Retail

Responsible retailing

Mary Ellen West’s store is different. Committed to filling her shop with socially responsible tabletop products has, at times, made her job harder. However, Mary Ellen is not new to the industry, and had a very clear goal – to open a shop where like-minded customers can buy tabletop products which they know are made by companies who pay attention to the world around them. Tableware International learns more…

“Social responsibility is very difficult to define”

Mary Ellen, tell us about your store – where is it, how long have you been open?

Aubergine opened on 24 October, 2019. I have excellent timing, clearly! We are located in Canandaigua, NY which is the western gateway to the Finger Lakes Region. It is an area renowned for its wine and beautiful scenery.

You’ve got an interesting store concept based around social responsibility. Firstly, what do you consider social responsibility, and what inspired you to open a store based on the concept?

Social responsibility is very difficult to define. We ultimately are doing what we can to avoid carrying products that were made under circumstances denying the employees the dignity and fair treatment due any human being. This refers to things like reasonable hours, regular breaks, work being performed by consenting

Did you know?

Mary Ellen’s store is called Aubergine but that domain name was already taken so you’ll find them online by visiting www.auberginetable.com

adults and under safe conditions. Sustainability is also a concern, as well as any type of cruelty to man or beast. There are also concerns about currency manipulation and fairness on the global market. Initially I was not inspired to open the store based on the concept as much as I was inspired to open a tableware and gift store. I have always been something of a purist when it comes to the quality goods and more so with luxury goods. Not only was I raised with an appreciation for this particular segment of consumer goods, I was also raised to believe the mistreatment of people and animals is something that is completely unacceptable. My parents lead by example, and I do as well. The concept came out of my own frustration over the direction much of this industry and other industries are going in. I am a good salesperson, but I have to feel good about what I am selling. Now that the store is my store, I need it to reflect my own values.

Tell us a little about the brands you work with and what sort of products you stock at Aubergine Table?

We stock tableware and gifts which includes dinnerware, flatware, glassware and linens. The gifts we carry are quite varied. The store is also in an area with a healthy amount of tourism so we have some local gift items. Home décor and home fragrance and good for the kitchen are other categories we have had success with. Brands that we are all familiar with are represented. The absence of a brand from my store does not mean the brand has been eliminated as a possibility. We are a newer and growing store so we will get them all eventually. There are brands I have also brought in because they fit within the perimeters but are also preforming a social good or are fair trade.

The larger brands we carry are Vietri, Casafina, Costa Nova, Mepra, Orrefors / Kosta Boda, Luigi Bormioli, Bormioli Rocco, LaRochere, LSA and Sferra. Smaller brands being Nicholas Mosse Pottery, JK Adams, Natural Olivewood, Brooklyn Slate, Verve Culture and many more. More recently we brought in some patterns from Carthage and Carmel Ceramica and a new locally made product called Covaley. We also just started to bring in de Buyer which I am incredibly excited about.

stocking products from socially responsible companies and countries?

If anyone would like to follow this model, they must do their due diligence. I have also learned it is necessary to document who you speak with when you ask your questions about where products

“I have had to be tough at times”

are manufactured. Never assume that just because some products offered from a brand meets your standards that all the products will meet the standards. I have had to be tough at times, stand my ground and insist they must take the products back. There are some things made easier using this model. The proverbial herd is pre-thinned for me. It makes it much easier when attending a market or trade show.

Are there any particular product categories that you really struggle to stock?

Brand

awareness

Vietri, Casafina, Costa Nova, Mepra, Orrefors / Kosta Boda, Luigi Bormioli, Bormioli Rocco, LaRochere, LSA and Sferra are all brands Aubergine carries.

Stocking reasonably priced gadgets for kitchenware and wine accessories has been a source of frustration. The other is trying to carry books. I have had to stop carrying companion books to my other products and that is not helpful when trying to build big sales. It took us 2.5 years to find electric wax melt burners that fit our mission.

Where do you find/learn about new products? Trade shows/ online/ visiting factories?

I am not new to the industry so I have a long list of companies I want to bring in. Many others I have been introduced to by my sales reps. Sales reps are a wonderful resource and once they understand what my needs are they know to let me know about other brands they represent or that they have heard learned about. One of my reps introduced me to Calasio which I am determined to bring in this upcoming spring. This is a company that is actually saving rainforest in the Philippines with their unique approach. Using something from the rainforest that grows out of control. Then they use the indigenous population to harvest it and turn it into the most beautiful luxury basket ware for the home while providing a working environment that any American would appreciate. The world needs to stand up and take notice of what they are doing and look for ways to use this model. The online wholesale marketplaces have been wonderful because you can plug in filters. Buyer beware, you still need to do the due diligence and ask the company where the products are made. Never assume descriptions are accurate.

Who is a typical Aubergine Table customer?

Ours customers are a mix of locals and tourists, and not all buying dinnerware. Our dinnerware customers are typically looking to replace old dinnerware. Many people like our policies and it gives them some peace of mind. The fact that we are not carrying all the brands that everyone else does is attractive to our customers. We draw people who are looking for something different.

Taking ownership

We asked Aubergine Table’s owner Mary Ellen West what she would say to tableware/glassware suppliers who aren’t as socially responsible as they could be...

“All of the companies that are sending manufacturing to countries with questionable practices need to evaluate whether it is worth it. There are substantial savings by doing so but there is also a certain volatility as well. We have actually seen the supply chains break down post Covid and with current geopolitical climate it could get worse. There is also the matter of consumer confidence. We are talking about the plates people’s food rests on and the flatware they use to eat the food. Standards matter to people and so does safety. The consumer has more access to information than ever before. Are corporations ready to answer the consumer’s harder questions?”