By Alison Preston
Wear your Somerville pride over you shoulder!
I can’t believe that the past six months have gone by so quickly. When I took this assignment in February, I never knew all the lovely businesses in Somerville I would discover. With a Somerville Local First/Cambridge Local First coupon booklet, I’ve been using the included savings with my coupons to learn about local businesses, while having a great time. For someone who moved here less than a year ago, I feel very lucky to have taken this journey.
For part six in this series, I had a dilemma. I’ve been through all the sections in the SLF coupon book and for my final series post I wanted to mix it up a bit. After some research, I discovered a coupon from Magpie for 20% off one item in the retail and gifts section of my SLF coupon booklet, and so my last journey took me to Davis Square for some post-work retail therapy. Magpie is a cozy shop—and by cozy, I mean I felt right at home when I walked in, and was immediately drawn to the merchandise. As Magpie’s tagline shares, they carry: “Shiny things for your nest.” I couldn’t have described it better myself. Magpies are known to be attracted to shiny things, which are used to build a nest to attract a mate.
Though I won’t be using the items I bought at Magpie to attract a mate, plenty of shiny things caught my eye that were begging to be purchased. Some of their specialties include jewelry, cards, and baby clothes, but as you can see from my pictures, Magpie has so much more. From wallets to pottery and headbands to candles, soap and clothing, there is a lot to choose from. I was especially drawn to the postcards, with beautiful shots from a local artist. I can’t decide if I can give them away, and so instead they might end up in a framed collage on my wall. In the end, I purchased the postcards and a great baby bib to use as a future gift.
Locally-themed postcards, some with a touch of wit
Shiny Things for Shiny People!
Attract a Magpie mate with a fashionable handmade headband
The greatest part about Magpie’s merchandise? It’s all handmade. As they share on the website, Magpie is “a gift store that carries hip handmade crafts, goods by indie designers and works by local artists.” So, by shopping at Magpie, you’re giving a double whammy of support by buying from a local shop and supporting great artists. So scoot on over to Magpie and browse their shiny wares.
Ah, to be a magpie... Stop by Magpie in Davis Sq and you'll know the feeling!
Magpie: Local money spent w/ coupon: $10.00 | SLF savings: $2.00 | Total savings: $38.64
