Schlep Local

More than a year ago, I made the difficult decision to hit pause and close the shop for a while to focus on other priorities. But behind the scenes, for almost two years now, I’ve been slowly chipping away at a new collection in whatever spare time I could carve out.

It all began with a simple concept: the modern shtetl. It was a phrase I used in jest off the cuff, but it lingered. Historically, the shtetl wasn’t a place you chose to be. But more than a century after my family left the shtetl, it seems we’ve built a new one—this time by choice. We choose to be close to friends and family, close to a Jewish school, and close to a genuinely good bagel place.

That was the breadcrumb that led me down this path. But much like a ten-year journey to complete a Bachelor of Arts, I got distracted by shiny objects and heavy obligations, which slowed things down. Two of those paths are clearly reflected in this new collection, which I’ll call Landsman and Ladino. 

We’ve finally reached the destination, though, and looking at this board, I think it was worth the wait. 

Schlep Local began with a simple premise: our community’s stories, rituals, and humour deserve to be preserved, celebrated and shared. This is a quiet passion project celebrating the neighborhood institutions that fed us, the immigrant corridors that shaped us, and the shared heritage we carry forward. 

Thanks for stopping by and I hope this project speaks to you, too.