2 minute read
Connell Sanders
SARAH CONNELL SANDERS
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The New York Times loves latching onto Amazon “cult-favorites” — staples of upper-middle-class American households, bought en masse from the online retail conglomerate. There was “The Rug” and “The Coat” before that. The endorsement of moms from Brooklyn seems to be a sort of marketplace cheat code. Also of note in the notorious year 2020 was Hagoromo chalk, which won the hearts of academics, and the gross-out Baby Foot Peel that drew high-maintenance influencers from all corners of the internet.
I’m certainly guilty of relying on Amazon more than usual throughout this pandemic, but it occurred to me that there are local products with the same cachet as say, the Aztec Indian Healing Clay beloved by Kardashians everywhere. I put out a call on social media to hear about Worcester’s cult favorites. This is a crowdsourced list and by no means comprehensive. If you would like to give me insight for future columns, please follow me on Instagram. Here’s what my friends had to say:
Girly Girl Soaps
Molly O’Connor swears by Girly Girl’s natural soaps from the Worcester Public Market.
Hollis Leather Bags
Krysta Kowal loves Kristin McDonough’s saddle-stitched leather goods. McDonough grew her hand-made leather company, Hollis Leather, in Worcester and has gained a national following. Kay’s Crochet Binis
Joy Flanagan gifts Kay’s Crochet hats all winter long from Crompton Collective.
Khongten Clothing’s Worcester Tees
Anna MacInnis sports Khongten Clothing, the emerging streetwear brand of talented designer Kevin La. My personal favorites are La’s “Baby Burnside” homage to a young Turtleboy and his Kelley Square design done up in the style of a Newport Pleasure advertisement.
Polar Grape Soda
AJ Setaro knows you have to rep Polar Seltzer if you’re from Worcester, but her true passion is the brand’s signature grape soda (preferably, paired with a Coney Island up-dog.)
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Krysta Kowal wears her Kay’s Crochet hat from Crompton Collective on the Worcester Common on a walk with her nephew. Kay’s Crochet has become a Worcester a cult-favorite.
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Seed to Stem Botanicals & Crystals
Amy Peterson fills her apartment with plants, crystals, candles, and decor from Seed to Stem. “You know you’ve peaked when you own more toss pillows than heels,” she jokes.
The Root of All Power: Ginseng Up
Steve Roux has a different Worcester soda company on his mind. Ginseng Up combines triple filtered water with fine Korean ginseng for a premium product free of preservatives or high fructose corn syrup.
Tri-Sum Potato Chips
Ricky Nelson recommends TriSum Potato Chips made in nearby Leominster since 1908. Once upon a time, the chips were delivered by horse-drawn wagon.
Everyone knows, Polar Seltzer is a Worcester staple, but have you ever tried Polar’s grape soda?
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A lot of the responses I received referred to the specialties of local eateries rather than the products or provisions I originally had in mind. Perhaps I should dedicate a future column to Worcester’s iconic dishes of which there are many; I think some taste testing is in order.
