The Vermont Country Store

A few weeks ago, the wooden iPhone cases from Brook Farm General Store started showing up all over the blogosphere. The first thing that popped into my head when I saw "general store," however, was Vermont Country Store. I've never been to their stores/restaurant (in Vermont, of course), but I was a huge fan of their catalog back when I still lived in New York. Every few months it'd arrive and I'd pore over the color illustrations and all the quirky, nostalgic items they had for sale, from Black Jack chewing gum to something called Tired Old Ass Soak.

I wish I'd brought a few catalogs to Taipei with me, but their Web site is almost as great. Some of my current favorites include...

... swimsuits with a vintage flair (click on the picture for a link to the purchase page)...




...a really cute playsuit that looks retro and modern at the same time, thanks to its geometric print...

... this awesomely kitschy swimcap...

... a peacock chenille bedspread that looks straight out of a 1950s bedroom...

... reproduction Moser glass, including this Hen in a Basket dish and Depression glass mixing bowls, both made from original molds...


... the same toys your parents (or grandparents) played with, including this amazing ballerina top and tin kaleidoscope...


... cosmetics and toiletries you've only seen in vintage magazines before, including Tangee lipstick, Evening in Paris perfume and Gee Your Hair Smells Terrific shampoo...


... cute support sandals that have a 1940s/1950s flair...

... sweater clips...


... reproduction 1949 Big Ben alarm clocks (I own an original ivory one that I bought from an estate sale for $5. It still works)...

... and best of all, the indestructible Singer sewing machine of my dreams.

I really regret not making a trip to the Vermont Country Store while I was still living in New York City. I mean, I was busy with work and short on funds and everything, but it would have been worth it... there are counters of fudge! FUDGE! If you live on the East Coast, don't make the same mistake I did! For more about the history of the store, click here.