Business Brief
The Culture Shop
“An opportunity to travel the globe without the use of a passport.”
Interior Photos by Amber M. Haynes Photography Exterior Photo by Ingrid Drake
by Ingrid Drake
W
ith painted teapots and golden glasses sitting atop hand-carved tables, and the works of local artists for sale decorating the walls, the Culture Shop is so visually appealing that customers have rented it out for private functions. “We deliberately decided not to have shelves built in, and instead use pieces of furniture, like you would in your home to display items,” explains Mona Davies, who co-owns the Takoma-DC shop with her husband Valentine. Drawn by the artful items displayed in the shop’s grand windows on the corners of the busy intersection of Blair and Cedar Roads, Davies has come to expect people to walk in from the street, perhaps on their way to the Takoma metro stop a few yards away. “There is a drunk who staggers across the street from the park and comes in and strikes up a conversation about the terracotta soldiers from China,” explains Davies, a mother of two young children. “And we’re able to connect…” If your Culture Shop shopping experience feels more like you are visiting a museum, it’s because Davies got her degree in design from art school and spent 13 years working for the Smithsonian. After a new administration’s focus on the bottom-line and push to purchase items that were made cheaply in China began to override the Smithsonian’s focus on small artisans, Davies left to open a store dedicated to fair trade and positive social change. With each purchase of certified “fair trade” items, Davies, who as a history and anthropology buff often acts as a tour guide for customers, can assure customers that through the artisan’s cooperatives the money is being invested in bank accounts, micro enterprise and children’s education. This is a promise that customers cannot expect at Target, Wal-Mart
or most other stores that are able to sell items made abroad at very low costs because the producers of the items are paid very little. If artisans are not paid a decent wage, they will leave for jobs in the city, leading to overpopulation and squatting, the abandonment of rural areas, and a loss of the knowledge of making crafts that have been passed on from generation to generation, says Davies. Fair trade items are noticeably more expensive than items found in large-scale and chain import shops. “Especially during tough economic times, people will always choose the price,” says Davies. While it is a challenge to educate consumers about the added social and environmental value, some people have already made lifestyle changes to support fair trade purchasing. “In our family we try not to buy too much, so when we do buy, we try to be careful to buy fair trade,” explains Makani Themba-Nixon, a Brookland resident who can be found shopping for gifts at the Culture Shop. “You can’t go to Macy’s and get sweatshop-free.” There is a play table set up for children, but Davies is particularly surprised by how many male customers she has. “They become totally engaged,” notes Davies. “They never sit and wait, they ask more questions. And it’s easier for them to shop here, because the selection is so specific. And they love the fact that we gift wrap.” People tell Davies that they feel as if they’ve left the United States when they enter the store, which celebrated its second anniversary in September. Yet, when customers actually find products from their home countries they are “excited, proud, that someone is presenting it in this environment,” says Davies with a smile. “Yesterday, a woman from El Salvador came in and saw an embroidered dress we carry from
Salvador, and she said, ‘You don’t find this quality of work in the US among things that are imported.’ She bought it for her sister.” The reason the products aren’t “watered-down versions” of international goods, is that for years, Davies has developed close working relationships with crafts people from Latin America, Asia, and Africa. You can sample coffee that is grown environmentally and socially responsibly. Usually there is world music playing, but don’t be surprised during a visit to the Culture Shop to hear a live flutist, or a master drummer. For Davies, who lives in Takoma Park, the shop is a way to bring people in the community together. Whether raising awareness about the Jena 6 through its online newsletter or partnering with Teaching for Change to sell thought-provoking books, and offer free workshops on topics such as “Socially Responsible Investing,” the Culture Shops seeks to inspire people to take action for positive social change. Yet, despite all the innovations to bring people to the shop, it’s been a struggle to survive. “We hear all the time that we have the right store in the wrong spot,” says Davies, who points out that while Takoma Park residents are socially progressive, they’re not shoppers. In terms of supporting fair trade, “You’ve got to back it up with the dollars.” “Ideally we’d like to find an investor,” explains Davies, so they can keep their flagship store in Takoma Park, but open up a more profitable second shop in a location like downtown Silver Spring. The Culture Shop has just “super-sized” its website. To keep up on upcoming events, sign up for the email newsletter, check it out at http://www.cultureshop.com. The Culture Shop, 341 Cedar Street NW, Washington, DC 20012, 202.726.2211. ■
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