‘Shop local' queen beat tariffs with store of NYC-made goods
Tucked away at 434 Sixth Ave. in the West Village, the Locavore Variety Store is helmed by 'shop local' queen Caroline Weaver, an entrepreneur on a serious mission to change the way New Yorkers consume.
Since opening a year ago, the 'shop about shopping' has become something of a gold mine for quirky, homegrown finds — sourced within 100 miles of the Big Apple.
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8 Since setting up shop a year ago, the Locavore (above) has morphed into a hot spot for offbeat, locally made loot — sourced within 100 miles of the Big Apple.
Kim Max for N.Y.Post
Amid candy-colored decor, quirky displays show off 700 products from over 130 regional makers. There are household essentials — cleaning supplies, kitchen utensils — pantry staples like green goodies made by Eddie's Pickles in Maspeth, Queens, and unusual notions and gifts like cigarette lighters made with Dum Dum gum wrappers by comedian and downtown denizen Amy Sedaris.
'I want to remind people that shopping is fun,' Weaver told The Post. 'It's about going out, experiencing our neighborhoods, discovering something new and having fun.'
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Weaver's retail journey started with the beloved CW Pencil Enterprise, a cult-favorite stationery spot she ran from 2014 to 2021 on the Lower East Side.
But when the iconic address shuttered during the pandemic, the city cheerleader found herself dreaming of the ultimate buy-local boutique — giving birth to her latest retail baby not long after.
'The shop was always meant to be my demonstration of what shopping local really means — that it's friendly, it's fun, it's about things that are made in our communities and that have stories,' Weaver explained.
8 Inside the Locavore, you'll find a parade of offbeat displays, showcasing 700 handpicked products from over 130 local makers.
Kim Max for N.Y.Post
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'That's the storytelling part of it, and that's something Amazon and big box stores will never be able to compete with. My hope is that as the economic squeeze tightens and small businesses start to struggle, people will really begin to see why it matters to shop local,' Weaver said.
The selection is as unexpected as it is charming — think Wiffle Balls straight outta Shelton, Connecticut, or wool dusters created by a Bronx family business, all waiting under the watchful, cardboard-cutout eye of another local staple: the pigeon.
And Weaver has opted to keep things as simple as they are amusing, featuring grocery store-style shelving sourced from a Canarsie warehouse — she even sanded and stained the floor herself.
8 Shopping at the Locavore is like stepping into a treasure trove of local finds.
Kim Max for N.Y.Post
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But this isn't just a smile-inducing spot for a browse — the passionate proprietor wants to spark excitement in her customers for a full exploration of Gotham's gargantuan selection of worthy mom-and-pop shops.
Since 1990, big corporations have slashed 4 million jobs, but small businesses added 8 million, according to the Small Business Administration.
As that number grows, Weaver has made it her job to catalog every independent retail space in the city — hoofing it through all five boroughs to track down all the hidden gems, going back to 2021. Four years and 14,000 stops later, she's almost done.
8 This ain't just a feel-good pit stop — Weaver's on a mission to get New Yorkers hyped about exploring the city's hidden gems and unsung mom-and-pop shops.
Kim Max for N.Y.Post
To save New Yorkers a ton of legwork, she's put out the Locavore Guide — a pint-sized version of her epic database, spotlighting 670 of the city's coolest indie shops like Village Revival Records in Greenwich Village and Beadkraft in Chelsea, to name a few.
And you can shop her store without even leaving the house — Weaver also recently caved and launched an online operation to bolster revenue and make her finds accessible beyond NYC.
Katie McClure, who helped Weaver set up her entertaining emporium, said the Locavore has become more than just a retail space.
8 The selection's a delightful grab bag of the unexpected — think Dum Dum lighters handcrafted by Amy Sedaris and old-school C. Howard's gum at the counter, which Weaver likens to a classic 'bodega setup.'
Kim Max for N.Y.Post
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'People who come in here are friends. I've made friends with customers, and also very randomly, a lot of people run into each other here,' McClure said.
Emily Dean, who started working at the Locavore before its official opening, said the close-knit nature of the shop and its locally made items are what make it special.
'People come in and say things like, 'Oh, I know the person who made this,' and I'm, like, 'No way, that's a real person that makes that, and they're right around the corner.' Things like that just bring in a lot of joy,' Dean said.
8 Weaver's kept it stripped-down and spirited, decking out the shop with old-school grocery store shelves from a Canarsie warehouse — and she even sanded and stained the floor herself.
Kim Max for N.Y.Post
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Weaver explained that she wants shopping at the Locavore 'to feel democratic,' and that she sells items in 'every price range and category' so that everyone who walks in 'can feel like there's something for them.'
Weaver also wants her store to be the opposite of shops that 'make you feel like you're not allowed to touch anything' and encourages customer curiosity and exploration.
Cleo Le-Tan, who knows a thing or two about running a small biz, is a happy customer. She owns Pillow-Cat Books in the East Village — and she's in love with the Locavore's vibe.
8 Weaver's on a mission to map every mom-and-pop shop in the city — pounding the pavement across all five boroughs since 2021. Four years and 14,000 stops later, she's nearly there.
Kim Max for N.Y.Post
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'I like that you can just get all this different stuff — it's kind of a sort of deluxe convenience store. There isn't really that anywhere,' Le-Tan told The Post.
'My 6-year-old daughter does ballet upstairs, so we always come down after. She always wants to come here — she calls Caroline 'Coraline,' like the movie,' the professional bookworm added.
Le-Tan's daughter Alpha told The Post that she loves the store's locally made fruit leather from small biz Joray — with 'strawberry and cherry' her two current favorite flavors.
For Weaver, these visits — Alpha's candy runs, or the children who come in for their weekly Eddie's pickle fix — are exactly why she opened the shop, and why she loves being part of the community.
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8 Weaver's all about breaking the 'don't touch' vibe of stuffy shops — instead, she wants the Locavore to invite hands-on browsing and playful exploration.
Kim Max for N.Y.Post
'I grew up in rural Ohio, and I became a shop owner because of all the memories I made as a kid in little shops like this,' she said.
'That's why it matters so much to me to create those kinds of experiences for other people's kids now.'
For Alpha's birthday last month, Weaver tied up a bouquet of her favorite flavors as a special gift.
'It's moments like that — being part of these kids' lives — that really matter to me,' she said with a smile.
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