Hey local peeps: I've personally been working on this for over a year so I'm particularly excited to share the official launch of @DTRIndependentShops with you!⠀

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Port of Raleigh has joined forces with our local independent retail community to create an easy and enjoyable resource for discovering unique stores in Downtown Raleigh. This means a platform exclusively by and for independent retailers in our neighborhood; website launches today and printed walking (or dancing) maps to follow.⠀
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Head over to DTRindependentShops.com to see who our founding members are and plan your next visit ... we have a lot of #ShopSmall gems!⠀
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We're celebrating the launch TONIGHT during #3rdThursdayDTR from 6-9pm 🎉 ICYMI: 3rd Thursday is our new monthly shopping event where participating #DTRindependentShops stay open late for special in-store happenings and sips & snacks while you shop.⠀
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We can’t wait to see you and thank you in person (time and time again) for shopping with us and engaging in the community through your local independent retailers. Last but not least, a BIG thank you to Native State Design for the branding and then some!

Raleigh and the Triangle area is full of awesome creatives ...

Next Friday  join us to celebrate the launch of a new Raleigh-based design studio, Artish Studio! All of their products are interactive and built with modular pieces so that you can play with, move and change them – YOU can be the artist.

I love the concept and am so excited to be hosting them at the shop - the first time their designs will be out in the big world.

Launch party: Aug 3 from 6-9pm

In-store/on-view through Aug 5

Come create!

We're partnering with our #shopsmallDTRaleigh friends for a brand new quarterly event: Third Thursday! Enjoy extended hours, sips and snacks while you shop, and special events/promotions from each participating store (more details to come via here).
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We're trying something new ... a collective way to offer unique experiences and opportunities so you can discover new-to-you stores and visit your faves. We're a small group but mighty in our passion for retail, our community, and the downtown Raleigh retail revival we're all a part of 💛. Hope to see you on the 21st if you're local!

Experience. I think a lot about that word. It’s how I developed a passion for the type of everyday objects that we share at Port of Raleigh.

From a re-imagined water bottle to an ultra-soft and indulgent bath towel, we experience these things every time we interact with them by looking, touching, and using. On a macro level, I think a lot about our built environment: the buildings we inhabit, the streets we walk and drive on…literally everything is an experience.

The word “experience” is everywhere these days in talks about the future of retail, how millennials choose to spend their money, and what consumers, in general, want. Over the past several years the popular conversation has been about buying experiences, not things. Accumulating memories, not possessions. All valid in their own right but what these conversations miss is the fact that we do experience things. Things can also create the framework for memories.

" Over the past several years the popular conversation has been about buying experiences, not things. Accumulating memories, not possessions.

All valid in their own right but what these conversations miss is the fact that we do experience things. Things can also create the framework for memories "

 

When we invest in experiences - and by invest, I mean choosing to spend any amount of money - I see two general types: momentary and lasting. The former is experienced, completed, and conveys a memory (think dining out, a concert, travel). The latter is experienced on an on-going basis, creating memories along the way (everyday things go here). Both types of experiences, momentary and lasting, play important roles in our lives.

While enjoying your momentary experiences, consider this:

A) we likely use things to achieve our experiential goals, and

B) we inhabit environments where things come together to give us lasting memories.

That incredible meal you had at that incredible restaurant? Things were a part of that. From the lighting to the table settings to the building itself…those things were designed and curated to enhance your experience. And those things will continue to play their lasting role in creating experiences for patrons to come, day after day. Long after you’ve enjoyed your momentary meal.

How can this be applied to everyday life? By finding equal value in both momentary and lasting experiences through the intentionality of the things you bring into your life. You can create your own restaurant-like experience on a daily basis.

I personally love vacations that recharge my batteries and expand my world, but I also love the objects that make up my everyday like the utensils I use in the kitchen, the bed and bedsheets I sleep on, the toys my daughter plays with, the bag I carry, and so on. I value them because they make up my everyday and when selected with intention, they bring absolute joy. Incrementally, day by day, every single interaction - or rather, experience - adds up to a greater sense of wellbeing. Experiences aren’t once a week or once in a lifetime, they’re a part of our everyday.

" Experiences aren’t once a week or once in a lifetime, they’re a part of our everyday. "

None of this is new thinking but by bringing the word “experience” to the forefront, I see an opportunity to better express the “what” and “why” of Port of Raleigh. With today’s endless options for things at our fingertips, our particular curation is based on what excites us most: designs that are of our time, are simple yet intriguing, and effortlessly do their part in helping you #experienceyoureveryday.

We hope you love them.

Ana Maria Muñoz

Owner, Port of Raleigh 

Efflorescence by Sarah Tector

Our Downtown Raleigh store is blooming in more ways than one this Spring!

Pop in to see local artist Sarah Tector's site-specific wire art installation inspired by the state of flowering. 

On view through June 3, each flower and leaf design is available for purchase to give as a gift or enjoy at home.

Statement: Sarah Tector

An artist since I was able to hold a crayon, working with my hands has always been a natural fit and source of fulfillment. While deciding where to go in life and what to study I was fortunate enough to have parents that said pick a field that would make me happy. Metalsmithing satisfies many parts of my creative brain; designing and making in 3D, using mixed materials, and fantastic tools. And while I have made silverware, bowls, and pendant lights amongst other things, jewelry is the most recognized form of what I can do. I approach it as small-scale sculpture and as a result my pieces catch the eye when on the body or not. I create clean, geometric, and architecturally influenced pieces in sterling silver, gold filled, cast bronze, powder coating, and other mixed materials. These are mainly one-of-a-kind, limited edition, and production pieces of jewelry. Most recently I have been working on collaborations and installations, allowing me to push myself out of my creative comfort zone and the opportunity and challenge of artistic evolution.

Refresh.

When I think of the word “refresh” I think of a new feeling … a new intention that leads to a new experience. At Port of Raleigh, we’re all about how we experience our homes and our everyday lives via the objects we surround ourselves with. These objects can either bring us frustration, indifference, or joy. We choose joy.

This Spring, we want to challenge our community (yes you, we love you!) to think about the objects you live with and consider what single refresh you could make to bring more joy into your everyday.

Is it a new cushion for the sofa where you watch your favorite shows? A new vase for those spring flowers? A new kitchen accessory for cooking your favorite meals? A new dustpan for keeping your floors clean? Yes, a dustpan ... design matters, even in the most mundane objects.

I wholeheartedly believe that when you choose quality and good design, you automatically choose joy. And over time, those small incremental interactions with seemingly small things, bring higher levels of satisfaction to your everyday life.

You don't need a huge overhaul or budget to make a difference. Simply start with one space, and one to three items, and you'll experience the small but powerful transformation almost instantly. 

Here are some ideas for starting your refresh with intention ...

 Wire Bowl ($44.95)  •  REBIN Recycling Bin ($48)  •  Thick Kitchen Towel ($15)  

Stir Stool/Side Table ($229)  •  Tier Coffee Table/Media Console ($500)  •  Quilt Cushion ($99)

Carmen White Ash Wall Hook ($19)  •  JWDA Concrete Lamp ($199.95)  •  Simple Linen Bedding (starting at $98)

Wood Trash Can ($22)  •  Yoshii Hand & Bath Towel ($24 & $61)  •  Toilet Paper Roll Holder ($54)

 Cody Desktop Organizer ($39)  •  Ito Bindery Drawing Pad (starting at $20)  •  Cup Lamp with USB Port ($180)

Recharge Candle ($39) • Wall Clock ($120) • Gather Vases ($20 - $30)

See more Spring Refresh selects here. 

Spring is almost here and that means one thing: Spring cleaning!

We all do it in a small or big way and sometimes that results in finding things that we no longer want, need, or use in our homes. 

That's why for the entire month of March, we're hosting a donation drive for The Green Chair Project, a local non-profit that works with people recovering from homelessness, crisis or disaster.

Help others experience the comforts of home by donating new or gently used housewares at Port of Raleigh and receive 20% OFF* your purchase during your visit. 

Want to make a donation but can't make it to the store? You can donate as little as $5 or more by adding this to your shopping cart. A 20% discount on your order will be refunded after processing as a thank you for your donation.

Click HERE for a full list of the items The Green Chair Project needs most as well as does not accept. All large furnishings please donate directly to The Green Chair Project.

Thank you!

*Discount excludes sale items.