Hello, my friends! Holiday shopping is upon us! This week, I wanted to share with you a little home and accessories shopping treasure trove for imported European goods, and it only comes around twice a year.
It’s called Le Marché on Fourth, and it’s a sort of hybrid warehouse sale/pop up store held by the wholesaler Kiss That Frog. The company’s been around since 1996, founded by Belgian Guy Orban and his wife Maryanne. Guy began his company by bringing Belgian cartoon favorite Tintin to the US, and eventually expanded into tableware, dishware, kitchen and table linens, kitchen accessories, and lots more.
Their most recent warehouse/pop up sale was my first one. It does indeed take place in a warehouse on Fourth Street in Berkeley, an area full of makers’ studios. Inside, I was like a kid in a candy store! There is so much to discover. I didn’t know where to begin—there are tablecloths and tea towels by Sud Etoffe, a small jacquard tablecloth company from the South of France—I’ve actually bought 4 tablecloths and various napkins from their Aix-en-Provence store over the years. There is Savon de Marseille from Marius Fabre—this style of soap, made from olive oil, was traditionally used for laundry. When I was studying in Provence, I even used it on my own laundry! If you don’t want the neutral smelling blocks, though, there are a variety of deliciously scented ones—I procured some lavender, verbena, and invigorating thyme and dill liquid soaps for our home. And the cartoon and touches are still a part of Kiss That Frog. Tintin, Barbapapa, and Le Petit Prince, among others, took up several shelves.
Take a peek at the market for yourself:
The next Marché on Fourth will take place Saturday and Sunday May 6 & 7, 2017. If you’d like a reminder for their future sales, you can sign up for their mailing list.
Thank you, Kiss That Frog, for showing me around! I could barely bring myself to leave!
Oh, and where is it? Le Marché On Fourth. Twice yearly at: 2310 Fourth St. in Berkeley, CA. Visit their website for details and dates.
This blog post was sponsored by Kiss That Frog. They provided me with payment and product. All opinions are my own.
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