Among the many casualties of our increasingly digitized culture is the handwritten letter, that telling, romantic relic of our pre-email existence. Just as diehard print fanatics have dedicated themselves to the resurgence of hard-copy media, champions of the traditional paper missive (along with the email-exhausted) are inspiring a letter-writing revival, conceiving unique and artistic ways to refresh and elevate the traditional post.
Paperfinger: For those who suspect that the cold-and-fast quality of email is sucking some of the sentiment out of their “letters” of love, Bryn Chernoff (aka Paperfinger) is on call to help. The Brooklyn-based calligrapher offers a scribe service to anyone who wishes to express their loving words with elegant, vintage flair. Her love letter transcriptions are artfully scripted on textured Italian stationery and sealed with wax for a bit of added import. The artisan keepsake will set romantics back $200 for up to 125 words, or $350 for as many as 300 words. Botchers of Valentine’s Day, take note: an apology in calligraphy definitely beats a repentant text.
Leveraging the power of community, micro-libraries are emerging as a novel alternative to the tired public library. Reading materials are being crowdsourced and shared as a cost-effective, zero waste way to circulate print media among those who still prefer an analog reading experience. With these DIY corner libraries multiplying, those considering purchasing an e-reader may have a reason to think twice.
Microlending Stations: During OWS’ time in Zuccotti Park, The People’s Library provided protesters with free, unrestricted access to a collective, open reading room of books, ’zines, newspapers and educational pamphlets. Though this so-called Library 3.0 was destroyed during a police raid on Liberty Plaza, it proved unstoppable, ultimately being resurrected in a mobile hodgepodge of crates, shopping carts, and the like. The Little Free Library is a similar initiative promoting literacy, community strength and the sheer pleasure of reading through the building of worldwide book exchanges. With the goal of beating Andrew Carnegie’s record-setting founding of 2,509 libraries, look for the project to bring an LFC to a corner near you.
In our crowdsourced culture, Gen Ys are accustomed to giving their opinion and seeing it recognized. As such, the trend toward customization has accelerated across multiple categories in recent months. Among the latest to emerge lets consumers customize their beverages of choice in terms of ingredient ratios and flavor profiles, all in the quest for the perfectly personal libation.
WhiskyBlender: In the wake of the (arguably ill-advised) pickleback trend, the whiskey business is thriving. Bourbon is experiencing a boom, and its sister, Scotch—once considered the definitive old guy drink—is seeing a similar comeback. Making the stark blend more accessible to the not-yet-grizzled, Glasgow-based WhiskyBlender’s virtual lab lets customers craft a personalized mix from distinct Scotch flavors. Aficionados and novices alike can choose proportions of smoky, fruity, salty, buttery, nutty, and malty elements, highlighting their favorite tastes and merely hinting at others. Each custom blend receives a unique bottle code, so that customers who strike up flawless proportions can order their favorite alcoholic alchemy again and again.
For the hospital-phobic, innovations in mobile healthcare may seem like a godsend. However, smartphone-doctors still have their limitations. Working to reinvent the sterile image of hospitals, healthcare professionals are teaming up with designers and technologists to provide patients with a cutting edge, and more pleasant, medical experience.
Boutique Hotel Hospital: Lucy and Tobie Snowdowne, founders of UK design studio Two Create, were hired by Teenage Cancer Trust to design a 12-person hospital ward specifically tailored to teens. Incorporating research drawn from interviewing patients on their ideal environment, what was once a banal hospital zone soon resembled a colorful boutique hotel. The Young Persons Unit contains six rooms, each with a unique theme like “’60s Pop Art” and “NYC Loft,” as well as teen necessities like iPod docks and sheets of die-cut magnets for wall personalization. Extending the boutique vibe, medical supplies incorporate discreetly into multi-use furniture, such as modern end tables that double as IV carriers.
Aside from the obvious, like the current state of the real estate market, brick-and-mortar stores are facing a number of challenges lately. For one, customer service expectations are shifting, as shoppers have become accustomed to more independent modes of consumerism online. Needless to say, it takes guts to open up shop these days, yet these three retail projects may be trailblazing new ways to make the cash register sing.
Openspace: Having opened at a time when entertainment media is increasingly moving into the cloud, a physical store that sells intangible items may seem counterintuitive. But at least one entrepreneur is hedging his bets on the fact that it’s a business model for the new era. Robert Reich’s Openspace, a downtown Boulder, Colorado store that opened its doors in December, sells…apps? The cornerstone of the shop is its “App Gurus,” a team of expert staffers, similar to Apple store Geniuses, intended to educate and aid shoppers who typically have difficulty navigating cyber stores. It’s a bold move, but one that already has franchise offers on the table.
