I was flipping through my VegNews and stumbled upon yet another reason why Portland, OR is such a superb veg-friendly city. They have opened up the first ever all-vegan mini mall. That’s right. One stop shopping for vegan clothes, literature, accessories, and of course, food. This is monumental on so many levels. It gives vegans a place to go to get all kinds of goodies that don’t sacrifice their beliefs. You can buy that leather belt, eat that slice of heavenly cheesecake, or get that tattoo sleeve you’ve been longing for, all in full confidence that no animals were harmed in the process. It also gives vegans a sense of community. It’s a place to hang out with like-minded folks. And finally, it’s great promotion. A way to show the doubters that there is such a thing as delicious vegan food, and faux suede shoes can be high quality.

So far, the businesses included in the mall are Sweet Pea Baking Company, Scapegoat Tattoo, Herbivore Clothing Company, and Food Fight Grocery. And it sounds like they have room to grow if you know of any vegan companies that are interested.

The world’s first vegan mini mall is located at 12th and Starks streets in Southeast Portland. 503-281-TOFU. I hope all major cities wise up to the brilliance of this idea.