Mexicali News: New Store in Portland!!

When you walk down Moulton Street after the 21st of May, you might notice the distinctively sweet and smokey smell of Nag Champa incense hanging slightly thicker in the air. Mexicali Blues, the local stop for carefully chosen and responsibly imported clothing, jewelry, and decor is expanding in Portland! Opening across the street from the current Old Port location, the new store will be devoted to showcasing the brand's impressive collection of gemstone and sterling silver jewelry. "We are so excited to finally give Mexicali jewelry the space it deserves!" says co-owner Kim Erskine, who runs the popular store with her husband Pete. "Gaining more space will allow us to share more of the things we love with people we care about, in a less cluttered fashion. What's not to love about that?"



The bright new location has high ceilings and wonderful natural light. Store manager Meg Conley says, "It's such a fresh look; it's like a whole new store! We're so excited to play with this new space, fill it up with jewelry and all the accessories that will best compliment the gemstones." The staff are all aglow, eager to get creative with store displays and arranging merchandise. They bounce around with smiles on their faces, every now and then espousing their new favorite phrase, "We're so Mexcited!".

Mexicali has traditionally stayed open until 10 o'clock on weekdays in the summer, one bright beacon of nighttime shopping in a sea of dark store fronts. "We really are hoping that having two stores open in this area will be a boost for all the stores around us, and we've been sharing schedules with the owners and talking about how we can help each other out," says Conley. "There's a wonderful sense of community in the Old Port among all the shops. We are all in it together to keep local business alive."

With the addition of the new store comes improvements on the old, with several higher quality dressing rooms to be installed, as well as new shelving units and displays. The outdoor space between the stores will be well utilized also, with racks of clothing on the sidewalks and product demonstrations to be scheduled throughout the summer. Conley speaks of staff brainstorming sessions coming up with plans to artistically connect the two. "Maybe we'll draw flowers on the sidewalk with chalk!" she muses, laughing. "I think we're going to have the most awesome summer here. Can you tell?"