
Curtis Steiner , Jax Joon, and Hotel Ballard, Coastal Living Magazine July/August 2014
This Monday I am musing about retail. Small retail. Independent retail. I feel the need to spread the word about how essential small business is to the retail culture. Sure, you can buy everything you could ever want with your Amazon Prime account. But really, doesn’t it take all the fun out of the shopping experience when all you have to do to buy something is click a button?
So I am reccommending that you go to your neighborhood corridor and visit those small independents the next time you need some retail therapy. Heck, if you’re travelling, seek out those independent shops! Go to the Ballards, Lower Eastside, and Pearl Districts of the world. Find out where the locals go. You will be inspired and have a fond keepsake of that trip you took to Spain because you bought something special and unique from that funky small shop in Sitges.
So without getting on my soapbox about why we all need to support small retailers, how it would be a much sadder world without them, let me just show you images of some fantastic shops from around the world instead. Ready?

Nannie Inez, Austin
Still House, East Village, New York

Lotta Agaton, Stockholm via designlovefest.com

Present and Correct, London
Geszeft, Katowice via Style Sight
Pretty fantastic, right? Please support your small and independent retailers. They are what make shopping so fun! Have a great start to your week! – xo ~ Maggie