My very favorite store in the whole wide entire jiganto humungous world is called Endora. It’s in Douglas Michigan. You might be wondering why you’d want to read about my favorite store. Trust me – I’ll bring it back around.
So. Endora. I have been SO INTO this store for years.
The first year she was opened she had Fleetwood Mac Fridays, where she played ALL Fleetwood Mac, and served you a cocktail. AND she gave a tarot reading if you spent $50 or more. She had me.
I had the pleasure of introducing the store to a small group of friends a few weeks ago on a weekend girls trip. One of them said, with a look of awe and wonder in her eyes: “Tracy! I get it now! I see why you love this place so much.”
The obvious reason is that it’s a small shop curated by an interior designer. It’s GORGEOUS and every single item is amazing. The jewelry, rugs, dresses, vases, books, bugs, prints, blankets…
But it’s SO much more than pretty items.
First: her personality. Layne is firey and feisty and irreverent and sassy and full of life and witchy and she is hilarious. My kinda gal. And her IG captions are THE best.
She loves travel and takes a few big trips abroad in the off-season to bring back amazing finds. She really connects with the place. It’s not just a “buying trip”. She meets and connects with women makers. She feels the vibe of the place. And she buys what speaks to her because it’s beautiful and has heart. And you FEEEEEEL that in her store.
And then she tells the stories! And lord knows I LOVE a good story.
My friend was admiring a necklace, so Layne showed her a photo of the pool at her hotel in Morocco that inspired it…that shade of blue in the stones and how they floated candles on the pool at night – the shiny gold. She came back from Morocco and connected with a jeweler that she admired and together they created a limited line of jewelry inspired by her trip! And now they do that for every one of Layne’s trips!
She told us about Kantha, the art of Indian quilt making that began with women in a low social cast who layered their threadbare saris to create beautiful quilts for their children. She told us how they did it, about the machine, what makes the design special, how to tell if it’s real or factory made, and that it’s a dying art. She sells the REAL kantha quilts!
Layne told us about a magical experience she had one evening in Morocco that inspired her to ask the club if she could buy their glasses. They said yes. And you can have one for $10!
She told us about when she was in a Parisian shop and in the back corner they had silk kimonos and big mirrors and women were having a ball trying them all on. She was enchanted and knew she had to have her own silk kimono corner in her shop. She sourced the vintage saris. And found a maker to create them for her. I have one. And so do 6 of my friends! I’m telling you. You fall under the spell as Layne welcomes you to the “kimono lifestyle”, as she calls it ;-). I’m wearing mine in this photo!
She told us about the Moroccan rugs that the women in a small tribe in the mountains hand make that have a code that tells a story through pattern and color. She rode a DONKEY for HOURS with a guide to get to this small village and stayed several days to learn how to “read” the stories these rugs tell. She “makes matches” between buyers and the story of the rug. Her stories about the matches she has made make you cry…literally. I had wet eyes. Like when a couple was looking for a rug and they had them all strewn about. The husband was drawn to a particular rug. Layne was “reading the rug” and it was a baby announcement. Then she noticed the wife was crying. She was going to tell her husband that that night that she was pregnant! On and on with those rug stories…
True magic happens in this store.
We were talking to Layne last weekend about the magic she has created. She said it’s because she loves the shop so much and she loves each one of her products so much and you can feel that. I believe that’s true. She also said it’s because you can FEEL the love and care of each woman that created the items. It’s true. You can feel it all. I literally stop when I walk into the store and sigh with delight.
This all has me thinking about love and intention.
About how you can feel energy, how it’s real, even if you can’t see it or put your finger on it.
It has me thinking about how I want every single thing I buy to have heart, and a story, because you can feel that when you walk into my house.
It has me thinking of the value of story and how it creates connection.
It has me thinking about excellence and all of its many forms.
It has me thinking about elevating others who you see doing amazing work.
It has me thinking about how doing what you love has a ripple effect.
I’m thinking about how important it is to generously offer your gifts to the world. All of it matters.
So yes, this is a love letter to my favorite store. But it’s also more than just a store. More than just a $10 glass from Morocco and some pretty dried bugs.
It’s creative inspiration. When we lean into our gifts and express them, we elevate others. We make people smile and laugh and feel love and connection. We inspire on many levels.
I’m inspired. Thanks Layne.
PS: You can – and should! tout suite. like this weekend - visit Endora in Douglas Michigan. You can also find her online at www.endorashop.com (she only has a fraction of her items there). And follow her on IG @endorabohemian. Her captions are the best ever.