Altermundi

Over ten years ago, the coolest entrepreneur that I know, Lisa Yashon of Columbus, asked us to check out a new shop in Paris for her.  She was curious about it because she'd heard that the wares there were all cleverly designed and environmentally friendly.  We went there, checked it over, but found the shop to be poorly designed and consumer-unfriendly.

Altermundi on the Rue du Commerce has kept some of the historic old bakery façade.

That store was in the 11th arrondissement.  Today, I passed a fascinating shop called Altermundi on the Rue du Commerce here in the 15th.  I think it is the same retail operation, all grown up and consisting now of six boutiques scattered throughout the city as well as an online store.  Altermundi is now customer friendly and does indeed sell cleverly designed, useful, environmentally friendly, fair trade items.

I didn't buy anything because I don't need anything, but the shop is compelling.  Mostly, the goods are housewares, but there are also some shoes and apparel.

Altermundi sells re-usable water bottles -- things that are ubiquitous in South Florida -- which I've been told have not yet caught on in France.  Maybe they will soon.