Shops in Manhattan that sell canvas grocery bags?

December 19, 2007 10:33 AM

Shops in Manhattan that sell canvas grocery bags?

Do you have any suggestions for brick and mortar stores in NYC that have a selection of cute canvas bags?

As part of a Christmas gift I wanted to buy a cute canvas reusable grocery bag as part of the present wrapping. But I'm an epic procrastinator, and have only two days before I fly out to deliver said gift. So my original plan to order from someone on Etsy won't work.

Specifics:

- doesn't have a store name/logo printed on it (so Wholefoods and Trader Joes are out)

- some sort of colors or design/screen print on it (not just a plain beige bag)

- doesn't look like I bought it at a head shop

I know the exact store I'm picturing must exist somewhere on the island (or even a brief trainride outside of the island). Help me!

posted by twoporedomain to shopping (12 comments total)

Maybe Urban Outfitters?
posted by roomthreeseventeen at 10:43 AM on December 19, 2007

Pearl River Mart in SoHo carries some of the Funtotes line. When I was last there, the bags were near the door, to the left on a table, in the clothing area.
posted by spec80 at 10:53 AM on December 19, 2007

I'd try Whole Foods before Urban Outfitters-- UO's owner is a major contributor to the GOP, dontcha know, and that would sort of nullify the sentiment in my book.
posted by hermitosis at 10:53 AM on December 19, 2007

(I know you mentioned WF, but they might sell some without logos.)
posted by hermitosis at 10:56 AM on December 19, 2007

I just saw a bunch of logo-free canvas bags yesterday, at the Bed Bath and Beyond on the Upper East Side. They were, however, plain beige. But maybe it'd be an okay backup plan if you can't find any colorful ones -- get a beige one along with some fabric dye and fabric paints.
posted by Greg Nog at 11:00 AM on December 19, 2007

New York Magazine did a feature on this very subject a few months ago.
posted by roger ackroyd at 11:19 AM on December 19, 2007

This recent-ish shopping feature from NY magazine might be helpful.
posted by craichead at 11:21 AM on December 19, 2007

Oh, dear. I should have previewed!
posted by craichead at 11:22 AM on December 19, 2007

from the article: At Etsy Labs in Fort Greene, Brooklyn, I found a huge array of tote bags, many made by local artists... 325 Gold St., nr. Flatbush Ave., Fort Greene, Brooklyn; 718-855-7955
posted by kidsleepy at 11:31 AM on December 19, 2007

Also, I was in the Union Square holiday fair thing the other day, and there was one stall selling, I believe, only reusable grocery bags. They weren't canvas though--seemed to be a lightweight material like parachute fabric, but in all sorts of fun-ish colors (it was dark, so YMMV). We have something similar in the Haddock household, and I think those bags are better than the canvas ones, as they are strong and MUCH lighter than canvas and can be crumpled into not much more room than a plastic bag (just in case you are giving it with the expectation that someone might use it for actual grocery shopping--these bags are small enough to put in a purse and do the shopping on the way home).
posted by Admiral Haddock at 1:10 PM on December 19, 2007

Zabars. Though the only one I can find on their web site is branded, I'm pretty sure they have non-branded ones upstairs as well.

The classic canvas tote is sold at many boating/marine stores as well. Not sure where you'd find that in Manhattan.
posted by toxic at 3:05 PM on December 19, 2007

Thanks everyone. I'll look into some of these tomorrow.

I called the Etsy Labs people to see what hours they were open, and they seemed really confused that I wanted to come shop there - I guess they just have workspaces. But they did point out the helpful "shop locally" link on the Etsy page, where if I found something I could have picked it up in person. But sadly, it seems to be too late in the season for many sellers to do that, too.
posted by twoporedomain at 4:09 PM on December 19, 2007