Luminary Emporium opened in Louisville in April, 2009. Located in a very sweet little house on Main Street, it add some local and sustainable charm to Louisville's small downtown.
Unlike many gift shops, Luminary offers not only unique and locally made offerings but a great diversity of extremely well crafted items. From fine jewelry to scarves, beautifully pottery and paintings, there is a lot to like in this small space at very reasonable prices. The presentation is terrific as well. I especially appreciated bulk lavender offered in a pedestal sink with an antique serving spoon as a scoop. Touches like these aren't to be found at some of the bigger "crafts" shops or the more upscale "boutiques."
I have to admit, I'm not a fan of the "hand crafted" gift. They are, in the worst moments, insipid, poorly made or intended to be humorous in ways that fall flat. I saw little to none of this in Luminary and felt that I was surrounded by pieces that had meaning -- whether because they were locally made, sustainably made or offered a smart political message.
The owner was friendly, open and community minded. In the new "locavore" trend, I can't see why we shouldn't extend it to other types of buying as well. read more