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storef ront eventually started calling to her, and she considered filling the space in the market for a kitchenware retailer. " Finally I said, 'I guess I'll have to do it.' With zero retail experience, I thought, This must be easy! That was four years ago." Unsurprisingly, it wasn't easy. "Oh my god, I was so underqualified and undercapitalized," said Dane. "I didn't know there were reps; I didn't know there were [trade]shows." One of the first lessons she learned was striking a balance between artisan products and practical everyday purchases. " We have super-talented ceramicists and woodworkers and glassblowers. Rhode Island School of Design is two miles f rom where I'm standing – all those people learn incredible skills.… When I opened, I did have a more curated approach to these things. But you learn quickly you can't hold that line. Stainless steel, silicone, many linens are f rom overseas," says Dane. "If you're truly a kitchen store and someone wants a whisk, they don't want a bespoke handcrafted whisk by a third-generation Appalachian woodworker, they want a damn whisk." With some readjustment, Stock Culinar y Goods began to find harmony with both popular brands and the Rhode Island area's rich artistic community. "A lot of our best items are f rom Rhode Island or the surrounding area. Wooden presentation boards, cast iron bottle openers in the shape of horseshoe crabs are best sellers. We have a candle made on Cape Cod that people are crazy for. Amidst all that we sell Le Creuset and Staub and WÜSTHOF," she adds. The 600-square foot store is packed with small displays, arranging items by theme rather than product category. "We have a bunch of tables f rom a local craftsman that we pile with things," said Dane. "We're trying to find a good color stor y or a good vignette. People seem to enjoy the tour of taking it all in. People always comment, 'It's different in here than when I was last here.'" Now Stock Culinary Goods is bustling. The biggest customer category is home cooks from the neighborhood. "It 's a dreamy place. The neighborhood itself is very mixed: it's got health care professionals, students, artists, and a lot of families. We have a little toy kitchen; many kids just come in here to play," said Dane. Another group that f requents Stock is culinary students from nearby Johnson and Wales University. "They're the best; we Retailer Profile Taking Stock of Stock Culinary Goods (cont. from Page 1) RETAILER PROFILE 1 4 KITCHENWARE NEWS & HOUSEWARES REVIEW n JUNE 2016 n www.kitchenwarenews.com New Food Jars from Zojirushi Zojirushi has added new food jars to its line of vacuum insulated food containers. The Stainless Steel Food Jar (SW-HAE55) is available in a large 19 ounce capacity, made for holding hot meals, soups, oatmeal and other products. All of Zojirushi's vacuum insulated products are made of stainless steel and have an electro-polished SlickSteel® interior that resists corrosion and repels stains. The SW-HAE55 is available in Metallic Red and Stainless finishes, and carries a suggested retail price of $50.00. The Stainless Steel Food Jar (SW- GCE36) has a modern angled design to take up minimal space and maximize holding capacity. Its flat interior design makes it easy to eat and drink from. Two new colors have been added to this line; Cherry Red and Nut Brown. Available now, the SW-GCE36 is available in a 12 ounce capacity, and carries a suggested retail price of $50.00. Zojirushi's Stainless Steel Food Jars provide a useful way to safely pack lunch when a microwave or refrigerator may not available. The tight-fitted lid with gasket seals to minimize leaks and maximize heat retention. The large openings on both models of food jars make it easy to fill and clean, and allow for eating directly out of the jar. The food jars are made of BPA-free plastic and stainless steel to ensure food safety. Both models come with a removable plastic cover around the mouth for eating and drinking comfort, and a gasket on the lid to release pressure, making removal of the lid easy. For more information, go to www.zojirushi.com. KN love them. They're so eager and so excited about exploration and learning," says Dane. "We have some diehard people here. There will always be stock at restaurant supplies, but for the good stuff, the right tweezers, the good knives, we've got some things here where the quality can't be matched by a big store." Stock's regular customers are often familiar with one another. "Our big themes are trying to be a community cooking store and just a really excellent environment for people who want to cook and go deeper. The collaborative nature of our stores, and I think my greatest joy, is when we have people in here, sharing, swapping stories, and connecting," says Dane. She is always reaching out to meet and connect with new customers, even in the midst of interviews. "If you come in here, you will start a conversation. People come in and say they just moved into the neighborhood – I want to know where they moved f rom and what their interests are," says Dane. "To be your neighborhood kitchen store, one that knows its stuff and you, that is 100 percent what drives us." KN

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