Ever wonder who’s responsible for bringing in all of the gorgeous merchandise to the Food52 Shop? Our buying team is one talented lot. It’s no small feat sourcing and introducing us to such an impressive range of goods—and the inspiring backstories that often accompany them. Well, this Home & Design Editor was curious as to what our buyers—professional shoppers!—buy for themselves outside of the Food52 Shop. How do they spend their own hard-earned cash? Read on for their monthly picks.
"I picked up this chic acrylic wine rack at one of my favorite vintage shops in Brooklyn, Home Union, a few weeks ago. From side tables to holiday decor, I have a select group of acrylic pieces sprinkled here and there throughout my home, some inherited from my late grandmother, who went gaga for the material in the '70s (as you do...). She was the owner of a gift shop at the time and bought a ton of acrylic home decor for her customers (and for herself!); she once told me that she "used to dream in Lucite." Incorporating this clean—and groovy!—material into my home feels like a bit of an ode to her. The wine rack also filled a need; as you can see, I'm quickly running out of room in my bar, and this was a perfect solution to making space for more glassware from the Food52 Shop! Still looking for its permanent home in my apartment...
I also happened to take a trip out to Bordeaux this month, and brought back a beautiful bottle of Merlot from Chateau Boutinet, a historic, abandoned castle and vineyard near Libourne. It was recently purchased by a young couple who are reviving the vineyard and restoring the castle into a bed-and-breakfast (estimated to open in 2027!). [It's] a perfect bottle to welcome the new wine rack and kick off a vino collection." —Jojo Feld, Director, Buying & Product Development
"The waterproof lining of my old college rain jacket started to disintegrate recently, so I've been in need of a new one. While on vacation in Paris at the beginning of the month (my first time there!), I kept seeing people walking around in these great jackets, and knew I'd found my replacement. Luckily, there was a Rains shop in the neighborhood where I was staying, so I stopped by and grabbed a jacket in rose for myself—the closest thing I have to a souvenir from the trip!" —Jackson Fust, Assistant Buyer
"This month, I picked up a denim jumpsuit on sale for $99 from a new favorite online clothing store of mine, Pixie Market. I'm usually an H&M, Zara, and ASOS clothing shopper, but I've been venturing over to this site more and more as their selection always feels super unique and whimsical. Even though a lot of the pieces aren't my style necessarily (and a bit over the top!), I always seem to find gems at decent prices (that I know won't be all over the streets of N.Y.C.).
In general, my interest in fashion has a big influence on how I think about colors, patterns, textures, and trends for home decor, so a store like Pixie Market is also just a lot of fun to browse. That industry moves a lot faster and takes more risks, so there is so much inspiration to be had." —Kristina Wasserman, Buyer & Shop Merchandising Manager
What are your favorite Shop buys this month? Be sure to share them with us by tagging #f52home.
See what other Food52 readers are saying.