Friday Favorites

One of the most common questions we get in our store is: "Where do you find all of your buttons?" We thought we'd answer the question with one of our favorite finds on our travels from Market!

While the locations vary, it's always our owner Susan's keen eye that finds these potential jewelry treasures. Some 24 years ago Susan began knocking on the doors of button and trim distributors in New York's garment district, where in those early years, she frequently discovered dusty boxes of glittering European glass and rhinestone buttons from the early 20th century.  Such finds are few and far between now, with almost all clothing production moved over seas and the notion businesses dwindling. While Grandmother's Buttons was in New York for the gift market she was able to sneak away for a moment to continue her annual search. She spotted through a crowded window a wall of buttons in promisingly ancient boxes.  They belonged to a business that had sold linings and buttons for fur coats for nearly 80 years.
After delving through their entire backstock of buttons she found the prize: 1960s rhinestone buttons. We don't know what kind of adornment these will become, but it's sure to be unique!