I hate most kinds of shopping, but I love a shoppy shop.
If you aren’t familiar with the term designer Neil Shankar coined on TikTok in 2022, you’re probably at least familiar with the vibe. Shoppy shops tend to be pretty small, stocked with intricately curated and highly designed independent goods and sundries—often locally made—and usually have at least a few perishable snacky snacks (and there’s almost always tinned fish).
In Little Italy, it’s Home Ec. In University Heights, Clos is building Fintastic Provisions. And in North Park, Tablespoon is almost ready to open.
Logan Mitchell and Gary McIntire, the couple behind Collins & Coupe and Cellar Door Supper Club, opened Collins & Coupe in 2017 with a curated selection of vintage bar supplies for professionals and home bartenders. They’ve been using the suite next door for storage and seasonal events for a few years, but decided earlier this year to launch an expansion-slash-sister-company that would offer more kitchen goods beyond the bar—an idea they had even before Collins & Coupe.
“[It] was meant to be much larger and include a cooking classroom,” explains Mitchell. “San Diego hasn’t really had an independently owned cooking store since Great News closed.”
Unlike other local shops carrying kitschy kitchen items, Mitchell says Tablespoon will focus on more vintage sundries and specific cooking supplies. “We’ll have chef-curated selection of vintage and new kitchen tools and cookbooks, locally made pantry and food items, even coffee and sourdough starter from local brands like Sequoia Nut Butter, Juice Jerky, JoJo’s Peanut Butter, Sugar Kiln Cookies, Crysalis Florals, and more,” says Mitchell.
She says they’ll always want to add local purveyors to their lineup, so she invites interested vendors to reach out via their Instagram page or shoptablespoon@gmail.com. “Since we are so small we won’t have everything, especially not right away, but will do our best to grow our inventory according to what our customers want. So please don’t hesitate to ask for what you need and we’ll try to find it for you,” she says.
Tablespoon soft opens Friday, August 30, with a grand opening on Friday, September 6, for Stroll the Boulevard from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. Mitchell promises, “We’ll be open all day, 11 a.m. to 8 p.m.,” for Stroll. Regular hours will be Thursday through Sunday, noon to 6 p.m.
San Diego Restaurant News & Food Events
Tea Time? Meh. Tipsy Tea Time? Yeah!
Afternoon tea with alcohol? Now we’re talking. On Wednesday, August 21, from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m., California English will host a boozy tea time with tea-based cocktails, small bites, live music, and lawn games. For $55, you get two drinks tickets for the 21+ event. If you can’t make it on this date, Tipsy Tea Time is available Tuesdays through Saturdays from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. (reservations required). Have a hot honey-fried chicken sandwich scone and a Southern Belle tea cocktail, and enjoy that Southern feeling without the humidity.
Brews & BBQ at Smokey & The Brisket on August 24
East County is on fire—pit fire, with barbecue joints like Papalo, Grand Ole BBQ Flinn Springs, Coop’s, and Smokey and The Brisket keeping the local barbecue game strong. The latter of these, located in La Mesa, is wrapping up summer on Saturday, August 24, from noon to 6 pm with Brews & BBQ, featuring live music, dog adoptions, arcade games, and, of course, plenty of food and craft beer available for purchase. For $65, guests can get a plate of barbecue and unlimited beer tastings from six local breweries, but the event is free.
Eat Crispy Burger
Beth’s Bites
- Is it too early to plan for Halloween? I already got a “start Christmas shopping” promo email this week, so I guess not. Spooky pop-up Black Lagoon will be in San Diego from October 13 through November 3 at Seven Grand, offering special spooky cocktails and other concoctions created by Kelsey Ramage and Erin Hayes.
- Brand new Beach Break in Bird Rock brims with beautiful baked bites, beets, beach boxes, and butters. Now that I’m out of (appropriate) B-words, it’s a cute little market with snacks and other supplies for the perfect day at the Cove or wherever your favorite wave breaks. That sounds a heck of a lot better than the smushy PB&Js I pack!
- Chad Michaels, Winner of RuPaul’s Drag Race All Stars Season One, says the burgers at Eat Crispy Burger taste “like a million dollars.” But soon, we won’t have to go to Encinitas to grab one of our own—more are coming to San Diego in National City, La Jolla, and possibly a few more.
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