Lost Pines Art Bazaar: Persian Culture Meets Texas Charm
Lost Pines Art Bazaar is not the kind of store you'd expect to find in a small town like Bastrop, Texas. With its luxurious Persian rugs and high quality art and antiques, it's the type of place you might frequent in a big city like Dallas or Houston. When we asked the Bazaar's Gallery Manager, Naseem Khonsari, why they chose Bastrop, she answered that "Bastrop is a community rich in history; one we believe will be defined as much by its history as its art. It’s still up-and-coming as an arts destination, but we believe Bastrop is art."
When I walk into Lost Pines Art Bazaar, I'm overcome by a sense of wonder. I want to sit down with a cup of tea and simply take in all of the beauty surrounding me. I want to read classic novels and travel to exotic places and save the rainforest. Lost Pines Art Bazaar is both beautiful and inspiring.
But Lost Pines Art Bazaar isn't just a pretty face. They carefully select the products they carry, preferring items that are either fair trade or made in America. While not every product they carry meets this standard, they take pride in knowing where their products come from and how they are made.
Naseem explained, "It’s important to know where things come from. I believe we vote with our dollars, and that includes the products we purchase every day—from the foods we eat to the gifts we give. I want people to feel confident that their purchase is supporting fairness and value, not just in the product itself, but for the person behind the scenes who is making it."
Lost Pines Art Bazaar curates a one-of-a-kind collection of quality products. From "made in America" lines like Rifle Paper Company to sustainable products like Europe2You handcrafted in Hungary, they’ve assembled a beautiful collection of home decor and gift items that you will want to fill your home with and give to your friends and loved ones.
When I asked Naseem about her favorite product they carry, she answered, "Our Hand in Hand soaps line is one of my favorite companies we carry. I love their products and everything they stand for. They launched two new lines this year that arrive this week in store. So they now have their original clean water collection in addition to their new rainforest and micro financing collection." She also quoted one of the founders of Hand in Hand, explaining what they do: "Understanding our environmental impact, we set out from day one to create products which were as eco-friendly as possible. We wanted to be proud of and develop a product that was made with sustainable resources and harvested ethically. As such, our products are as natural and fair trade as we can make them. To have a product that is truly eco-friendly means more than just having natural ingredients. We have found that many natural soaps use ingredients that ultimately come from intentionally cleared rainforests, which was something that we wanted no part in. Every ingredient in our soap is not only natural, but it is harvested and grown in an environmentally friendly way."
Besides the Hand in Hand soaps line, Lost Pines Art Bazaar also carries FEED, a line of bags, accessories, and apparel that helps feed children across the world with every purchase, and Ten Thousand Villages, a fair trade company helping disadvantaged artisans across the globe by providing a sustainable market for their goods.
You might be afraid to go into Lost Pines Art Bazaar because you think they only carry expensive items like Persian rugs, fine art, and antique furniture, but they also carry affordable items like scarves, bags, jewelry, candles, tea, art prints, journals, and cards. They've got lots of great gifts for under $10-20, perfect for Mother's Day!
Now through Saturday, May 9th, mention this blog post to get 15% off your in-store purchase at Lost Pines Art Bazaar.
Lost Pines Art Bazaar is located at 603 Chestnut Street in Bastrop, TX. They are open Tuesday through Saturday from 10am-4pm. Call (512) 985-6403 for more information, or visit them online at www.lostpinesartbazaar.com.
Photography by Renee Combs-Crayton with As the Crow Flies.
