Back from shows

well, I'm back from all the trade shows, and I still get excited when I see fabulous new product or great new designs in existing lines. I'm still sifting through new product to see what I can't live without for the new season. Some of our top lines have outdone themselves this season. Three that always work so well together: Annie Glass, Mariposa,Vietri all have wonderful sea themed additions. Vietri's new "Incanto Mare" line is all white with turquoise accent pieces , such great textures that not only as place-setting but, as serving pieces they will rejuvenate your presentation. The new Mariposa starfish edged salad bowl is spectacular when paired with Vietri's "Incanto" shell salad plates. Now add Annie Glass's "Ultra Marine" free form shapes in stunning turquoise and you will WOW your dinner guests. I can't wait till April when we feature these peices in the store and on mbrann.com. March is always shimmy month in M.Brann & co. we move things around (who am I kidding ,this happens all the time) find new combinations ,new ways of showing you things we love.

green for 15 years

Dear Friends,

A new year has just began, and as I catch my breath, I realize M·Brann & Co. opened its doors in May of 1993. Our 15^th year anniversary is coming up! I am amazed at how many changes in our store, in our lives and in the world have taken place. I have seen a lot of babies grow into young adults and you have all seen my family grow, and my granddaughter go from an infant to ringing the register and remerchandising the store at seven! (lots of changes). Now, I look forward to who we have become and what lies ahead.

One thing that strikes my mind is how we as a society are constantly hearing about “being green, eco-friendly and fair-wage conscience”. This is so important in our world today. We at M·Brann have always embraced these issues throughout the store with the products we carry even including our eco-friendly packaging. We’ve never really been very preachy about our commitment to being green, we have have just embraced it as our way of doing business. I have always been drawn to repurposed and recycled items.

One of the first lines I carried when I opened my doors, 15 years ago was “yardbirds”; the funky birds that live outside our doors all year long are made from recycled tool parts. I have always been fascinated with the vision of finding new lives for discarded items. As many of you may remember, I recycled and repainted furniture, did reverse painting on old windows, and featured Vintage finds and have constantly brought in items that tickled my repurposing, recycling green bone! What I really love is tickling your funny bones and curiosity with my choices. We will start to label our “green choices”. Now that it has become mainstream, you can become green, eco-friendly shoppers along with us and have as much fun as we have had doing this for years.

From the very beginning we have searched out and supported small artisans and companies that created sustainable lives for artisans around the world. We will begin to point these out to you. However, more importantly, we’ll continue to remind you that life is too short to be taken too seriously. We can all mix whimsy and tradition, humor and sophistication and fun with good deeds. Please join M·Brann & Co., as we continue to be a fun, sophisticated shopping experience that allows you to always, “gift outside the box”! Thank you for supporting us and laughing with us during the past 15 wonderful years, and we look forward to sharing many more years with you.

Sincerely & with gratitude,

Maria B. and all of us at M·Brann

buy something

I've been in many businesses over the years, and have been through economic ups and downs through all these years. In reflecting what we are going through as a country, and as a world I remember back in about 1990 and a big add that" Land Rover" took out in newspapers around the country ( probably around the world) at the time. It was a full page and fairly wordy- so to paraphrase, it spoke that we were in tough times and that everyone was scared & being very cautious ,but at these times we had to DO something and that the best thing to get the economy going is if everyone would just go out and "buy something". Now I know that that is simplistic, but in reality very true. I don't mean that we should all go out & spend foolishly and without thought, but if we all buy a little something we will keep the economy rolling along. This may sound self serving,with my owning a retail store, but I have to buy something from other people with the money someone spends with me. And the cycle begins, and grows. Just a thought in the midst of the media's doom & gloom projections. M