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Karin thanks the big bad world of baskets

Saturday, January 2nd, 2010

basketville

As a tried and true consumer of everything, I wasn’t too worried that I would find a few things to buy in small town Vermont. And I certainly did, but they have erred on the practical side like snowboarding gear, maple syrup, and everything printed with a picture of a covered bridge. You know, must haves. But when I walked out of the snow and through the doors of Basketville in Putney, VT, all that changed.

I have absolutely never in my life seen so many baskets. And I have been known to attend an embarrassing amount of craft fairs. Basketville had baskets for food, clothes, laundry, animals, people, baskets to sit on, baskets to hang from the ceiling, baskets for love letters and hate mail, baskets for every single occasion. If it had been a store full of clothes or food, I would not have been impressed, but a humongous store devoted to one strange item is mighty impressive. Why aren’t there more of this type of store? A whole emporium devoted to paperclips. A warehouse for shoehorns. After Basketville I really see the appeal of product specific shops.

There were some tough decisions to make in Basketville, but I had to make them quick because I was headed to the great outdoors and wearing five pairs of pants. The first decision I made was to follow the strange intoxicating aroma in the fishing basket aisle. It turned out to be a sound choice as my bloodhound nose led me to a counter for Putney Mountain Winery which is made right inside Basketville. Yes, baskets and alcohol, an absolutely genius pairing! I had a few cups of every wine they make, which really helped make my basket buying decisions easier. I went away with a basket that I can actually sit inside of, a picnic basket, and three other just in case baskets. Plus a few bottles of wine to keep the cold out of my bones. Vermont consumerism has started to rival Madison Avenue. Next one stop shop – Santa land, where it’s Christmas 365 days a year. Amazing!

Including craft fairs and Amish communities, I have never ever seen so many baskets. I went bananas. I now have baskets to store things I don't even own.