Thursday 1 March 2007

The Swedish Shoppe


I love Walnut Street. It had all the nice little shops with artisans selling unique items such as Native American jewelry and sculpture, Italian pottery, Latin American woven goods, the list is endless. Not to mention the couple of coffee shops and bars, boutiques and other oddities.

I used to live a couple of blocks away from Walnut, and at a part of the city that when I was snowed in, I could only go shop there (to the Rite Aid or the overpriced Shadyside Market), so, when we moved a bit further in July, I had no practical use for going there.

So, yesterday, hubby and me decided to go for dinner at Walnut Grill, a nice little restaurant with interesting entrees* and huge portions of desserts along with reasonable pricing. After we were done eating, happily stuffed, we decided to look around, since it had been some time since we had done so. And thus, I stumbled onto The Swedish Shoppe.

It's a nice little place run by a very friendly Swedish-American woman, she sells little wooden horses and wooden spoons and painted clogs along with sweets and jewelry and other stuff imported from her native land, all placed together in a way that the shop does not look really cluttered. I get all anxious in cluttered spaces.

I browsed around some, chit-chatted with the owner a lot, about Swedish and Greek men, holidays, how it is like going back home as a tourist. Having claimed so much of her time, I thought that it was only courteous to buy something, even though I had not though of initially doing so.

I picked up a deck of cards with blue wooden horses painted on the back side. I took it to the register and prepared to pay.

And she wrapped it up. With nice blue paper and a golden ribbon. Noone had done that w'out request since I left Greece. It just struck home.

I paid and left, certain that I will be back. After all, there was this gorgeous silver bracelet with amethysts....

6 comments:

Eirene H said...

Oooh I'm sooo jealous, I love places like that! I can't believe you had the cards wrapped up as well WOW Excellent place to visit every so often!

Tinsie said...

Awww those are dala horses, I love them! Although I prefer the red ones ;-)
The Scandinavians are very much into nice presentation. Even when they wrap something roughly they do it nicely. Over here they couldn't care less. If you want it wrapped, you can buy the paper and selotape and do it yourself at home...

Margarita said...

Tinsie, this is the deal here as well. They won't wrap anything for you, only at the large department stores, and even then, by request (and some times I think they charge you even!)

Eirene, maybe you should start look around your area for odd shops. I believe that every place has at least one!

Eirene H said...

Hi Sal I took your advice and actually found one! It's ridiculously expensive mind you so it's "look only" for me at the moment but it's got realyl unusual staff with a girly touch. That's what I like! HEy I even found a conventional phone (like the old black ones) in pink!!! I'd better start saving...

Tinsie said...

Awwww do tell us more in your blog, Eirene! What is it like? Where? What else does it sell (besides pink phones)? Tell all!

Margarita said...

Tinsie is right, you gotta tell us all now!