Mexico – The Low Down Adventure
People ask where I’m headed next and I can respond with almost any country and their eyes light up with excitement. Unless… I mention Mexico. No response, no love. Why? I don’t understand it!
I’ve always loved Mexico but this past sourcing trip really got me whipped. It was like all of Puebla rolled out the red carpet for us. From the GM of El Mural de Los Poblanos takin’ extra special care of us, to the the owner of a stationery shop showing us his private collection of office machinery, to just about everyone wanting to help us, hang with us, and hook us up. Even the airport baggage handler… Walking to the plane (airport so small there is no bus to transport you from gate to plane), he noticed that I was struggling with my heavyass carry-on luggage. He ran to me, grabbed my bags, and carried them to the plane. Best service ever!
First hour into the hunt and I spot a family on the corner. They had traveled from Oaxaca selling items featuring Oaxacan-style art. The bright neon colors (helloooo… our love of all things neon!) stopped me, but the wood letter openers got me. I had to buy them.
Then came the Mystery Item. Walked into a shop and spotted ‘em. Picked the paperclips ‘cause I love the box! Two-tone green colorway? Rad. 4 or more fonts? Total hot mess that I can’t get enough of.
Next up? Faux-leather notebooks rockin’ a gold stamp logo, with a heart as the i’s tittle! AMAZING! Blue-lined ruled sheets with color-dipped red edges? HOT! Had to hit a LOT of shops to secure enough of these babies, but knew that THESE were the notebooks we had to send our RAHstrs.
Someone was working their magic and made sure that the best item was the last item we secured. We discovered an amazing stationery shop with an insane amount of history. The owner, Juan, invited me to go behind the counter and take a look around. HELLZ YEAH. Golden ticket! Most shops in Mexico are set up where all the goods are behind a counter, away from the customer.
Digging deep into their selection when Juan appeared with something. Vintage Scripto mechanical pencils dating from the late 70s to early 80s… all of them in the original packaging! I couldn’t decide what I loved more – the pencil with its navy body, metal details and green eraser, or the packaging! Love the elementary colors and graphic shapes. Mexico… you are so damn legit when it comes to office supplies.
oxxo, Hen
