I was in Narberth the other day looking for a gift, and stepped into the store SHIFT. “SHIFT is a women-owned, Narberth-based business that offers eco-conscious goods and services focused on low-impact living. [They] offer an online resource for those seeking sustainable choices throughout the Main Line, while also partnering with local businesses and schools to provide green solutions for those striving to become carbon neutral.”
A local, women-owned store filled with lovely-scented items for home and beauty as well as vintage clothes and antique treasures, like the candle-in-a-teacup I finally purchased, all aiming to make the world better? Yes, thank you! I always use recycled packaging in my shipping materials, and I’ve collected vintage and thrift-store finds since I was a teenager, but this store makes me want to go full throttle at home with refillable soaps, cleaners, the whole shebang (I have a lot of cleaned Bonne Maman jam jars that seem meant for this), for me and my whole family. Meanwhile…
As I was browsing I noticed a number of books in the displays. Were they for sale? No, I was told by the owner, Eleisha, but a lot of people ask about the books. Of course immediately I thought of my own inventory and suggested I could supply books for sale in the shop. Over the years I’ve gathered a number of items that fit so well with the aesthetic and mission of the store. Books on domestic science and DIY solutions; manuscript cookbooks; ephemera featuring beautiful designs for clothes, pottery, tools. Books in decorative cloth bindings. The finest of all of these have sold to institutional libraries and private clients but there are many that remain, in affordable price-points, that I hope SHIFT customers will enjoy. We’ll find out this May 27-30, when you can visit a pop-in sale for Zoe Abrams Rare Books at SHIFT! Please stop by and tell your friends, too. Come for the books, stay for the lavender everything. And let’s all do better at sustainable lifestyle choices!
Zoe Abrams Rare Books 