The Best Shops in Willamette Valley
While it’s easy to load up on bottles from your many vineyard visits, be sure to save some room in your suitcase for other finds from shops, boutiques, and small businesses around the valley. Just like local restaurants, shopkeepers here tap into the land’s bounty for their goods. Fragrant lavender becomes scented soap and aromatherapy candles so you can enjoy whiffs of the Willamette once back home, while marionberry, peach, and other fruits transform into small-batch jams.
Even non-food-related stores tell the story of the valley: used bookstores stacked with volumes that could have once belonged to local winemakers, or secondhand thrift shops finding new homes for farmhouse furniture. Stopping into shops, you’ll likely hear neighbors swapping hellos and news, or happen upon community gatherings and arts-and-craft meet-ups.
Shops in McMinnville. Courtesy of Timothy Sofranko.
Alchemist’s Jam
Best For: Made-from-scratch goodness to enjoy in the moment or later as take-home gifts and souvenirs
Location: McMinnville
Price: $
North Stars:
Alchemist’s Jam is a small-batch jam and bakery shop in downtown McMinnville that crafts preserves using seasonal fruit from local farms. The baked goods, including sourdough bagels, galettes, hand pies, and cinnamon rolls, are made with organic grains sourced from Camas Country and Bob’s Red Mill. Sustainability efforts include composting, minimal packaging, and a return-for-reuse glass jar system.
Shop jam made with Willamette Valley fruit at Alchemist's Jam. Courtesy of Visit McMinnville.
Chapters Books & Coffee
Best For: Finding your next good read
Location: Newberg
Price: $
North Stars:
Chapters Books & Coffee is an independent bookstore and café in Newberg that sells new and used books with a strong selection of local and sustainability-focused titles. The café serves coffee from local roasters Bespoken and Caravan, emphasizing fair trade and ethical sourcing. The shop is woman-led and actively supports local makers and literary events.
Chapters Bookstore sign view. Courtesy of Taste Newberg.
Little Lavender Shop
Best For: Skincare, housewares, and candles
Location: Newberg
Price: $
North Stars:
Located in downtown Newberg, this boutique storefront offers natural lavender products made from flowers grown using sustainable practices on the owners’ Dundee farm. Items include essential oils, linen sprays, dried bouquets, and culinary lavender, with compostable or recyclable packaging and a focus on small-batch, handcrafted quality.
Lavender oatmeal soaps at Little Lavender Shop. Courtesy of Taste Newberg.
Mac Market
Best For: Locally-made goods and connecting with community
Location: McMinnville
Price: $-$$
North Stars:
Mac Market is a collaborative community hub in McMinnville’s Granary District, housed in a restored 1920s warehouse. It hosts a rotating cast of local makers and food businesses — including Sustainable Rituals and Bodhi Bakery — with a shared focus on reuse, low-waste systems, and regional sourcing. The space is designed for gathering, with a mix of dining, retail, and event programming.
Mac Market in McMinnville. Courtesy of Aaron Lee.
New to You Resale Shop
Best For: Thrifting for unique finds
Location: McMinnville
Price: $-$$
North Stars:
This nonprofit resale shop in McMinnville curates quality secondhand clothing, home goods, and furniture. By promoting reuse and landfill diversion, the shop contributes to local sustainability efforts. Proceeds support community initiatives, and the space highlights vintage and heritage goods with a timeless aesthetic.
