Why I Buy Indie

One of the major pastimes in our home is wandering around the neighborhood. We watch the boats from the Cat’s Eye steps, play with the puddles and pigeons in the square, and pop in and out of the neighborhood shops. It may seem like we are just killing time, but really, much, much more is going on.

In the early days, it was a way to keep my sanity with a baby who never, ever slept. Just having another adult to talk to while we bumbled through another day was comforting. Later, I convinced several of the local shop employees to baby-sit, even though none of them were “babysitters”. As the baby grew into a toddler who never, ever slept, I bounced ideas about parenting, education, community, and everything else off the merchants who had gotten to know me and my family.

One of our favorite places to visit has always been aMuse, not just for the excellent toys they have in stock, but for the time they take learning about the different manufacturers, suppliers, and toys. With eleven nieces and nephews, not to mention my two own children and all their friends, to shop for, it’s comforting to know my local toy store offers me items that are unique, safe, and will provide more than just 10 minutes of entertainment before the child moves on to something else.

It’s about more than just keeping our money in the neighborhood, instead of just shelling out to some faceless corporation. aMuse KNOWS us. My son has celiac, a gluten intolerance that means he can’t eat wheat, rye, barley and most oats. This also means commercial modeling dough is off limits with him, as it can get stuck in his nails, or his sister could get it in their food, or he might even absentmindedly nibble it. Without even being asked, as soon as aMuse started dealing with a company who offered gluten-free dough, I got an email. I asked for two tubes, as modeling dough is in heavy rotation at our home, and got another email as soon as it was in.

Needless to say, the dough, by ecokids, was perfect. My kids love it, and I don’t have to worry about it harming my son. It also smells amazing, another unexpected bonus. Shopping local means supporting our friends and local businesses, but it also means they help support us.

Elizabeth Gardner lives in Fells Point with her husband, Nick, her children, James and Catherine, and her neglected dog, Jenna. She likes banana peppers and blogs about them, among other things, on Cooking and Screaming.

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Comments

[Miranda]

Our neighborhood wouldn't be the same without the Gardners wandering around. :)

[Erin]

Love the dough guy! Thanks for sharing!