Let's Shop: Joanne Rossman
Above: Clothes pin bags made from vintage kanthas hang between jewelry and paper mache animal heads. Photos by Kara Butterfield.
Just outside Boston in Roslindale Village, Joanne Rossman is the Purveyor of the Unnecessary and the Irresistible. She curates a personal collection of finds which she hopes inspire people to look at their own things in a new way. “I buy things I love,” she says. “I love the look of a good book with a quirky cover, and one of the most popular is Burning Man. People buy it just for the cover.” The store is a treasure trove of art, candles, stationery, jewelry, furniture, and inspirational gifts.
Joanne Rossman carries name brands like John Derian, Patch NYC, and Trilogy Products, but often purveys antiques that can be reupholstered in one of her favorite textiles: vintage cotton kanthas from Bangladesh and India. She also sells kanthas (similar to saris) as bed blankets, and has stitched them into clothes pin bags, scarves, and throw pillows.
An artful display of delicious things to eat and drink. Horn spoons rest in an assortment of silver cups and trophies.
A collection of glass paperweights sit on a tin tray. New pieces are mixed with old.
Joanne greets every customer like an old friend. Like the products she carries you will be sure to walk away with a smile and a story. Love her old fashioned cash register!
