Welcome to Hollywood!
When you hear the word Hollywood, most people think of California, but here in the metro area, Hollywood is the name of a bustling area in inner North East Portland. Conveniently located just off of I-84 and NE Sandy Blvd, Portland’s Hollywood is an easily accessible area to all who travel on the Banfield. If you are headed West on I-84, take the Halsey Street Exit (Exit #2), and if you are headed East on I-84, take the NE 39th Ave/NE Cesar Chavez Blvd (Exit #2). Both exits will put you right into Hollywood. There is also a popular MAX stop, with service for the Blue, Red, and Green lines.
The Hollywood neighborhood boundaries.
The Hollywood District has a unique and interesting history behind it. Originally, it was named Holyrood after the Scottish Holyrood. The area was renamed Hollywood after the opening of the popular Hollywood Theatre. During the early 20th century Hollywood consisted of a few homes and dirt roads. After the streetcar line began running the length of Sandy Blvd. growth in the area really began to take off.
The popular Craftsman, Foursquare, and bungalow style homes that were built around this time can still been seen everywhere in the surrounding neighborhoods. As the population grew, businesses began to move into the area. The most notable ones were Fred Meyer and Paulsen’ Pharmacy, which are still in the area.
An old picture of NE Sandy Blvd.
As far as real estate goes, there are several apartment buildings and some rental homes scattered throughout the area, but the majority of the properties are made of commercial real estate. This area is known primarily as the shopping district for many of the surrounding neighborhoods, like Grant Park and Laurelhurst. The Hollywood neighborhood boasts the second highest walk score in all of Portland with a score of 92/100, and it is not hard to see why. You can walk from the bank, to the grocery store, to the library all within minutes and never need a car. The bike score is an impressive 95/100, with dedicated bike lanes that run on roads parallel to NE Sandy Blvd.
Hollywood is a great area to be a bicycle commuter in.
For being such a small neighborhood, there are a lot of different shops and restaurants jammed within its .18 square miles (115 acres). Some of the neighborhood favorites for food and drinks include: Fleur De Lis Bakery, Rain City Coffee, Magnolia Corner, The Moon and Sixpence Pub, Alvilar Coffee, Killer Burger, and Pal’s Shanty. Along with the aforementioned theatre, this area also has a bowling alley, library, gym, antique shops, a bicycle shop, hospital, and senior center. There is a Whole Foods and a Trader Joe’s right off of Sandy, too. If you are looking to do business in this area there are Wells Fargo, Bank of America, Chase Bank, MBank, and Key Bank all conveniently located on NE Sandy Blvd. There are also two title offices and a FedEx.
The Hollywood Theatre Marquee.
You can see why many families choose to live in one of the surrounding neighborhoods because of the above amenities offered in Hollywood. Some of the more popular neighborhoods that are close by are: Grant Park, Beaumont-Wilshire, Rose City and Laurelhurst.
The Hollywood Branch of the Multnomah County Library.
If you haven’t been to the Hollywood District in a while, I invite you to swing by and check it out. You won’t be disappointed!
Check out our Hollywood Pinterest page!
Great information Laura. I had no idea that the Hollywood District was originally named after Holyrood and that the Hollywood Theater had so much impact on the renaming of the area. I thought I knew a lot about the city that I live in, thanks for expanding my knowledge of Portland!
The Hollywood District is a lot of fun. I love the Trader Joe’s in that area, and a Panera Cares store that provides donation-based foods for low-income folks. Check it out!
https://www.facebook.com/pages/PaneraCares/242283139183968?ref=br_tf
I’m a sucker for Portland history, thanks so much for information rich post Laura. The Hollywood Theater must have had a lot of clout to get the area renamed after it. Are you and Greg selling any properties in this area?
Great district. However, I always find the one ways and intersections a little convoluted. 39th and Sandy case in point
I can’t tell you how many times I’ve gotten lost there. It’s like the Bermuda Triangle. But otherwise the Hollywood District is fantastic — I like the vintage furniture shop, I Heart Retro!