Best Shops For Housewares Around Boston
Green's Hardware
Wellesley Hills, MA
www.greenshardware.com
Classic, locally-owned hardware stores are a dying breed, so the ones that are still around have had to create a niche for themselves, delivering exceptional service and offering just what their customers need. At Green's, not only can you get your propane grill tank replaced and delivered directly to your car, but you can also pick up a set of J.A. Henckels knives for the steak you're about to cook up for dinner. Green's selection of cookware, bakeware and gadgetry rivals even the best gourmet kitchen shops.
Tags Hardware
Porter Square, Cambridge
www.tagshardware.com
Tags in Porter Square is a great source for college students and apartment dwellers, offering a huge selection of start-up home goods. Cruising through the aisles of the spacious store, customers can find high-quality storage solutions, small appliances, tableware, textiles and everything you need to cook your first turkey, serve your guests and clean up at the end of the party.
Lekker
South End, Boston
www.lekkerhome.com
The South End is home to Lekker, a high-end home furnishings shop that stocks sleek, design-minded housewares. If you're looking for kitchen style, go to Lekker for tableware and other goods from the likes of Thomas Paul, John Derian, and Heath Ceramics.
Greenward
Porter Square, Cambridge
www.greenwardshop.com
If all-sustainable-all-the-time is your goal, visit Greenward on Mass Ave. in Cambridge, a shop specializing in "eco-modern" products. Reuse your sandwich bags? Pick up an all-wood plastic bag drying rack. Starting to compost at home? Check out the countertop pails. Bamboo dishcloths, recycled glassware, and even biodegradable doggie bags (and I don't mean the take-home kind) can be found at Greenward.
Abodeon
Porter Square, Cambridge
www.abodeon.com
For mid-century modern heaven in the heart of Cambridge, there is Abodeon -- "a hybrid of abode and beyond." Unlike a traditional housewares store, Abodeon mixes modern and vintage kitchen tools, cookware and tableware with abandon. At this husband-and-wife-owned 12-year-old shop, you can pick up a vintage Dansk casserole, a brand new teak trivet and placements made with recycled plastic all within feet of each other. The common thread through Abodeon's inventory is solid, functional design, and that looks good in any era.
Paige Lewin is a Boston lifer whose favorite houseware is her bright red mini colander. Paige spends her days in academia surrounded by hip co-eds, while at night she retreats to her life as a mother, writing about fashion, shopping and home design after the lights are out. She contributes to Boston Mamas and is the creator of Mudroom Boston. Paige lives north of Boston with her husband and two sons.
