Pharmacie

Don’t be thrown by the name. It is not a drug store, but pharmacists have been known to shop there. This is a lifestyle store, a home or office decorators dream and yet it has a soul. I love how they embrace so many worlds in their space, have decorator pieces, artists renderings and cook books. Yes, I have made bone fide purchases, and while I was going to culinary school, picked up a Thomas Keller cook book there. The owners are not haters. Yes, there is a bit of pretentiousness about them, but I actually love it. They are who they are and they are always changing their space. They may put off the vibe of style experts, but who wouldn’t want one? My only regret is that I did not purchase the flower skulls when they had them in stock. They were just so beautiful that I took them for granted until one day, I walked by and they were gone… sold. I frantically went inside and inquired… and damn it, they were made by an artist that had gone into a new direction… and I missed my chance with the hippy skulls carved out of bone, not human bone, silly. Not everything is going to be for everyone, but when you recognize that thing that is for you, you better get it. $$-$$$ bills, but never cheap here. Affordable, yes. Cheap​.NO. Quality… is an absolute.

When visiting Minneapolis from San Francisco, I always have to visit Pharmacie. Being welcomed by the staff always makes my day a little brighter and on my most recent visit I found so many things I wanted – for myself and as gifts for others. I really appreciate the range of products and prices. If I want something really extraordinary, I might pay more, but there are so many affordable items; I don’t have to break the bank to get something special.

Say it’s Christmas, right? And there’s a 20-​something New Yorker in your life who is a seriously talented modern artist, who is more stylish than you, who is growing (? I don’t even know the right verb here) her own kombucha, whose taste in music is consistently about 2.5 years ahead of yours, and you are charged with the unholy task of buying a Christmas present for this person.
Pharmacie will be your lifejacket, your very own treasure chest filled with WIN. It will save you from the heinous misery of buying something utterly un-​cool for someone much, much cooler than you. And unlike Forage Modern Workshop, you will not have to max out your credit cards and eat packaged ramen for three weeks to assert your own hipness.
They had tiny, iconic Minnesota paintings, artsy vases, shaving kits, snarky condom boxes, simple-​but-​timeless jewelry, and a fantastic assortment of knick-​knacks that belong on the desk of people like Dave Eggers.
They also had absolutely, mind-​blowingly beautiful hand-​felted pillows that depicted smoke and skulls, pieces of art in their own right, and you PAY for those pleasures, believe me. They’re worth buying and then framing in a shadowbox in your living room. And, like a proper Minnesota shop, they have a selection of New Nordic Cookbooks. #ofcourse
You can’t go wrong here. I could have found something for just about everyone on my list. Enjoy.

This boutique is one of the few places where my husband and I mutually love almost everything in the shop. The owner has an eye for beautiful things and the whimsical. If I could fill every shelf and open surface area with things from Pharmacie I would.

My husband and I live a few blocks away from Pharmacie and can’t help ourselves from meandering in here every couple of weeks. The place stocks beautiful furniture, tasteful design elements like vases and cutting boards, unexpected gift ideas (candles/​jewelry/​bottle openers) and has the best welcome crew ever: Lulu! The owners’ shiba inu, Lulu, is the sweetest little lady. We always love saying hi to her (or to her buddy «Hannibal» who is also there a lot).
We’ve bought a lot of prints and vases and other little cookbooks and gifts here. But most recently, we custom ordered a couple of chairs from True Modern. The owners Kelly and Sam were both super helpful throughout the process, offering their opinions when asked and also just being funny and awesome to chat with. They have exquisite taste and stock the store with the most on-​trend, while also approachable, items. Such a great independent furniture and gift store for people who want more original, artful pieces for their home.
Can’t wait to see what other fun things they’ll start selling!

On my trip home to Minneapolis last week, I couldn’t resist poking around at some of the new businesses in town. (Just like old times, guys!)
Pharmacie is full of upscale home furnishings, gifts, jewelry and even a couple of pieces of actual furniture. The vibe is on-​trend, but in a classy way that won’t likely go out of style in a hot minute either.
I recognized a few paintings from local artists on the walls, as well as shelves full of unique gifts like «To My Health» flasks, cheese boards, fancy soaps, etc. My favorite was this 3-​D printed Dia de los Muertos skull that would’ve been awesome on my desk and I sorta regret not buying it. The owner seemed like a nice guy too. We chatted a little bit about some of their upcoming events, which I won’t be able to attend but you probably should!
Also, HANNIBAL THE SHOP DOG. JUST LOOK AT HIM. I have to admit that I spent a lot of time following this dog around the shop while pretending not to be following the dog around the shop.
Unfortunately, Hannibal was not interested in hopping in my suitcase.