Our Story

I opened Boston General Store in 2013 as a small online retail shop to share products I discovered in my spare time—things made simply, but built to last a lifetime. The store gave me the unique opportunity to pay tribute to my Nanna, who had a passion for all things well-made and taught me that not everything had to be disposable. Since that time, my online store has grown, and I’ve added two brick-and-mortar shops. But I’ll never forget where it all began.

I was raised in Houston, Texas, but my childhood was shaped by unforgettable summers spent in the Berkshires with my Nanna. She was a strong, seemingly magical woman who revealed to me the value of life’s simple pleasures. The most memorable days I spent with her were when we waded through wild raspberry bushes, wearing the same old tattered chambrays we used every year. We tied mason jars to our waists and filled them with fruit as we picked, until our hands were smudged red and we couldn’t carry any more.

Equally lasting are my memories of the pots and pans that hung in her kitchen, where we made jam with the fruit that we picked. These were cooking tools she had my entire life, and some of them can be found in my mother’s kitchen today.

The goal of Boston General Store is to capture the spirit of how my grandmother lived by offering functional, high-quality goods crafted by makers who share that same dedication to smart, intentional design. Like purveyors of traditional general stores of years past, I hope to develop a deep connection with the communities we serve through the products we share.

General stores once played large roles in places like the Western Massachusetts town where my grandparents built their family. Today, they have all but disappeared. Boston General Store aims to bring them back.

- April