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Silk Road
Categories: Shopping Home & Garden Home Decor Food Coffee & Tea Home Decor, Coffee & Tea [Edit]
1412 Park St(between Central Ave & Post Office Ct)
Alameda, CA 94501
(510) 749-9941
- Hours:
Mon-Sat 10 am - 7 pm
Sun 11 am - 4 pm
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
$250 for $400 Certificate
Ruby C. said: "My boyfriend and I needed a birdbath or fountain to put in the front lawn because part of the pipe had awful placement, right in the middle of the…" read more »
4 reviews for Silk Road
4 reviews in English
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Review from Anna M.
Alameda, CA
1/10/2012
Ever have one of those shops that just sort-of....suck you in, when you're just walking down the sidewalk, minding your own business?
You glance over, and pause, studying the display, then just happen to notice something (ooOOo, shiny!) ...interesting near the door, sitting in a basket....and you figure you'll just step in for a quick look at it. Just a quick...(OooOO, there's more shiny inside!) ...look, and you'll be on your way.
Anytime I am wandering down Park Street, Silk Road sorta does just that...the inside is small, but the wares are always artfully arranged, so that it looks a bit like a window display that just happened to have sprawled out onto the sales floor.
Admittedly, the selection is limited by the size of the store, but whenever I wander in, I like to stop and sniff the fragrant soaps they sell by the ounce (or pre-wrapped in cellophane), and look over the scarves, jewelry, clothes, skincare products, home decor, warm hats and mittens, coffee...
Yep, coffee. Fair-trade bags of coffee, that cost about the same as you'd pay at World Market, and less than you'd pay in a fancy-schmancy coffee boutique. And as an added bonus, you get the warm fuzzy feeling of being a do-gooder while enjoying your espresso.
I admit, I am a sucker for small, locally-owned businesses. But that aside, the fact that the girl that works there helped me wrap my gift purchase with cellophane, tissue paper and a bow....for no extra charge, just being helpful...definitely put this on my shopping radar when looking for a nice, ethically sourced gift for the socially-conscious on my list.
(Socially conscious people can be hard to buy for. Half the time you can't just get them a Hickory Farms summer sausage because they're vegetarian or it isn't organic, the rest of the time you can't be sure if they have a grudge against the stores you're shopping at. So places like this are ALWAYS a safe bet. Silk Road makes it easy to look like a virtuous, zen-like person who buys with a conscience -- even if you secretly aren't. Go there.) -
Review from Lady S S.
Oakland, CA
10/19/2009
My recent stumble and purposeful walking adventure led me to the silk road in Alameda.
I am delighted to be able to purchase fair trade items that have been custom made and designed. I find fairly traded and hand selected items to be meaningful beyond the normal level of consumption satisfaction.
Hand crafted items are meaningful to me understanding the cultural relevance and implications of the distribution and promotion of such crafts. To know the others involved in the process of creation benefit by my enjoyment brings the experience full circle.
It makes sense to me to 1. spend my dollars locally, 2. spend those dollars contributing to a greater good globally.
What I like most about Silk road is that the prices are really reasonable! I have seen fair trade items on the market that are simply outrageously priced. I have also seen outrageously priced similar items that aren't fairly traded. -
Review from wolf c.
Fremont, CA
11/4/2010 2 Check-ins Here
Super cool little fair trade import shop. Definitely stop in if you can. A must for Buddha statue collectors.
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Review from Gabrielle L.
Oakland, CA
11/6/2010
This is a great shop packed with fair trade products and items from local artisans. The prices are really reasonable shoppers and crafters and other suppliers receive an above-average percentage for their sales. This is a neighborhood treasure - remember it for holiday shopping!
