Portland Then/Now: Southwest Broadway and Morrison Street

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Thursday, December 25, 2014

Byron Beck, GoLocalPDX Features Editor

Portland Then/Now: Southwest Broadway and Morrison Street

THEN: It''s Christmas time in the city, and on Southwest Broadway at the corner of Southwest Morrison Street.

At the time Southwest Broadway was full of theaters, like Orpheum and Fox, as well as the Broadway and Paramount at the far end of the photo.

This was also the spot for jewelry stores (notice Jerome Margulis on the corner) and restaurants. 

As for holiday decorations? Not so much on this particular corner in downtown Portland, except for a few bells surrounded by gilttery garland. 

NOW: It's still Christmas time in the city. But this stretch of Southwest Broadway has changed a bit, actually quite a bit.

A downtown Nordstrom replaced the Orpheum Theatre as well as the surrounding businesses.

Margulis moved across the street before eventually taking up residence in the nearby Jackson Tower. 

And as for the current holiday decorations. This century has seen a decrease on the cheesy decor of yore, but Nordstrom still does its best to cheer up holiday shoppers with innovative and creative windows. 

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• Portland Then/Now: Mill Ends Park
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• Portland Then/Now: Southwest 11th Ave. and Morrison St.
• Portland Then/Now: Southwest Fourth Avenue & Madison Street
• Portland Then/Now: Southwest Third Ave. and Burnside St.
• Portland Then/Now: The Portland Hotel/Pioneer Courthouse Square
• Portland Then/Now: Union Station
• Portland Then/Now: West Burnside St. and Southwest 18th Ave.

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