TREASURE TROVE

The Storer harks back to a time of slow living and communities that care

At 44 Stanley’s new shop, The Storer, you feel transported to another era. The walls are filled with handmade, artisanal items from around the world, pieces brimming with history and tradition, and whose stories are just waiting to be shared. And that is exactly what owner Lisa Storer was trying to achieve. After many years in merchandising and retail, she felt disheartened by the industry. “I noticed retail stores felt dead inside, they smell of plastic, there’s nobody to help you and I thought that there had to be more to the experience.”

After seeing small boutiques in other countries, Lisa realised there was opportunity for a more personal way of shopping.

She decided she wanted to work with artisans and community projects around the world.

Lisa now travels and meets craftspeople from around the world. The store is filled with wares from countries such as Morocco, Cambodia, India, Kenya, Ethiopia, Peru, Guatemala and of course South Africa. The common ground is that the pieces all hark back to a time when people really cared in a community.

thestorer.co, 44 Stanley Avenue, Johannesburg