Growing up in New Orleans is special for many reasons. And let’s be honest, it makes us “different” from fellow Americans. Though it’s not until we travel beyond its strange siren call that we fully realize its distinctiveness. While most Americans are eating steak and potatoes behind a picket fence, we’re having gumbo and mirliton on a slanted back porch. While they’re catching a movie at a giant cineplex, we’re watching Mardi Gras parades dance through the streets. It’s simply not the same universe.
Because of this, I often feel like I have a totally different cultural standard than friends who grew up elsewhere in the US. For example, I remember visiting a large Texas city in my twenties and feeling genuinely confused. This was supposed to be THE place for shopping and dining. But every boutique, antique shop and restaurant had the same kind of neon signage in the exact same square footage. I couldn’t understand why each place didn’t have its own distinct identity. I kept asking, “Where are the ‘cute’ areas?” There were none.
Shopping on Magazine Street has always been special. The street makes me feel proud to show off my city. To give tourists a unique shopping experience they don’t have at home. In its mish-mash of shotgun houses, stucco buildings each place has its own, often hand painted sign. Each store has its own story being told. Not one that was decided in a board room of advisors but one that the owner has curated themselves.
Cruising Magazine Street last weekend with the intention of finding interior design inspiration, I was struck by the variety of stores and wide range of artistic perspectives.The first stop was Gallery Orange. This contemporary gallery, based in the French Quarter, is doing a pop up on Magazine Street. We were greeted with warmth and a genuine curiosity of where our day was headed. We spoke more about that than any of the artwork – although we did discuss that, too. But it was a lingering, non-transactional conversation. A breath of fresh air.
Our next stop was Sud, a boutique shop filled with gorgeous antiques, art and home goods celebrating Sicily. I struck up a conversation with one of the lovely owners, and I got an impromptu lesson on the Sicilian influences in New Orleans along with a great interior design tip! I also left with a deep longing for an oversized Teste di Moro vase.
Across the street at Darnell & Co. we were greeted politely and told to wander around at our leisure. This shop mixes more modern pieces along with century old finds. The staff had a lovely, slightly more hands-off approach, which also felt nice. We were trusted to simply observe the beauty of the collection without any pressure to buy.
We had a similar light, casual experience at our next stop, Mac Maison. The shopkeeper let us browse and take pictures while chit-chatting about our renovation project. The shop itself features European antiques. It’s packed to the gills with hanging light fixtures from the 17th and 18th centuries. And the hand painted desks and panels were swoon worthy.
As the international retail business landscape changes, its comforting to wander Magazine Street and explore small shops with a unique perspective. The joy of shopping is alive and well. But it needs us, the customers, to thrive. If we want to remain “different” then we must shop differently than other Americans, even as the world tells us to change.
Break a Leg by Peggy McGivern, Gallery Orange
Vase, Sud
Shades, Mac Maison, French Silvered Bronze Chandelier, Mac Maison
Those That Surround Us, by Janina Ellis at Gallery Orange
Italian Wood Panels, Mac Maison
