Beautiful, thoughtful retail... a tribute

I believe retail should be pleasant, visually appealing and thoughtful at every price point. Having survived endless meetings where we discussed what stores would look like and the customers impressions, experience, and take-aways and sweated the details of every face out and build out, I am constantly left wishing more retailers and their behind the scenes folks would take our money seriously enough to do the same. I have mentioned Paris Market to you before and again now for this reason: People should go to some trouble to be handed money someone else toiled for. They never lose track of that concept, or France, at Paris Market.

So it is once again time to revisit Paris Market and Brocante, my favorite store in the Southeast, hands down. Which happens to be in Savannah, Georgia on shopping rue Broughton. Sort of like the Golden Mile only, shorter and more Southern.

This is what you will see as you sneak up upon Paris Market. The tables on the sidewalk are for enjoying your cafe or sweets (which I wish were a tad more French, frankly. You know: Like a macaroon, croissant, or whathaveyou but anyway...)




You can get your cafe au lait and browse with it. Just take care, there are a lot of design books around and you would not want to spoil (buy) one that has coffee all over it.

I wish you could see the store in person. It is two stories of French everything-fabulous-for-the- home, presented in original Parisian antique displays. It is as though you are transported, removed, ugh, and somewhat relieved (after once again walking around the corner and witnessing the preposterous mayhem involved with getting a table at Paula Deen's place).

Great, right? I love the authentic Metro sign that greets me at the front door.


You could buy a few of cards with which to correspond from Savannah. Yes, people do still write to one another with pens and stuff.


I could spend hours flipping their their unbelievable shelter book selection. The wrapping papers are carefully selected and each one a design gem all on their own. I am pretty sure I need two of these chandeliers...


And I need all this stuff for my new improved master bath/ spa/ Mama's hiding area:




If hiding does not work, there is always this handy absinthe dipenser which could really be used effectively for any number of fun beverages.