Wooden salad bowls around Boston?
November 5, 2014 11:59 AM Subscribe
Where can I get a handmade wooden salad set (large bowls + smaller bowls) around the Boston area?
This seems like it should be easy. If I were to meander around Vermont I'd stop into someone's wood shop and find them. But in Boston and the surrounding area, where would I go?
I've tried the obvious mall stores, Crate and Barrel and the like. Not much there. I assume there would be something on Newbury St. but I really don't want to pay Newbury St. prices.
There are some on Etsy but I'd prefer to hold something in my hand before I buy it.
I'm looking for a nice set of plain wooden bowls made on a lathe or hand carved by some man or woman who has been making wooden salad bowls since forever.
Craft show season is upon us but for a number of reasons I am unable to attend most of them.
Anonymous because this is a gift and the recipient may be lurking.
This seems like it should be easy. If I were to meander around Vermont I'd stop into someone's wood shop and find them. But in Boston and the surrounding area, where would I go?
I've tried the obvious mall stores, Crate and Barrel and the like. Not much there. I assume there would be something on Newbury St. but I really don't want to pay Newbury St. prices.
There are some on Etsy but I'd prefer to hold something in my hand before I buy it.
I'm looking for a nice set of plain wooden bowls made on a lathe or hand carved by some man or woman who has been making wooden salad bowls since forever.
Craft show season is upon us but for a number of reasons I am unable to attend most of them.
Anonymous because this is a gift and the recipient may be lurking.
SoWa is already over AFAIK it only runs through October.
Off the top of my head, I'd give Mudflat Gallery a call and see if they have anything (Porter Square, Somervile), as well as Magpie in Davis in Somerville. I've seen hand made wooden items at both in the past, but all of their stuff changes on a regular basis. Also worth a shot is the store Davis Squared, maybe, across the street from Magpie.
posted by carmel at 12:15 PM on November 5, 2014 [1 favorite]
Off the top of my head, I'd give Mudflat Gallery a call and see if they have anything (Porter Square, Somervile), as well as Magpie in Davis in Somerville. I've seen hand made wooden items at both in the past, but all of their stuff changes on a regular basis. Also worth a shot is the store Davis Squared, maybe, across the street from Magpie.
posted by carmel at 12:15 PM on November 5, 2014 [1 favorite]
The old Bowl and Board in Cambridge still exists... In Webster NH.
posted by Gungho at 12:24 PM on November 5, 2014 [1 favorite]
posted by Gungho at 12:24 PM on November 5, 2014 [1 favorite]
I've seen beautiful wooden objects at some of the more artsy gift shops, such as Cambridge Artists Cooperative (Church Street, Harvard Square) and The Artful Heart Gallery in Arlington Center. Call around.
posted by dywypi at 1:48 PM on November 5, 2014
posted by dywypi at 1:48 PM on November 5, 2014
I asked a friend with good taste and a love of housewares (who asked her friend who makes furniture) and no one came up with a definitive answer, but she did say:
there are a bunch of housewares stores in the south endposted by maryr at 2:18 PM on November 5, 2014
but they do tend to be pricey
abode
er, abodeon maybe
or lekker home
I might try China Fair --- there's a location just outside porter sq. in Cambridge and one in Newton Highlands. The shop has an atmosphere reminiscent of the one where Homer buys the monkey's paw on that one Simpsons Halloween special, but has a bunch of name brand and somewhat obscure kitchen stuff for cheap. I've found all kinds of useful bits and bobs there, and I'm pretty sure I've seen wooden bowls of the kind you mention.
Oh, and I believe Dave's has cutting boards, but no salad bowls that I've seen.
posted by Diablevert at 2:23 PM on November 5, 2014
Oh, and I believe Dave's has cutting boards, but no salad bowls that I've seen.
posted by Diablevert at 2:23 PM on November 5, 2014
There are several Ten Thousand Villages shops (Downtown, Cambridge, and Brookline come to mind), and they often have wooden bowls.
posted by ldthomps at 2:26 PM on November 5, 2014
posted by ldthomps at 2:26 PM on November 5, 2014
Whaddya know, China Fair has an extraordinarily sketchy website, but it seems they may have the bowls you're looking for. I would definitely call and see if they're in stock, though. Because even though it is 2014, it is the kind of store where I was shocked to see it had a website at all, but utterly unsurprised to find said site ineptly hand-coded in html.
posted by Diablevert at 2:37 PM on November 5, 2014
posted by Diablevert at 2:37 PM on November 5, 2014
OMG, China Fair has hours?!
posted by maryr at 3:06 PM on November 5, 2014 [1 favorite]
posted by maryr at 3:06 PM on November 5, 2014 [1 favorite]
China fair is not sketchy though they may have a weird website. its worth checking out.
posted by Jewel98 at 9:00 PM on November 6, 2014
posted by Jewel98 at 9:00 PM on November 6, 2014
This thread is closed to new comments.
Also, Dave's Fresh Pasta in Davis Square has some wood things - but I would call ahead and check if they have any.
posted by troytroy at 12:12 PM on November 5, 2014 [1 favorite]