America has given us Wal-Mart, Kmart, Home Depot, Costco, BJ’s and countless other big box, all-in-one stores. And while they keep prices down, they have destroyed family-owned specialty stores. Thankfully, those types of locally-owned specialized shops still exist all over the world.
Take advantage of those stores – and the experts who own them – by shopping in them whenever you can. I’ve visited a neti pot shop in Stockholm (featuring an abnormal number of phalluses), a knife shop in Kyoto and a whip store in Australia’s Northern Territory just to name a few. In each place, I spoke with an expert in the field who took the time to share his expertise. That’s something you just won’t find in massive chain stores.
What specialty shops have you visited on your travels? Have you pulled the trigger on any purchases? Share your experiences in the comments.
