space, no two pieces are the same. The work is not driven by scale or season, but by what feels honest, present, and essential in the moment of its making. Over time, this way of working has become its own language, not practiced through theory, but through small repeated gestures—turning a bowl, wedging clay, shaping glass, weaving fabric, and listening to the material throughout its creation.
The storefront
Nestled on a small west-end side street, our Portland storefront is part shop and part gallery. Housed within a 100-year-old building, the space has been gently restored not to erase its past, but to live alongside it.
Here, things move slowly. Handmade pieces of ceramic, glass, metal, and wood are received from artisans across North America and Japan. Within, incense burns atop beds of rice while regionally sourced objects adorn handcrafted surfaces. Next to us sits a small coffee shop and luncheonette that has softened this block with character for over a decade. This place became available by luck, and with it, we found ourselves with the best neighbors and the beginning of a space we could make our own.
Opening downtown, becoming part of a small community, building a space where we can work for and alongside the artists we admire. Just two years ago, this felt like a distant dream. Now, it feels like we’ve lived several lives since.
Finding and slowly renovating this space on Oak Street has become an anchor—something to return to, something to shape day by day. It will always be a work in progress, because that’s just how we are. We’d love to welcome you in—touch the pieces, have some tea, and stay a while.
Our Oak Street gallery welcomes visitors Thursday to Monday, 11:00 am - 4:00 pm, and by appointment.