10,000 Villages

This 10,000 Villages location is moderately sized with plenty of items from around the globe. I especially love their teapot selection (approx. $ 45 each) and the decorations they sell at Christmas are so nice. The staff have always been very friendly and helpful. They even volunteered to get water for my roommate when she was interested in buying a teapot, but wasn’t sure how it would pour.
This store has lovely and unique items that are often worth their moderate pricing. Of course, their non-​profit Fair Trade status offers even more shopping incentive. This is a great place to go, especially for Christmas shopping.

Okay, when I first walked into 10,000 Villages I HATED it. My wife and I have travelled all over the world and everywhere we went, we brought back souvenirs and mementos. And sometimes, those souvenirs were a major inconvenience to carry about. I remember dragging hefty and awkward bags of baskets and bowls all over The Philippines two years ago. What made all that pain bearable was the knowledge that the goods I was lumping around were one-​of-​a-​kind items that you couldn’t get back home. And then I discovered 10,000 Villages. Almost every unique and hard to find little item I have purchased and seen in shops from Abu Dhabi to Beijing was in that store on Bank Street. Do yourself a favour — save the money you would have spent on flights and take a trip instead to 10,000 Villages. The store ensures the profits support community organizations locally and around the world. So, you feel good and save money.