Poetry of Material Things — Local services in New York

This jewelry store is in my neighborhood. The selection of jewelry pieces is great, nice people and atmosphere. It is always nice to support independent artists and business owners. So I often stop by the store to buy gifts or just look at certain things, and I brought many friends here in the past. Unfortunately, I had a shameful experience in the store today. When I stopped by the store, I was in my headphones speaking to my mom while browsing in the store. My mom leaves in a different time zone, it was quite late there, so I couldn’t call her back later. It was a normal conversation. I wasn’t screaming or making noises. There was one customer in the store that asked me to leave because she felt uncomfortable me talking. The manager (owner?) of the store was there, he confirmed that I had to leave. They were not aggressive, but their action/demand felt discriminatory. It may be because of the foreign language, or my appearance, or something else. The worse thing is that they did not explain. I have never imagined experiencing such a thing in New York or in my neighborhood. Any type of discrimination based on race, nationality, etc. is absolutely unacceptable and must not...

Outlette reminds us why we should shop local. And I’m so lucky that I live right around the corner from it. This is a small, beautifully laid out store with equally beautifully curated pieces. The designs are elegant and simple with a range of price points.

What makes the store special are the owners - warm, friendly, helpful and so genuine. My daughter got some earrings here for my birthday, but unfortunately on the first day I wore them, I lost one of them. I visited the shop asking if I could buy one of them. Since they have limited stock, Scott said he would order a new one for me. A few days later he text to tell me I could go and collect my earring. In the end the supplier said they couldn’t just make one, so Scott gave me a new pair but only charged me for one. As a business owner, you can’t be more generous than that!

So happy to have this store in our neighborhood!

This is a great place for gifts, for yourself or...

"Curated" is a great word to describe this space which, in itself, is a work of art.

Ruth and Scott are the owners. A better description would be "welcome hosts".

This place is very special and unique. A gorgeous collection of artwork.

I was drawn to the beautiful mohair throws that are milled from Ireland. Now, I have one in my home. It's extraordinary. Feels like a "blanket of Love".

So many other wonderful things to see in this store, too. The vibe is spacious and free-- no pressure to purchase. Take a look and see what calls to you.

Just coming in to take a breath can be nourishing and transformative.

If Ruth and Scott aren't present, the other staff members (including Luka) are all super sweet. (Sorry not to remember the names of the other great staff members. They were wonderful.)

Thanks for the...