Psst! Curated’s Number One Tip for Bypassing Supply Chain Problems

Written by Jessie Knadler

Unless you’ve been hiding under a rock, you’ve probably heard about how supply chain problems are throwing a monkey wrench into buying for your home. Traffic jams at ports, skyrocketing freight charges, understaffed warehouses, rising consumer prices, panic buying, not to mention recurring Covid outbreaks—it makes you want to bypass the shopping mall entirely and stay home and binge Stranger Things.    

The obvious solution to this current predicament is to buy local, of course—products designed, crafted, produced, packed and sold right in your own backyard. Nary a cargo ship in sight. No price gouging from carriers. No panic buyers on your horizon!

Our friends over at Lexington-based Earth Fire Spirit Pottery, which produces handmade stoneware from family recipes handed down over generations, and also sells goods from local artisans, say they’re having “no problem” with inventory.

“Our artists have been prolific during the pandemic, producing and selling faster than ever,” wrote co-owner Jessy Poole. “Keep up the good work, Lexington/Rockbridge arts community! It just keeps getting bigger and better.”

It makes you wonder if the situation will compel more local retailers to rethink the whole global supply chain configuration for production that’s closer to home. It makes sense. Locally made goods are better for communities, the economy and jobs. It’s also tapped into makers’ creativity. Go on Etsy and you will find no shortage of cool new handmade and unique decor pieces available to consumers. It's truly impressive what small-time craftsmen and women are coming up with when so much of the wider world has upended.

Here at Curated, we’ve managed to bypass most of the supply chain meltdowns because we sell vintage. We don’t rely on wholesalers shipping mass produced items from overseas. The majority of our products are pre-owned, pre-loved and come from Virginia. We’re incredibly grateful that we have the vintage connections we do. We’ve been able to source vintage pieces and not have to rely on shipping from anywhere else in the country or overseas. It’s been fantastic.

We’re hoping this entire situation will turn out to be a blessing in disguise for local retailers!