It seems that most of our customers find their way into our store after having been told about us by family or friends, watching the process of us setting up the store this summer, or happening to notice us from across the street.
This morning we were visited by a woman originally from Syracuse, New York who was in town to watch a friend in an archery competition. She explained that in preparation for the trip to Columbia, she researched local fair trade stores to “make the trip worth it.”
What a fun story for us at Mustard Seed to hear – an individual who cares enough about fair trade that she intentionally sought out a place to practice it!
So, if we were to visit Syracuse, what types of fair trade stores could we find?
A quick Google search shows we could stop by Bolivia Fair Trade and find a selection of alpaca wear – gloves, scarves, even leg warmers! Fair World Marketplace, a Ten Thousand Villages partner store, and the Spiritual Renewal Center of the Syracuse Diocese work with wholesalers Ten Thousand Villages and SERRV International to offer products very similar to ours. We could also visit Syracuse University, the Rosamond Gifford Zoo, and Syracuse Real Food Cooperative for fair trade beverage and food items. A trip to this area could be quite worthwhile for us and the artisans we’d be benefiting by our purchases.
Watching this new friend leave with Divine chocolate and Equal Exchange tea in tow, her stop at Mustard Seed seemed quite worth it to us. Thanks for seeking us out!
Love,
Mustard Seed