Melrose's New Stores Are A Treat: Carraggi's Corner

Every Friday morning I'll be sending something a bit different to your inbox. Maybe it'll be something I experienced over the week in Melrose, maybe it'll be an interesting letter to the editor, maybe it'll be something completely whacky. If you want to get in on the conversation, send an email to [email protected].

Last week I went to City Hall to check if anyone submitted papers to run for office in Melrose (and pick up a birth certificate, thanks to the clerk's reminder.)

I left City Hall out the Essex Street door and met my wife and baby on one of the benches outside. My wife noticed some new stores in that somewhat dilapidated building across the street — the one had been home to Beansprout Gifts, an auxiliary room for 101 Music and Always Hair For You.

Honestly, I didn't know anything new was coming. See, I've pretty much been in a bomb shelter since my kid was born, so this some new digs right next to Shaw's caught me by surprise.

We walked inside and put on the mask provided at the entrance — I had forgotten mine — and the young woman behind the counter genuinely thanked me for it. It actually bummed me out she felt the need to thank me for something so basic, but let's not get into that.

Walking in felt like putting on a cozy blanket. A what's-old-is-new-again record player sounded like a cup of warm tea. As my wife put it: "I'm overwhelmed with how cute it is." (I wish she'd say that about me.)

So I chatted up the woman behind the counter, Prisca Mbiye, about what this little slice of heaven was. You can see part of the brief conversation I had with Priska on Instagram — and remember, you can follow that account for more Melrose happenings that doesn't always fit on the pages of Patch and other supplemental news coverage.

The tight space is home to three women-owned businesses: Roü-Mi Candle, My Sunday Afternoon and Jill Paz Illustration. You can get a better sense of what those businesses are about by clicking those links and, again, in the Instagram video.

Prisca, who owns Rou-Mi Candle, was nice enough to talk a candle simpleton like myself about what candle I should get for the start of fall. We ended up with "Sunday Morning," and now I find myself wanting to eat it every night. It smells scrumptious.

We also got a piece of fall decor for our toddler from Jill Paz Illustration. We plan on going back for one of her astounding simple pencil portraits.

I didn't get to the store next door, but wouldn't ya know the city sent a press release after Mayor Paul Brodeur cut the ribbon in front of it. That store is The Mothership Of All Design, which sells Melrose-centric apparel and donates part of sales to schools and sports programs.

The stores won't be there forever — heck, the building won't even be there for much longer. You'll have to visit 12-14 Essex St. by Oct. 31, or check them out online.

Mike Carraggi can be reached at [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter @PatchCarraggi and Instagram at Melrose Happening. Subscribe to Melrose Patch for free local news and alerts and like us on Facebook.