Brook Farm General Store
Would you like to take a trip with me to Brooklyn, New York today to visit the newly opened Brook Farm General Store? I was so pleased when one of the owners, Christopher Winterbourne, wrote in recently and I learned about his shop which he owns with partner Philippa Content and you'll see why soon enough but in addition to what you see here, they have an online shop so don't miss it.
I love to feature store tours on decor8. So many inspiring little nooks exist out there, places where ones heart and soul is deposited each day -- where there is so much care being given to product selection and display -- and sometimes these charming destinations are unknown outside of the neighborhood, state or even country in which they sit. My goal in having a blog with a worldwide readership is to spotlight these creative little shops with their talented owners, with hopes that you'll not only be inspired enough to visit them online, but that if you are traveling or have friends who are, that you'll suggest these stores or visit them in person. Let's look around a bit at the Brook Farm General Store today, shall we?
Welcome to the Brook Farm General Store in South Williamsburg, Brooklyn just under the Williamsburg Bridge. This shop is lovingly curated by Christopher and Philippa who have such an amazing eye for organic beauty, mixing old with new, and finding products that are tactile and appeal to the senses in some way - whether the smooth porcelain of a vase or the fragrance of a bar of handmade soap, there is something to delight all who visit. Before opening this past summer, Philippa managed a small chain of boutiques in the West Village and Christopher was working in television and film production. When I asked them why they opened the shop they told me, "We realized that we were having a hard time finding the simple, classic, well-designed items that we had grown up with. So, we decided to open a modern version of the old general stores of New York. We chose everything in the store very carefully, and we only sell items that we would want to have in our own home." Again, another story of something amazing being born out of lack -- if something is lacking, you step up and fill the void!
Vintage rolling pins, tea, soap, brushes, duralex glassware, soft towels, vintage quilts, linen blankets, hamman towels, construction blocks, necklaces and more... like the lovely Lampes Gras architects’ lamps. Christopher and Philippa prove that functional does not need to be boring. Displayed in a mostly white space, the natural brushes and wooden handles really stand out adding warmth to the shop, as does the big black cast ironware on the walls. In addition to their current offerings, they are designing a line of bed and table linens under the label Tourne. They eventually plan on expanding to other housewares as well.
I hope to visit in person someday -- but for now, we can all visit them online via their online shop. I see so many things that I would like to own. See anything you like?
Brook Farm General Store, 75 South 6th Street, Brooklyn, NY 11211 Tues-Sat 11-8 and Sunday 12-7.
(images: brook farm general store)