Salon.com launched its online
store today, a curated collection of well-designed products that
reflect interesting ideas, soul-pleasing utility and just the profound
wackiness of our culture. Examples:
A 5-piece china
place setting that looks like the traditional blue Delft china –
until you look closely and see that the motif is really New York City
icons and graffiti ($100 per place setting)
Salt
and pepper shakers made from stockpiled old telephone parts (new
old stock, not used!) The salt is for the mouthpiece, the pepper goes
in the earpiece ($25)
A tiny camera
tripod that screws on top of most water bottles, letting your
group pose together for pictures anywhere at all ($10)
A “Stealth Umbrella”
that uses a unique aerodynamic design offering improved wind
resistance, protection and style ($60)
A cannabis
candle from hip cosmetic company Malin+Goetz that burns with the
aroma of spicy extracts and cannabis ($48)
“The mission of the Salon Store is to find and showcase products which
– like Salon itself — embody ideas,” said John Pound, the Salon
Store’s curator. “As a starting point, we embraced three key words:
smart, funny and progressive. We look for products that fit these words
and filters, and give them a stage. We’re creating a virtuous circle –
helping designers with good ideas to build their companies through
giving them access to the Salon community.”
Not only are interesting products offered on Salon – but commentary is
presented in the form of “The
Latest Thing” blog which goes beyond mere product descriptions. It
might talk about a product’s designer, how the product was created or
how it relates to the world at large. For example, Pound has written a
thoughtful essay about the graffiti art that inspired the plate
collection but also sheds light on the differing American and European
attitudes toward graffiti. Like Salon.com, it offers a perspective
intended to encourage new ideas and thinking.
“We’re excited about the Salon store because it’s a win-win for
everyone,” said Richard Gingras, Salon’s CEO. “Our readers get access to
fun and surprising merchandise, the interesting designers, artisans and
merchants get exposure to the Salon reader and Salon gains an important
new business which will help strengthen our efforts to present the
voices that make us think, keep informed – and make us laugh.”
Visit the Salon.com store and its unique collection of products and
commentary here.
About Salon Media Group
Salon Media Group (OTCBB: SLNM) is the home of Salon.com, the pioneering
online community The Well, and the innovative blogging community Open
Salon. Salon.com is the trusted, award-winning website that is creating
an entirely new form of journalism:combining the high standards of
traditional media with the commitment to audience participation and
engagement that distinguishes new media. Salon has become the go-to site
for informed and engaged people who care about what really matters. The
site combines original investigative stories, breaking news, provocative
personal essays, highly respected criticism and a stable of popular
staff-written blogs about politics, technology and culture. Salon has
offices in San Francisco, New York City and Washington D.C. More
information can be found at Salon.com.
Follow us on Twitter @salonmedia
Source: Business Wire