Sally and Dave Emery do. In October they opened a design shop on an up-and-coming corner of Oxford's Iffley Road. And, no it's not named after the song.
A self-confessed 'grammar nerd', Sally used to work at Oxford University Press, birthplace of the aforementioned grammatical mark. After a career in marketing, Sally and web-desinger, Dave, saw a gap in the market as well as an opportunity to introduce art into everday life. In 2008 they started online designer teatowel boutique To Dry For, before getting married (in a non-teatowel-themed wedding) later that year.
Firm believers in William Morris's maxim, Have nothing in your house that you do not know to be useful, or believe to be beautiful, Sally and Dave found the demand for their beautiful and useful teatowels was so great that they started to produce their own, commissioning four new designs each year, including work by Rob Ryan and Gemma Correll, who drew the gorgeous mural in the shop.
The teatowel business was such as success that Sally and Dave found they needed to move their business out of their house before the teatowels took over. Though they were looking for an office, an empty shop round the corner looked perfect. After a 'Why don't we do the show right here?', moment they realised they could combine their business with their love of beautiful things and open a work space and shop in one.
Here's Sally...
and here's some of Comma's stock, from hand-printed stationery...
...to quirky kitchenware to...
...handmade glassware to...
... graphic cushions.
The more you look, the more you find. Not just artist's books...
...but a shelf that winks shiny kitch, tongue firmly in cheek.
Am I posting too many photos? I can't help it. There's an endless selection of fasciating stuff here...
I particularly like the 'pocket money' boxes on the counter, revealing badges...
...vintage stick pins...
...and temporary art tattoos.
If Sally could take one thing from her shop home with her, I ask, what would it be? She answers...
It has to be the 'Love' and 'Hate' oven gloves. And as for me, I'd take...
The 'dog bowl'. Now wouldn't he look sweet surrounded by bon bons?
Oxford Comma
247 Iffley Road
Oxford, OX4 1SJ
Although something of a grammarian,(I like to think), I'd never heard of an Oxford Comma until now and a recourse to Wikipedia> Best quote Ms Truss of "Eats ,shoots and leaves"
'There are people who believe in Oxford commas.And those who don't.It is best not to stand between them when drink has been taken.'
Seems to me the argument might stem from a fundamental misunderstanding of the grammatical difference between coordination and subordination.
The shop looks interesting (and brave) though.
Posted by: DBC Reed | December 11, 2010 at 09:53 AM
Badaude! I'm tagging you to do a post on what's inside your bag!
xx Fleurette
Posted by: Fleurette | December 13, 2010 at 08:52 PM
Oh i like that dog bowl.. So cute :)
Com ma products are great!
Posted by: Ov Watch | December 14, 2010 at 09:48 AM