(TWE)e-commerce
When Savvy heard gifted Baltimore bloggers 30th & Weldon were opening an online shop in conjunction with their site, she was first to scout it out. The offerings are slim but solid: pretty, minimalist gilded neighborhood prints, a few scented soy candles (though “Coffee and Tobacco” hits a little too close to Savvy’s forgotten ‘90s grunge days), a reclaimed wood logo bottle opener and—perhaps Savvy’s favorite—unkillable fabric succulents, among other pleasant tchotchkes. She was charmed, but wanted to see more … though that wish may come true sooner than later: The ladies behind the lifestyle brand say they hope to open a brick-and-mortar store in the future. “That’s the dream,” says Shae-li Liang. “We want to continue working with local artists to promote Baltimore. We love it, and we want to show it off.” shop.30thandweldon.com
In the Bag
Thoroughbreds, whiskey, performance-enhancing Lycra, a contentious chunk of the waterfront … these days, it seems like there’s nothing Kevin Plank and his Sagamore subsidiaries don’t have a hand in. And now, to Savvy’s confusion and delight, boutique retail seems to have entered the mix in the form of Treason Toting Company. The company’s wares consist primarily of handsome canvas-and-leather bags in various forms, from laptop sleeve to weekender to travel backpack, and are manufactured at Plank’s City Garage in Port Covington. Jason Bass and Aaron Jones founded the brand in 2013, but late summer marked Treason’s grand opening on Thames Street in Fells Point under a “Sagamore Shop on Thames” marquee, leaving Savvy wondering what else Kevin & co. might have up their sweat-wicking sleeves. 1714 Thames St., treasontotingco.com
Draw The Line
To Savvy, the word “papercut” has always conjured profanity-filled encounters with envelopes and RSVP cards—but she must admit that those unpleasant visions have lifted since she encountered the work of Annie Howe Papercuts. The eponymous Lauraville artist has become something of a local celebrity for her painstakingly elaborate paper art, which has appeared on everything from hot sauce bottles to shop windows. Howe first draws her designs on paper (backwards, Savvy feels compelled to add), then meticulously cuts them out using an X-Acto knife and mounts the finished product on color-contrasting backgrounds. The result is a 3-D, lacelike piece of art tailored to the desires of its commissioner. She does offer a few mass-market options (cut by lasers), but Savvy favors the custom pieces. anniehowepapercuts.com
By the Numbers
A confession: Savvy doesn’t care for trends. They’re expensively ephemeral, occasionally tacky and often regrettable. (Savvy hasn’t yet recovered from shoulder pads.) So when she stumbled upon Boutique 44 in an unlikely corner on Roland Park, she breathed a sigh of relief. The clothing in the tidy space is classic and casual, featuring a number of moderately priced North American brands like Three Dots and Dex (as well as a selection of Heather Thomson’s Yummie shapewear—though Savvy has no interest in disclosing those purchases). The boutique also boasts some fun frivolities and giftables, from sleepwear to made-in-Maryland greeting cards. Bonus: Store owner Amanda Gill also crafts custom handbags in her back-of-shop workspace. 318 Wyndhurst Ave., 410-800-2301, boutique44.com
