Eco-friendly mugs from Haand of North Carolina.
No, it’s not a diner with alcohol. But the owners of Drunk Lunch are aiming for that ramble-up-to-the-bar feel at this new lifestyle goods/gift shop and cooperative workspace that opened Nov. 13 on East Johnson Street.
Co-owner Alyssa Williams Taylor says that she and business partner Lindsey Slack came to understand their friendship “over funny, drunk lunches” they had years ago. “The name seemed like a lovely transition into this business element of our relationship, a far more refined version.” Their husbands, Justin Taylor and Steve Slack, are also partners in the business.
The store is a showcase for carefully curated items; it looks more like a museum than a store. “Our intention isn’t to ever fill the space,” says Taylor. “It’s a concept shop. It’ll always feel clean and composed, a gallery for our products, as each line is hand-designed.”
The hand-picked selection of jewelry, home goods, beauty products, handmade items, stationery and books is exclusive to Madison, and in most cases, the items can’t be found anywhere else in Wisconsin.
Bracelets from Baleen.
One offering new to the state is Seattle-based jewelry line Baleen, co-founded by Madison native Billy Bartels. Baleen bracelets, rings, earrings and necklaces range from $26 to $56.
Other products include Short Stack Editions cookbooks ($14) and city/travel books from Wildsam Field Guides ($18). The most expensive item at Drunk Lunch is a set of Japanese Imabari towels ($110).
Hungry shoppers will enjoy chocolate from Mast Brothers (of Brooklyn, N.Y.) and Woodblock (of Portland, Ore.)
The collaborative workspace, towards the back of the store, will cater to photographers, graphic designers, bloggers and other creative types. The area will have a photo studio, photography equipment and, eventually, professional-grade printing equipment. The photo studio is expected to be operational by Jan. 1, with printing facilities ready by spring.
“We hope to grow it into a space where you can grab a coffee at Johnson Public House, use our photo or printing equipment, or put on your headphones and chill,” Taylor says.
Chocolates from Mast Brothers and Woodblock.
Equipment costs and drop-in fees to work at Drunk Lunch are still being decided. The owners also anticipate hosting vendor truck shows, artist receptions, author readings and a community book club.
Down the road, Taylor says the Drunk Lunch concept likely will expand with a lifestyle brand of products that will be sold on an e-commerce site. One product, already available in-store, is a tote bag emblazoned with the Drunk Lunch logo.
The store is one of a handful of new businesses that have recently opened, or will soon open, in a two-block section of Johnson Street that includes Salvatore’s Tomato Pies, The Spot, Burnie’s Rock Shop, Fontaine, Yoga Co-op of Madison, the Good Style Shop and UpShift.
Taylor, a 10-year Tenney-Lapham resident, says that the neighborhood “has always felt a little grittier and a little more cosmopolitan compared to other downtown neighborhoods.” These days, she describes it as a place for “people who want beautiful, quality things, but also would like a Pabst Tall Boy at the same time.”
The spotlight is on items not carried elsewhere in the area.
Drunk Lunch, 807 E. Johnson St., 608-630-8401, shopdrunklunch.com, Noon-8 pm Tues.-Sat., noon-6 pm Sun.