Tabletop: A bright retail oasis
Tabletop is a small breath of fresh air among the District's Ikea-laden apartments.
The little Dupont shop, tucked in the garden level of a brownstone, features whimsical home accessories and gifts that always make it a fun trip to visit, even if you don't buy anything. It’s the kind of store you wander into out of curiosity, and leave with a giant pendant lamp shaped like a flying bird, or a dishtowel that reads I AM NOT A PAPER TOWEL, or a colander that folds up to store nicely in your tiny Washington kitchen. Truth is, you'll either be a frequent visitor who buys each time, or one who never buys at all.
Tabletop was started in 2003 by a couple who thought similarly about Dupont Circle (“No retail oasis to quench our thirst for brightly colored, well designed and affordable home accessories slash gifts”). And then, voila! A fun answer to Dupont’s missing piece was created.
Filled with everything home-related from fun accent tables and chairs, light fixtures, clocks, cookbooks, cards and stationery, toys, jewelry, bath products, handbags and yes, tabletop accessories like interesting chopsticks, creamers shaped like cow udders, kooky mugs, and salt&pepper shakers shaped like male and female heads, there's always something to see in the store that will make you smile and either consider adding to your home or just leaving it there to amuse yourself in the future. Truly, it is a great place to gather housewarming or shower gifts if you're creative or in a bind.
If you can’t make it to Dupont, you can shop online at the store. Its online shop seems limited to what’s available in the store, so perhaps a gift certificate might work better instead. If you’re getting married (gay or straight, these days), having a housewarming party or just want to create a wish list, you can create a gift registry online as well. All new online customers receive 20 percent off the first purchase.
Posted by Rin-rin Yu
