The Delight of Discovery

Whenever I travel, I seek out interesting shops. In fact, if I purchased something in every store I checked out, I'd be able to open a shop of my own in my living room.

So when I heard about Bell'occhio (which means “good eye” in Italian) I lost no time going to see if it deserved the raves it was receiving at San Francisco's International Retail Design Conference. I wasn't disappointed, nor were the three other designers that joined me. We all fell in love with the overall sensibility and energy of the store, and the money practically leapt out of my purse.

Claudia Schwartz, owner and creator of Bell'occhio, has an affinity for unusual French merchandise, commissioning pieces for her store that are in that “I don't know what it is but I have to have it” category. Combine that with a slightly quirky sense of humor and old-fashioned (in the best sense) style. Bell'occhio's signs are all hand-calligraphied on poster-weight, die cut paper. They're small but easy to read — and worth reading; all the elements work together to form a cohesive image. At Bell'occhio, personal vision combines with merchandise that can't be found just anywhere.

I happily spent $56 when I intended to buy nothing! My companions enjoyed opening their wallets, too.