Skip to main content
Nestled along a sleepy stretch of Northeast 42nd Avenue where Beaumont becomes residential Cully, equidistant between a gleaming new brick-red Mathnasium and the shelf-worn Studio of American Fencing, a cheerily bucolic storefront lies open to the public yet effectively hidden from the world.
At first glance, Bosk (3746 NE 42nd Ave., 503-683-3773, boskpdx.com) appears to be little more than a neighborhood greenery shop leaning heavily on the lifestyle aspect. Wellness vet Laura Norton opened the doors around four years ago with the stated goal of providing “100% local/woman/BIPOC/LGBTQ and other marginalized community vendors.” The best of intentions has stocked Bosk’s shelves with an intriguing array of goods (including a curated selection of music from Mississippi Records) targeted toward self-betterment-minded households.
As a plant business, Bosk seems a logical successor to the space’s former tenants (Mississippi Records offshoot Little Axe Records, retro homewares depot Patti Smith West, and high-end barber supply shop The Iron Society), but it’s the services that have kept Norton’s business aloft longer than the last three put together.
As the “Welcome to the Jungle” doormat obliquely hints, Bosk’s main draw centers on a fun-size day spa that takes best advantage of the owner’s expertise and the lush foliage surroundings to deliver top-shelf packages (like Ayurvedic spikes aromatherapy with herbal oils streamed continuously upon your third eye; $200) from teensy environs.
See the rest of Willamette Week’s Best of Portland 2025 here!
