Mr. Lee's General Store & Haberdashery (109 E. Broadway) is the one-stop shop for today's modern man looking to add a few classics to his collection. If you grew up in the suburbs like me, you'd be familiar with the term 'general store' and what it embodies, but for those who didn't (lucky you), I will elaborate. A general store is traditionally a local retailer that crams as much stuff as they can into a (typically) small space so that it's the only store you'll stop at to pick up your general goods. Its inventory usually consists of routine stock -- food, home hardware & dry goods. Mr. Lee's embodies everything a 'general store' or 'haberdashery' would be, but with a modern take.

When you walk through the front door of Mr. Lee's, you immediately feel like a kid in a candy store--there are so many interesting things hidden in drawers and behind cabinet doors in such a small space that you could still find yourself passing hours of your time perusing. One cabinet displays a selection of Shuron and Moscot eyewear, while another is stocked full of apothecary needs, and a set of drawers are filled with stationary. The store decor makes you feel as though you did indeed step into a General Store straight out of the '30s.

Head buyer and part owner, Meghan Paterson spends hours and hours of her time devoted to researching products so that you don't have to. This way you know you can trust that their merchandise is of the utmost quality, and quality is one of the main emphases at Mr. Lee's. For example, if you buy a Stanley thermos, you won't be going back to buy a replacement because it's got a lifetime guarantee. The same idea goes for their selection of new and vintage clothes--most look better after years and years of wear (think Barbour coats and Filson bags). Paterson is well aware that once you buy a staple product, odds are you're not coming back to buy a replacement, which is why she works so hard at discovering new (yet established) products and lines, like Hamilton Shirts, founded in 1883, which they will soon be carrying.

What other highlights can you expect to find at Mr. Lee's? The Hill-Side line, which features a collection full of scarves, ties and more, made of heritage fabrics such as selvedge denim and chambray; Ken Diamond leather goods; and Portland's Stumptown Coffee.

Photos via Mr. Lee's General Store & Haberdashery.