Amé Amé (or Rain and Candy)

I haven't posted for a while about just a great little New York shop, but I love Amé Amé on East 9th Street in Manhattan. I went in on a rainy day to buy an umbrella. At first I balked at paying $27.00 for a collapse-able umbrella, even though the designs were all so cute, and the one I was interested in was super-compact, because I was sure I'd lose it or it would break. But the salesperson, who I think is the owner,Teresa Soroka, assured me that if I put it back in it's waterproof case every time I used it, rather than letting it flop onto the floor to dry wherever I went, I wouldn't lose it - nor would it break. Though little, it was super strong, she said. Since my other problem is that my son always borrows my umbrellas and loses them, I bought one with black, white and grey roses so he wouldn't be tempted. It's very pretty and very vintage-y looking. Sure enough, one year later, I still have it, it still works perfectly, and it stands up in any wind. I adore it. Points for that, Amé Amé!

Then, I needed rain boots and saw some cute yellow ones in their on-line store. When I went in to the shop, they were higher in price, but the same salesperson let me have them for the low on-line price of $40, I believe it was. They are comfy, warm, adorable, and really sturdy. More points!

Yes, Amé Amé is a little pricey. I checked just now and didn't see anything in their on-line store as cheap as the prices I mentioned, but there's more variety in the store. And besides, most of their items are made in Canada, England or the U.S. They are the epitome of a great, local business. And did I mention they sell candy too? I used to think they were called Rain and Candy... just an adorable idea for a store. Please patronize them this holiday season, either in person or on-line. You can order from anywhere in the world!

Ame Ame
318 E. 9th street

New York, NY 10003

http://www.amerain.com/

Evaluation:
Pretty sincere