valentines gift shop: tinsel trading company

on sunday, i ventured down to the thompson warehouse in south street seaport for the valentine's gift shop and soda fountain, a special weekend event that's affiliated with the new amsterdam market.

i know valentine's day inspires a lot of mixed feelings, but this event, rather the usual bombardment with hearts and flowers and romance, was more a celebration of the affinities for art and craft, the goodness of hand made things...sweet and special things, if you will, that shouldn't be only for a valentine or a valentine's day--but, i guess, why not use v-day as an excuse to celebrate?

anyway, i've started to write a bit about the food over at sweetsaltythings, but want to show here snapshots from tinsel trading co.

this is about as aggressive as things got, with hearts and glitter and the other lovey-stuff. i thought it was charming, especially the letter press tags and cards. and i appreciated things even more after speaking with sarah, who was representing tinsel trading. i don't know much about crafts and craft supply, but i can believe what she said-- there are very few stores in the garment center that carry exactly what tinsel trading does: the range of ribbons and trim, and beads and vintage buttons, and cards and stamps. i can envision a new york where stores like that once were a dime a dozen and now there are only one or two left. and i think there probably are some precious, hard-to-find items at the store. i don't know it, but i believe it. in any case, i like the idea that this one is still around, and they are doing things, like commissioning artists-in-residence, to help set them apart from the others.

even if i'm not so "crafty," i'm looking forward to visiting the store-- i'm sure i'll pick up a few cards and trinkets, just as i did on sunday.

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tinsel trading company is located at:

1 west 37th street
new york, ny 10018
(between 5th & 6th ave., 2 blocks from macy's)

phone: 212-730-1030

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photos © anita aguilar