I’m always happy to share new retail shops stocking Cotton & Flax products, and today’s shop is a beauty! Superior Merchandise Co. is part gift shop, part stylish cafe serving specialty coffee, in a beautiful, modern space in Troy, NY.

Superior Merchandise Co. carries our linen tea towels and felt coasters, as well as items from some of my favorite designers: Studio Arhoj, Moglea, and The Greater Goods.

I recently got to chat with owner Felicity Jones about her beautiful retail shop — here’s a snippet from our conversation:

What time of day is your favorite to be in the shop?

I love being in the shop in the morning best – Superior Merchandise Co. in the morning is actually one of my favorite places to be, ever. We have big, turn of the century window boxes that fill our space with incredible light, draping our retail shelves in sunshine. Awash in natural light, some Sam Cooke or Bon Iver playing, sipping on a latte – that’s a pretty magical morning. In these moments I feel very lucky that this is my job. Not only is the lighting/atmosphere the best in the AM hours (and perfect for taking all those instagram pictures), but being able to help get our customers’ days started on the right foot with that first cup of coffee is so satisfying.

How do you hope people will feel when they come in your store?

We like to think that SMCo is great a place to find a bit of focus + mindfulness. Hopefully our guests are put at ease amidst a clean, minimal retail aesthetic, carefully prepared coffees and a friendly greeting.

Why do you love carrying work from independent designers in your shop?

Supporting like-minded independent makers and designers is something we find gratifying on a personal level but is also just a common sense approach toward realizing our vision of offering a one-of-a-kind, curated shopping experience. We often feature lesser known (at least in our neck of the woods) or up and coming artists/makers that our customer base hasn’t yet been exposed to, which not only gives us the unique edge we’re looking for, but also helps those small businesses reach a local audience that they may not otherwise have access to.

I love indie retail shops like this! They are so much fun to browse as you sip your cold-brew, and pore over the lovely handmade items they stock on their beautifully merchandised shelves. This would be a great place to pick up birthday gifts for friends, or a little treat for yourself.

If you find yourself in downtown Troy, NY, stop by this gem of a shop!