Wouldn’t it be great if our quotidian shopping needs could somehow benefit others? Perhaps we do a little good while in service of ourselves? Sure, we see the odd glimpse of this idea during drug store checkouts. A pop up on the payment screen asks us to donate to this or that national charity organization. But what if we want to support something more specific or local? Well then, consider shopping at the adorably bright and aptly named The Good Shop. The Lower Garden District spot is teeming with products both useful and aspirational. Each purchase champions a cause, so you feel great simply buying the things you need. To learn more, I caught up with the multihyphenate photographer, designer, adjunct social design professor and founder, Tippy Tippens.
How did The Good Shop come about? After 8 years of selling products at markets and in a tiny corner of Church Alley Coffee, we wanted to start a stand-alone brick & mortar store. We had the idea, “What if every product in our shop were a social good product?!” We were much smaller then and have really grown in our current location in the Lower Garden District. Over time, we’ve invited other small businesses to join in as a “collective” and share the overhead costs and shop hours.
Who did you partner with? Heartsleeve Tees has been part of the collective since the beginning. The owner Natasha and I became shop partners after the first couple of years. We also have shop members: Poet Motors, Schweistyle Vintage, Earth Alchemy and Rocketfish Ceramics. Tubby & Coo’s Bookshop will also soon be joining the shop!
What other local brands do you support? We carry local brands that fit our ethos of having a social or environmental aspect to their business like; Tchoup Industries, Oxalis, Cora’s Girls Coffee, Walkingman Studios, Bonfolk, Smoke Perfume, Two Brothers 1 Love, Pang Wangle and Neon Zinn. We also carry books by local writers/social entrepreneurs like Christine Hamilton & Renee Blanchard.
Will shopping with you help local causes? If so, which ones? Absolutely. Many of the products in our shop donate to partner causes including Backstreet Cultural Museum, Common Ground Relief, Animal Rescue of New Orleans, New Orleans Youth Alliance, the Green Project, The New Orleans Loving Festival, Inter Tribal Council of Louisiana and many more.
Which philanthropic achievements (via your brand) are you most proud of? Our in-house brand, Goods that Matter, has donated $71k thus far to our donation partners. The shop has donated more than $80k collectively. Last year we started a community-based coastal carbon credit partnership with Common Ground Relief. These can be purchased on our site individually or via specific products like the Wool Felt Dish Mats & Sponges, 6 Pouch Totes and various art prints.
Meet Penn, Shop Talk Blogger
Penn larocci is a born and raised New Orleanian. After graduating from Tulane University she lived in NYC for nine years working in sales and marketing at an investment bank. When she missed New Orleans more than she could stand, she moved back home, met her husband and started a family. She’s now raising two rambunctious little boys and spending her free time on environmental sustainability projects.
