Greater Goods, located at 25th and Nicollet in Minneapolis, can be likened to a Swiss Army knife: It’s practically pocket-sized at some 300 square feet, yet it reveals multiple uses and will save you in a pinch. On its face, Greater Goods looks like your standard stationery shop, flush with colorful greeting cards, notepads, and posters. Most are the creation of owners Joel and Lauren Gryniewski, San Francisco transplants who cofounded the Old Tom Foolery and Modern Lore paper goods stationery brands they sell in the store (he writes; she designs). The duo also stocks small goods, such as jewelry, ornaments, throw pillows, baby items, candles, and lotions that are perfect for last-minute birthday/Mother’s Day/hostess gifts. Many products are made locally—Acadian Candles, Worker B skincare, and Lippy Brand baby goods—and selected for being affordable luxuries, the Gryniewskis say, as they’re priced at less than $30.
Even more practical for shoppers who wish they made more time for the practically free luxury of handwritten correspondence is a pint-sized writing desk, where customers can pen their notes in-store. The shop also sells stamps and collects outgoing mail at checkout; this summer, plan on added sidewalk tables for increased writing space. All this and your purchase will, in fact, go toward the greater good. The couple has pledged to donate a portion of 2014 profits to the MCAD summer youth program—that’s “write” on!
