I stumbled upon Mike Bennett's Snow Day pop-up shop on a recent visit to Portland, Oregon. I wasn't previously familiar with the artist, but I spent a long time in there admiring his work and the tremendous effort it must have taken to produce a pop-up of this caliber. I had to know more.
I learned that Mike Bennett, described as a "public joy creator," has been decorating his lawn with his art—brightly colored painted characters on reclaimed wood— for a few years now. He writes, "people were using my yard as an escape from the monotony of early pandemic days." Popular with Portlanders of all ages, his lawn-art evolved into more of an educational installation, collectively known as The A to Zoo Family Lawn Museum. Now, he's got this amazing pop-up shop located downtown at The Cleaners (rotating storefront of the Ace Hotel Portland). I took a bunch of photos so you can get a sense of how cool this place is! There are ornaments, stickers, wrapping paper, greeting cards, and lots of other products. But I think I was most delighted that he had mass-printed corrugated plastic "signs" so people can decorate their own lawns with his art. So clever!
Mike Bennett's Snow Day
403 SW 10th Ave
Portland, Oregon 97205
Open 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. daily through December 31, 2022
Not in Portland? Some products are available online.
Previously: Portland removes 'Merge Simpson' traffic sign
