Just take everything down to Highway 61.
Goods and Brands
46.7867º N, 92.1005º W Bob Dylan sang about it. He revisited it. Highway 61 runs right through Duluth, Minnesota. Follow it north through the U.S. borderline or southward to NOLA. Designed for use in the rugged country of the Great North, French-Canadian Camille Poirier patented his first Duluth Pack in 1882, naming it for the city he’d call home. One century ago, Abercrombie & Fitch carried the Duluth Pack in its Madison Avenue store. And one century later, the 2017 headquarters for…
Two Words: Hasami Porcelain.
Mercantiles
34.0522º N, 118.2437º W Los Angeles is the perfect place to wander the lot of bright and sun-filled shops in search of vintage and handcrafted discoveries — and then getting back in the car to drive to another part of L.A. and wander some more. (Sorry! NYC pedestrian joke). The shops in Venice are cheerful, accented with light colors and tones welcoming to relaxed passersby. Tortoise General Store has a warm storefront of exquisite handicrafts for the home such as cookware, kettles, and soaps. It’s…
Be nice to locals.
Mercantiles
45.5231º N, 122.6765º W The Pearl District is located in Portland’s downtown and is downtown’s pearly gem. Brick loft spaces with tall ceilings and luxury condominiums line the cobblestone streets of this small, chic hood. Made Here PDX is an expertly curated general store carrying a wide range of quality goods. Find jewelry and bags, a stylish ice breaking hatchet, or leave with a new canoe paddle. Everything here is made in Portland supporting local Portlander craftspeople and artisans. What…
Sign me up Santa Fe.
Mercantiles
35.6870º N, 105.9378º W The El Museo flea market is a sizable collective space of artisans, vendors and craftsmen who set up their own traveling boutique — much larger than a standard booth — featuring handmade jewelry from materials such as copper, turquoise or leather; vintage saddles, bags and boots; antique prints; and woven textiles from a range of local and Native American artists. It’s also a destination for soap and candle makers, photographers and painters to showcase and sell…
Climb trees.
Mercantiles
42.0409º N, 74.1182º W On Tinker Street across from the village green—the heart of charming Woodstock—set among tie dye and tarot, yogis sipping green juice and sampling artisanal chocolate, Woodstock General Supply is a cabin-esque outdoorsman’s haberdashery and outdoor woman’s port of call. It has an expertly curated collection of clothes and bags, candles, notebooks made from stone instead of trees, and grooming products for you and your bearded comrades. The first time I came across this shop was several years ago,…
The weather is about to change.
Mercantiles
64.1265º N, 21.8174º W At the end of the long pier-like stretches off of Iceland’s capital there is a rock wall, not taller than me. On the other side of it, it’s a deep plunge to the Faxa bay—only a moderate bulwark from the mid-Atlantic. On this wintry day, the waters were low, winds calm, and the high noon light was soft and violet. As I neared the rock face a large sign of reclaimed wood with the words written…