This Saturday we have a Special Edition, featuring some of our favorite businesses for Small Business Saturday. If you’ve visited any of these spots then you already know why they made the list. If you haven’t yet then we hope you do - you don’t know what you’re missing!
MODERN ANTHOLOGY | 123 Smith St, Brooklyn, NY 11201
Modern Anthology is our favorite storefront in Brooklyn for clothing, grooming, accessories, and more. Dunderdon outerwear, St. Rita’s eyewear or fragrances, and Fellow Barber - it doesn’t even scratch the surface. Oh wait, are those HELM Boots they carry also? Whether you’re visiting the shop in person (highly suggested) or online, be prepared to peruse and find all sorts of treasures along the way. The ambiance, the lighting, the music, the furniture, and the owners and staff are all golden. Exclusive works and products from prime designers abound, as do original and entertaining public events and parties. As the world of mammoth design and fast fashion continues to grow, we choose to support small business like M.A. who work tirelessly to support the unique creativity that keeps the art of design unique and special. Long live Modern Anthology!
TAKE HEART || 1211 E 11th St, Austin, TX 78702
Nina Gordon’s boutique, 'take heart', is located in East Austin, and it reflects her love of special and thoughtfully designed objects for the home and person. For the little ones in your life there’s no better stop for artisan blankets, lil’ fluffy teddy-bears, and simple, handcrafted wooden toys. Need a meditation journal? Want to learn some Texas haikus, or study how to cherish living in the present? Take Heart has you covered. Exclusive incense options, coffee mugs from the hands of master potters, the perfect maple sandwich board, or balancing essential oils - check them all off your list. Just going to mention that we picked up this Yagasuri tea cup from Japan years ago and it’s the best. Lastly, Take Heart is the go-to for the best one-of-a-kind greeting, get well, and bday cards, and their artful blank cards are always dependable for any occasion. Take Heart inspires creativity, self-discovery and invites you to take time to appreciate life's beautiful details. Kudos to Nina for being an awesome small business! Go support her and thank us later.
TRADE MEN'S WARES || 1112 N Walker Ave #102, Oklahoma City, OK 73103
Located in the old red bricked Midtown District of OKC, you’ll find a store that houses timeless classic styles for the man of all TRADES. To call founder and operator Daniel Mcloud one-of-a-kind doesn’t do justice to the amount of work and dedication this guy puts in. You’ll find him making apothecary products, hand stitching leather wallets, and talking it up with customers all day, every day. Some of his many goals are to find, create, and stock “grooming products to make your morning routine a delight” and search out the best “decor to outfit your cave.” Not to mention the apparel that gives you the confidence to conquer any room you walk in. Trade’s missions is to help the ruggedly sophisticated man reconnect with and understand the satisfaction of a solid day’s work. If you value the ageless and enduring over the trendy and fleeting, then TRADE is the store for you.
MIRANDA BENNETT STUDIO || 1211 E 11th St Suite 101, Austin, TX 78702
Located next door to the aforementioned Take Heart, (two birds one stone) - ladies, this one’s for you. The Miranda Bennett Studio is a perfect stop for the items for your 9 to 5, free time, or special occasions. The MBS design ethos is based on thoughtful simplicity. The describe themselves as “Coveted for versatility, style, luminous color and ease, our apparel is celebrated for making the woman inside the focal point. Each collection is designed to mix and match seamlessly with our previously released styles and limited edition colorways, creating elevated building blocks for everyday use.” Another awesome fact about MBS - they work with other industries to use what some see as waste (think sawdust from central Texas milled wood or avocado pits and skins from local food suppliers.) Crazy, right? You can browse fabrics, complete wardrobes, bags and belts, nail color, fragrances, and even jewelry. Read more about Miranda’s initiatives on the website, and if you’re in East Austin you’ll be the better for dropping in. MB says, "We must be able to consider the experience of those who engage with our products as consumers and those who engage with our products in the supply chain, as well as the overall impact on our earth. Something is only great when it can speak to a consideration of experience on all fronts - from creation to use to disposal." Go, Miranda Bennett!
DEEP ELLUM DENIM || 3107 Commerce St, Dallas, TX 75226
True purveyors of raw selvedge denim, this is the place to shop the highest quality denim brands from all over the world. You might not think about the words “passion” and “denim” going together, but when you meet the dudes at Deep Ellum Denim you’ll understand. Voted “Dallas’s Best Denim Shop,” for man or woman, D.E. is where to go to find your perfect pair. Every weight, cut, Japanese or U.S. sourced - even the newest releases of their own Deep Ellum line - this is the one-stop-shop for fresh denim. We love the owners, Jeff and Bennie, and can only tip our hats to their courageous efforts to keep helping people make the switch to real quality jeans. When you see guys who work this hard and love what they do, it makes you want to support small local businesses til the end. Go get ‘em guys!
BRIDGE & BURN || 1029 SW Harvey Milk St, Portland, OR 97205 & 1318 7th St #118, Los Angeles, CA 90021
With stores in Portland and Los Angeles, we hope that you’re able to stop in at either/or both locations, because we’re confident that Bridge & Burn is unparalleled in cool factor and shopability. Seriously, everything from their brand to the layout of their shops is a win. Beautifully constructed clothing for men and women that is perfectly minimal yet still unexpected. Their custom shirts, outerwear, pants, PDX hats, clever T-shirts, smart accessories and more are all made to last in quality and comfort. When you’re there, tell them HELM sent you and they’ll treat you extra special.