Kiosk was founded in 2005 by Alisa Grifo and Marco ter Haar Romney, who describe it as “a travel story depicted through objects, a collection of interesting things from around the world, a study of material culture, a shop, several people’s efforts to preserve unique and indigenous objects, an installation, and more”. The items in the store are ever-changing. Portuguese beer glasses, deerskin mittens made in Vermont, brass paperclips from Sweden, a curious can opener from Japan, a German pencil sharpener—these are commonplace things that might generally go unnoticed locally, but tell a story away from home.
The store itself is located in SoHo, New York, and, like the objects themselves, the retail concept has travelled across the continent to find a second home at Neighbour in Gastown.
