If you’re going to spend your hard-earned money, we know most of you, like us, want to support local businesses. So, following up on her recommendations for the neighborhood’s best new restaurants and bars, we asked Kerry McLaney, founder of 305 Creative and well-known woman about Wynwood, for her favorite stores.
The Go! Shop
There’s no denying that the Wynwood Walls is the epicenter of Wynwood, boasting two restaurants and over 40 murals laid over an entire city block known as the ‘Museum of the Streets.’ The late Tony Goldman of Goldman Properties had a vision for the area similar to what he developed with Soho in New York. He wanted to create a creative hub that would resonate worldwide. Hidden in the courtyard by the Aiko mural is the Go! Shop, a place where locals and tourists can purchase street art merch by some of the top muralists and artists – with the likes of Shepard Fairey, Ron English, Lady Pink, Nunca, How & Nosm, Faith 47, Kenny Scharf, Retna, Vhils, along with local favorites Santiago Rubino, Brandon Opalka, Bhakti Baxter, Jim Drain and Rocky Grimes.
The Go! Shop carries a range of products from books, t-shirts, hats, stickers, spray cans, pillows and stencils to original artworks. Photographs of the artists in action by famed street art photographer Martha Cooper are a popular item. (If you’re lucky, you can catch Cooper roaming the Walls and the streets in the surrounding area with her weapon of choice, her camera.) The Wynwood Walls coffee table book is a collection of Cooper’s images from the past few years of the changing landscape of the neighborhood.
During early December, when Art Basel sweeps the land, is the best time to catch a glimpse of some of the internationally renowned artists doing their thing and hanging in and around the shop.
Junior & Hatter
Junior & Hatter opened its doors in October 2012 when the Wynwood buzz was in its prime. Owners and stylists, Mario Silvestri and Andea Battista, have been going full-force since they opened. The full-service hair salon and barbershop caters to many South Florida locals, not just those in Wynwood. “We’ve chosen Wynwood simply because it’s a statement neighborhood. The hair salon industry is typically known for the ‘fabulous glitz and glam’ scene on South Beach. Salons usually don’t care to be unique or innovative. Wynwood has given us opportunity to work outside the box to create something people can relate to. In my opinion, I think our mission would not have been as well received in another part of town,” said Silvestri.
The spa offers various facial treatments, waxing, and manicure/pedicures. Their aim is to provide an organic, home-like setting for their guests, who receive the highest level of service. They sell a number of hair products, including Living Proof and Aveda. Most of the items in the shop have been collected from estate sales and great finds picked up “along the way.”
Wynwood Radio is located directly inside the barbershop area too. Andrea and Mario are putting a healthy amount of effort into bringing some interesting concepts to Wynwood Radio, and they are also focusing on their own line of hair products too. They’re also on the search for their next location. But most important, they’re continuing efforts to keep making the Wynwood flagship better and better.
MVM Miami
When you think of Wynwood, high-end contemporary women’s boutique isn’t the first thing that pops to mind. The ladies at MVM Miami are trying to change that. The store combines a collection of coveted items from around the world from well-established designers as well as many from emerging designers.
The cute shop nestled on 23rd Street carries apparel and accessories including belts, glasses, bracelets, and necklaces, as well as iPhone cases. Owner Melissa Mosheim chose Wynwood because of the neighborhood’s creative energy and its sense of community. Manager Chastity Caminero is usually behind the counter, ready to show you the latest fashions and hottest trends they have in store.
MVM’s Summer Sample Sale, where everything will be 50-70% off, is right around the corner.
Sprout Flowers & Coffee
Sprout Flowers & Coffee is a unique flower boutique located in the heart of the Wynwood Arts District that has been open for a year-and-a-half. They handle custom floral arrangements and plant design for home, office, or special events. They also offer a great variety of exotic orchids, succulents, air plants, houseplants, bonsais, gift items, as well as fresh-cut flowers at the shop. The café offers Panther Coffee and select blooming teas from Art of Tea to sip on while you shop.
Free wifi is available within the store’s beautiful and comfortable environment, so patrons can come in, grab a cup of tea and work on their laptops among the plants. Their goal is to fill your environment with life that is easy to maintain and affordable.
Bianca and Angelica Ruggeri watched the neighborhood grow and knew they wanted to be part of Wynwood right away. “I wouldn’t have done it anywhere else, this is where we belong,” added Bianca.
Sprout has you set for Mother’s Day, with special offers to make moms smile. They team up with Lemon City Tea every first Tuesday evening for an ‘Adult tea party’ for Tea Tuesdays. They also host the Wynwood Book Club that meets on the first Saturday of every month.
Wynwood Letterpress
Husband-and-wife duo Bridget Dadd and Rick Hertan opened the gorgeous Wynwood Letterpress store in the Wynwood Block just a month ago, but they’ve already made an impact in the neighborhood. The shop specializes in custom letterpress and foil stamped invitations and stationery with a thoughtfully curated collection of desktop, party, home accessories, and writing accessories and gifts. Dadd says the goal is to encourage customers to celebrate random moments as much as their wedding day or Christmas. Letting people in your life know they’re appreciated, is sometimes as easy as an unexpected card with a scoop of confetti, she said.
After a year-long search for the perfect spot, they landed in Wynwood. They carry lots of great custom designed and printed social stationery, business cards, wedding invitations, menus, programs, etc., personalized boxed stationery, notepads, napkins, coasters and return address stamps.
They import leather and canvas notebooks from Paris; desktop accessories like staplers, tape dispensers, paper clips, and scissors from Italy and Japan; pens, pencils and pencil sharpeners from Germany; and letterpress notecards from presses all over the country – a barn in Minnesota, a warehouse in Virginia, workshops in Brooklyn, etc. They even import handmade notebooks from a girl in Istanbul. “I’ve been collecting this stuff for years waiting for this store!” Dadd said.
They hosted a calligraphy workshop in April, and they plan to do more workshops in the future, including origami, paper flowers, hand lettering, and more.
Kerry McLaney is the Founder and Creative Director of 305 Creative Group and Miami’s Independent Thinkers. Tweet her at @305creative.