Came From Portland-Where Are These Stores???????? (Eugene, Grants Pass: appointed, buy, high school)

[ericleahsmith]

my husband and I just moved here from portland.
we are looking for the following places...
1. A store where you buy essential oils and have them mixed, either for perfume, lotions, massage oils, etc) that are mixed in the store for you, they also sell the plain lotions, massage oils etc. similar to "essential oils" in portland.
2. an asian market that has a huge raw fish department and smells funky, similar to "fubon" in portland.
3. CIGAR SHOP. (does not carry bongs and hookah materials)

we've already been to a few places, but have been severely disappointed. mainly, we want a good cigar shop, we're so stressed from not being satisfied with these other stores we need a good smoke now, and we're not pot heads so the head shops in downtown do us no good.
also, are there any good butcher shops besides "benedettis"

[nutleynut]

There is a good butcher in SouthTowne Shops next to/across from the True Value. I don't know any of the other things. There might be a tobacconist in the Valley River Center that you may like. They'd certainly be able to direct you.
A lot of things must be gotten somewhere else and brought in. If you're ambitious maybe this is an opportunity?

[backdrifter]

Originally Posted by ericleahsmith

my husband and I just moved here from portland.
we are looking for the following places...
1. A store where you buy essential oils and have them mixed, either for perfume, lotions, massage oils, etc) that are mixed in the store for you, they also sell the plain lotions, massage oils etc. similar to "essential oils" in portland.

There should be plenty of these kinds of places in Eugene... Someone else should be able to suggest specific stores.

Originally Posted by ericleahsmith

2. an asian market that has a huge raw fish department and smells funky, similar to "fubon" in portland.

I don't believe there is a large enough Asian population in Eugene to support that kind of store. Eugene isn't very big to begin with.

[ericleahsmith]

well here is the problem...

we've already been to the valley river mall cigar shop "the briar shop" and it was a waste of time and money.
the 2 cigars we bought were overpriced, and not very fresh, like they had been sitting for months, maybe even a year or two. then a bunch of high school kids walked in, were in the way, browsing and staring at giant figurines of dragons and worthless stuff that should not be in a cigar shop in the first place.
we've also called multiple people and asked about essential oil places where we can mix and match what we want, everybody seems to think they already have the perfect blend to heal what ails you. theres nothing wrong with us other than we want to mix our own damn perfume, we are not crazy hippies, we just want the oil sitting on the counter, we tell you which ones we want mixed into the lotion and you do it. simple as that.

ok so maybe the asian culture isnt as big here as in portland.
but tell me. is there at least a good taco cart around here? one where the menu isnt even in english and its ran by mexicans, not college students or hippies?

[pw72]

I'm not sure how you can expect the same level of retail in Eugene that you had in Portland. You move to a smaller area and you will have less options. That is just the reality. Eugene metro area is only about 1/8 the size of the Portland metro.

[Metlakatla]

we've also called multiple people and asked about essential oil places where we can mix and match what we want, everybody seems to think they already have the perfect blend to heal what ails you. theres nothing wrong with us other than we want to mix our own damn perfume, we are not crazy hippies, we just want the oil sitting on the counter, we tell you which ones we want mixed into the lotion and you do it. simple as that.

Doesn't "Uncommon Scents" do that? It seems like they used to; maybe they've changed.

Pre de Provence French Soap - Uncommon Scents Perfume Oils & Lotions

[backdrifter]

Originally Posted by ericleahsmith

well here is the problem...

we've already been to the valley river mall cigar shop "the briar shop" and it was a waste of time and money.
the 2 cigars we bought were overpriced, and not very fresh, like they had been sitting for months, maybe even a year or two. then a bunch of high school kids walked in, were in the way, browsing and staring at giant figurines of dragons and worthless stuff that should not be in a cigar shop in the first place.
we've also called multiple people and asked about essential oil places where we can mix and match what we want, everybody seems to think they already have the perfect blend to heal what ails you. theres nothing wrong with us other than we want to mix our own damn perfume, we are not crazy hippies, we just want the oil sitting on the counter, we tell you which ones we want mixed into the lotion and you do it. simple as that.

ok so maybe the asian culture isnt as big here as in portland.
but tell me. is there at least a good taco cart around here? one where the menu isnt even in english and its ran by mexicans, not college students or hippies?

Wow, no offense, but you reallllllllly don't sound like you're cut out for Eugene. Putting down Eugenian "hippies" and college students is no way to make friends in the Eug. They are basically the lifeblood of the city, and as cheesy as it sounds, it's what makes Eugene... well... Eugene.

There are taco trailers on Highway 99 apparently. Search around for them. They might turn out to be pretty good. I don't know about them myself though.
http://www.city-data.com/forum/eugen...-trailers.html

The best tacos I've had outside of Mexico were in Sellwood (better than what I've had in LA), but for other good Mexican food, the best I've found is in the small town of Coquille near the central coast. Absolutely delicious. Just a hair better than what we've got here in Grants Pass. Basically what I'm trying to say is that if every small town in Oregon has a good Mexican restaurant, then Eugene must have a good Mexican restaurant somewhere. But Portland is pretty much the only place in the whole state you're going to find extensive food carts, basically. I don't think there are any at all here in Southern Oregon. But even the Portland taco carts I went to were run by Americans (though probably Americans of Mexican descent) and had English menus, since they cater to gringos (including Latino gringos like myself) who don't know any Spanish.

Downsizing to a smaller city almost always means sacrificing some amenities, as you're finding out. You have to find ways to adapt though. You may not have the same kind of ethnic grocers you'd find in a big city, but you will have Trader Joe's and Market of Choice (highly recommended) and other quality grocers which may have some of the ethnic cuisine you might find at your old Portland haunts. Maybe if you want to make your own perfume, you'll have to go online, or do so while visiting Portland some weekend. No good ethnic food carts? Try some of the local fare instead. Café Yumm! really lives up to its name, for example. The Glenwood isn't bad either. I know there are good Asian restaurants to be found as well.

Good luck though. I hope you can make the transition to happy Eugene life or find somewhere better suited to your needs.

[haggardhouseelf]

Originally Posted by ericleahsmith

my husband and I just moved here from portland.
we are looking for the following places...
1. A store where you buy essential oils and have them mixed, either for perfume, lotions, massage oils, etc) that are mixed in the store for you, they also sell the plain lotions, massage oils etc. similar to "essential oils" in portland.
2. an asian market that has a huge raw fish department and smells funky, similar to "fubon" in portland.
3. CIGAR SHOP. (does not carry bongs and hookah materials)

we've already been to a few places, but have been severely disappointed. mainly, we want a good cigar shop, we're so stressed from not being satisfied with these other stores we need a good smoke now, and we're not pot heads so the head shops in downtown do us no good.
also, are there any good butcher shops besides "benedettis"

1. I don't know of a place where they will mix the oils for you, but Sundance Natural Foods has a good selection of essential oils. Maybe someone there would know someone or a place that will mix them for you? You might also try finding a Young Living rep. Young Living Essential Oils

2. For fish, good fish, I always go to Newman's... for an Asian market (my husband is Thai) we go to King's Asian MArket on W. 11th or sometimes (but not as often) we'll go to Sunrise Asian Market on W. 29th. For some reason we like King's better even though Sunrise is bigger... SUnrise would have more of the fish and produce type stuff you might be looking for, though King's also has some but most of their meat/fish is frozen.

3. Go to Valley River Center mall in Eugene and find The Briar Shoppe. My husband smokes pipes (tobacco, not wacky tobaccy types) but I think I've seen cigars there, too. I know they sell old cigar boxes, because my kids love them and we buy them a lot for random stuff... to keep crayons and matchbox cars in and stuff... so they must have cigars, too.

Good luck!

[haggardhouseelf]

Oh... sorry... I see now that you've already found the Briare Shoppe... sorry.

My husband really likes a place he found in Portland. There is a guy there that my husband just goes on and on about who blends his own tobacco and is one of the only guys certified to do what he does or la dee dah... I dunno. I don't smoke so I'm clueless here... but maybe go back to Portland to get your good smokes, because my husband has been all over Eugene and there's not really anything here like he's found in other cities. (He travels a ton for work and hunts down the good tobacco places where ever he goes...)

Eugene is a small college town - you can't expect it to have everything that larger metropolitan areas will have. There's always the internet.

[haggardhouseelf]

Originally Posted by ericleahsmith

well here is the problem...

we've already been to the valley river mall cigar shop "the briar shop" and it was a waste of time and money.
the 2 cigars we bought were overpriced, and not very fresh, like they had been sitting for months, maybe even a year or two. then a bunch of high school kids walked in, were in the way, browsing and staring at giant figurines of dragons and worthless stuff that should not be in a cigar shop in the first place.
we've also called multiple people and asked about essential oil places where we can mix and match what we want, everybody seems to think they already have the perfect blend to heal what ails you. theres nothing wrong with us other than we want to mix our own damn perfume, we are not crazy hippies, we just want the oil sitting on the counter, we tell you which ones we want mixed into the lotion and you do it. simple as that.

ok so maybe the asian culture isnt as big here as in portland.
but tell me. is there at least a good taco cart around here? one where the menu isnt even in english and its ran by mexicans, not college students or hippies?

Wow...

You'll probably have to make your own tacos for as long as you decide to torment yourself by staying in this pitiful crappy place because nobody in this hick little podunk whitey town can possibly make them according to your elitist big-city standards. I doubt the Mexicans here will be Mexican enough for you, and so sorry we didn't meet your quota for Asians... and gawd dang those nasty hippies and drunken college kids for litterin' up the place... wait... why did anyone move here in the first place?

Sheesh... I come from a city that is more than three-times the size of Portland and even I wasn't this rough on sweet little Eugene when I had to downsize! Lighten up won't ya?