I first heard about Trove General Store through some mutual denim-nerd friends. This was January ’11 and the banter was about how there existed this amazing shop in Chester County, PA – in the center of a small townin horse-country called PAOLI! It took me another full year before I had the opportunity to see this place for myself.
Some time in February ’12 of this year, I drove out to meet “the” Foster & Charlotte that endless mutual friends had gone on-and-on about. Every rumor was true. They were, in fact, beautiful – aesthetically & spiritually! They had designed/built/merchandised/staged/stocked and essentially live in this amazing space, day-to-day. They are warm, open and enthusiastic. Beyond the fact that Foster and I are both originally from New York, we are both gearheads, we’re surrounded by horses and are in love with blondes – we share the need to brand our respective back-pockets of our Willie Rigids with – in my case a knuckleduster, in his a horseshoe – other things that are near and dear. -Brian (i+w Wholesale Director)
1. Our frenchie Brethren, best friend and shop mascot!
2. Another Tennessee-made favorite, Pointer’s Denim Chore Coat. The ideal jacket to beat up and break in, we’ve both gotten some serious wear out of ours.
3. The Moscots I bought for Charlotte a few years ago… nothing like a girl in glasses.
4. The buck knife inspired iPhone case we designed with Teppei of Teranishi Handcrafted… it’s saved our screens many times.
5. Our i+w jeans! Willie Rigids are the best looking (and hardest wearing) jeans I think I’ve ever owned. And I think there’s only a number of times I can count that Charlotte hasn’t worn her Elizabeth jeans since she got them.
6. The Bonnie Bracelet, a hand hammered brass cuff that our good friend Kara makes. We’ve both worn ours for over a year, without taking them off. We’re working on a collab bracelet with her now, the proceeds of which will be donated to saving the wild mustangs out west.
7. Juniper Ridge’s Wild Harvested Cedar Incense… gives you that smokey, mountain scent every time. Not too mention it’s a natural insect repellant, so its perfect for Summer burning.
8. Portland General Store makes a mean men’s facial scrub, Facebomb, that’s hand blended with mud, sandalwood oil, clay, and floral waters. Leaves you feeling clean and smelling good, without any fuss.
9. Our horses, all 7 of them.
10. Foster has been mixing his own essential oils since I met him, and they’re better than anything you could get your hands on in a store (think notes of musk, rose, cedar and black pepper).
11. Mountain Ocean’s Skin Trip, the best organic lotion hands down! – C (Plus, she smells great with it on! -F)
12. The Martin Guitar I found for Foster in the ultimate Craigslist score ($100!). He taught himself, and can now play Gram Parsons’ songs for me at night.
13. Foster’s 1985 Chevy Silverado, the ultimate tanker that’s full of our saddles, tack, and fishing poles… Perfect truck for weekend excursions and country drives.
14. Our friend Tim of Happy Cat Farm runs a sustainable, organic farm near our home, where they grow over 1000 pounds of produce weekly for our local community. Plus he sell his varieties of heirloom seeds, which we have at our shop, so people can plant and grow their own.
15. Summer dinners cooked on the grill and eaten outside!
16. Bruce’s Nebraska album, usually on repeat in the shop.
17. The 1855 edition of Walt Whitman’s Leaves of Grass, my most treasured book and the first gift I ever gave to Foster.
18. The best boot to live, work and ride in, Chippewa’s Packer lace up. We have matching pairs, embarrassingly enough.
19. If we’re not in the shop, on our horses, or cooking at home, then we’re at our local secret spots fishing. We’ve kept a running tally of most and biggest fish caught.
